Understanding the Marketing Funnel, Part 2
The Copywriter Column #202
If you missed Part 1, go read it now. I'll wait…
All caught up? Excellent! Now that you understand what a marketing funnel is, let's dive deeper into why many marketing funnels fail to deliver results and how you can optimize yours for success.
The Three Deadly Sins of Marketing Funnels
Sin #1: Trying to Sell Too Soon
Remember in Part 1 when we talked about not proposing marriage at a party before saying hello?
One of the most common mistakes marketers make is attempting to convert prospects before properly nurturing the relationship.
When you push for a sale too early in the customer journey, you risk alienating potential customers who aren't ready to make a purchasing decision.
Examples:
Running conversion-focused ads to cold traffic
Putting pricing pages in front of blog readers
Sliding into DMs with promotional offers
That guy at networking events who hands out business cards before saying hello
Why it fails: This approach typically results in high ad costs, low conversion rates, and wasted marketing budget. Turns out, people don't like being sold to by complete strangers. Shocking, I know.
Sin #2: Neglecting the Middle of the Funnel
Ah, the forgotten middle child of the marketing funnel. Everyone remembers to create awareness content and everyone loves the bottom of the funnel (easy content to create), but the middle of the funnel (consideration stage) is where relationships deepen and trust is built (harder content to create).
Examples:
Having great blog content but no lead magnets
Getting lots of website traffic but few email subscribers
Having an email list you never email (except when you're having a sale)
Moving directly from awareness content to sales pitches
Why it fails: The middle of the funnel is where trust happens. Skip it, and prospects lack the information and confidence needed to make a purchase decision, leading to high bounce rates and abandoned customer journeys.
Sin #3: Overlooking Retention
You finally got someone to buy! Time to focus on finding new customers, right? Yeah, no. This oversight leaves significant revenue on the table and ultimately increases overall marketing costs.
Examples:
No post-purchase follow-up
Non-existent customer service (← this is a huge problem)
Zero loyalty or referral programs
Treating repeat customers the same as first-time buyers (← also a big problem)
Why it fails: It's like throwing away a perfectly good relationship to go back to swiping on dating apps. Without retention strategies, businesses miss opportunities for repeat purchases, referrals, and the higher profit margins that come with loyal customers.
How to Fix Your Marketing Funnel in 4 Steps
Step 1: Audit Your Current Funnel
Time for some honest self-reflection. Look at your marketing funnel like you'd look at your high school yearbook photos – with a mix of curiosity and mild horror.
Ask yourself:
Where are people dropping off?
What content do you have for each stage?
Are you trying to sell too soon?
Are your conversion points appropriate for each stage of awareness?
How effectively are you nurturing leads between stages?
What happens after someone makes a purchase?
Step 2: Create Content for Every Stage
An effective funnel requires thoughtfully created content that addresses the specific needs and questions prospects have at each stage of their journey. Think of it like a Netflix series.
You need:
Episode 1 (Awareness): The hook that gets them interested
e.g. educational blog posts, helpful videos, social media content, etc.
Episode 2 (Consideration): The plot development that keeps them watching
e.g. in-depth guides, case studies, webinars, email courses, etc.
Episode 3 (Conversion): The big payoff they've been waiting for
e.g. product demos, customer testimonials, comparison guides, etc.
Episode 4+ (Retention): The ongoing storylines that keep them coming back
e.g. curated and deep educational content, exclusive offers, referral programs, etc.
Make sure your content naturally guides prospects from one stage to the next. Just like Netflix, you need to drop new content regularly. And unlike Netflix, please don't cancel your best shows after two seasons.
Step 3: Align Messaging with the Funnel Journey
This is where most brands go wrong. The messaging that resonates with a first-time visitor differs dramatically from what works for a loyal customer. Tailor your communication to match where each prospect is in their journey.
(This is where even seasoned marketers get it wrong too!)
Quick guide:
New visitor? → Helpful content, no selling
Email subscriber? → Educational content + soft sells
Recent buyer? → Onboarding + support
Loyal customer? → VIP treatment + referral asks
Step 4: Automate Strategically (But Don't Be a Robot)
Yes, you should absolutely automate parts of your funnel. No, this doesn't mean sending emails that sound like they were written by ChatGPT in the middle of an existential crisis. But it does need to be implemented thoughtfully.
What to automate:
Email sequences
Ad retargeting
Social media posting
Basic customer service responses
What not to automate:
Personality
Relationship-building
Crisis management (i.e. customer service)
Anything that makes you sound like a corporate chatbot having a meltdown 🫠
Your “Put It Into Practice” Plan
Map your current funnel. Where are the gaps? The leaks? The awkward moments? Write ‘em down.
Fill the gaps. Create one piece of content for each stage. Start small. (Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will your marketing funnel.)
Establish lead capture mechanisms. Develop valuable lead magnets to bridge awareness and consideration.
Build nurture sequences. Create automated (human-sounding) email sequences that guide leads through your funnel.
Test and measure. What's working? What's failing? What's making people run away screaming? Set up tracking to measure performance at each funnel stage.
The Bottom Line
A good marketing funnel is like a good dating strategy (if you want to call it that) – it takes time, effort, and a basic understanding of what it takes to build a good relationship.
By understanding the common pitfalls and implementing a strategic approach to funnel development, you can create a system that not only converts more effectively but also delivers a better experience for your customers.
Remember: building an efficient and effective marketing funnel takes time, and in many ways, it’s a never-ending work in progress. But that funnel is guaranteed to help you better serve your audience and achieve your business goals.
Need help optimizing your marketing funnel? Let's chat.
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