- The marketing funnel is really just a way
of evaluating a buyer's journey.
We understand that a buyer will go through the stages
from awareness to action
but it's really not that straightforward.
The buyer may be moving up
and down the funnel exiting and reentering.
There's so many variables
that we as marketers are working to account for.
How did the buyer become aware?
Did they walk into a store and see the product on the shelf?
Did they hear about it from a friend?
Did they click on a social media advertisement?
If they saw an item on the shelf,
for example were there competing products alongside yours?
And if so, what does that do for their journey?
Will they now be comparing your product
to the one next to it?
And if so what are they comparing it on,
on cost, on benefit?
Think about all the steps involved
in the decision making process.
Within each stage, buyers define their own path
and interact with various brand touchpoints.
As you develop a digital marketing strategy
you must be taking a catalog
of how your buyer will navigate your funnel.
And this can feel like a rather robust undertaking.
So I want you to treat this in an agile manner.
You must iterate on your buyer's journey.
You cannot conceivably map out every journey,
every touchpoint, and every interaction.
What you want to do
is to find the most common paths a buyer will take.
Ask yourself how will my buyer become aware
of their problem?
How then will they become aware of a solution?
How would they become interested in a brand?
Why would they desire a particular brand?
And what would motivate them to convert?
What will motivate them to move down the funnel?
Understanding your customer's journey
helps to deliver the right message at the right time.
Once you know the decision making stage the customer is in,
well it's easier to craft the right message
that helps that customer move forward
and it'll help you select the right channel
to deliver your messaging.
Understanding your customer's journey
is the key to creating your marketing strategy.