Building a Digital Marketing Funnel: 5 Steps to Ensure Long-Term Success
The Art of the Marketing Funnel
A marketing funnel is a strategy designed to reel in your target audience and convert them into customers. The name is quite literal. Imagine a sketch of a funnel, which is essentially an inverted triangle. The top category, the widest section of the funnel, is home to your largest group—those potential customers that you need to reel in. The bottom, the smallest point, highlights your loyal customer base.
Every business approaches its funnel strategy differently, but there are five key steps that every brand should follow, regardless of what you sell.
1. Perfect your landing page
A landing page is a separate page of your website designed to capture information or direct one specific customer action. Let’s say your brand specializes in web design. Your landing page would ask potential customers to sign up for a free consultation. This landing page is your first point of contact with new business, and it’s asking users to hand over sensitive information. Thus, it needs to be well-designed. It should be aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate; it should tell potential customers that your brand is experienced and trustworthy.
2. Create your initial offer
The purpose of your funnel is ultimately to generate sales. Once you’ve caught your customers’ attention, it’s time to offer an introductory product or service. For example, concerning the aforementioned web design business, you could offer a redesign package for a customer’s home page. Whatever the offer it must be something that’s accessible and showcases your value.
3. Sell them more
Don’t stop there. Once your customers have accepted your introductory offer, they’ve had a chance to experience your service or use your product. They now have firsthand knowledge of your skill level. Take advantage of this by offering the next piece of the funnel—the upsell. Their initial purchase should always be countered with a product or service that takes their experience to the next level. Why stop at redesigning the home page when you can reconstruct the customer’s entire site? This upsell provides further value to the customer and generates more revenue for you.
4. But sell them less too
Ideally, you want a customer to spend more on their second purchase with your business. However, not everyone in your target demographic is capable of purchasing your most expensive products or services. You need down-market alternatives that ensure all customers still feel included. Offer a few affordable options for repeat customers who may have budgetary restraints. For instance, after redesigning their home page, perhaps you offer a proofreading service or an e-book on SEO strategy. Cater to everyone on both ends of your customer spectrum. You never know—one day, those budgetary constraints could be lifted, and these customers could power your core business.
5. Maintain the connection
Communication between your brand and your customers shouldn’t stop once they’ve made a purchase. You’ve captured their email—use it to follow up on their experience and to advertise new releases. Engage with them on a regular basis to create a sense of community. With the proliferation of social media and the instant gratification of constant communication, you don’t want to be forgotten.
Furthermore, you can create additional incentives for those customers to come back. One option is to create a membership rewards program. Think of your favorite local coffee shop. Every time you buy a latte, they stamp your card, and you get a free drink after 10 visits. Do the same for your customers. Maybe they get 20 reward points with every purchase, and they can apply those points toward select services? Whatever you decide, you must keep your audience engaged and generate repeat business.
In closing -- an effective digital marketing funnel is a surefire way to attract new customers to your business and ensure they stick around for the long haul.
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