Top Tactics for a Full-Funnel Marketing Strategy

Are you looking to draw prospects in, get them to convert, or keep them coming back? If you're like most businesses, the odds are good it's all three. All at once. All the time.

That's the idea behind a full-funnel marketing strategy. It assumes you're constantly trying to attract, engage and delight people. After all, people don't move in one linear path.

That said, it can feel overwhelming — and hard! There are a lot of moving pieces. At Zoe Marketing & Communications, we work with hundreds of clients yearly to simplify it.

In this blog, we'll break down this "funnel" and the best tactics to use at each stage, covering:

• What full-funnel marketing means
• "Top of funnel" tactics to attract
• "Middle of funnel" tactics to engage
• "Bottom of funnel" tactics to delight

You'll feel more confident reaching your potential and current customers by the end. And you'll understand some of the best ways to do it.

What full-funnel marketing means

Simply put, it means you're marketing to people at all three levels of your "funnel" — attracting, engaging and delighting. There are six key things you're trying to do at any given point:

• Grab people's attention
• Drum up engagement
• Drive consideration
• Create relationships
• Increase sales
• Foster brand loyalty

Each objective takes a tailored approach (different messaging, ad design, etc.). That's because each of these folks is at a different place. You want to "meet" them where they are.

That's at the root of the marketing funnel, which is a person's path to buying something from you. And, again, you have three roles:

1. Attract: Your future customers are strangers. Your goal is to draw them to you, providing excellent solutions to their problems.
2. Engage: Folks have turned into prospects. Make it easy for them to buy what you're selling — and learn more.
3. Delight: Those one-time strangers are now customers. But the job isn't done! You want them to return and even convert others to your brand.

Here's a graphic to help you visualize it:

Bottom line: You need several methods of getting people's attention. The good news is there are plenty of tactics. And, as you'll see, some are even useful at multiple levels.

'Top of funnel' tactics to attract

These are "strangers" you're hoping to turn into customers. Here, you're casting a broader net. So, what kinds of tools are tops?

Search engine marketing

When people need help or have a problem to solve, they start by "Googling." Do they see you in the results?

Search engine marketing helps. With paid Google Ads, you're bidding on specific keywords people search for. It works like this:

1. A person Googles a phrase
2. Your ad wins the bid for that phrase
3. Your ads show up for that person (on the results page, on related web pages and more)

It's powerful because, in theory, your ads align with that keyword. So, even though only 3% of people click these ads, they're more likely to be interested in you.

Content marketing

This is typically blogging. It's an organic search powerhouse — if you're answering your target audience's questions. High-quality, helpful content attracts customers' and Google's attention.

Social media marketing

When it comes to meeting people where they are, social media is huge. Focus on ads that boost your branding and highlight what sets you apart.

While Meta (i.e., Facebook and Instagram) is the largest player, pay attention to where your customers are — YouTube? LinkedIn? Pinterest? — and invest there, too.

Quality landing pages

If someone clicks your ad, ensure the landing page you take them to is clean and clear. It should introduce your brand and service or product in an approachable, helpful way. You often only get one chance at a first impression, and this is it!

'Middle of funnel' tactics to engage

The iron is hot now, so show your prospects you "get" them and are there for them. Things get more personal here. It's not just about making sales, but building trust. At this stage, try:

Free bonus content

This is a savvy way of earning people's email addresses in exchange for helpful content. These can include a downloadable guide, infographic or webinar. The goal is to solve their problems.

Align it with your blog content to spur interest. Say you have a category of blogs about children's health. On those posts, you could offer a free download on the "cures" to 10 common kids' illnesses.

Email marketing

Once you've started gathering emails, you can connect more personally. Invest in email systems that collect data on how people interact with your website, too, so you can tailor your messages.

For example, if they're reading content about your orthodontic services, email them a blog about braces vs. Invisalign. Or highlight a special offer for new patients. 

Personalize emails with first names, if you've collected them — both in the body copy and even subject lines. It's included with most email systems and helps keep building trust.

Retargeting and remarketing

With retargeting, ads follow your prospects on different websites, apps and social media after they've visited your website. They've seen you. Now, you can better tailor ads to their needs.

Then, ramp those efforts up with remarketing. Here, you're showing ads to prospects based on their email addresses. Let's say you're a home improvement company, and they downloaded your free checklist on kitchen remodeling. You now know something specific they care about and can send more content related to that interest.

More-refined landing pages

Now that you have a better sense of people's interests, don't only tweak the ads you serve them — create new landing pages, too. You can be a little more direct and even playful.

Social media marketing

It's also excellent at this middle stage. The goal is to educate your customers, grow your influence and earn their loyalty. Focus on humanizing your company and creating rapport. Keep using ads to gather leads (i.e. emails), too.

'Bottom of funnel' tactics to delight

After earning a new customer, it's time to keep them a customer. After all, happy customers are more likely to be repeat customers — and "ambassadors" for your brand. Achieve this with:

Email marketing

It does more than "engage." 60% of consumers sign up for brands' emails for promo messages and offers. They want to hear from you. Your job is to send enticing content that keeps them in the know, makes them feel appreciated, and keeps you "top of mind."

Whether it's your latest product/offering or a discount, share the news in emails. Remember to personalize them when possible.

Remarketing

Now you have the power of knowing what your customers bought, and you have their email addresses. Use your Google and social media ads to deliver updates, discounts and valuable content to your clients while they browse.

Chatbots and live chat

When it comes to post-purchase service, these tools are becoming expected. Chatbots help customers with questions instantly and automatically (and are often cheaper to start). Live chats have that human touch and are ideal for more nuanced issues — and building a connection. 

Loyalty perks

Let them know you love them, especially if they've been loyal. It could be points for every dollar spent (be sure to spell out the benefits), a free trial or a referral program. Some companies also offer "rewards" such as rounding up a purchase to the nearest dollar and donating the proceeds to a charity. 

Again, it's all about trust, rapport and feeling connected.

Next steps to building your full-funnel marketing strategy

Your customers are constantly swirling through this "marketing funnel." In this blog, you've discovered the three layers to this funnel and your job at each point. We also detailed the best tactics at all three levels to keep that funnel full.

Ready to fill your marketing funnel? Talk to us. Zoe Marketing & Communications has 15+ years of experience in the digital marketing realm, and we're prepared to help you.

Not quite ready for that, but want to learn more? Get your marketing bearings by exploring:

• The importance of multichannel marketing, or 'layering' tactics
• The difference between short-term vs. long-term marketing campaigns