The Biggest Marketing Funnel Conversion Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
To optimise your marketing funnel conversion rates, understanding your customers’ buying processes and the factors influencing their decisions is crucial. Equally important, however, is avoiding common pitfalls that can alienate potential customers. In this article, we’ll explore frequent marketing funnel conversion mistakes and how to sidestep them effectively.
Understanding Customer Motivations
Cost and Convenience
For over a decade, low prices, efficiency, and ease have been at the forefront of business strategies for many e-commerce brands. While these factors remain significant, they are not the sole drivers of customer loyalty and purchase decisions. Various motivators, which can differ by demographic and other factors, play a critical role in consumer behaviour.
Many businesses mistakenly believe that low prices and streamlined shopping processes are universally appealing. Although these elements are important, their influence can vary greatly among individuals. Failing to grasp this dynamic nature can detrimentally impact a brand.
Identity
Consumers purchase products or services that align with their self-identity or how they aspire to be perceived. Brands should invest time in understanding who their customers are, who they wish to become, and how they see themselves.
Experience
The desire for a unique experience is a powerful purchase motivator. Apple stores exemplify this with their beautifully designed products and immersive retail environments. Customers who experience these settings often find it hard to overlook the brand, demonstrating how a compelling customer experience can outshine competitors in a saturated market.
Value
Value is a significant factor that drives customers to buy. For instance, Amazon customers appreciate the convenience of a wide selection of affordable products, while Whole Foods shoppers value responsibly sourced products despite higher prices. Brands must always consider offering unique selling points that resonate with their customers.
Need
Identifying and addressing common problems faced by your target audience is essential. Offering products or services that solve everyday issues should be a priority for every business.
Community
Customers are often motivated to buy products or services that make them feel part of a community. For example, consumers who identify as breastfeeding mothers or college students seek emotional connections with products or services before making a purchase. Targeting specific niches can foster these connections.
Applying the Jobs-to-Be-Done Theory
Successful companies often provide products or services that offer irresistible solutions. The Jobs-to-Be-Done (JTBD) theory prompts businesses to consider what job their product is hired to do. For example, a lawnmower is purchased to cut grass, but if a company reimagines this need to “keep the grass low and beautiful,” it might innovate beyond traditional lawnmowers to develop genetically engineered grass that requires less maintenance.
Common Marketing Funnel Conversion Mistakes
Not Engaging Leads Properly
A critical mistake is failing to engage new visitors effectively. This often occurs when a landing page does not immediately address the specific needs of first-time visitors. If customers are unsure of their next steps, they are likely to leave and explore other options.
To avoid this, brands should create dedicated landing pages that highlight their best features and address visitors’ needs. According to Hubspot, 92% of marketers find landing pages highly effective in converting customers.
Insufficient Data Tracking
Marketers often overlook crucial data such as exit pages, return visitors, and scroll patterns. While big-picture metrics like page views and bounce rates are important, these smaller data points provide actionable insights that can significantly enhance the marketing funnel conversion strategy.
Weak Calls to Action
A strong call to action (CTA) is essential to inspire customers to act. Brands should create a sense of urgency and use compelling action words to encourage purchases. Ensuring that CTAs are clear and engaging can greatly improve conversion rates.
Neglecting Lead Nurturing
Using marketing automation tools to segment content and personalise lead nurturing can significantly boost conversions. Implementing lead scoring to identify and prioritise the most sales-ready contacts can further refine this process. Tools such as Smartech, SendX.io, and Omnisend are excellent for these purposes.
Limited Payment Gateway Options
Offering too few payment options can alienate potential customers, while too many can overwhelm them. Continually testing combinations of different payment gateways ensures that all customer preferences are accommodated. Popular options include PayPal, Stripe, Google Pay, Braintree, WePay, and Authorize.net.
Applying Jobs-to-Be-Done Theory
Many companies thrive by offering products or services that provide an irresistible solution to their customers’ needs. The Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) theory poses a simple yet profound question: “What job is your product hired to do?”
For instance, a consumer might say they purchased a lawnmower to “cut the grass.” While this is accurate, if a lawnmower company considers the higher purpose of maintaining a beautiful lawn, they might innovate beyond traditional lawnmowers and develop genetically engineered grass that requires minimal upkeep. The JTBD concept encourages businesses to rethink their offerings, providing solutions that customers perceive in an entirely new light.
Examples of Excellent Marketing Funnel Conversion Tactics
Netflix
Netflix boasts over 130 million subscribers as of 2019, and this number continues to grow. At the heart of its marketing strategy lies an outstanding sales funnel. Netflix’s marketing funnel conversion strategy is broken down into five key stages:
Lead Page: Netflix’s lead page features a simple yet compelling offer, “See what’s next.” The powerful subheading, “Watch Anywhere. Cancel Anytime,” further entices potential customers. Additionally, the call to action (CTA) button encourages visitors to enjoy a free trial, setting a clear path for engagement.
Choose Your Plan: The second page allows users to select a plan, reassuring them they won’t be charged during the trial period. Netflix also sends reminder emails before the trial expires, ensuring transparency and trust.
Choose a Price: Netflix highlights the premium plan, giving customers the impression they are getting the best value. This subtle nudge towards the premium option is a clever tactic in their conversion strategy.
Sign-Up Page: Here, customers are prompted to enter their email addresses and continue the sign-up process. This step is designed to be as frictionless as possible, maintaining the user’s momentum.
Payment Page: The final step is the payment stage, where Netflix requests credit card or PayPal details. By this point, customers are well-acquainted with the value Netflix offers, making them more likely to complete the purchase.
Netflix’s straightforward and effective marketing funnel conversion tactic ensures they engage with customers at every stage, providing clear guidance and compelling reasons to proceed.
ConvertKit
ConvertKit, a renowned email autoresponder tool, employs a simple yet effective four-step marketing funnel that targets creators of both digital and physical products:
Landing Page: The landing page features a clear, easy-to-understand headline and two prominent CTAs: “Get a free trial” and “Watch the Demo.” The colour coordination between these buttons encourages users to click on the green free trial button, effectively guiding user action.
Survey Questionnaire 1: After clicking the free trial button, users are directed to a page with a series of questions. These questions help ConvertKit understand who wants the free trial, enabling the brand to personalise its messages effectively.
Survey Questionnaire 2: Upon completing the first set of questions, leads are presented with another page asking if they have a website. This step allows ConvertKit to tailor its messaging further. Throughout the funnel, users can see a progress bar indicating how many steps remain, maintaining engagement and reducing drop-off rates.
Sign-Up Page: The final page is a sign-up form where users can enter their information. By this stage, customers who reach this page are highly likely to convert, as the process has effectively filtered and engaged serious prospects.
ConvertKit’s marketing funnel is extremely effective due to its meticulous data collection, which helps the brand understand why the customer is there and what their specific needs are. This insight allows ConvertKit to deliver highly personalised and relevant content, significantly boosting conversion rates.
By meticulously applying these strategies, brands can optimise their marketing funnel conversion tactics. Understanding and implementing these proven conversion funnel strategies can dramatically improve engagement and conversion rates. Ready to refine your conversion strategy?
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