Beyond the Funnel: The Marketing Hourglass

Have you ever felt like your marketing strategy resembled a one-way trip down a leaky funnel? You pour in a ton of effort at the top, trying to attract potential customers with catchy ads and informative content. But by the time they reach the bottom (hopefully making a purchase or submitting a lead form), a significant portion has mysteriously vanished without a trace.

Sound familiar? Well, there’s a reason for that. The traditional marketing funnel, while still a valuable tool, doesn’t paint the whole picture. It focuses solely on the top part of the customer journey, neglecting the crucial post-purchase phase where true brand loyalty is built.

The marketing funnel continues to be a go-to strategy, but the under-the-radar marketing hourglass offers a more powerful alternative. This hidden gem provides a more complete and dynamic view of the customer journey, emphasizing the importance of turning those one-time buyers into lifelong brand advocates.

Why the Marketing Hourglass Wins

Think of the marketing funnel as a narrow tube. You pour prospects in at the top, hoping some make it all the way down and convert into paying customers. But the reality is, many get stuck or fall out along the way. The marketing hourglass, however, flips the script. It acknowledges that the customer journey is a two-way street, with a crucial “bottom half” dedicated to nurturing and retaining those hard-earned customers.

Here’s why we love the hourglass approach:

  • The Power of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: When a customer has a fantastic experience with your brand, they sometimes rave about it to their friends and family, essentially becoming a walking advertisement. That’s the magic of word-of-mouth marketing, and it’s one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal. People trust recommendations from their loved ones far more than any fancy ad campaign. The hourglass helps you cultivate this trust by focusing on post-purchase stages like retention and endorsement.
  • A More Complete Customer Journey: The traditional funnel ignores the entire post-purchase experience. The hourglass acknowledges that a customer’s relationship with your brand doesn’t (and shouldn’t!) magically end after they take your desired acftion. It’s an ongoing journey, and by focusing on every touchpoint, you can build lasting loyalty and encourage repeat business.
  • Turning Customers into Brand Champions: Imagine having an army of loyal fans who actively promote your brand even beyond their immediate family and friends, but to their social following and online communities. The hourglass helps you create this dream scenario by fostering positive customer experiences that naturally lead to brand advocacy. 
  • Data-Driven Optimization: The hourglass encourages you to track not just conversions, but also customer satisfaction, retention rates, and community engagement metrics. This data provides valuable insights that can be used to refine your marketing strategy and ensure you’re nurturing your customer relationships effectively.

The Hourglass in Action: From Awareness to Advocacy

While different marketers may have slightly different variations of the hourglass, here’s a breakdown of the six key stages:

  • Awareness: This is where it all begins. You’re raising awareness of your brand among potential customers through tactics like social media campaigns, engaging blog posts, or even sponsoring a local event.
  • Consideration: Now prospects are familiar with your brand, but they’re still evaluating their options. Targeted ads, detailed product descriptions, and insightful blog content can help them see the value you offer.
  • Conversion: This is where your landing page or website MUST be optimized and effective. And if it is, congratulations! The prospect has taken the plunge and made a purchase or submitted a form.
  • Retention: Don’t let that action be a one-night stand! Keep them engaged with informative email campaigns, personalized recommendations, and exceptional customer service.
  • Expansion: Happy customers often become curious about your other offerings or want to share the love with their network. This stage might involve retargeting campaigns, fostering online communities, or offering loyalty programs that incentivize repeat business.
  • Endorsement: This is the golden stage! Customers are now singing your praises from the rooftops. They’re leaving glowing reviews, creating user-generated content, and recommending your brand to their friends and family. And the very best part? You can often utilize the content they’re creating to support other stages of the funnel.
the marketing hourglass

Building Your Marketing Hourglass

Here’s the good news: you don’t need to completely overhaul your marketing strategy overnight. You’re probably already actively implementing the tactics in some of these stages. The beauty of the hourglass lies in its flexibility. Let’s explore some actionable steps to get you started:

  • Start with what you know. Identify the areas where your marketing is already working well. Are you crushing it on social media? Focus on how you can leverage that success to cultivate customer retention and user-generated content.
  • Identify the gaps. Look for areas where you can strengthen your connection with customers post-purchase. Do you have a robust email marketing strategy that nurtures customer relationships? Are you actively seeking customer reviews to build trust with potential buyers?
  • Prioritize based on resources. You don’t have to tackle every stage at once. Focus on what you can realistically implement and build from there. Start small, but start strong.

The Final Takeaway: From Sand to Diamonds

The marketing hourglass isn’t just a fancy model; it’s a powerful mindset shift. By focusing on the entire customer journey, you can cultivate long-lasting relationships and turn customers into brand champions. So, ditch the leaky funnel and embrace the power of the hourglass. After all, who wouldn’t want to turn marketing sand into sparkling customer diamonds?

Learn more about how the marketing hourglass can work for your business.