So, you’ve got an amazing product. Now, it’s high time to show the world that it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
Unfortunately, you’ll likely run into this problem:
You’re unsure about how to tell the world about what you’ve got to offer. Worse yet, the lack of an audience turns into an obstacle that hinders you from making a single sale.
What do you do? Do you pack it up and abandon your entrepreneurial venture?
We say no!
All you need is a way to create awareness about your product that prompts readers to pay for what you’re offering.
We’re talking about sales funnels. In this guide, we’re laying bare what a sales funnel is and how you can create one that turns even the coldest prospects into paying customers.
Let’s dive in.
What Is a Sales Funnel for Digital Marketing?
Let’s start with what a sales funnel is at its core.
A sales funnel is a process geared towards making a person aware of your product and getting that same person to buy it.
Of course, turning your prospective client (otherwise known as your “lead”) into a buyer doesn’t happen at once. The more complex your product or service or, the more intimate the relationship, the longer the sales cycle and your funnel. For example, a CPA or financial advisor will typically have a longer sales cycle due to the private nature of personal finance than, say, a lawn service would. The risk is higher for choosing the wrong CPA or financial advisor and the consequences of guessing wrong vs. the lawn service. Your grass will grow back after a week or two your lost investments, not so much. Doing so involves a meticulous and strategic process, which will include the following in order:
- Creating awareness
- Piquing interest
- Getting your customers to add your product to their list of options
- Prompting a sale
This entire system is your sales funnel. With it, you’ll be able to create much-needed buzz around your product and amass a pool of leads. You can begin getting a group of people to purchase from this pool.
By understanding and implementing a sales funnel, you can streamline your digital marketing efforts, optimize the customer journey, and drive more conversions and revenue.
Understanding the Sales Funnel
A sales funnel has three general stages: the top, middle, and bottom.
Top of the Funnel (TOFU)
At the top of the funnel, potential customers first become aware of your brand or product. Unlike traditional marketing approaches, where customers might enter a website through a homepage, sales funnel pages can serve as entry points.
For instance, a person could encounter a sales funnel page directly in their search results, initiating their interaction with a business. They may also have found your website through social media, online ads, or referrals. All these sources might bring a visitor to a sales funnel page instead of your home page.
The primary goal at the top of the funnel is to attract leads and generate interest in your brand or product. It is not about making sales but creating awareness, building trust, and establishing a relationship with potential customers.
Middle of the Funnel (MOFU)
In the middle of the funnel, possible buyers have shown interest and are considering purchasing your product or service. They may be researching, comparing other options, or seeking more information.
At this point, you must deliver valuable content that helps build credibility for your brand and addresses consumers’ pain points. You can provide customer reviews, celebrity testimonials, case studies, free reports, eBook, tip sheets, and videos. The goal is to continue nurturing the relationship and guiding probable clients toward making a purchase. The content at this stage is free and demonstrates to the user that they can trust you and you are an expert at what you do. In digital marketing this is called content marketing or occasionally inbound marketing.
Another item that could appear in the middle of the funnel is the offer to purchase a small item for a low cost. For example, an eBook priced at $7 for example. This small dollar purchase is referred to as a trip wire. A trip wire changes a visitor into a buyer, even a small buyer. The psychology of converting a person from simply a visitor to a buyer is massive and preps the visitor for the next stage of the funnel.
Bottom of the Funnel (BOFU)
The bottom of the funnel is where potential customers have narrowed down their options and are ready to make a purchase. At this stage, businesses must make the buying process seamless and hassle-free to seal the deal.
You could offer limited-time discounts or free trials, provide detailed product information, and ensure a smooth checkout experience. The goal is to steer potential into becoming paying customers and establishing a long-term relationship. Note if you didn’t use the trip wire in the middle of the funnel you would most likely use it here.
The Customer Journey
The three general stages of the sales funnel can be further broken down into more specific parts, depending on the business and its target audience. While the exact steps may vary, the overall customer journey typically follows this pattern: awareness, interest, consideration, intent, and retention.
Awareness
A part of the TOFU stage, awareness is the initial interaction between a potential customer and a business. The goal is to grab their attention and spark their curiosity about your brand or product. Companies can achieve this goal through various means, such as:
- Targeted ads
- Social media posts
- SEO-optimized content
- Influencer marketing
Interest or Interaction
In the MOFU stage, potential customers have shown interest in your brand or product and are seeking more information. This part is where you can provide meaningful content that helps address their needs and keep them engaged. The goal is to establish trust and credibility, which can lead to a purchase.
Businesses can benefit from having engaging and responsive web design at this stage. Adding a live chat feature or a “Contact Us” page will help potential customers reach out and receive answers promptly. Interactive content and immersive experiences like virtual reality can also engage potential customers and keep them interested.
A free piece of simple content in exchange for an email address is very useful at this point. You can also utilize a push notification software to get someone to agree to be notified when you release new content.
Consideration
Still in the MOFU stage, this part is where potential customers are weighing their options and deciding whether to purchase your offerings. While they are considering your business, other brands competing for their attention may still be able to sway them away. One way to make potential patrons choose your offering is by providing relevant and worthwhile content emphasizing your unique selling points.
Probable shoppers like to see social proof, such as customer reviews, testimonials, and referrals. Case studies and research spotlighting the benefits and capability of your product or service also add credibility and sway them to purchase. Additionally, offering a free trial or demo can give them a hands-on experience with your offerings, helping them make an informed purchase.
Intent or Conversion
In the BOFU stage, potential customers have made their decision and are ready to make a purchase. At this point, businesses need to make the buying process straightforward. Various payment options, a secure checkout process, and excellent customer service can increase conversion rates. Customers also love incentives like discounts or free shipping, which often help seal the deal.
This phase highlights the importance of a seamless purchase experience and customer satisfaction. A happy customer can lead to repeat purchases, positive reviews, and even referrals, providing a steady revenue stream for the business. If potential customers have a negative experience with the buying process, they may abandon their purchase, not return in the future, and leave negative reviews that can harm the business’s reputation.
Retention or Loyalty
The sales funnel does not end at the purchase — it extends beyond this to creating a long-term relationship with the customer. In this phase, businesses aim to retain customers and turn them into repeat buyers or loyal brand advocates.
Providing excellent customer service and continued engagement through email marketing, social media, or personalized offers can help foster loyalty. This phase presents a golden opportunity to upsell or cross-sell products and services to existing patrons. The old wisdom of marketing to an existing customer is much easier than acquiring a brand-new customer that doesn’t know you applies here.
Varying Paths and Continuous Improvement
The different sales funnel stages represent the customer journey, from becoming aware of your brand to making a purchase decision. However, not all potential customers will follow the same path. Some may jump between stages or take longer in one stage than another.
The key is to study and understand the target market and monitor their behavior at each stage. Doing so allows businesses to identify pain points and make necessary improvements to their sales funnel. Continuously analyzing and optimizing the customer journey can increase conversions, improve customer retention, and promote overall business growth. Using a detailed analytics software with the right benchmarks is key to collecting and analyzing the data.
Elements of a High-Converting Sales Funnel Page
So, how do you create a page that entices leads to take action? Here’s a breakdown of the key elements typically found on a high-converting sales funnel page.
Powerful Headlines
Your landing page’s headline is the first thing your site’s visitors will see. It should be clear, concise, and immediately convey the best things about your product or service. The visitor will likely read the headline at the top to decide if they should go any further. A dull flat headline will cause a visitor to exit quickly, and a sharp, well written, persuasive headline will get them reading the rest of the page. A good copywriter can help you write the headline and funnel page copy that will get you results.
Click-Worthy and Compelling Copy
The body of your sales funnel page is where you expand on your value proposition, addressing the pain points of your target audience and highlighting the benefits of your offer. Keep your copy concise, persuasive, and focused on driving the desired action. A direct-response copywriter understands the motivational sequence and how to write “A” level copy.
Media That Moves Customer Action
Are you looking to create a more immersive customer journey? You should — and you can make this possible with engaging media like photos, infographics, and videos.
Images, infographics, and videos can help bring your offer to life and capture the attention of your audience. In addition, it delivers your message in another media that may appeal to a visitor more than just written text.
You can select media based on what you think works. Just be sure to use high-quality visuals that align with your brand and reinforce the message of your sales funnel page.
Clickable Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
Lastly, we’ve got your CTAs. CTAs are key considerations in your web design and must be clickable elements that encourage your leads to take that all-important action and make a purchase. Copywriters call this the offer, and it is the single most important component after the headline.
Clickable, concise, and visible CTAs eliminate buyer friction and make the customer journey easier. A compelling offer will entice the visitor to take that all important action step that converts them from a visitor to a lead or customer.
Take Your Customers on a Journey — and Get Paid for It!
Creating a sales funnel for digital marketing is more than just driving a purchase or two — it involves a strategic approach where you put your brand’s best foot forward and position your product as the solution to your customer’s pain points.
By implementing a sales funnel, you’ll have a recurrent system that turns your site’s visitors into paying customers. However, you might need some help if you’re creating a sales funnel for the first time. We’ve got you covered.
If you’re looking for a team that can design your sales funnel, we’re here for you. Contact us today and let’s talk about crafting a funnel that drives conversions and sales.
