What Is The Top Of Funnel In Sales
Sales are to a company what blood is to the human body. Achieving an acceptable level of sales could be considered a measure of success for a salesperson or the entire sales department of a company. But what can be done when the sales processes do not achieve the objectives that the sales department or the company has set for itself?
The first thing to do is to perform an analysis of the objectives set, to define how realistic they are and if the right strategies are being applied to achieve them. However, the objectives may have the right planning and strategies, yet the level of sales may not be at an optimal level.
Perhaps it is time to rethink some strategies or start implementing sales tools that change business processes, give a new perspective, and improve revenue for the company. One of the most effective strategies is the sales funnel, an instrument whose purpose is to take the customer through a path from the moment he/she is interested in the good or service, to the moment the sale is closed.
How to apply the sales funnel?
The sales funnel is a method that will help the company properly manage its most valuable asset, time. But efficiently and to use resources optimally. But believing that the sales funnel will do all the work by itself and guarantee hundreds of sales is a mistake. The key to a well-functioning sales funnel is based on the quality of lead nurturing and proper targeting.
To tell the truth, filling the sales funnel with opportunities or customers without a clear objective can only result in less time with each customer and also a lower level of attention since the relationship time will be shorter, which can result in the customer losing interest and not closing the sale. Therefore, objectives must be properly planned within each phase of the funnel, to be able to appreciate the progress from one phase to another and to establish priorities that meet these objectives, thus optimizing time and resources. Finally, set sales goals that are consistent with the path taken during each phase of the funnel.
One of the most important parts of the funnel is the top funnel. This is because its contents are responsible for informing the target audience, capturing them, and converting them into potential customers in an effective way.
What is the top of the sales funnel?
The first stage of the sales funnel is better known as ToFU (Top of the Funnel), it is the beginning of the funnel, where customer attraction takes place.
Taking into account that the funnel starts from the top to the bottom (from the largest part to the smallest). It is here where the customer cycle begins and where you should put more effort in order not only to attract a good amount of prospects but also potential quality customers.
In principle, many may not be interested in making the final purchase of your product, since in general, they do not know much about you. That is why this phase is essential to make future sales since it is there that you generate the interest of customers and you must do everything possible to ensure that all visitors who arrive at the beginning also reach the end.
Moreover, this not only allows you to attract and inform future buyers. It also allows you to educate them because this is the first impression. The future relationship with your potential customers will depend on this first contact.
The top of the funnel also represents an opportunity to catch the attention of your future customers and demonstrate that you have the solution to problems they didn’t even know they had. Your strategies can be directed towards your customers from the solution of the problem and thus make them see in a subtle way that they need you, your product, or your service.
Although it’s worth noting that just because you have a lot of people at the top of the funnel, it won’t automatically translate into more sales. All customers will need to effectively go through the sales funnel from the top to the bottom. That’s where it will be confirmed whether the sale is going to happen or if the customer is not interested.
How to attract users to the top of the funnel
To effectively attract customers to the top of the funnel, you must manage a generalized content, in clear but forceful language and at the same time easily accessible, through materials whose main objective is to inform. At this stage of the buying process, companies tend to focus on educational content, not only to inform or train the customer but also to arouse interest and make the customer interested in learning more.
At this stage you do not talk about the product directly, you transmit useful information to potential customers but focused on the area that the company dominates. It will not be very difficult for these prospects to establish a relationship and end up consuming the product or service that your company offers.
This is the great importance of this stage; informative/educational content is essential for the future customer to advance to the next stage. If you create quality content and manage to hook them through information and knowledge, you will be on your way to success.
Conclusion.
It can be said that the sales funnel is a foolproof tool for your sales strategy, over considerable periods. The development of resources and content should concentrate on the right targeting and focus on achieving the desired results. Remember that proper segmentation of the target audience will also play an important role.
Although the sales funnel consists of different stages and each plays an important role in closing a sale, the top plays a fundamental role in achieving it. Attracting the right number of prospects to become effective customers.
In conclusion, the greatest weight of the sales funnel does not fall on the closing stage, it falls on the first stage, the top of the funnel because that is where the first contact with the customer takes place and as they say “The first impression is never forgotten”. It is up to you to make this first impression unforgettable and to turn this future customer into an effective and frequent customer.