For any given business, the customer journey is the path that a lead takes, beginning with awareness and, hopefully, ending with retention. In marketing, this process is modeled by the ‘marketing funnel’. This ‘funnel’ represents the narrowing down of leads that will eventually turn to conversions. The purpose, according to Amazon Ads, is to easily identify the different stages of the customer journey and help marketers tailor their efforts for each milestone. Our team here at Quantus Creative has created a short guide to help you understand the customer journey and ultimately increase conversions.
Awareness
After you have determined your target audience, social media mix, and budget, you can focus on creating awareness for your brand. During this time, consistency and branding are crucial. Create a recognizable logo, publish branded content regularly, and use data to target your intended audience through their favorite apps and trends. This is your time to get yourself in front of the consumer and establish a strong identity that keeps you top of mind.
Engagement
Now that they are aware of your brand, customers enter the ‘engagement’ stage of the marketing funnel. During this stage, you should acknowledge customers’ pain points and provide a solution to their core issue. In other words, what sets you apart from your competitors? There are many ways to facilitate engagement via social media and digital ads. Polls are an excellent way to gather data about your audience while encouraging interaction. Include clear calls to action in advertisements and posts, leading to your website and/or point of purchase. 91% of consumers claim to prefer branded content to be personally relevant, meaning that personalized ads and newsletters encourage customers to interact.
Conversion
In sales, conversion refers to the transformation of potential customers to active customers. This is when a consumer has decided that you are the solution to their pain points and they make a purchase. Studies show that conversion rates can increase by 80% when pain points are addressed on a landing page. Customized newsletters are a great way to convert leads. In fact, 76% of shoppers have made a purchase from an email. Schedule automated emails to remind users of items still in their cart, or reward them for signing up for your mailing list by offering them a one-time discount.
Retention
We’ve reached the bottom of the funnel. Now that you have secured a conversion, it’s time to gain the customer’s loyalty. Retaining customers leads to a much higher ROI than constantly seeking new conversions. Maintain excellent customer service and continue to tailor ads to previous customers by suggesting similar products or addressing new needs. Your job doesn’t end once a purchase is made, as 68% of consumers aged 25-34 feel more connected with brands that “provide services beyond the point of purchase”, and 73% of consumers reported that they were willing to stay with a company that offered a “great customer experience.” Try creating a loyalty program or offering exclusive access to deals for returning customers.
Each stage in the marketing funnel has its own unique requirements for reaching customers. Your ultimate goal is to smoothly guide your audience through the process and provide them with an enjoyable journey. If you are curious about how to apply the marketing funnel to your own business, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team here at Quantus Creative. We will help you determine exactly how to reach your audience at every stage of their journey.
