Today, potential customers have a huge amount of information at their disposal.
They may read reviews, guest articles, and blog posts before interacting with your business. In addition, once those leads turn into paying customers, they often act as brand ambassadors for your business. Thus, marketers must once again focus on wowing potential and existing customers.
The sales funnel was the main visual representation of the sales and marketing department of the flow of leads to closed customers. However, as the customer journey evolves, the sales flywheel becomes a more precise business model. The first thing, however, is to ensure a good internet connection that does not fail you! You can choose from the leading internet service providers (ISPs) in the market to avail the best services. Cox, for example, is a reliable ISP, that is widely used. The variety of planes de Cox internet and customizable packages at reasonable prices have contributed to industry standards, due to their advanced services. So now that your internet is set, let us dive into the basics.
What is the funnel in marketing?
A marketing funnel is a conceptualization of the buyer’s journey as one big funnel that brings in as many leads as possible and filters them in the hope that at least some of them will turn into loyal customers.
The foundation of the funnel approach is that prospective customers enter the buying process through the awareness stage and then move on to the deliberation and choice stages where they then buy the product or service. This linear strategy does not take into account the significant changes in how customers recognize a brand and buy products in the digital age we live in.
However, the tables have turned now and these leads can now enter the funnel at different stages of the sales cycle. Modern technologies such as the internet and social media have allowed buyers to conduct their research. You can skip the awareness phase altogether and essentially go through the buying process on your own without even talking to the salesperson.
If you have been in marketing for a while, you will know funnels well. In recent years, the relevance of the funnel has gradually faded, giving way to a new, digitally based strategy.
That is where the flywheel makes its grand entry
What is the flywheel?
Generally, a flywheel is a mechanical device designed to efficiently store rotational energy. It may be difficult to turn the flywheel at first. However, once momentum is created, this type of device can continue its motion and rotate.
The marketing flywheel is based on this idea. It is conceptualized with four moving parts. The outer three are the marketing, sales, and service departments. The core is made up of your clients
By bringing together marketing, sales, and customer relations teams, companies can better cater to their target market, build momentum, and generate both repeat business and new customers through word of mouth.
This business development approach is drastically different from the funnel that most companies have been using for many years now.
Why you should ditch the funnel approach
The funnel approach has been a part of the corporate world for a good hundred years or so!
So it is only natural that it gets outdated with the change in times. Nevertheless, let us tell you why old is gold does not apply to this particular approach anymore:
Linearity
Over the years, customers have changed, as have their shopping patterns. Today, the buying process is non-linear, meaning that potential customers do not go straight to the top of the funnel; they can enter at any point. For example, impulse buying when exploring the internet or shopping online does not fit into the funnel pattern anymore.
Finite ending
The funnel approach states that once the customer has bought your product or service their journey ends. However, customers today play an active part in promoting or demoting your product and want to feel valued. This makes after-sales services, feedback, and customer relationship management an integral part of marketing.
Oversimplification
The marketing funnel streamlines the buying process as the buyer moves from the awareness stage to the action stage. If you look at today’s online sales and purchases, consumers have used channels to interact with your brands.
Benefits of using the Flywheel approach
Companies that attribute their success to their customers not only scale, but also create joy, loyalty, and love from the people who matter most to them. When companies grow better, they successfully meet all customer expectations, and the result is a better company, better relationships, and a better growth path. In addition, the flywheel approach enables this.
The flywheel model:
- Focuses on long-term growth and sustainable dynamism
- Is cyclic rather than linear
- Allows you to use different types of content to engage, engage and surprise your audience
- Each type of content can be applied to different touchpoints so you can focus on customer preferences and their successful satisfaction.
Summing it up
Substituting the sales funnel model with a flywheel model will bring many benefits to your business. Flywheel focuses on building motion, synchronizing commands, and always putting the customer first. When you link your success to customer satisfaction, you create pleasant relationships with them in which you move forward together.