Let’s talk about the marketing funnel… I constantly see and hear the same struggles from marketers. From demonstrating value to dealing with conflicting opinions on how marketing should work, the frustration in our industry is getting stronger and people are struggling to communicate the ‘why’ of marketing.
We hear so many different versions of what our colleagues and leaders think marketing should be, and with countless interpretations of the funnel (top vs bottom funnel, conversion funnels, lead gen v demand gen, digital marketing funnel, content marketing funnel (the list goes on…), it’s no wonder that marketing professionals are challenged.
Explaining the marketing funnel in terms your colleagues can understand can cause some headaches, and if your explanation doesn’t land correctly, you could find yourself in a world of pain! So, how do we effectively communicate marketing practice? How do we communicate our value?
I like to pride myself on two main things – the ability to build strong relationships and knowing how to make complex ideas simple, so why not bring those two ideas together?
Most of us have been in a romantic relationship or have witnessed others being built. We all have some understanding of the steps we need to take to build and nurture that special relationship, so let’s apply that thinking to the marketing funnel.
1. Brand Awareness (aka attraction)
This is the first stage in any relationship. It’s that first impression to really stand out amongst a group of people. We put on some nice clothes, we work the hair, put on some perfume or aftershave – whatever it may be, we’re doing it to attract the interest of our prospective loved one. We upload our best photos to the dating app and curate a beautiful first impression online to get those DMs. Brand awareness takes on the same principals. We may get some nifty creative built, a strong value proposition and we pick the best platforms to put our best foot forward!
2. Demand Generation (aka common interests)
You’re feeling great, you’ve got your best look out there and you’re starting to get some attention (of course, you beautiful thing!), but we can’t just go off looks alone if we’re wanting to have that perfect match, so we need to dig a little deeper. You may start to use this stage to gauge common interests – you may have the same taste in music, similar hobbies – you might just be from the same area. Whatever it is, you’re starting to build alignment with the other person. While still light touch, this stage is going to give you a pretty clear indication on whether or not you and this other person are going to keep seeing each other. The same goes with demand gen. You’re providing a taster of things to come – be it whitepapers, case studies, video – anything that’s going to keep your prospective buyer (or partner) interested.
3. Lead Generation (aka common values)
This is the crucial part. You may have some common interests, but does this necessarily mean that you’re 100% compatible? Absolutely not. The strongest relationships are built on common values. From ideas on family to politics or religion, it’s essential that you’re both on the same page with what you both want from life and the same goes for your customers. Unless you can communicate that you have something they really need, then it’s likely that you might not hear from them again, and the relationship is unfortunately over.
4. The sale (aka Facebook official)
What a whirlwind! We’ve met someone we’re attracted to; we have things in common and most importantly, we want the same things out of life. Life is good and we’re ready to take the next step. This is arguably the best part of the ‘relationship funnel’ – a time for celebrating and sharing the news! The same goes for new customer sales – we ring the bell, we let the team know and make that oh so satisfying shift to ‘closed won’ in pipeline.
5. The retention (aka the relationship)
By now, we’re in a state of relationship bliss where we’ve finally found what we’ve been looking for and everything is sunshine and rainbows. It’s a great place to be in, but it’s also a time where relationships can break down. We might learn some things about the other person that we may not like – they may have made some empty promises or exaggerated a little on their values, just to get the relationship. This is not the time to get complacent. It’s the time that the hard work really starts, and for many, we can forget this. The same can be said for your customers – even though the sale has been closed, we have to continue to work to maintain trust and establish an authentic relationship that is both give and take. Do that, and you’re (almost) guaranteed to find true love.
Demonstrating good marketing doesn’t have to be difficult. We don’t have to push the acronyms or over explain to get our colleagues to listen. Even if you don’t use the relationship example, there are so many ways to demonstrate your value, you just need to be relatable and be able to explain the ‘why’.
I love to share ideas and have conversations around making marketing work for you. If you have any thoughts, I’d love to hear from you – let’s keep this thought process going and start mastering the art of communicating our worth!