How Everything You Thought You Knew About Marketing Funnels Is Changing

Everything you thought you knew about marketing funnels is changing – and fast…

The stroke of midnight chimes and another new year is upon us…

In an instant the explosion of confetti and fireworks mixed with first kisses and sips of champagne – usher in the hope and determination that this year will be different. It will be BETTER!

Fitness, personal, business goals, or all of the above – there’s only one guarantee…

Some things change while some things stay the same.

While we don’t have a literal crystal ball when it comes to digital marketing, marketing funnels and marketing automation…

We do have Brad Martineau!

Every year Digital Marketer puts out digital marketing predictions for the next 365 days, and this year was no exception…

Compiling the latest trends and digital marketing landscape shifts just on the horizon for 2019…

17 of the top marketing minds, including Brad, have covered everything with a fine tooth comb that you’ll need to know for setting yourself up for online success this year. Spanning from Content Strategies to SEO, Organic Social Media to Paid Ads & Traffic, Email Marketing to Messenger & Chatbots, Marketing Funnels & Automation…

It can all be found here in How Digital Marketing Will Change: 17 Predictions for 2019.

But before you go and grab the small business owner’s equivalent to the 2019 Digital Marketing Cliff’s Notes, let’s talk about how the big shift in Marketing Funnels and Marketing Automation 2019 will affect your business…

Because, these 3 things will be the difference between WINNING & LOSING in 2019!

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When asked by Digital Marketer what 2019 will bring to marketing automation and funnels

Here’s what Brad has to share:

“The past few years have been big on marketing automation and marketing funnels. And while funnels have their place, the way we understand and use them to reach new customers is going to take a BIG step forward in 2019.”

That BIG step forward will come in 3 parts, that when done correctly, can have a dramatic impact on your business. Starting with creating an actual customer journey – NOT just having a funnel!

 

STEP 1:  A Cohesive Customer Journey

The first change is the growing awareness of funnels by consumers, and additionally by business owners, that funnels (by themselves) are not enough.

They don’t give your customers the warm and fuzzies that are needed to make them fall in love with your product or service.  Instead we will see the world moving toward a cohesive customer journey.

Brad explains the difference between a funnel and a customer journey like that of a single subway line and the citywide public transportation system. One can only take you from point A to point B with little to no variation or customization for your customer or user.  The other takes your customer or user to point B… but they can also choose to go to point C, D, E, F or Z. This choice makes the journey feel more customized specifically for your customer, and they in turn feel like they have more control in the decision they are making.  Which ties in to the next big change.

 

STEP 2:  People Are Buying Experiences NOT Products

Products and services can easily be commoditized, BUT an experience…that’s something people will pay a premium for.

Over the last couple of years we’ve seen an emerging belief that if you JUST throw up a funnel, you can kick back and watch the sales start rolling in…

Spoiler alert! It doesn’t work that way – not anymore at least.

Funnels are no longer the shiny new toy. Consumers don’t care how sophisticated your funnel is because they’ve seen them all from the hair salon down the street to their dentist across town.

To put it simply, funnels won’t convert if you don’t spend the time to:

  • Create something they want
  • Explain it in a simple, straightforward way that’s clear and compelling
  • Do it by delivering it in a way they can connect with…

Creating the ultimate selling experience.

And right about now you might be thinking 1 of 2 things…

  1. Wow that sounds like a lot of hard work, or…
  2. Great, I just need more funnels tied together.

YES – it is hard work, but the best things in life don’t come easily. They require work, dedication and perseverance (but that’s conversation for another blog post)…

And, NO – stringing a bunch a funnels together that wouldn’t work if they stood alone…

That won’t do the trick either!

 

STEP 3:  The Rise of The Client Journey Architect

In 2019 a new skill set will begin developing in the marketing world, one which takes the divide that’s emerged in marketing and bridges the gap.

Right now, most marketing departments or marketers fall on one side of the line or the other…

  • The Visionary: the founder or leader deciding the direction the company should be heading
  • Digital Drywallers: the people who actually implement that direction through the tech, setting up ads, etc.

This new Client Journey Architect will sit right in the middle of these 2 groups and have the skill set required to not just clearly see every step needed to make customers journey smooth and seamless…

But, also how to implement every step along the way by making each action your customer takes one that will make them feel like they are building a relationship with you and your company, making it easier for them to take each next step…

Ultimately falling in LOVE with your product, service – and YOU!

These Client Journey Architects will be the ones who take all the disjointed, disconnected funnels and products in a company and piece them together into a more cohesive whole…

Think the first class version of public transportation travel.

This will change the landscape and economy of digital marketing as demand for these architects rises and puts them at a premium, while digital drywallers become even more commoditized and are forced to level up their skillset or slash their prices.

  • Do you have a funnel (or multiple funnels) that are struggling to gain any momentum?
  • Have you set a 2019 marketing goal to automate your marketing and sales?
  • Are you ready for the changes that are going to affect your marketing funnels and marketing automation this year?

If you answered YES to one or more these questions, then make sure you’re prepared for the 2019 digital marketing shifts taking place…

Start by seeing how your marketing funnels and marketing automation stack up.

If your business is missing any of what Brad explained above…

  1. A customer JOURNEY…
  2. A customer EXPERIENCE, plus…
  3. Increased CAPACITY, meaning more time…
  4. Increased VISIBILITY… not the kind of visibility that you’re probably thinking here…

Then what we have is the perfect recipe for setting a course for success in your business this year…

Just answer 4 simple questions (which take less than 30 seconds) using our free ‘Automation Audit’…

And receive your Automation Scorecard outlining the biggest cracks that need fixing in your business – It’s that simple!

>>> Start Your Automation Audit Now <<<

Happy New Year and cheers to your marketing success in 2019!