Beyond the Funnel: Nurturing and Retaining Customers
When used properly, marketing funnels are a powerful tool to help your business grow and improve. They can help you understand your customer journey better, and direct resources toward your audience efficiently based on their current stage in the sales process. However, if you focus solely on the funnel itself, you may overlook an important part of the picture: nurturing and retaining customers.
The traditional marketing funnel describes a sales process that begins with awareness, followed by consideration, and then conversion, where prospects become paying customers. The problem with this model is that it ignores the reality of today's consumers, who are much more likely to take a different path to purchasing than the one the funnel outlines.
Instead, marketers should focus on attracting customers at the top of the funnel and nurturing those leads who are further along in their purchase journey. Then, companies should refocus their efforts on retention campaigns to keep those customers happy and loyal. By increasing retention rates, marketers can reduce their cost of acquisition and improve their bottom line.
Getting to know your customers is the key to improving marketing funnel retention rates. Knowing what motivates your audience to buy can help you develop more targeted messaging and content that will connect with them at every point in their journey. By establishing an emotional connection with your customers, you can build brand loyalty and nurture them into advocates for your business.
At the beginning of the marketing funnel, your audience is aware that your product exists but doesn't know how it will benefit them. To attract them at this stage, you need to create content that informs and educates, promoting your product as the solution to their pain points or problems. This can be done through a variety of methods, including social media, content marketing, search engine optimization, and paid advertisements.
For example, sleep apnea device company Casper uses Google's Keyword Magic tool to identify informational keywords like "how," "what," and "why." This allows them to target potential customers with informative blog posts and videos that answer their questions.
The next step is the consideration phase, where your audience is starting to evaluate your products and determine if they are right for them. To encourage them to move forward, you need to provide testimonials from other satisfied customers and compelling features that demonstrate your product's unique benefits. This can be done through videos, infographics, case studies, and more.
Once the consideration phase is complete, your prospects are ready to convert. To entice them, you need to offer an incentive, such as a discount or free shipping. For this, you can use a number of channels, including email, social media, and search engines.
After a customer makes a purchase, the nurturing process can continue through personalized communication and tailored messages that show you care about your customers' needs and desires. It's also important to retain customers by offering loyalty programs and exclusive offers, and by proactively seeking feedback from past buyers.
Learn how To build sales funnels
Subscribe To My Email List And Get Updates On Building Effective Sales Funnels That Generate Leads & Sales In Your Business.
My Recent Posts
All-in-One Sales Automation Platform
Check out my recent post on all-in-one sales and marketing tools and what I think of it.
Sales Funnels
Check out my recent post on sales funnels and what I think about them. Are they still worth it?
Meet Charlie MacConnach, a seasoned tech veteran and a patriarch who has not only witnessed the incredible evolution of the industry but has actively contributed to its growth over the last 26 years. Thanks to his never-ending curiosity, Charlie has become a pillar of experience, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Charlie's journey in the tech realm began in the early '90s when the digital landscape was still in its infancy. Fueled by a passion for innovation and a relentless pursuit of knowledge, he immersed himself in the world of technology. His career spans various roles, from software development to end user support, and he has navigated the rapidly changing tides of the tech industry with adaptability and foresight.
Amidst his professional pursuits, Charlie is a devoted family man. He has four children, celebrated the joy of nine grandchildren, and recently welcomed his second great-grandchild into the world. Along with his wife, Susan, Charlie's commitment to family values has been a guiding force throughout his life.
Charlie MacConnach
©Copyright 2024 Tier 1 Email Marketing
4370 Chicago Drive SW
Unit #842
Grandville, MI 49418