Brian Hawkins from Ghost Bed provides some insightful insights in this episode of Small Biz In :15. He discusses the concept of and effective use of sales funnels. Ghost Bed’s marketing campaigns and success are attributed to its use of sales channels.
Brian Hawkins defines the sales funnel
Hawkins says, “A funnel is like trying to hit a homerun, but instead you try to bat singles. You don’t go straight for the sale.” Hawkins says that you only need to concentrate on providing value and batting singles. Sales funnels don’t involve aggressive selling but instead delivering value to customers. Hawkins views the creation of a sales funnel as a series of personalized experiences which add value.
Personalized Experience and Value Added in Sales Funnel
Hawkins believes that the key to creating a successful funnel is to create a series of experiences which engage potential customers and provide them with value. He said, “Give them a meatball. Give them something valuable to connect with. Give them some kind case study success. Some kind of pain-point.”
In order to establish a relationship, the marketer should first offer something valuable. He or she can offer useful articles, publications, endorsements from third parties, or any other assets that are shareable.
How to Create a Successful Sales Channel
Hawkins, when asked about how to create a sales funnel emphasized the importance of knowing your customers, their journey and staying connected with them. Hawkins said, “You are the best person to know your customers, and you know them better than any agency.” You can use this knowledge in order to create an effective sales funnel.
Personalization and Storytelling are Key Components in a Sales Funnel
Hawkins’ presentation highlighted the importance of personalization and storytelling in the sales funnel. He spoke of the success of an SMS Black Friday campaign that took a personal approach. The campaign was presented as a message sent by the fifth generation owner of the company, asking why customers hadn’t purchased anything.
Sales funnels as a source of customer insight
The sales funnel can be a valuable tool to learn more about your customers. Hawkins said that each time a visitor lands on your website’s page, it’s “a checkbox”, a piece data that provides insight into the customer, their industry, their pain points or geographical region.
A sales funnel is not just about selling. It’s also about building relationships with your customers, providing value and learning more about them. It may take some time to get started, but a sales funnel is a great way to set yourself up for success.