Marketing Funnels: Why Your Business Needs an Automated Marketing Funnel

One of the latest trends which have revolutionised the digital marketing world we see today is the introduction of and use of Marketing Funnels; otherwise known as sales funnels.

With an ever-increasing volume of new businesses and a surge in the volume of new web pages and social media sites, the pressure to stay above competing businesses is challenging, not to mention expensive. That’s why it’s incredibly beneficial to capitalize on tactics such as a Knowledge Management Process in order for your business to thrive.

Struggling to increase online visibility? Reduce the bounce rate of your site, and turn visitors into loyal paying customers? Don’t worry. An automated marketing funnel is a way forward to increase your overall profitability!

So What Exactly is a Marketing Funnel and How Does It Differ From the Common Practice of SEO?

A marketing funnel is the visual idea of a customer’s journey, from the first time they discover your business, all the way to becoming a dedicated, loyal customer. The idea of the funnel is that once introduced to the sales funnel, they are lured into a controlled marketing method with different stages of remarketing, which ensures a positive outcome at the end.

What makes marketing funnels different to regular websites is that a marketing funnel can ‘catch’ customers, and remarket to them. Even if they initially lose interest, there is a chance you can persuade them to return to your business at a later date.

How Long has Funnel Marketing Been Going For? 

The original model and strategy behind marketing funnels has existed for many years and has since been redesigned and accentuated by digital marketing websites, such as Hubspot, Moz, and Bizible.

There are many types of software allowing businesses to create their own landing pages and sales funnels, however, the revolution of Funnel Marketing really kicked off in 2014 with the introduction of Click Funnels. Click here for a clickfunnels free trial.

This is namely due to the success of its founder Russell Brunson, who has become one of the most famous names in the digital marketing industry and is associated as the man behind the rising popularity of marketing funnels in the US and UK.

What can Marketing Funnels Achieve?

• Lead generation for future sales
• Generation of applications
• Leading of people back to your location
• Data capture
• Sales!

How do Marketing Funnels Work?

1. The first stage in a Marketing Funnel is always to offer customers a free product or service. This could perhaps be a free download of an e-book or a free trial of a service. The desired outcome is to collect the details of potential customers, as they will have had to fill out their details in order to receive their freebie!

2. Having gained the free product, the customer has now made a micro-commitment to your business. It’s now time to head to the next step…

The next step in the marketing funnel? To present to them an attractive offer they can’t refuse! An offer involves a collection of products and/or services, that once packaged together, creates an attractive deal. Having a bundle of products or services rather than a single product puts you ahead of the competition and allows you to upsell; resulting in more profit.

You may even wish to invest time in creating more steps in the funnel process. An example of this is the creation of a ‘one-click upsell.’ This is where customers who are already halfway through a transaction have the option of adding a bigger and better product to their purchase, simply by clicking one button. It works by saving their payment details, meaning they will not get put off at the idea of having to fill in their details again.

3. Alternatively, if the customer is not yet willing to invest in your top product, you may then lead them to a ‘downsell’, which gives them a smaller, yet appealing, deal such as a cheaper ‘beginner’s’ deal or service. Even if they choose this option it still shows that your marketing funnel has been successful.

4. The final stage is to keep in contact and follow up with recent buyers. Now you have their contact details, it allows you to follow up with a ‘Thank You Message’ directly after their purchase. This, in turn, works with customers who have downloaded your freebie but are not yet willing to make a purchase. An email sent from your business (a gentle nudge at your service) might just do the trick.

How can I Make My Landing Page Appealing? 

After hopefully being persuaded to invest in an automated marketing funnel, you may now be wondering where to go from here? How can you sculpt out a landing page which is compelling, convincing, and fully optimised?

Luckily there is no need to panic! Click Funnels is a highly recommended tool designed to simplify the funnel making process.

Funnels require an opt-in page, an autoresponder, plus one or more sales pages with graphics and excellent content, which is designed to sell. Historically, this would have required a whole team of designers to pull it together, as well as a website and an SEO team.

Click Funnels can do all of this for you, plus more, and offers a free 14-day trial to show how it can make all of your services work in harmony. Don’t like what you see? You can leave, without paying a penny.

Do I Still Need a Website? 

Being an expert in your industry and gaining top rankings for your website will increase your visibility and brand awareness. However, a website alone does not guarantee sales.

When visiting a website, there are so many distractions. People may click through pages, and scroll through articles, and then leave without a lead or a sale.

A marketing funnel, on the other hand, is straight to the point and offers both a lead and a sale!  So, surely this means there is no need for a website?

Actually, the key to a successful business is to have both, as well as other platforms, such as social media. The more active revenue streams, the better.

Websites are a vital part of marketing strategy – without one, how can customers know that your business is credible and trustworthy?

We recommend having both a funnel and a site. The more channels you have to bring in leads and increase brand awareness, the higher your profit. Each has a value and a purpose!

So there you have it! All the information on what a marketing funnel is, and why marketing funnels are becoming so crucial for your business!

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Sarah Bell

This post was in collaboration with Bigfoot Digital, a full-service digital marketing agency, who specialises in SEO, social media marketing and website design.

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