Generating a waterfall of leads…

I love waterfalls – for being both a majestic force of nature (this picture was taken on a hike to Empress Falls in NSW last weekend) and as useful way to view marketing’s role in finding and nurturing leads into loyal, retained customers.

 𝟭. 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄:

Just as a waterfall has stream or river as its source, so a sales funnel begins with lead generation. In marketing, this is where prospects first encounter your brand - for example through social media, emails, events, or advertising - and the quality of these leads dictate the depth and strength of your customer base.

 𝟮. 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲:

The top of a waterfall, like lead generation is often broad and dynamic. After this point, both gradually narrow, concentrating energy - with marketing identifying and concentrating on leads that are “qualified” (i.e. match checked) as the right type of potential customers.

 𝟯. 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺:

As water plunges downwards in a waterfall, gravity propels it forward, so it gains momentum. Similarly, marketing qualified leads will progress through a sales process (“sales funnel”), driven by their increasing interest and engagement. Here, marketing nurtures these relationships with more tailored messaging, addressing specific needs and concerns until they are ready to buy.

 𝟰.𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:

When water reaches the bottom of a waterfall, it completes an important part of its journey. Likewise, this is the moment when prospects are converted into customers.

 𝟱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄:

However, just as there is a flow of water that continues downstream after a waterfall, so marketing should not stop once a lead becomes a sale. Post-conversion is where customer satisfaction and loyalty play a crucial role in transforming one-off purchases into loyal, repeat customers.

 Marketing must continue to keep in touch with customers, letting them know about other products and services (cross-selling), encouraging repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. After all, it’s 5-25 times less expensive to retain customers that it is to find new ones*!

 𝟲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿:

Using an independent, external marketing consultant is like having a professional photo taken of the waterfall. They'll help you understand how to strengthen your leads sources so they give you the quantity and quality of lead flow you need. Just as a photographer takes into account the time of day, light readings and different vantage points to make a stunning image, so a marketing consultant will enable you to view your business and industry from your customers, competitors, investors and other stakeholder points of view.

 If that’s of interest, drop me a line and let’s chat.

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I’ve been helping positive impact organisations, B2B companies and manufacturers for nearly 20 years to deliver impact, develop markets, and facilitate change through effective marketing that creates growth.

*Source: Harvard Business Review