Is the marketing funnel dead?
Is the funnel dead or not? We've been taught in marketing school to build a standard lead funnel, but is it dead?
What Really is a Funnel, Anyway?
All marketers since the beginning of time have learned about the top, middle, and bottom of the funnel strategies. But … is it … gasp … changing? Be honest, how many of you have been doom-scrolling on TikTok, seen a product, and clicked “BUY” right on the spot? You went from Awareness, Consideration, the Purchase in a matter of 7 seconds. That’s the change happening and it is happening across nearly every vertical.
» AdWeek: What ‘Full Funnel’ Really Means for Today’s Brands
Building Demand Means Building Brand
Each stage of the funnel, but most sales teams, and unfortunately for marketers across the globe, not many CEOs recognize the value of brand marketing. (Some of the blame is on us, to be sure.) But CMO Insights recently wrote, “Research has shown for years that most buyers complete 60-80% of their research before ever talking to a sales rep. If your brand isn’t shaping that early research, you’ve already lost ground.” Brand marketing is about building awareness and a reputation; and who doesn’t like a good reputation among potential buyers?
» CMO Insights: What I’ve learned as a CMO balancing data, brand & dollars
Is the funnel really dead?
The verdict: Maybe. Do people still research and flow through to a purchase? Yes. But their path is more meandering that every before and if it’s not meandering, it is sudden and immediate. “Customers don’t obediently slide down a funnel. They don’t move through “stages” in a straight line. They binge TikToks while half-reading reviews,” says Mike Turner, Principal Business Advisor for Customer Intelligence, SAS. What do you think?