The nature of marketing in a business-to-consumer (B2C) context has substantially evolved due to factors such as a shift to direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales, the surge in online shopping and the “Amazonification” of retail. These changes have prompted B2C brands to rethink and redesign their marketing funnels from the traditional “awareness, interest, desire, intent, evaluation, and purchase” model to one that includes stages of loyalty and advocacy. This evolution underlines the importance of well-designed marketing funnels for modern B2C brands.
Brands sticking to the traditional approach are leaving money on the table as today’s consumers expect competitive pricing, fast delivery, and regular updates in the shipping process. Therefore, functional and automated marketing funnels which span awareness, interest, desire, intent, evaluation, purchase, loyalty, and advocacy are necessary.
To implement an effective marketing funnel, B2C leaders need to follow several best practices:
- Clear comprehension and identification of target customers is vital. This requires a collaborative effort from marketing and public relations (PR) teams to understand who exactly constitutes the brand’s target customer base. It often involves market segmentation by demographic, geographic, psychographic, or behavioral characteristics.
- Building brand awareness forms the next important step. It involves showcasing brand presence and creating cognizance about the brand’s products or services. Effective brand awareness strategies might involve focusing on owned and earned media and creating SEO-optimized content as well content for social platforms popular with the target audience.
- Brands should strive to remain top-of-mind without being overbearing, by crafting a content strategy that strikes a balance between being present and not overwhelming prospects.
- Creating frictionless purchasing pathways eases the purchasing process for customers, encouraging conversion. Brands should consider popular payment options such as Apple Pay and Google Pay to make their checkout processes more user-friendly.
- The final stages involve communication and maintaining contact with customers to promote brand loyalty and advocacy. This is rooted in the quality of the brand’s products or services and the customer experience.
In conclusion, well-designed marketing funnels can help B2C brands enhance their sales and build a more engaged and loyal customer base.
Source: Why Well-Designed Marketing Funnels Are More Important Than Ever For B2C Brands.
