The Marketing Funnel: Simple, Effective Marketing Strategy

By Rosemary Hauschild

No matter if you’re publishing your first book or producing your first invention, you need a simple, effective marketing strategy. So, hiring a marketing agency to develop and implement that strategy will bring raving fans flocking to stores or your website to buy your incredible offering, right?

Well, maybe. Maybe not!

There is a very simple – yet amazingly potent – marketing tool which in and of itself can become your most basic marketing strategy. It’s called the “marketing funnel”, and it’s most important role is to first attract the interest of a minimum of 1,000 people then gradually, over time, one-by-one develop their trust in you…and, of course, in your idea or product.

Every funnel has certain things in common. Each, of course, is very wide at the top and very narrow at the tip. Not everything can come out the bottom all at once. Each also has a certain capacity from small to large. And each is a solid container. If it’s got lots of holes, then it’s a colander!
Your marketing funnel operates just like a conventional funnel you use in you kitchen or garage. The only thing that makes it different is what you put in it!

To fill your funnel, you need to take these eightbasic steps:

1. Discover your center of authenticity. Know who you are and who you and/or your creation is intended to help or attract.
2. Using the information that identifies your center of authenticity, create a personal parable (or story) telling how you came to be an innovator.
3. Create an elevator speech, also sometimes call an audio business card or 30-second commercial.
4. Create and publish an e-newsletter.
5. Develop alliance partners.
6. Speak frequently at meetings and conferences.
7. Offer teleconferences and live events.
8. Produce your innovation – publish your book, put your invention on supermarket shelves, release your new software program, build your building! Your goal will be to regularly talk to and attract as your fans (i.e. newsletter readers) a minimum of 1,000 people.

“Sounds impossible!” you protest. Just remember, that the founder of Amazon.com began his business by sending just a handful of emails to people he knew and asked them to forward his message to people they knew. Within 30 days, he had reached people in all 50 states, and the rest is history.

Not all of those first 1,000 people will immediately pop out of the tip of the funnel and become your product champion, your best book reviewer, your client or your customer. However, as you keep in touch with them, over time more and more will get to know you, will come to respect you and – even if they don’t purchase your product – may well tell others – like book agents, prototype developers, and financial angels, to name a few -- about what you have to offer.