Post on 16-Apr-2017
The funnel is instantly recognisable to anyone well-versed in sales or marketing, but does it really reflect the buying journeys of today?
The funnel assumes that everybody is going down the same slide, having the same experience, and ending up in the same pool.
It’s linear, closed, generic, and it doesn’t come close to capturing the complexity of the modern buying journey.
Today’s buying environment isn’t just a single slide, it’s an entire water park. In the park you’ve got all kinds of people, doing different things in the ways that suit them.
One of the biggest limitations of the funnel is that it doesn’t help you understand different prospect personas, how diverse their needs can be, and what they need from you during their buying journey.
Everyone’s looking for a different experience, so the water park has a slide or a pool to suit everyone’s needs...
Others storm off alone, running, bombing and generally pushing the boundaries of what you can deliver.
Understanding and visualising these differences between prospects will help you decide how to best engage with them.
Some visitors will have read reviews of the park online. They don’t want you stepping in and trying to help them too much, it’s going to do more damage than good.
Your time is better spent focusing on the people wandering around between the slides overwhelmed by choice, relying on inflatables to help them, or checking the pool’s temperature...
At the water park, you’ve got people who aren’t up for riding your slides – but that doesn’t mean you can ignore them.
Understanding who they are, and recognising that they’re not likely to become new buyers, is key to keeping your engagement efforts focused and efficient.
EXIT
... and time wasters lazing around on sun loungers with no intention of ever getting their feet wet.
Truth be told, it doesn’t have to be a water park. The park is just a good concept because it demonstrates three key things that the funnel doesn’t...
By taking a fresh approach, you can start to understand just how different customers and prospect needs can be, helping you see things from their point of view. And really, that’s what great buying experiences are all about.
At Workbrands, we specialise in helping clients connect with their customers and build strong brands that stand out from the crowd. Find out more about who we are, what we do and how we do it by visiting workbrands.co.uk.
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