How to Create Content for Every Stage of the Buying Cycle

There are many different parts to digital marketing and they all play a role in turning a complete stranger into a company’s most loyal customer.  Effective content and social media marketing provides many opportunities for lead generation, sale conversion, and engaging brand advocates… but where do all of these marketing pieces fall into place within the customer buying cycle?

In this infographic, Bluenose breaks down the marketing cycle to make it easier for every marketer to understand every step of the customer journey on the web along with recommendations of marketing initiatives businesses can offer to move their customers along in the process.

Step 1: Lead Generation

This step involves email marketing, social media marketing campaigns, public relations and brand awareness efforts, press coverage, advertising, and events to attract leads and get them to your website. This is where marketing campaigns introduce your business to your target audience and provide information on your products and services. Blogging is a primary type of effective content to use at the awareness stage. Blogs can help you get found in search results and position you as an expert in the industry. Other content marketing items to consider are videos, infographics, articles, and press releases. Social media can be an ample medium to distribute your content and expand your reach.

Step 2: Lead Nurturing

Lots of leads are actually lost during this step. Most of the time, salespeople don’t have the time or information to answer questions effectively. By following up with a lead within 5 minutes, you are 9 times more likely to convert that lead into a customer. If your sales team is unlikely to follow through within a short period of time, materials such as guides, whitepapers, webinars, and ebooks offered as free downloads or events on your website, can be a great way to provide helpful information that moves the customer along in the buying process without necessarily requiring your sales team to follow up immediately. When a visitor fills out the form to download the content, you can then convert the visitor into an identified lead. This allows you to follow up with the lead later on.

Step 3: Customer Success

After you’ve captured a qualified lead, providing quality customer service is key to converting them into a customer. 70% of customers leave due to a poor quality of service. Companies can enhance the customer experience by adding more personalization into their communications. Marketing automation can customize email messages based on a customer’s buying journey: what pages they visit, what services they’re interested in, past buying purchases, etc. This is also where customer testimonials and case studies are useful. This stage is your last chance to offer value and make a case for your company and its offerings so adding intriguing items such as project profiles, demos, free trials can help win them over.

Step 4: Promote Customer Advocacy

Even after leads become customers or even loyal customers, don’t stop engaging once you’ve closed the deal! Continue to show knowledge and expertise, and share experiences from other satisfied customers. Encourage happy customers to share their experiences with friends and family members. 90% of people trust recommendations from friends. And customer advocates are 50% more likely to influence their peers. Offer something special like coupons, giveaways, and promotions for loyal customers who take the time to write a good customer review. Monitor and manage your online reputation to keep track of what customers are saying about your business on social media sites and review sites. Whether it’s positive or negative feedback, responding is a way to offer great customer service and show that you care to new customers who are researching your business.

See the infographic here:

Small Screen Producer is a full-service agency that offers a 4-step process to building a total web presence. Through web design, search marketing services, lead generation campaigns, content marketing, social media marketing, and reputation management services, we help you transform leads into loyal brand advocates.