Ask most marketers about how sales funnels work, and they’ll draw a diagram: prospects to into the top of the funnel, and some of them come out the bottom as customers.
But ask them for more details and you’ll get a blank look.
So here’s how they work, and simple steps you can take to use them successfully.
Funnels aren’t new, and they’re not rocket science. But you do have to think about them if they going to work. Properly executed, they’re the journey that a customer takes starting when they first recognize a need, or a problem, or a desire, through when they make their purchase.
How Sales Funnels work in successful businesses
You’re not Apple, selling iPhones. So it’s safe to say that consumers don’t start out wanting to buy from you. They have a thought that gets them interested in finding something that they want or need. Like a bicycle. They could want it for basic transportation, or because there’s not enough parking at the train station, or for exercise. Whatever the reason, the consumer has begun a journey that could eventually lead to making a purchase. And they might just buy from you if you understand marketing.
The first step
The first step in the process is simply catching the consumer’s attention. But it’s not simple: in fact, according to bicycleretailer.com there are 143 brands competing for that consumer in the US alone. And there are 7,000+ bicycle retailers (defined as any retailer who does 50 percent or more of their sales volume in bicycles and bike products, so that excludes stores like Walmart, REI, etc). So you’re facing a lot of competition for the consumer’s attention.
How do you get their attention? You do it with marketing tactics like
- Advertising (in all it’s forms)
- Social Media
- Content marketing
- SEO
- Google Reviews
- Trade Shows
- Events
- and more
They all have the same immediate goal: to attract the customer’s attention.
The second step
Next comes the hard work: the middle of the funnel. Consumers want to know what they’re looking at, and the trend is towards “doing the research” yourself, mainly online. This trend is currently so strong that it’s diminished the role of the salesperson as the source of information, and shifted power from selling to marketing.
How do you educate the consumer? You do it with marketing tactics like
- White papers
- Product Videos
- Demonstrations
- Case Studies
- Blog Posts
- Social Media and Interest Groups
- Product comparisons
- Messages on hold
Finally, the third step: the payoff
If your mid funnel marketing is powerful enough you still have consumers at the bottom of the funnel. This is the time to “seal the deal.”
How do you win the sale? You do it with marketing tactics like:
- Testimonials
- Product Tutorials
- Customer generated content
- FAQ’s
- Success Stories
- CRM
- Drip Campaigns
Have you thought about Sales Funnels in your business, and how they can help your potential customers take their journey…and finally buy from you? Success doesn’t just happen: it’s the result of a step-by-step, well thought out process.
For more ideas, call us at (800) 862-8896.
