By Cameron Katoozi, Advertising and marketing Guide at Heinz Advertising and marketing
In recent times, the bow-tie mannequin has emerged as a preferred framework in B2B advertising and marketing. Whereas the standard funnel mannequin has been the go-to for a few years, the bow-tie mannequin is gaining reputation as a extra complete strategy to buyer engagement and income technology. The mannequin affords distinct benefits which can be more and more related in as we speak’s B2B panorama. This progressive mannequin affords a number of benefits over the standard funnel mannequin, making it a sexy choice for companies trying to optimize their advertising and marketing methods. On this weblog, we are going to discover why the bow-tie mannequin is changing into well-liked in B2B advertising and marketing and what benefits it has over the standard funnel mannequin.
The normal mannequin
A key motive why the bow-tie mannequin is gaining reputation is that it affords a extra holistic view of the shopper journey. The normal funnel focuses on the pre-sale stage; totally on the shopper acquisition technique of guiding prospects by way of consciousness, consideration, and determination levels till they make a purchase order. As soon as the sale is made, the funnel mannequin usually neglects the post-sale stage, the place the main focus shifts to buyer retention and loyalty. In distinction, the bow-tie mannequin acknowledges that the shopper journey shouldn’t be linear and that the post-sale stage is simply as necessary because the pre-sale stage. The bow-tie mannequin addresses this shortcoming by incorporating each pre- and post-purchase levels, making a extra holistic view and more practical advertising and marketing technique that meets the wants of shoppers at each stage.
What’s the bow-tie mannequin?
The mannequin sometimes consists of 5 levels: (1) Consciousness, (2) Consideration, (3) Choice, (4) Implementation, and (5) Put up-Implementation. Visually, it’s divided into two halves, with the second of buy/closed deal on the middle. The left aspect represents the standard gross sales funnel, with a deal with constructing consciousness and consideration. The precise aspect focuses on post-purchase levels, together with adoption, retention, enlargement, and buyer assist/follow-up. This twin strategy permits companies to not solely purchase new prospects but additionally nurture present ones, finally driving long-term progress and success.
Benefits of the bow-tie mannequin
One of many key benefits of the bow-tie mannequin is its emphasis on model belief and buyer loyalty. As defined by Jacco van der Kooij in a Profitable by Design video, nearly all of income in a Gross sales as a Science strategy is made after the sale. By specializing in post-purchase levels corresponding to buyer assist and follow-up, companies can capitalize on their present buyer base, which is commonly a less expensive technique than solely concentrating on new buyer acquisition. Implementing the suitable aspect of the bow-tie additionally supplies extra consideration of buyer suggestions and enter, giving firms a greater buyer perspective to enhance services and products. In flip, B2B firms can enhance buyer satisfaction and improve the probability of repeat enterprise with a extra customer-centric strategy to advertising and marketing.
One other advantage of the bow-tie mannequin is its capability to trace buyer progress and measure the drivers that impression complete income. By analyzing knowledge corresponding to lookalike, clickstream, and attribution info, companies can acquire priceless insights into buyer habits and preferences, permitting them to tailor their advertising and marketing efforts for optimum impression. One other space of concern with the standard mannequin is failing to acknowledge that totally different prospects have numerous wants and preferences. Within the conventional funnel mannequin, the main focus is on shifting all prospects by way of the identical linear path. In distinction, the bow-tie mannequin acknowledges that totally different prospects have totally different wants and preferences and that advertising and marketing actions ought to be tailor-made accordingly. By personalizing advertising and marketing actions to satisfy the wants of particular person prospects or personas, B2B firms can create a more practical advertising and marketing technique that resonates with prospects.
The bow-tie mannequin additionally affords benefits when it comes to lead technology and lead nurturing. Within the conventional funnel mannequin, the main focus is on producing as many leads as doable after which filtering them right down to a smaller group of certified leads. This strategy can result in a excessive quantity of unqualified leads, which could be a waste of time and sources. In distinction, the bow-tie mannequin emphasizes the significance of lead nurturing, which entails constructing relationships with prospects over time and offering them with related content material and data that meets their wants. The bow-tie mannequin can assist companies determine areas the place organizational gaps are, enabling them to implement proactive, sustainable methods to enhance efficiency, corresponding to lead nurturing. This manner, B2B firms can construct stronger relationships with prospects and improve the probability of a profitable sale.
Wrapping it up
In conclusion, the bow-tie mannequin affords a extra complete and efficient strategy to B2B advertising and marketing than the standard funnel mannequin. It encourages companies to optimize their pricing methods to empower buyer retention and progress. By providing pricing choices that cater to totally different buyer wants and preferences, companies can foster long-term relationships and encourage repeat purchases, finally boosting their backside line. Incorporating each pre- and post-purchase levels, emphasizing model belief and buyer loyalty, and offering priceless insights into buyer habits, the bow-tie mannequin allows companies to optimize their advertising and marketing methods for long-term progress. As extra organizations acknowledge the advantages of this progressive strategy, the bow-tie mannequin is ready to proceed being an more and more well-liked alternative for a lot of B2B entrepreneurs shifting ahead.
