Aren't Marketing Funnels Just for Big Business?

In order to buy your goods or services, people need to know about what you do.  Customers who have decided to use your company have made a series of decisions before they reach out to you. Before they say "YES!  You’re the one!” they've gone on the customer journey through a marketing and sales funnel.

Most customers do 70-80% of their research about the company they want to work with before they call or email.  They are going through these steps regardless of whether you know it or not.  You can choose to help influence this journey, or leave customers to figure it out for themselves.  The choice is yours. I recommend the former. 

Borrowed from SingleGrain.com http://singlegrain.com/content-marketing-funnel-using-different-types-content/

The First Step:  Awareness

The first step of the funnel is awareness – this means they know you exist.  If they don’t know that you exist, then how are you going to be on their radar as they get closer to making a decision?  Often times this awareness is generated through friends and family.  What happens when that spring runs dry?  

Awareness efforts often looks like: 

• Advertisements
  
• Speaking Engagements
  
• Search Engine Optimization
  

The Second Step: Understanding 

The next step in the funnel is understanding.  So, you got them to know your name.  Great job!  Now, do they fully understand your services or products?  Do they really get you?  The key to winning the understanding game is to make sure that your message about your products and services is consistent.  Is what you have on your website, your business cards and the way you talk about your work consistent?  That will help potential customers avoid confusion and solidify the picture of you.  

Understanding efforts often look like: 

• Website
  
• LinkedIn Profiles, LinkedIn Company Pages
  
• Webinars
  
• Newsletters
  

The Third Step:  Consideration

This is crunch time.  You need to make sure that you have the goods to back up your claims.  Your customer is narrowing down their vendors (mind you, it’s likely that they’ll do this without ever talking to you).  Do you have proof of your success?  This is where your customer will do research about whether they trust you or not.  This is where the customer will dig into your projects, clients and overall presence in the community or online.  This is truly where the rubber meets the road.  

Consideration efforts often look like: 

• Case Studies
  
• LinkedIn Recommendations
  
• Testimonials on your websites
  

Finally, it’s Opportunity time. 

When a lead or potential customer goes from being a tire kicker to a potential money maker that’s when your sales process needs to be high and tight.  When they finally come to you after doing research about your company, you should be able to support everything they learned about you. This is also your time to build trust with the client by answering any questions, demonstrating your expertise and removing any barriers to having them choose you!  

Opportunity efforts often look like: 

• Brochures and Case Studies
  
• Budget, Authority, Need and Timeline calls/emails
  

If you take a look at how and why your customers are choosing you, it will help you be able to guide them through your funnel faster.  

THE CHALLENGE: 

Look closely at your current customers. Interview them.  Find out what influenced their decision.  Learn about what competitors they were considering.  Then make sure that your website, content, business cards, and speaking message are helping usher your customers along through your marketing funnel.