Video makes the marketing star.
Whether or not you work in marketing, you know, video is so hot right now (especially video in the sales funnel). But if you do work in marketing, you’re likely well aware that though popular, video is a beast all its own. It can have a big payout but takes a lot of work.
Would you believe us if we told you that a solid strategy behind your video can help take it even further?
The next time you hear “Let’s make a video,” we’re encouraging you to say, “Okay, but let’s think it through for a minute first,” and figure out where in the scheme of your marketing strategy and sales funnel it falls. Need a primer? No sweat. Today, we’re examining why marketing videos should align with your sales funnel, as well as the three stages of buying and what kind of videos to use.
Why should your marketing videos align with your sales funnel?
Make the sale — that’s the goal, right? In a sense, yes, but in the bigger picture, you want your marketing materials to meet your buyers where they are.
At Content Matterz, we spend a lot of time thinking about the buyer’s journey when we design our marketing strategies. Where are the prospects? Are they only beginning to realize they have a problem, or do they need that last push to make the purchase? The kind of content you need varies depending on what stage your future customers are at in the sales funnel.
Remind me, what is a typical sales funnel?
The sales funnel is a conceptual framework used to illustrate a customer journey from initial awareness of a product, solution or service all the way to the final purchase decision.
The funnel typically consists of a few stages:
- Awareness: Potential customers become aware of your product or service through various marketing channels such as social media.
- Interest: Interested individuals start engaging with your brand.
- Consideration: Prospective customers evaluate your product or service and compare it with competitors.
- Decision: A prospect decides to purchase and becomes a paying customer.
Visually, the funnel represents the decreasing number of potential customers at each stage, hence the name “funnel.”
The three stages of buying and the videos to use
Understanding how the funnel works, especially when creating marketing videos, can help you optimize your efforts to improve conversions and drive sales. Below, we’ll explore the three stages of buying and the types of videos you can make to connect with prospects that meet them where they are.
Awareness: Let’s drum up some buzz
If your customers haven’t met you — or even registered that they have a problem — yet, they’re in the awareness stage. You need to help them realize that they might have a problem. The videos that work best are short, attention-grabbing social media ads, brand storytelling videos that create emotional connections, or product teasers that generate excitement and curiosity.
Remember, at the awareness stage, it’s crucial to focus on capturing attention and driving engagement. Keep your videos concise, visually compelling, and tailored to your target audience’s preferences and interests.
Get your prospects interest(ed)
At the interest stage of the marketing sales funnel, your goal is to further engage potential customers who have shown initial interest in your brand or product. Now, they are actively seeking more information and evaluating their options. Here, videos in the form of explainers, event invitations or case studies work well.
We love explainer videos, especially ones that simplify complex ideas, demonstrate how a product or service works, or highlight its key features and benefits. These videos work great as educational tools to help viewers understand your value proposition and encourage them to take the desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a service.
Conversion
When you reach the conversion stage, your goal is to motivate and persuade potential customers to take the desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up, or requesting a consultation. Videos created at this stage should include compelling visuals, engaging storytelling and a strong call to action to guide viewers towards conversion.
Here, product demo videos, technical explainers and special offers work best. It’s important to remember that videos created at the conversion stage should be persuasive, clear and provide a final push to encourage potential customers to take action. Don’t forget to focus on reinforcing your value proposition, overcoming objections and providing the final push to convert prospects into customers.
The ultimate decision? Video in the sales funnel works
In marketing, it all boils down to reaching your customer where they are at, and video in the sales funnel is no exception. Video’s versatility and ability to capture attention makes it a powerful tool for enhancing brand visibility and achieving marketing objectives.
Need inspiration? Check out our recent video work for great clients like you.