What is Awareness (funnel)?

Awareness is the topmost part of the marketing funnel. To understand how it works, we must first understand what the marketing funnel is. 

What is the Marketing Funnel?

In the simplest terms, the marketing funnel outlines a customer’s journey towards a purchase. It outlines all the components that need to be incorporated into this journey.

By looking at sales through the marketing funnel, marketers can see the selling process in a more nuanced way, opening marketers’ eyes to the key points and processes that greatly influence this decision-making process. 

The five stages that make up the marketing funnel are awareness, interest, consideration, intent, evaluation, and purchase.

You must understand that the customer needs at least five contact moments, on average, before making a purchase. This may sound a little disheartening but remember— each moment serves as an opportunity to brand your company, products, and service in the most unforgettable and compelling way possible. 

When the five stages mentioned above are combined they form the customer journey. The more effort you put into each of the stages, the more you can improve the customer experience from start to finish. Focusing on each stage of the funnel is a great way of maximizing sales and customer loyalty. 

An adequate funnel can also evenly distribute the workload between sales and marketing, which means that you don’t have to get the two muddled together. This is particularly important since both sales and marketing require equal attention. So, observing the marketing funnel is one of the most convenient ways of dividing your time, concentration, resources, and effort between marketing and sales. Since the marketing funnel provides you with a chance to inform, advise, and interact with your customers, it is one of the most powerful methods of building a relationship with customers. Showing potential customers that you want to build a meaningful connection with them, rather than just taking their money.

Awareness

As mentioned earlier, awareness is the uppermost stage of the marketing funnel. It involves attracting potential customers through marketing campaigns, discovery, and consumer research. The main purpose of the awareness stage is to get the attention of as many clients as possible! 

During this stage, people get to know your brand better. This is your first opportunity to convey to potential customers that you offer what they need. This is also where you start building trust in your brand and also establish thought leadership.

The awareness stage also involves lead generation - leads are pulled through all the information that is being acquired during this stage. 

Tools for Increasing Awareness

The following are excellent tools for increasing awareness during the awareness stage:

• Events
• Advertising
• Trade shows
• Content (blog posts, infographics, etc.)
• Webinars
• Direct mail
• Viral campaigns
• Social media
• Search
• Media mentions
• Guest blogging
• Referral programs
• Organic social media presence
• Podcasts
• Giveaways 
• Brand partnership

Final Words

Awareness is the first stage of the marketing funnel - it is the first opportunity you get to build a relationship with your audience and portray your brand in the right way. Make sure to get it right!