Is the marketing funnel dead?
Last week, I presented a mental model for what we, as marketers, want readers/viewers to get from marketing content. But to assess which of those are more important, I think it’s useful to zoom out a bit and look at a longer-term model of how readers engage with content. Or rather, I want to look at two different models of this: The traditional marketing funnel model, and a new non-funnel model that multiple sources (including Harvard Business Review) claim has replaced it.
The Funnel
The basic idea of the marketing funnel is that you want to lead potential buyers down a pre-defined series of steps in which you simultaneously convince them that your product is right for them, and encourage them to do things that lead them to the next step.
For example, maybe they click on an ad or follow an organic search link. Then from there they follow a link to a white paper where they have to enter their email address. Then a few days later they get an email asking if they want to schedule a demo. Or maybe it offers them something else. Whatever it is, it’s all carefully planned out and orchestrated to make sure that as many potential buyers who enter the funnel make it all the way to the end.
I’ve designed a few funnels since getting into marketing, and I have to say - it’s a fun exercise. It gives you a sense of control, and makes planning easier because you know exactly what each component needs to do.
The problem, of course, is that funnels apparently don’t work very well, at least not anymore. I mean, none of mine did, but I assumed that was because I’m new to this. It’s nice to know it wasn’t just me.
The problem, in addition to the fact that they feel manipulative and rely on an over-simplified model of human behavior, is that readers are getting better and noticing that they’re being manipulated, and just not following the funnel. They want to explore on their own and reach out when they’re good and ready. (Plus nobody wants to enter their email address just to get a white paper...)
The no-funnel funnel
So the new model is basically that no matter what you do, prospective buyers will do whatever they feel like until they trust you enough with their time and energy to reach out.
Instead of the nice structured funnel, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, there’s just a tangled ball of yarn with a “book a demo” button at the bottom. You have no control. You can’t just go out and scoop up buyers. They have to come to you.
But on the other hand, you never could. The funnel was just an illusion.
Which kind of takes the pressure off.
So, instead of trying to build a funnel that manipulates potential buyers, the strategy suggested by this new model is just to give potential buyers lots of reasons to trust you. Build a sense of reciprocity and mutual respect. Show that you’re the kind of company that they want to work with.
I mean, sure, you still have to get the trust-building marketing content in front of those potential buyers. And that’s no easy task. But once you do, this is why I said the call to action was the least important of the four things I wrote about last time.
Thanks for reading Viral Esoterica! Through my company, Merelogic, I help clients build trust and credibility for the age of AI. To learn how I turn B2B SaaS companies into authoritative sources of industry knowledge and solutions, check out merelogic.net.