Haidan DongThe marketing funnel, sometimes called purchasing funnel or buyer’s journey, is just as applicable for print businesses as it is for other businesses. It helps you know how to best target your potential print clients in the right way at the right time. There are many versions of the funnel, but we’ll be sticking to the most simple one here.
Each stage of the marketing funnel requires a different focus because the specific needs of your prospect can vary between stages, even while their overarching need for print remains the same. Knowing which stage they’re in helps you sell your printing services more effectively. We’re going to jump into each stage of the funnel to help you identify where your potential clients are at and learn how to streamline them into placing their first print order with you.
Awareness
Your client is most likely at the awareness stage of the marketing funnel if they are…
☐ Just starting to interact with your business
☐ Not very familiar yet with the products you offer
☐ Asking general questions about your printing services
☐ In need of more information before making any decisions
Example: Jane has just walked into Bob’s Print Shop. She hasn’t been inside before. She meets Bob and asks what he can print. Bob explains that he can print business cards, postcards, flyers, and brochures. He also tells her that Bob’s Print Shop is well known for its quality printing. He asks what he can print for her. Jane says she needs some flyers. Bob presents his flyer printing options.
What to do at this stage
- Introduce yourself and build a good partnership with your client
- Mention what your business is known for or why it is different from competitors
- Find out what their needs are by asking questions
- Start showing them what you can do to meet those needs
Consideration
Your client is most likely at the consideration stage of the marketing funnel if they are…
☐ Learning more about your print products
☐ Asking questions about a specific product
☐ Submitting a quote request or reviewing their quote
☐ Looking for a little more reassurance
Example: Jane asks to see a sample of a printed flyer. Bob shows it to her. Jane asks how quickly he can print 500 flyers. Bob says 2 business days and offers to quote her job. Jane receives the quote and reviews it. Jane says she’ll think about it some more.
What to do at this stage
- Show samples to your clients
- Provide clear and timely answers to their questions
- Provide clear and timely quotes
- Mention past jobs that you’ve printed and direct them to reviews or testimonials
Decision
Your client is most likely at the decision stage of the marketing funnel if they are…
☐ Satisfied with their quote
☐ Ready to place their order
☐ Confirming what they can expect from you
☐ Placing their order
Example: Jane returns satisfied with her quote. Bob asks if she would also like postcards with the flyers for a discount. Jane declines and says she would just like to place the order for flyers. As Bob completes the transaction, Jane double checks with him that she can pick up the order in 2 business days. Jane has placed her first order at Bob’s Print Shop.
What to do at this stage
- Walk your client through the ordering process
- Remove any obstacles that could be hindering their decision to order
- Upsell and cross-sell by suggesting upgrades and additional products for their order
- Reiterate what they can expect and when they can expect it
What’s next?
Congratulations! Your client has placed their first print order with you. What happens next? After the transaction, make sure you follow up both while their job is in production and after they receive their product. Build customer loyalty and turn them into advocates for your brand so that they come back again and again for all their printing needs.
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Haidan, I really appreciate your articles. Keep up the good work! They are much more beneficial than most of the “helps” that come my way.