The Marketing funnel is a piece of Jargon that is used to describe the journey customers will go through before they will buy from you. Customer's won't normally buy from you just by seeing you mentioned once, so this journey is the reason you want to do any marketing or promotion.
It used to be thought that there was a "rule of sevens" and that people needed to have heard about you seven times before they were likely to buy from you.
With the mass of information available in this digital age, it's now almost certain that people need to hear about you and feel they "know you" even more.
if you think back to the definition
"finding and reaching out to all those people who might possibly be interested in what you do, and by educating them, befriending them and beguiling them, persuade them that they need your products whatever price you are selling them at and you are the only supplier they should look at “
The finding and reaching out bit is at the top of the funnel. You need to put lots of people in at this part of the funnel, so that there are plenty of people out there with a knowledge and awareness that you exist. This is where we gather up all the people who might possibly be interested in buying from you at some point, - this includes,
People in your location (Village / town / county)
People who have a shared interest with you (Club / Pub / School / sport / Interest group)
People who already buy from your competitors
People who have a similar interest (Gardening / Sustainablility / Flower arranging)
The educating and befriending them bit comes next in the consideration part. This is where you tell them all the back ground to you and what you do. You let them know when they might need you, and you give them masses of interest and information so that they really feel that they know you (even if they've never met you)
When they've been in contact with you a few times, you can convert them into customers by beguiling and persuading them. You'll now know all about them so can ensure you tell them about things that will be especially interesting to them, and will fit in completely with their desires.
However they need a reason to buy from you, and so sometimes people who have a knowledge of you, and know what it is that you sell, need time before they will go further through the funnel. However if you keep marketing to them, then as soon as they have an appropriate opportunity to buy, you will get sales. That’s were the conversion happens.
This will then lead to them becoming fans, (Loyalty) and wanting to buy from you, again and again.
If you continue to market to them, they'll come back, and more importantly will start marketing for you as well referrals (Advocacy)
Exercises
“1) Make a list of all the places you think you are likely to find people to put into the top of your marketing funnel.
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