We are all familiar with the infamous leads funnel. You know the one – it starts with getting folks aware of your brand with some basic content and brand awareness strategies, and then guiding them through the funnel to a sale, right? Not really.
You often find that folks talk about the sales funnel as if it stands alone (which it doesn’t) and that people just miraculous trickle to the bottom if you provide them with enough content via social media or drip, or both. However, there is a lot more to it than that.
Moving Through the Sales Funnel to Buyers
First, it takes a lot more information to create awareness, then for them to like what you have to offer and then trust you enough to buy from you. Second, the information must be delivered in the way the person wishes to consume it, rather than how the brand wants it consumed. Third, the information needs to show up at the right time, which is contextual content. Frankly, this can be a tall order, particularly in a highly competitive market.
So what is the “trick” to getting your content in front of your target audience? Frankly, there is no magic trick, but through a series of well-thought-out pieces of content; you can make some solid headway toward that goal. The thing to remember is that the target audience must want to purchase from you, which means your content and information must put them in a buying state.
A buying state is exactly what it sounds like– the emotional and intellectual parameters aligning so that the person is ready to purchase. This can be a pain, a want, a need or a strong desire, but it must be there. Otherwise, while your content may be amazing, it won’t have the desired result – a conversion.
Get Them In the Mood to Buy
When you consider your next campaign or content series, written or visual, remember to include these 5 tips to help get the target audience in more of the buying state.
- What Keeps Him Up at Night?
Getting to the root of their pain is an important part of helping a potential buyer know you have considered his issue, and have his best interest in mind. - Authoritative Information
Over 85% of purchasers research an item before they buy, even if it is a small one. Having some strong, authoritative content on the subject will position you as an authority and help differentiate you from the competition. - Get Those Testimonials
Other people will sell your product or service better than you. The third-party expert is key to helping your target audience feel comfortable in purchasing from you. - Mix Up the Content
They want to see, hear, read and experience your brand, so remember that as they are being guided down the funnel, the type of content needs to change, as well as the channel. Short videos, how-to guides, case studies – all of these go hand-in-hand in creating a journey for someone to feel confident in purchasing from you. - Show Trust with Guarantees
One of the quickest ways to eliminate barriers to purchase and get folks in a state to purchase is to provide some type of good guarantee. Minimize the risk, maximize the sale!
The last thing to remember is that it takes consistency (not redundancy) so make sure you are ready to repurpose content, utilizing every last drop to get the word out. The more you are seen, and the more others will provide positive feedback, the faster you can get a potential purchaser into a buying state.
Is your content converting readers into buyers? Let’s discuss.
