Creating sales funnels

Creative and sales funnels are two essential components of digital marketing, allowing businesses to capture attention, generate interest, and convert visitors into customers.

  1. The creations :

Creative (or "creative" in marketing jargon) refers to any visual or audiovisual content designed to capture the audience's attention and convey an advertising message. This content can include images, videos, infographics, GIFs, articles, emails, and other formats intended to draw attention to a product or service.

Types of creations in digital marketing :

  • Visuals : Banners, advertising images and product photos that are used on social media, websites or advertising platforms.
  • Videos : Commercials, customer testimonials, tutorials or explainer videos that create stronger engagement with the audience.
  • Text content : Headlines, descriptions, calls to action (CTAs), and email copy that accompany the visuals and guide the user to the desired action.
  • Landing pages : Landing pages where the Internet user arrives after clicking on an advertisement. They must be attractive, informative and optimized for conversions.
  • Interactive ads : Quizzes, surveys or augmented reality experiences that capture the user's attention in an immersive way.

Objectives of the creations :

Creatives are designed to grab and hold attention, generate interest in a product or service, and drive users to take action, whether that’s clicking, signing up, or purchasing. They’re tailored to each stage of the buying journey, so they need to be visually appealing, informative, and have clear messaging.

  1. Sales funnels :

The sales funnel is the path that a potential customer follows, from the first contact with a brand to the purchase. Each stage of the sales funnel aims to gradually guide the user, building their interest and confidence, until they are ready to make a purchase.

Main steps of a sales funnel :

  1. Discovery (Awareness) :
    • The user becomes aware of a product or brand.
    • The creatives are geared towards awareness, with visual ads and engaging content.
    • Examples : Sponsored social media posts, blog posts, explainer videos.

Interest :

    • The user is interested in the product or service and wants to know more.
    • More informative and engaging content is offered to fuel this interest, such as demo videos, newsletters, or webinars.
    • Examples : Tutorials, comparisons, newsletters.
  1. Consideration :
    • The user evaluates different options and asks himself if the product is suitable for his needs.
    • The content must be reassuring, with testimonials, case studies, and special offers.
    • Examples : Customer testimonials, live demos, free trials.
  1. Decision :
    • The user is ready to buy and needs to be encouraged to take the step.
    • Creatives are purchase-centric, with promotions, guarantees, or clear calls to action.
    • Examples : Optimized purchase pages, limited discounts, CTAs (“Buy Now”).
  1. Loyalty :
    • Once the purchase is made, the business must retain the customer by offering follow-up content and benefits.
    • Examples : Exclusive newsletters, loyalty programs, post-purchase emails.

How the sales funnel works in practice :

A digital sales funnel is often built from marketing automation tools. For example:

  • A visitor is captured via discovery content (e.g. a blog post).
  • He leaves his contact details in exchange for content of interest (e.g. an ebook).
  • An automated email is sent to him, containing additional information for the consideration stage.
  • Finally, an exclusive offer is proposed to trigger the purchase.

Tools for wind tunnels e:

  • Landing pages : Specific pages to capture visitors' emails or information.
  • Follow-up emails : Automated campaigns to support the user in their journey.
  • Retargeting ads : Target users who have shown interest in a product but have not yet made a purchase.

Importance of integration between creations and sales funnel :

Creatives serve as a touchpoint and invitation to bring the visitor into the sales funnel. Each stage of the funnel should be accompanied by creatives that are relevant to where the customer is in the journey. This integration helps maximize the chances of conversion by providing a consistent and targeted experience.

In short, creatives attract and generate interest, while the sales funnel methodically guides the prospect towards purchase and loyalty.

Together, these two elements play a central role in an effective, conversion-oriented digital marketing strategy.