We have seen many different models for different types of marketing funnels. Some companies separate their marketing and sales funnels to be more detailed. Others have one large funnel where the marketing leads into the sales. But what happens after you convert your leads? Once they sign the contract and become your customers, what happens next?
A couple of treat deliveries here and there. Maybe some coupons sprinkled throughout the year. It seems that a lot of companies turn down the interest as soon as they get the new clients on board. We have recently looked into improving our marketing strategy and we came across something called “The Customer Experience Funnel”. This funnel comes into effect after you have successfully targeted new leads and have signed them on to be new clients.
So what exactly does the customer experience funnel include?
Repeat
The first step in this funnel is to make your new clients repeat customers. This might apply more to on-demand services. You want your clients to come back to you everytime. Whether this be by showing them excellent customer service or offering them coupons of any sort. The goal here is to improve retention.
Loyalty
The next step is about developing a preference. Engagement is key here. Send a couple of emails that show how much you appreciate them as your client. You want to keep nurturing the relationship. Consider dropping in and talking to them for maybe ten minutes to get some feedback from them.
Referral
In this step they are more likely to recommend you to other businesses. We like to send surveys to our clients to get feedback from them. You can also ask for testimonials or see if they are okay with you using their survey results in your marketing material. Offering referral rewards can also help gather leads that are more likely to turn into customers.
Advocacy
The final step is turning them into advocates for your business. They essentially help with your marketing. They review your business online, submit surveys, and talk about your great service to other businesses. This final step will lead back into the marketing funnel. By speaking out about your great services, they are convincing other businesses to come to you. They then are put into the marketing funnel, and the process begins again.
If done correctly, this funnel can be its own lead generator. Treating your customers with respect will turn them into long-term customers. It’s not about signing on as many people as you can. It’s about ensuring that they stay with you in the long run. At ITC, we support the technology of our clients so they can focus on their business. We know what it means to have a strong company relationships and we strive to build them with each and every client. Download our free ebook about the 5 steps to hiring the right IT support partner to see how your business can benefit from having ITC as your trusted IT partner.