How to create the RIGHT content for each stage of your Inbound Sales Funnel

Content comes in many forms; blogs, newsletters, videos, podcasts, images, social media posts, survey’s and more.  While we have heard “knowledge is power”, the key is how you share that knowledge with your audience. No doubt a successful inbound marketing campaign relies heavily on the content, but not content alone. The journey for creating content must begin with identifying the ideal client, and then creating the relevant content that’s then distributed at the right time, in their buying journey.

Persona Development

Sometimes companies struggle to get the conversion they desire, even after they have created a lot of content; part of the reason could be that they have not clearly defined their customer Avatar. Before you can even get started, do you understand who your ideal customer is?  Is it Julie, engineer of a midsized B2B speciality manufacturing company in Mississauga, or is it Justin the owner of a small professional services firm in Oakville?  Once you have your ideal customer in mind, you need to clearly lay out their pain/issues/problems, and then determine how your product solves their woes. Sometimes, identifying what matters to them most, and understanding what’s the emotion driving their day-to-day life, can be helpful.

Click here to get more insights on how to develop a persona.

At Measure Marketing we believe—Buyers Buy Differently!

Take a moment and think about the end user’s buyer journey; what excites them?  What are they searching for online? How can you align your marketing distribution around their search patterns, rather than waiting for them to search for a product/ service you offer? The reason this passive approach is recommended today, is because sometimes buyers and our ideal prospects don’t know they have a pain, or if they do, then where do they go to find a solution?

Your prospective client has Googled you; how can you help them discover that your company is the one for them?

What do you want to accomplish at each stage of the Sales Funnel? 

persona development

Prospects: At this stage you want to educate the buyer; provide them with something of use for nothing. No selling happens at this stage; instead, sharing information and setting yourself up as an industry expert is the key.
Leads: Now is when you’re going to let the buyer know who you are, and what specifically you can bring to the table to solve their pain. Share with them your unique selling proposition (USP).
Opportunities: This is your chance; how are you going to get the buyer to try your product? If your product is right for them; a free trial, coupon or demo will bring them over to the customer stage.
Customers: Now you’ve got them, how are you going to keep them? Engage them, to ensure your brand stays top of mind.

Selecting the right Internet Marketing Content

The next step is to provide all the right content, at each stage of the buyer’s journey, throughout the sales funnel.  Here’s a look at some of the content that can be used in each stage of the sales funnel.  Keep in mind however, that your content still needs to be tailored to each specific buyer persona that you determined earlier.

StageGoalsInbound Marketing Content
ProspectAwareness
Knowledge is Power
Create Lead Magnets
E-Books
Social Media
Infographics
Blogs
Videos
LeadsConvert
Call to Action
You
Case Studies
Landing Pages
Reviews
Testimonials
OpportunitiesClose
Make it easy
Add to CRM
Email
Offers and specials
CustomersDelight
Continued Engagement
Brand Loyalty
Newsletters
Survey’s
Industry specific research
Turn them into promoters/Influencers of your brand

We hope you now have a better understanding of the tools that can be used to enhance your Inbound Marketing strategy. Don’t have the resources to make it all happen?  Need strategic advice? Connect with us at Measure Marketing Results Inc., and let us help you implement and measure your online and inbound marketing efforts.