Maximizing the
Customer Journey
Discover what integrated marketing techniques work best at different stages of the sales funnel. Direct sales pitches may have a time and a place, but customizing content will help with the multiple touches needed to convert a prospect to a customer or donor. Top content marketing performers are more likely to craft content based on the stages of the customer journey.
01. Awareness
Goal: Catch a prospect’s attention.
Videos are particularly effective for catching a prospect’s attention; along with blogs, videos generate the most B2B leads. And, 75% of B2C prospects surveyed say contests and games are the most effective medium to grab their attention.
A successful call-to-action: Learn More.
02. Interest
Goal: Prove your expertise and offer value.
As prospects learn more about your business, informative whitepapers, calculators, and webinars help move them toward a decision. 58% of B2B decision-makers say they choose a business based on its thought leadership.
A successful call-to-action: Let’s build a customized plan for you.
03. Decision
Goal: When a prospect is ready to buy, make your best offer or deal.
Before deciding to act, prospects look at reviews, watch product demos, and monitor your response time to questions. In fact, 78% of B2C customers buy from the first brand to respond to their questions.
A successful call-to-action: Buy Now.
04. Action
Goal: Convert a prospect to a customer.
The average B2B customer will look at five or more pieces of content before making a purchase. Use small, repeat touches like social media, mass email, and compelling videos to complete the conversion.
A successful call-to-action: Stay in touch—join our email list or follow us on social media.
05. Retention
Goal: A customer becomes a repeat customer.
Acquiring a new customer costs 5-25x more than retaining an existing one. Even a 5% increase in customer retention can lead to a 25-95% increase in profits. Try a follow-up survey, a postcard, or a thank-you phone call to solidify the relationship and convert customers to repeat customers.
A successful call-to-action: Refer a friend.
01. Awareness
Goal: Attract a donor’s attention.
Story-based messaging that leads with a community problem and establishes a solution is effective in grabbing audience attention. People remember information in story format 22x better than hearing the facts alone, according to Jennifer Aaker of Stanford Graduate School of Business. Consider event marketing or in-person communication, too.
A successful call-to-action: Learn More.
02. Learning
Goal: Prove your expertise and offer value to donors or community.
As prospects learn more about your nonprofit’s mission, case studies, statistics-driven messaging, and original research play a crucial role in converting them to donors. Millennials, in particular, are most likely to watch online videos before making a gift.
A successful call-to-action: Discover how your donation helps.
03. Decision
Goal: When a donor is ready to give, demonstrate the impact of their donation.
Experts suggest that it takes 7-12 touches for a prospect to decide to support a nonprofit. Use small, repeat touches like social media, mass email, and compelling videos to complete the conversion. 55% of people who engage with nonprofits on social media donate, engage, or share.
A successful call-to-action: Give now.
04. Donation
Goal: Convert a prospect to a donor.
After a relationship has been cultivated, prospects convert to donors when clear calls-to-action and easy giving options are present. Online giving has seen consistent year over year growth, even for older donor demographics. 30% of donors aged 75+ say they have given online in the last 12 months and on average give 25% more frequently than younger generations.
A successful call-to-action: Stay in touch—join our email list or follow us on social media.
05. Retention
Goal: A donor becomes a recurring donor.
Convert donors to recurring donors with thank-you phone calls, donor surveys, and email receipts. “A thank-you call from a board member to a newly acquired donor within 24 hours of receiving a gift will increase their next gift by 39%,” says Penelope Burk of Cygnus Applied Research. A 10% improvement in the level of loyalty now will increase the lifetime value of your fundraising database by around 50%.
A successful call-to-action: Will you share this mission?
Whether you’re marketing directly to consumers or to other businesses, customize your content to prospects at each stage of their customer journey for greater effectiveness. Learn more about the role of video in a multi-touch marketing campaign.
Ready to put your content to work? Talk to us.
Sources: Edelman, Social Media Today, Forrester, Content Marketing Institute, Nonprofit Source, Forbes, Lead Connect, Bloomerang, Hubspot.