When someone is researching the products or services you sell, it is highly unlikely that they will come across your company name, read your whole website or brochure and then immediately decide to purchase your most expensive offer. It would be fantastic if they did but this, unfortunately, hardly ever happens.
This does not mean that what your selling isn’t a good fit.
For potential customers or prospects to purchase your products/services, they first need to believe that they are making a good investment. For this, they need to trust you. They need proof that you can deliver what you are saying thereby making the risk relatively low.
This is the “getting to know you” phase. On average, it takes between seven to 13 brand touches or interactions before a prospect is ready to buy from you.
These touch points should not be random. They should be carefully planned and strategically made over a period of time.
And that’s what a marketing funnel does. It breaks up your prospect’s buying journey into stages. It takes them from the first point of hearing about you (for example, through your website or blog, a keynote talk or online advert) through each of the steps until they become a customer.
Marketing funnels are not new. The introduction of digital technologies has definitely seen them change in recent years but the core principle is over 150 years old. This is AIDA.
AIDA and the marketing funnel
The American advertising firm, Elias St. Elmo Lewis, first introduced the theory in the late 19th century and it’s been the backbone of many ad campaigns ever since.
Attention. Interest. Desire. Action.
Why is it so successful?
AIDA takes potential customers through the emotional journey of making a purchase, from the first time a prospect is made aware of your business offer to them taking action.
Even if you see the best print or video ad, you are not going to purchase right away, this is the start of the buyer journey.
Ads at the top of the funnel are designed to capture your target audiences attention. This could be an invite to a webinar, video series, an eBook or another piece of content that will resonate with the prospect.
Out of the 1000s that see the ad, several 100 would go on to register their interest and sign up for the webinar or piece of content.
Over a period of time, the prospect is sent pieces of information that are designed to educate, provide them with value and create
Now at the bottom of the marketing funnel, the prospect is warm. This is when you present them with
Having several marketing funnels in place is a great way to build a solid pipeline of potential customers. These systems don’t have to be complicated and once set up, you can fine tune them, perfect your offer and keep a consistent stream of leads coming into your business – customers who can’t wait to business with you.
How do i build a marketing funnel?
Need help building a marketing funnel for your business? Creative Tweed