A Clear Explanation of the Marketing Funnel

From my observations, a marketing funnel serves as a conceptual framework that guides your audience from awareness to decision-making. Think of it as a mini journey for each potential customer. The top of the funnel is the widest, representing the initial stages, while the bottom narrows down to the conclusion.

When I began exploring marketing funnels in the early 1990s, I devised a straightforward model I named the IIC method. IIC stands for Inform, Influence, and Convince.

• Inform: This is the broadest section of the funnel.
• Influence: This middle section denotes credibility and expertise.
• Convince: This narrowest segment represents the final push towards conversion.

Let's delve deeper into each component.

1. Inform

The Inform stage encompasses all content creation. As a writer, blogger, or content creator, your role is to inform your audience through various mediums such as articles, books, podcasts, and videos. Approximately 60% of your efforts should focus on this phase, providing consistent content to raise awareness about your subjects of interest.

2. Influence

Following the Inform stage, Influence highlights the importance of demonstrating your expertise. While anyone can share information, only those with experience and credentials can truly influence others. If you possess significant knowledge in a particular area, your audience is more likely to trust your insights.

Authenticity and uniqueness are crucial at this stage, making your content stand out from mere rehashed information found online. About 30% of your audience will resonate with the Influence aspect of your funnel.

3. Convince

To successfully convert your audience into customers, you must first inform and then influence them. Consequently, those who can influence effectively tend to have higher earning potential.

When you establish your influence, your audience is more inclined to engage with you, consider your offerings, and heed your recommendations. Ultimately, only around 10% of your audience will become customers.

What Does This Mean?

This means you must continuously engage with your audience using various strategies. Starting with a full audience and filtering down to a small percentage is normal in this funnel model. Although these figures are illustrative, they depict the typical V-shape of a marketing funnel.

Every segment of the funnel is equally important and interdependent; you cannot influence without informing, and without influence, convincing becomes challenging. In the Inform phase, the quantity and frequency of your content are vital. The more content you produce, the more visibility you gain.

Effective influence on your products or services enhances your ability to persuade your audience to make purchases. While the concept is straightforward, applying it effectively demands skill, dedication, and time investment.

• For the Inform phase, consistency in content creation is key.
• In the Influence phase, ensure your information is filtered and valuable.
• In the Convince phase, emphasize your unique value to encourage conversions.

How This Framework Benefits You

By understanding the IIC method, you can better design your websites, blogs, and newsletters to attract a large audience and gradually convert them into customers. Properly executed marketing results in smoother sales processes, allowing you to attract customers without excessive pressure.

Visualization of this funnel will help clarify your roles in creating and maintaining an effective marketing strategy.

Thank you for exploring my insights. I wish you a fulfilling and prosperous journey.

If you found this discussion valuable, you might enjoy my other writings on related topics:

• Ten Hobbies Enhanced the Quality of My Life over the Past Five Decades
• Healthy, Wealthy, and Happy People Taught Me 10 Valuable Lessons
• I Wish I Had Gone Self-Employed 40 Years Ago for Three Reasons

Additionally, I’ve covered various health-related nutrients that may contribute to improved well-being.

Meet Dr. Mehmet Yildiz

Owner and chief editor of Illumination Integrated Publications.

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