{"id":1784,"date":"2021-03-01T10:00:47","date_gmt":"2021-03-01T09:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sortlist.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1784"},"modified":"2024-05-23T08:27:14","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T06:27:14","slug":"inbound-marketing-funnel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sortlist.co.uk\/blog\/inbound-marketing-funnel\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of an Inbound Marketing Funnel and How It Works"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Every business needs to grow sales. One way that can happen is to increase the number of customers for your product or service<\/em>. And that’s where the marketing or sales funnel<\/a> comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ll need to implement a marketing strategy<\/strong> that takes prospects through a process that ultimately leads to them buying what you’re selling. It starts with creating brand awareness within your target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, you’ve got to get a potential customer’s attention. Then, from the interest stage, lead them step-by-step through the sales funnel stages<\/em> towards becoming regular customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s take a look at the inbound marketing funnel<\/strong> in more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Marketing Funnel or Sales Funnel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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A marketing funnel is a set of actions you want your prospects to take before they become customers. Marketers refer to this process as the customer journey.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It’s called a funnel because not everyone who begins the process will end up as customer<\/strong>. Many will drop out during each stage of the funnel.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The number of potential customers will thin out because only interested prospects will go through the different steps<\/em> before purchasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you can see, one way to increase sales is to expand the top of the funnel<\/em>. The more prospects you lead through the process, the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is a Marketing Funnel Important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a perfect world, you would put up your product or service for sale, and potential customers who come across your brand, will research it and make a purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, that rarely happens, which is the reason businesses invest heavily in marketing and sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reality is that people don’t buy a product or service the first time they come across it<\/em>. The only exception is when they already know and trust your brand and you have managed to build that customer loyalty and retention<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marketers understand that people need to go through a process from the time they learn about your company to the point they buy and become customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You need to interact with your future customers to build credibility and gain their trust<\/em> during the consideration stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s why it’s essential to have a marketing funnel. And when you need to build one sales funnel software<\/a> can be very helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Case studies<\/a> show that companies that use a marketing funnel see a higher conversion rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Five Marketing Funnel Stages and the Inbound Effect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From the top of the funnel to the end, the four stages you’ll take your prospects through are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n