Think about what happens when you pour something into a funnel: Gravity works its magic and pulls the contents through. All you have to do is ensure there are no leaks or blockages.
But online marketing doesn’t work this way. You don’t have gravity on your side, pulling visitors through your process. They need to be pushed.
That’s why the traditional funnel analogy is flawed. A more helpful analogy is an upward staircase: A series of discrete steps – some bigger than others – and to reach the top, visitors must be pushed up each and every one.
But what pushes them?
Fundamentally, it’s your core value proposition. This is an overriding force, the reason visitors want to engage with you. Alone, however, it is rarely enough.
Remember, gravity is working against you and it’s hard to maintain inertia when pushing uphill. Additional nudges are needed at every step of the process:
- Small and easy steps may require only a gentle push, like a clear instruction. (“Click here.”)
- Bigger steps may require anxiety-relieving messaging, and a powerful, clearly-communicated benefit.
The point is, every step requires something in the way of a nudge. You’ve got to be crystal clear on what each something is.
Forget the funnel analogy. We’re not plumbers, reacting to problems by plugging leaks and clearing blockages. We can’t rely on gravity, inertia or any other external force to move customers through our process. We need to take the initiative and actively push visitors, step by step, through our process.