The Marketing Funnel

When you’re putting dollars behind your advertising, whether it’s digital or social, you should do so with a thoughtful strategy in mind. If you’re just throwing ads out into the digital abyss and hoping they stick – chances are, they won’t. Read how to strategically execute your marketing goals through paid advertising in the stages of the “marketing funnel”.

Awareness

This is the first stage of marketing to potential customers. Your first job is to turn strangers into prospects by educating them about your brand, business, product, or service through content that is free to them to consume. Show off your skills. Boast your expertise. This is where you show people why you’re the best at what you do.

Consideration

After a follower, and hopefully now a prospect, learns about who you are and what you have to offer, you can tailor your targeting to their specific interest. This stage still includes educating your followers, only now you’re educating them on exactly what they’re interested in learning more about.

Conversion

It’s time to seal the deal. Your followers know about your product or service, they’ve heard and seen the qualities that make it great, and now is your opportunity to show them why they should give YOU their business over other competitors. The conversion stage is about taking what you’ve learned about your followers and prospects and giving them the reason they need to make that purchase.

Loyalty

Congrats! You successfully brought a follower all the way through the funnel into a prospect, and now into your clientele base. However, did you know that about 80% of your sales are only from 20% of your entire customer population? That means getting someone to purchase your product or service once doesn’t mean you can cross them off your targeted audience list and count on them as a customer forever. It’s important to continuously market to your existing customers and keep reminding them why they chose your business in the first place.

Advocacy

Finally, encourage your customers to spread the positive word about your business and brand. Offer incentives for writing reviews or referring a friend, engage with your fans on social media, and provide exceptional customer service to ensure your clientele only grows.