Do you want to know how to build a sales funnel that actually converts? Analysing the pathway to purchase is essential for answering what triggers people to buy, what solutions you bring to the market and how to keep prospects engaged with your brand.

In this blog, we’ll analyse how you can move prospects down your sales funnel towards conversion. We’ll also share our marketing tips and tricks that nudge people to buy from you!

Step 1: What Triggers People to Buy?

There are many answers to this question. Sometimes it’s a change of management. Sometimes a piece of machinery breaks. Sometimes you’re looking to set up a new production line.

However, learning every possible trigger that pushes businesses to purchase should not be a major concern. What is important is understanding the common triggers that push YOUR customers to purchase. This way you can build a sales funnel that is tailored to your niche of the market.

Step 2: What is Your Solution to Your Customers’ Problems?

The next step is crucial for understanding your USP in your market. Homing in on what makes your brand so great for your customers will help you to develop a clear message explaining exactly why prospects should buy from you.

Getting this message right involves first addressing your customer’s pain point. Then offering your solution. Finally, you want to add an additional benefit that the customer will receive if they buy from you. For example:

Pain point: Your customer’s employees have suffered a lot of injuries from lifting heavy loads.

Main solution: Your palletisers keep your customer’s employees fit and healthy by taking the strain out of their goods handling.

Additional benefit: Your maintenance service extends the life of your customer’s equipment, reducing the need for manual labour and the risk of workplace injuries.

Step 3: How to Keep Your Prospects Engaged Before Purchase

It takes 4-6 months on average for new B2B prospects to purchase. In some industries, the sales cycle is longer than a year! So, you need to make sure that you keep your prospects engaged. Otherwise, they’ll fall out of your sales funnel and all your hard work acquiring the customer will have been for nothing.

A few ways that you can keep your prospects engaged with your brand include:

• Optimising your website.
• Sharing new innovations with a great PR strategy.
• Keeping yourself front of mind with an impactful social media strategy.

The Importance of Your Website for Your Sales Funnel

Your website is the number one port of call for anyone interested in your brand. It is the shop window that gives a flavour to onlookers of what you’re about and what you can do for them.

So, it’s vital that you get it right.

People Buy from People

Yes, it’s a website, not a person, but it’s important that your website conveys something of the personality of your brand. People like to feel they ‘connect’ with something. A shared vision or value will appeal to many. A clear answer to any issues your users have will also pique their interest.

Your Web Design Could Be Costing You Clients

Something not to be overlooked is your web design. You need to ask yourself:

• Is my website design dated, boring or unattractive in any way?
• Is it easy to navigate?
• Has it been thoroughly proofread – are there any typos letting it down?
• Is it interactive or more static?

Importantly you need to assess if your website is working for your business goals. It’s good if you have great content, but if you have a tired design that does not direct readers to take an action then your website is simply not working for your business.

Get Your Brand in the Limelight Through PR

PR is a great way to spread the word of any innovation your company has been creating. It also helps new audiences to learn about your company’s insight and expertise by publishing thought leadership articles.

By circulating press releases, case studies and feature articles widely you will be able to reach new sections of your target market. All of which helps increase the size and robustness of your sales funnel and builds your market authority.

Keep Your Brand Front of Mind Through Social Media

With the B2B market having a much longer buying cycle than the B2C market, it is essential that you put in the effort to keep your brand front of mind to avoid missing out on sales.

Social media is a great tool for keeping your audience updated frequently on all your company activity. It also allows you to develop your brand’s voice and connect with prospects on a more personal level. Making yourself stand out online will help strengthen your connection with prospects and makes your brand memorable in competitive markets.

Building a Successful Sales Funnel is All About Authority

Underpinning your sales funnel success story is the development of your brand’s authority in its sector.

By building your business’s reputation and prestige within its niche you will become the go to authority that your target audience thinks of when they are ready to purchase. Prospects will trust that you are the expert in your field, making it extremely difficult for your rivals to compete with what you offer to the market.

Taking a 360^o approach to your marketing is the most efficient way to become the #1 authority in your sector. Your ideal customers will constantly be exposed to the expertise your business has to offer them so that when they look to purchase, you are front of mind.

If you’re ready to build a successful marketing strategy, get in touch with Allotts.

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