trust-based content

If you haven’t already, it’s time to drop that traditional sales funnel. The association many folks have with the sales funnel is antiquated and leaves out some critical parts of the customer journey. It can also feel cold and sales-y to customers, pushing people away as opposed to drawing them in. So, there’s no time like the present to implement customer lifecycle marketing into your strategy. If you’re unfamiliar, this process is all about serving your audience with valuable content, nurturing relationships, and then encouraging past customers to become loyal brand advocates. Meaning this is a powerful way to build long-term success for your company. Unsure about what a traditional sales funnel looks like? Need some tips to get you started with lifecycle marketing? We’ve put together everything you need to start connecting with your audience and generating more leads. What is the Traditional Sales Funnel? Simply put, a traditional sales funnel maps out the journey an individual takes as they move towards purchasing. By visualizing and outlining this journey, a company can anticipate what will move someone from one stage to the next, increasing the odds they’ll go from being a lead to a paying customer. Although different versions of the sales funnel have been developed over the years, the most common one is associated with the AIDA model created by E. St. Elmo Lewis. In this model, a customer goes through four stages on their way to making a purchase. Those stages include Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action. William W. Townsend first proposed the connection between the funnel and AIDA models in Bond Salesmanship, his 1924 book. The Awareness stage is when an individual initially discovers a company, typically by finding some sort of content they’ve published online. From there, this person develops an interest in what the company has to offer, expresses a desire to buy its product or service, and ultimately takes action by purchasing. What Are Some Examples of a Traditional Sales Funnel? Now that you understand the ins and outs of a traditional sales funnel, you might wonder what it can look like when a company uses a sales funnel as part of its business model. Creating a successful funnel that converts someone from being a lead into a paying customer can show up in several ways. How a company builds its sales funnel depends on what resonates most with its target audience. Which typically takes some trial and error to get it right. However, it all begins with discovering the brand in question. This most often happens after discovering their content (blog post, social media post, etc.). Then there is some sort of offer to move you along the funnel. Here are some examples of elements that can make up a sales funnel: Exclusive Content: Often, brands offer exclusive content that can be accessed in exchange for sharing your name and email address. This is a great way to provide valuable content and establish yourself as an authority and reliable source of information. You collect data on what people are interested in learning about while gaining an audience for other marketing materials. Free Trial: Offering a free trial is the perfect way to give leads a taste of your offer. This way, they’re able to try out the product or service before committing to an expensive purchase or a long-term subscription. And you eliminate obstacles preventing them from investing in your brand and boost confidence in what you do. Schedule a Demo: Allowing leads to schedule a demo of your product works in the same way as offering a free trial. The only difference is that a demo allows for a one-on-one, personalized interaction. That can go a long way in convincing someone to purchase because humans are more likely to trust your company when they meet a fellow person who works there. Nurture Sequences: Email marketing is a powerful strategy that will help you engage with folks who’ve already expressed interest in your products. Once someone joins your email list, you can trigger a nurturing sequence of emails. These emails will help establish a relationship and build trust with leads. What is Customer Lifecycle Marketing? Before diving in, it’s important to stress we didn’t coin the term “marketing lifecycle.” Ardath Albee, an industry leader in content marketing, talked about a lifecycle on the Marketo blog in 2018. In the post titled “B2B Tech Marketers Make the Shift from Funnels to Lifecycles,” she says: “… Marketers [must] shift their focus from buying journey funnels to full-on customer lifecycle management.” What we have done, however, is create an original concept revealing four key stages to crafting an authentic customer lifecycle marketing journey. This strategy keeps you focused on your human buyer while building a connection and an ongoing relationship with them. Lifecycle marketing walks you through the process of building awareness at the beginning of the relationship to nurturing those connections so you can create long-lasting success. It encompasses the variety of strategies your company will implement to influence customer behavior as they move through each stage of their journey. The Four Stages of Customer Lifecycle Marketing Awareness, Interest & Intent, Decision, and Loyalty are the four stages we believe are essential for implementing customer lifecycle marketing. So you understand this process better, the next section outlines every stage and gives examples of what kind of content to create at each stage. It takes the guesswork out of developing an effective customer journey. Let’s dive in! Stage One: Awareness Much like the traditional sales funnel, the first stage of customer lifecycle marketing generates awareness. After all, it would be impossible for someone to purchase your offering if they have no idea who you are. That’s why you need to prioritize putting your brand out there to gain exposure. During this stage, make it your mission to consistently publish high-quality, valuable content that will appeal to your target audience. Use this as an opportunity to establish your brand as an authority within your niche. … Read more