So you've been tasked with increasing sales and revenue - a tale as old as time (well, almost). But there are a few important steps you need to take before your sales start to boom because we’re not talking spontaneous combustion here - you need to grab your SEO kindling and maybe a content fire starter while you’re at it.
When it comes to marketing, that initial spark of interest will always come from your comms activity, but how exactly do you fan the consumer flames? Only after you understand how to turn a dwindling ember into a raging inferno should you put budget, time and energy into your strategy. This article is the first in a streamlined series that breaks down the process of full-funnel marketing so you can pinpoint the areas in your business that need attention and which ones are already smouldering along nicely. (Separate blog post on how to really string out an analogy pending).
The Basics
Understanding Full-Funnel Marketing
First, let’s clarify what we mean by “full-funnel marketing”. The funnel shape represents your customers’ journey from finding you in the consumer wilds (the widest part), through to becoming a loyal customer (the narrowest). Within a sales funnel, there are three primary sections:
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Here, you nurture leads and build relationships, guiding them towards a purchasing decision.
The final stretch, is where you convert leads into customers and encourage brand loyalty.
Top of Funnel (TOFU) Communication
"The average start-up saw a 24% increase in the sales cycle from early 2022 to 2023, with an average 60-day sales cycle now taking 75 days. Numerous other surveys and anecdotal evidence from peers tell us the sales cycle has dramatically lengthened over the last couple of years."
The only way businesses can combat this is to pour more prospects into the top of the sales funnel.
At the top of the funnel, your goal is to capture the attention of new prospects. Tactics here should create brand awareness and initiate the user journey. Focus on being relatable, valuable and insightful. Do more than just broadcast product features and benefits; cast your net wide, but cast it well – always with your ideal customer in mind!
FULL-FUNNEL MARKETING CONSIDERATIONS
Top-of-funnel content might (and probably should) include:
Remember, your messaging should be informative and engaging, piquing curiosity without overwhelming your audience. Targeting is essential here; go back to your strategy if you’re not super clear on who you’re speaking to.
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Blog posts, videos, and infographics that educate and entertain.
Engaging with potential customers on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.
Using Google Ads or Facebook Ads to reach a wider audience.
Optimising your content to appear in relevant search engine results.
57% of consumers actively avoid brands who bombard them with marketing messages.
Top of Funnel (TOFU) Communication
As we move into the Middle of Funnel (MOFU), your cold leads have now hopped firmly on board the >insert your name here< train. Your TOFU content did its job and your leads are nicely nestled in the middle of your funnel. Now it’s your job to keep the momentum going; the focus shifts from initial awareness to nurturing and building relationships with your leads.
FULL-FUNNEL MARKETING CONSIDERATIONS
Middle of funnel tactics to consider
Mastering MOFU requires thoughtful, educational content and strategies that guide your leads toward the next steps in their journey.
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Craft personalised email campaigns that provide valuable content and gently push prospects closer to conversion.
Automate the delivery of relevant content based on user behaviour to keep leads engaged and informed.
Host educational sessions or collaborative panels to position your brand as an industry authority and provoke meaningful conversation. Takeaways can also be repurosed into great TOFU content.
Showcase real-life success stories to build trust. If someone writes you a glowing testimonial, drop them a link to your Google reviews and ask if they would mind pasting it there!
Optimised blogs can draw leads into the top of the funnel via search but can equally help to build trust through sharing valuable insights and relevant information.
The 2023 State of B2B Content Consumption and Demand Report surveyed 38,000 B2B professionals and concluded that the more B2B content your audience consumes, the more likely they are to make a purchase decision.
But how much middle of the funnel is enough? The answer is: Be bingeable!
Google suggests that the client needs 7 hours of interaction across 11 touch points in 4 separate locations before they make a purchase, so your content needs to keep them coming back for more – or at least stopping their scroll when they see you!
FULL-FUNNEL MARKETING CONSIDERATIONS
Bottom of funnel - where the magic happens
Your leads are on the brink of conversion at the Bottom of Funnel (BOFU); you’re so close at this point, so your efforts here are geared toward sealing the deal and fostering brand loyalty. All they need is a gentle but perfectly balanced push.
Key tactics include:
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Tailor your offers based on the lead’s behaviour and preferences, making the decision to convert even more enticing.
Provide hands-on experiences, such as demos or free trials, to showcase the value of your product or service.
Always ask for testimonials, reviews, and case studies that you can then use in your marketing materials to build trust. For lengthier sales conversions, you can always suggest a call to an existing client or customer so prospects can hear real life experiences of your product/service from the horses mouth.
Showcase real-life success stories to build trust. If someone writes you a glowing testimonial, drop them a link to your Google reviews and ask if they would mind pasting it there!
Optimised blogs can draw leads into the top of the funnel via search but can equally help to build trust through sharing valuable insights and relevant information.
Now you’re clear on the mechanics, it’s time to take action; your funnel is waiting! The main takeaway? You need to pay attention to every part of the user funnel, if you skimp on any of the stages, the whole thing falls apart. To identify any potential weaknesses in your funnel, we created a clever Lead Leak Gap analysis tool to check your communications are hitting the mark at every stage. It was designed to highlight the areas of your lead journey that might need attention, giving you the information you need to fine-tune your communication strategies by identifying gaps and opportunities for more significant ROI. We’re on a mission to rid the world of leaky funnels, one quiz* at a time!
*also on a mission to fill the world with fun marketing quizzes.
