- Today, the growing use of e-commerce and social media
has evolved the application of the almighty sales funnel.
The funnel describes the journey that someone goes on
from first becoming aware of your brand.
They start by researching what you have to offer,
then move on to buying your product
and hopefully becoming a repeat customer.
- So it's pretty important stuff
if you're in the business of selling.
In its simplest form,
a sales funnel consists of the following four stages.
First off, awareness.
Now, in traditional marketing,
the first awareness stage was often referred to
as above-the-line marketing, or ABL.
This included anything that first made your target market
aware of your brand or your offering.
- In a digital sales funnel,
the awareness is done solely online.
Modern marketing strategies typically range
from an ad on Google search results
to a banner on a blog or a sponsored post
by an Instagram influencer on social media.
Now, you don't have to be on every single platform out there
to have a successful digital sales funnel.
Trying to be everywhere is very time-consuming,
especially as a small business owner
wearing the numerous hats you already do.
The point is to get in front
of where your customers' eyeballs are.
Let them know that you can solve a particular need
that they have, and if you do well in this stage,
you'll successfully push them towards the next step
in the digital sales funnel and edge them closer to a sale.
- Speaking of next steps, stage two, consideration.
Now, this stage in the digital sales funnel
is where the customer moves from being a passive viewer
to playing a more active role with your brand.
However, consumer behaviors vary in this phase
of the digital sales funnel.
Because look, they may jump between different platforms
to compare similar brands,
which is why it's crucial to have mentions of your offering
in a variety of different places.
Look beyond your own website
and your own social media profiles
and find online communities that tie-in
with your target audience, local love.
- You'll also wanna create opportunities
for people to leave positive reviews about you.
Try getting recent customers to leave reviews
on sites like Yelp or encourage them to post testimonials
on their own profiles.
Now, the next phase I'm gonna talk to you about
is the purchase phase.
This is the moment of truth.
It's the point of the digital sales funnel
where your casual browser decides to become a customer.
But it's also the point where a good checkout process
can seal the deal in customer satisfaction.
Clear communication with your customer in this stage
of the digital sales funnel is absolutely crucial.
You wanna make them feel secure and that their money
hasn't just disappeared into a black hole,
especially if you're brand new.
- I just pictured my money disappearing in a black hole
when I went on a shopping spree last night,
but back to you.
A good way to keep in touch is by following up
with confirmation emails, tracking numbers,
or text messages with status updates on order fulfillments.
I love that, just to make sure that where my money went
did in fact happen. (laughing)
Avoid the black hole.
And you can expect something coming to a mailbox near you.
Evolving technology has made the online checkout
objectively better and it's worth exploring
different options if it means creating a smoother,
more convenient experience for your customers, always.
- The last phase of this journey is loyalty,
and now, there's no better ambassador for your brand
than a happy customer.
Keeping in contact with your buyers
after they've received your product can be really valuable.
This is especially true
when it comes to building brand equity online.
One way to gain loyalty is to capitalize
on those warm fuzzy feelings a satisfied customer feels
after they make a purchase.
My therapist calls this a shopping addiction,
but I digress.
There's no better feeling than that post-purchase glow
of a happy customer.
- And when asking for customer feedback,
seek out customers that are happy with the product
and the sales process,
and you can ask them to leave a review
or even to do a testimonial video
if you've knocked it outta the park.
I love a good testimonial video.
I watched a few before choosing a dentist.
That's right, a dentist, here in San Diego.
And a loyal customer or patient
can mean a steady income stream for your business
if they buy on a regular basis.
Plus, they'll become a loyal brand ambassador
through word of mouth.
Yes, word of mouth still exists, you guys.
It just looks different.
- Now, just because things have gone digital,
doesn't mean you have to work any less
to prove your worth to customers.
Remember, keeping your customers engaged
with offerings that they love
increases your chances of building
and remaining a successful business.
But all right, that's a wrap.
Your journey doesn't have to end here, though.
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Thanks for watching.
This is "The Journey."