Everybody agrees that promotion through social networks is not an option but a total must. But how to make the most of it? How to make all efforts count? There is a simple tool.
Unravelling the Sales Funnel
For about as long as people have been trading, salespersons have strived to push customers through several levels of engagement – from awareness to purchase. These form the so-called “sales funnel”, a flipped pyramid that covers all the marketing channels leading to a buying decision. The exact structure is debatable, but most experts recognize such stages: 
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So, where does social media fit in? Many people think it only amounts to brand awareness. After all, users go to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to look at cute photos and watch cat videos, not to buy stuff. Therefore, you can’t get a direct from social networks. Or can you? Unweels have generated $1 million from Instagram, Ezra Firestone has made $41,000 with Pinterest advertising. What’s their secret?
Social Media Counts
In fact, social networks have shaken up the pyramid by granting people immediate access to information. In other words, these platforms offer new ways to convert interest into real money. Moreover, social networks allow moving farther than sales. A thought-through strategy may provide your brand with an army of advocates who would promote it gratuitously. That’s a great bonus, considering that today’s users trust peer reviews over traditional ads. Ready to nurture your purchase funnel with social media?
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Step 1. Awareness |
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| • Create absorbing content • Add “wow” visuals • Call to action | Get visible through: • targeted ads (Facebook, Google+); • promoted Tweets; • Rich Pins. |
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Step 2. Interest |
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| • Engage followers • Build a community • Offer valuable content | Foster the audience via: • Commun.it; • Hootsuite; • Engagor. Plan your posts with: • Google Analytics; • Facebook Insight; • Buffer. |
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Step 3. Conversion |
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| • Plant some carrots on a landing page (e.g., eBooks, webinars, longreads, giveaways) • Collect email leads | Install a remarketing pixel from Google or Facebook, so that each user who has visited your website would see the ads until you get their email. |
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Step 4. Sales |
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| • Target the leads • Send newsletters • Make product-specific offers | Keep remarketing through: • Google; • Facebook. |
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Step 5. Loyalty |
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| • Continue to engage followers • Tweak content to find out what works best • Use branded hashtags | |
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Step 6. Advocacy |
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| • Encourage social recommendations • Post user generated content • Reward reviewers |
Based on www.jeffbullas.com materials
Done! You have successfully walked through the social funnel. With our plan, it shouldn’t be that hard. All you need is a person who knows all the shortcuts. Try to look for one here, in “The Loupe”. Let’s monetize your likes! ASAP ☺