Things You Didn’t Know about Sales Funnels
If you are in the digital marketing world at all or a business owner for an e-commerce page, you are probably already familiar with the sales or marketing funnel (that is, if you are not living under a rock of course). There is a reason it has taken companies by storm, and once you learn more, you will probably want in on it too!
While it might seem a bit complex on the surface, thankfully there are lots of guides on how to formulate one specifically for your business in an easy manner. While that is not my goal in today’s article, I did want to briefly touch upon it. That being said, here are five surprising facts you may not have known about sales funnels!
1: It Was Invented in the Late Nineteenth Century
That is right – it was developed back in 1898. You can learn about it here, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchase_funnel if you are curious to know some of the specifics. Obviously, some of the stages have changed since then, especially with the shift towards e-commerce, but it is fascinating that its roots can be traced back so far.
The four steps that the inventor identified were as follows: awareness, interest, desire, and action. Of course, that has changed very little since the inception, though for some models there are more or slightly altered titles. This all leads to the conclusion that sales are a lot more about human nature and how it is relatively unchanging than some of us think.
2: The Funnel is Actually a Loop
This one tends to send people for a loop (pun intended). After all, how can a funnel be a loop? Well, it is simple when you consider that the right strategy for a business is to focus on retention just as much, if not more than, gaining more customers. That means that your pre-existing consumers need to go through the funnel each time (though they might be easier sells).
If you are wondering why retention is so vital to a healthy company, it is largely due to the fact that having existing companies purchase goods again is more profitable than getting new consumers. Why is that? Well, mostly because of how expensive advertisement campaigns can be.
So, next time that you think your job is done just because you closed the sale, remember that you should be sending that customer back to the top of the funnel for the future.
3: It All Hinges on Intended Audience
I know, I know – target audience is such a buzz word right now in this industry that it feels like it has lost all meaning. Just remember that just because it is said a lot does not lessen how important it is. You see, if you mess up this first, crucial step, your whole campaign can come crumbling down around you.
That probably sounds dramatic, but it is true. So, whether you are just getting started or you are a well-established business looking to change things up and improve your funnel, one of the first steps you may want to take is examining who your target audience is.
If you believe that your target demographic and who your customers turn out to be do not align, some adjustments need to be made. Whether that is in your products to have them appeal to your target or simply changing who you want to appeal to, either way you will probably see some benefits.
Now, for those uncertain on this front, you might want to run some testing programs or surveys to see who is interested in your ads. Consult Sacramento digital marketing team or companies who help build marketing funnels if that sounds like it could work for you. There are a lot of different options, thankfully.
4: It is Surprisingly Easy to Make an Appealing Website
You might be surprised at what consumers are most attracted by. Did you know that having educating content is one of the most effective methods at getting people to click on your website? Well, it is true!
That is why so many companies have opted to have informational blogs or newsletters integrated into their websites somehow. Videos or small cheat sheets can also be utilized – really, it is up to you and your vision for your digital content. Just try to keep it interesting and eye-catching.
If your landing page is successful, it can allow you to get a lot of leads that turn out to be promising. Consider adding a sign-up pop up where visitors enter their email address or phone number to get access to more educational materials. This tends to net a lot of traffic and leads.
5: You Can Build Trust with Your Content
One of the best ways that you can build trust with the people visiting your page is to provide them with detailed, in-depth content. The more that you sound like you know what you are talking about, the more likely they are to believe you! It is a lot simpler than it sounds, thankfully.
Think about the problems that you are aiming to solve with your product or service. You might want to write articles or blog posts about that problem and how to solve it, with only vague mention of your goods at first. They should not look like blatant advertisements, but rather, ways to help consumers out.
This gets your potential customers engaged and more open to listening to you on other fronts as well. They might ask questions about how you can be their solution, for example, amongst other things.
So – did you learn something new about sales or marketing funnels today? Perhaps you are going to try to develop one yourself now! I wish you the best of luck, and my final note for today is that even once you have one, you should never stop trying to refine it. Optimization is the key to long term success with them!
