Sales is the core of all businesses. Every company’s goal is to reach more customers and eventually, sell more products and services. However, this is often easier said than done.
There are so many factors that can affect a successful purchase. Back in the old days, businesses employed hard selling, where advertisers used direct and insistent language to persuade consumers. However, this seller-centric approach wasn’t always so effective in the long run.
The advent of e-commerce platforms and online selling was certainly a game changer. End users finally have a lot more clout, given how customer-centric marketing strategies are now. At the end of the day, the goal of every brand is to increase customer satisfaction and thus secure loyalty.
One of the most effective strategies for achieving this is to build and maintain a good sales funnel. This term refers to the journey or process that customers go through when making a purchase. Sales funnels can vary from company to company, but they are certainly crucial to any business that wants to thrive in the e-commerce age. Here’s why:
Consumers are more sophisticated now.
Back in the old days, customers relied heavily on television and radio to find out more about a product. These days, a quick Google search can tell you everything you need to know about, well, everything.
This is where your sales funnel comes in. A landing page telling your potential customers what and how to purchase just isn’t enough. You also need to engage with them on a deeper level to actually persuade them that they need or want what you’re offering.
Today’s consumers can be very picky and discerning – and they can afford to be, what with all the information at their fingertips. A well-planned and well-built sales funnel that anticipates and addresses their concerns can help you stand out from your competitors, allowing you to nurture a good connection and eventually transform page visitors into loyal customers later on.
Most purchases don’t happen instantly.
People usually have a lot of reservations before they purchase a product or a service. You need to understand this before you can even begin to build a sales funnel.
It can take hours, days, or even many months before a customer pulls the trigger and buys from you. Most of the time, they even leave your page before finalizing the sale and don’t return for quite some time. Hence, the need for a sales funnel that follows up on these leads.
The goal isn’t always to get instant customers. Instead, you need a funnel that can catch and hold their attention while providing enough information about your products and/or services. If you do this right, the prospect is more likely to return and complete the purchase once they make up their mind.
A sales funnel can build customers’ trust.
Effective marketing strategies and unique advertisements can help you stand out from your competitors. But there’s still no substitute for winning your customers’ trust.
An online sales funnel helps. They typically feature an email autoresponder, which deploys automated emails to your new subscribers. This enables businesses to touch base with their customers even before they make their first purchase, thus allowing you to connect with your prospects regularly.
Each email is an opportunity to provide value (e.g., special occasion sales, useful newsletter content, etc.). Done right, these can help you build a trustworthy brand among your customers.
Sales funnels increase your brand’s lifetime value.
Traditional models treat sales as a one-and-done operation. In contrast, sales funnels consider the first purchase as just the beginning.
You see, returning customers spend 3x more than one-time shoppers. Thus, it’s important to keep in touch with your customers even after they’ve completed their first purchase. For instance, updating them about your latest products and offers is a great way to build customer trust and loyalty.
Furthermore, once you expand your business with more products and services, you’ll already have a solid customer base to reach out to. All thanks to your sales funnel.
Building a business is demanding, especially if you’re doing it on your own. Fortunately, you can always get help.
Remote Staff has been assisting Aussie SMEs and entrepreneurs like you with building their dream remote teams from the Philippines for the last 14 years and counting. Whether you’re looking for a skilled copywriter or a web designer who can build your sales funnel, you can surely find them on our roster.
Call us today or schedule a call back to get started.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home. Hermits, aspiring hermits, and non-hermits with interesting project propositions may email her at serena.estrella10@gmail.com.
