Here are 6 stages of full-funnel B2B marketing

I wish marketing influencers stopped selling their approach as the ultimate one.

Demand gen works. SEO works. ABM works. Content works. PR works.

Keep in mind: all of these approaches are the pieces of a puzzle called full-funnel marketing.

Here are 6 stages of full-funnel B2B marketing, explained in detail.

0. 𝐆𝐓𝐌 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 (𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧).

– Target segments to focus
– ICP (ideal customer profile) and account segmentation
– Marketing message
– Marketing, sales, and executive alignment on points above and strategic goals/targets.

1. 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.

Doesn’t matter what goals you set up for your marketing, all starts with creating brand awareness.

Lots of companies heavily invest in ads, but I saw way better ways to generate awareness:

– Producing high-quality guides that are optimized for your niche keywords (not broad ones)

– Growing proactively network on target social and doing thought leadership to generate organic awareness

– Public speaking, podcast guest appearance, guest posts, and partnership webinars to grow audience and awareness

– Engage with strategic communities and accounts

2. 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Demand is created when you show that your product can help to achieve the desired result or solve a specific challenge for your target audience.

The best way to create demand is by delivering detailed case studies via:

– Manual and paid targeting distribution
– Webinars
– Newsletter

3. 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠.

To capture the demand, you need to set up an engagement threshold and intent data to start involving strategic accounts in your warm-up plays.

I don’t believe in passive demand capturing only.

To accelerate demand capturing you need to have a buyer enablement program – content hubs that include content tailored to a specific buyer.

4. 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

At a specific point, you need a light push to activate strategic accounts.

Social selling and creative personalized outreach are the most effective activation methods.

5. 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬.

When the deal is won, you start out a new relationship with the clients. Your goal is to learn about:

– what motivated them to buy
– what influenced their decisions
– what alternatives did they consider

6. 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

When you have a success story, you should:

– Release a detailed case study
– Start deal expansion programs
– Ask for referrals/intros

Forget about linear marketing and sales processes, and siloed approaches.

For stable long-term growth, you need to know your best customers, how they buy, and create full-funnel marketing operations aligned with a buyer journey.