Your sales and marketing funnel starts wide at the top. This is where your “suspects” enter and ideally move through the funnel as it narrows from suspect to customer to repeat customer and on to loyal and referring customer. Regrettably, however, everyone does not reach that end result – even in the most fast-moving funnels.
So, what’s going on in your funnel? Your analysis of your marketing and customer behavior can help you pinpoint areas where prospects are getting stuck.
For example, if your analytics show your website is getting very little traffic, you know you’ve got a problem at the top of the funnel. Take a closer look at your online advertising, search engine optimization and content marketing campaigns.
Or if your website is getting visitors, but you’re not getting any response or engagement, take a look at the image your site is presenting. Is it professional, easy to navigate? Check your content. Are you promoting benefits to customers, or celebrating yourself? And double-check your call to action – do prospects know what you want them to do?
If your records show that you have gotten website traffic and that traffic has led to requests for free estimates, but you’re not seeing closed sales, get out your sales-and-marketing magnifying glass and study that problem. Is it your sales technique? Your missing risk reducers? Your lack of follow-up?
Or if you have customers who’ve purchased from you, and you never heard from them again, take a look at your Customer Retention program. Did you stay in touch? Or were you the low-cost leader who got beat out by a newbie working for peanuts?
Study the journeys your suspects are taking toward becoming loyal customers. When you find the weak points, work to correct them.