If you've been in and around marketing people before, you may have heard them talk about funnels. And you might have wondered what the hell they're on about. Well, in today's blog post, we'll be using a funnel model to explain why selling is the last thing you should do on social media.
AIDA
The AIDA model is one of the best-known marketing models out there and it helps show why we're always banging on about bringing value before you sell. Simply put, the AIDA model describes the steps a consumer goes through before purchasing your product or service, with the number of people at each stage reducing each time.
Customers might jump through some stages very quickly. Or they might stick at one point for a long time. They may even go back up the funnel.
But one thing is for certain. Anyone who buys from you will have travelled through these 4 stages.
Awareness – Interest – Desire – Action
Awareness
The first step a customer takes is to become aware of you. At this point, the consumer discovers either your brand, product or service. This is important as we all know that first impressions can be lasting impressions. So, wherever your brand can be discovered, make sure your messaging and visuals or up-to-date and appealing.
One mistake businesses make, is that they assume consumers are already aware of them.
However, think about this… we’ve all been in that situation where somebody, who you thought already knew, asks you what you do for a living.
This shows that, although you might assume people are aware of your brand, product or service, it might not be the case. The thing to remember is that this stage is simply about people knowing the brand, product or service exists and possibly understanding some of its core features.
At this point, there is no intention to buy.
But they could be on track to be your biggest ever sale!
Interest
At this stage, we can start to see some intention to buy. The consumer begins to develop attitudes, preferences and interest in what your business offers.
You may be one of many providers in the running, so two things are key here.
Ensure your product or service information is easy to discover.
Make it clear what the benefits of your product or service are.
The step between awareness and interest can be one of the hardest to overcome.
Just think about all the brands you can name.
Now think about the ones that have an offering that you’re interested in.
For example, I can name several furniture shops, but at the moment, I’m not interested in what they offer. Developing interest can take time, so be patient.
Desire
This is a crucial moment as the consumer changes from ‘liking’ your offering to ‘wanting’ it.
At this point, they are making an emotional connection and can probably see themselves using your product or service. It’s not uncommon for interest to be swiftly followed by desire. So, you need to make sure that when you’re developing interest, you’re following this messaging up with content that evokes an emotional reaction. At this point in the funnel, consumers will probably be comparing your offering to your competitors to see which best fits their wants, needs and lifestyle so you need to try and build a relationship.
If you're not already, start showing your brand's personality.
Action
Once the consumer is aware of, interested in and desires your brand, product or service, they might then take action. However, when we talk about action, it’s not just sales that are included.
It could be actions such as contacting your sales team to request a demonstration, activating a discount code or adding the product to their basket.
It’s something that should, all being well, lead to a sale. Taking someone from the desire stage to action is all about facilitating or prompting action. Don’t let all your hard work go to waste.
Make sure all your call to actions are clear and it’s easy for consumers to carry out the action you want them to.
Wrapping up
Hopefully, by us walking you through the AIDA model, you can now see why selling is the last thing you should do on social media.
You need to provide content that increases awareness, creates interest and generates desire before you can try and prompt someone to take action. Ask yourself, how often do you go from not knowing about a brand or product, to buying straightaway?
It’s rare. So, keep this in mind when you're creating your next content plan.
Think about how you can bring value to your potential consumers so that they continue to read your posts, visit your website and keep your brand, product or service at the front of their mind.