Writing for Every Stage of the Marketing Funnel

Have you ever received a marketing email that just seemed off?

For example, about a month ago, I heard about a company that creates custom-made clothes based on your individual measurements. I researched the company and spent time shopping on their website. I read reviews and even placed an item in my shopping cart before ultimately deciding to opt out of the order.

Then, I started seeing Facebook ads and getting emails telling me about what the company does and how the service works. They were annoying — they were telling me what I already knew. These messages were a waste of my time and their resources.

They were sending me content for a top-of-the-funnel lead when I was actually at the bottom of their sales funnel. At that point, I didn’t need to know more about the company. Instead, I needed an extra incentive to thrust me into the decision-making stage. For example, an email offer for a 20% off coupon might have just sealed the deal, like this promotional email from Tarte Cosmetics:

When creating content, you have to reach your audience at their specific stage of the sales journey. Otherwise, you risk alienating leads by being either too salesy or inattentive.

The Marketing Funnel

Let’s go back to Marketing 101. Remember the marketing funnel?

Image credit: Track Maven

The marketing funnel is a visual tool that helps us guide potential leads from the beginning of their interaction with your brand and move them through the sales process. The marketing funnel outlines the journey from site visitor to conversion.

Buyers today do significant research before making a purchasing decision. Now, it’s uncommon for someone to happen across your website without being familiar with your brand, and make an immediate purchase. They need to get to know you and be nurtured before buying.

The marketing funnel varies from company to company, but most work something like this:

• Awareness: Lead generation occurs in the awareness phase. This is when a lead first discovers your product, service, or company. You introduce the solution to their problem through content marketing, SEO, referrals, direct mail, or social media.
• Consideration: During this stage, your company is on the lead’s radar. They know what you do and who you are, but they need to learn more. Nurture your lead and keep them interested through special content, newsletters, and case studies.
• Decision: This is when you really make your sales pitch. Now is the time to demonstrate to your leads why your brand is the one they should choose. At the very end of the buyer’s journey is the purchase. This is the bottom of the funnel.

Imagine you are a website developer. These are some examples of content for your audience at various stages of the marketing funnel:

1. Top of funnel: Blog post titled “How a Website Can Boost Your Business”
2. Middle of funnel: Video about how your services work and how they have helped 15 different companies increase their profits
3. Bottom of funnel: Free consultation on your website development project

In these examples, the top of funnel content is broad and generic. It addresses the lead’s problem without even pitching your services. Middle content explains how you can solve their problems. And, lastly, bottom funnel content encourages your lead to take action and choose you.

Creating Bottom-of-the-Funnel Content

It’s important to create content that speaks to your audience at all stages of the funnel. This proves that you truly understand their thought process.

You’ve worked so hard to nurture your leads into the consideration stage, so you don’t want to forget about them when it comes to your content. You need to tell them why they should choose your company or product. They already know who you are, what you do, and why they need you to solve their problem. This is the time to really sell yourself and position your brand as the best choice.

If you sell a pet supply subscription box and are emailing bottom-of-the-funnel leads, you should not send them messages explaining how the service works. They know this already. Instead, use this opportunity to explain why your box is the best one out there. Show them a side-by-side comparison against a top competitor. Or, offer them incentives like limited-time discounts, sign-up bonuses, or free trials.

Help desk articles tackling a more complex question your lead may be wondering can also function as great bottom funnel content. For example, you can craft an FAQ page explaining how to pause your pet box delivery for a month, or how to change your product preferences.

Leads at this stage of the journey need an extra nudge to make the decision clear and worthwhile.

How to Encourage a Purchase

At this stage, your leads are well aware of your pricing and have read your positive reviews. They need something more. Here are some ideas on how to turn your lead into a conversion:

• Share detailed case studies
• Provide a free demo or trial
• Offer a free consultation
• Offer a discount
• Give a free template or resource to help solve their problem

In the end, there is no magic formula for converting leads and guiding them to make a purchase decision at the bottom of the funnel. However, properly nurturing them from start to finish and understanding their stage of the buyers’ journey can greatly improve their chances of converting. Think about what could be holding them back from purchasing and how you can help them overcome that hurdle.

Be human, and put the customer first.

Need Marketing Help?

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