Using the Right Reviews For Your Sales Funnel Stages

As customers consider your products or services, different concerns may arise in their minds at different times. The right reviews or testimonials can help overcome these concerns and inspire their confidence. Matching reviews to your sales funnel stages can help you optimize sales, get more customers, and keep more customers coming back. Let’s take a closer look at how to use the right reviews for different sales funnel stages.

Using the Right Reviews For Your Sales Funnel Stages

There are a variety of ways to think about or describe different sales funnels. Sales funnel examples might include six, five, four, or three stages, depending on your products and services, customers, and your business in general.

In this blog post, we’ll use four basic sales funnel stages, including awareness, interest, consideration, and action. As we explore these sales funnel stages, we’ll also discuss which reviews or testimonials might work best for each one.

Keep in mind that the sales funnel is longer for some businesses than others. So, these sales funnel stages might not map perfectly to your business. However, matching the right content to the right sales funnel stage is essential to increase conversions and movement down the funnel. Even if your sales funnel is simpler, or more detailed, than what this blog post describes, you can still derive some insights into which reviews and testimonials are likely to work best at which stage of the funnel.

Awareness Stage

For many businesses, the sales funnel begins at the awareness stage. At this stage, potential customers have just become aware of your brand or products. During this phase, customers are typically looking for solutions to a problem or seeking information about a particular topic. They might stumble upon your business through social media, online ads, or word-of-mouth.

To effectively engage customers at this stage, businesses should focus on creating captivating and informative content that addresses their target audience’s pain points or interests. This could include blog articles, social media posts, or ads. The goal is to pique their curiosity and provide valuable insights, positioning your brand as a trustworthy source of information. Building brand awareness and credibility are key objectives at this stage to move potential customers to the next phase of the funnel.

Reviews at the Awareness Stage

At the awareness stage, it’s ideal to use relatively short reviews that are likely to get customers’ attention. These reviews should be focused on a single aspect of your products or services. You might share a positive review that a customer wrote on social media, or a short review they left on your website. The review should be easily readable and digestible at a glance, since customers aren’t yet engaged heavily in your business, and aren’t likely to spend a lot of time or energy reviewing your content. However, if the review resonates with your customers’ interests or needs, they’re likely to become more interested, and move on to the next stage.

Interest Stage

Once potential customers move past the Awareness Stage, they enter the Interest Stage. At this point, they’ve developed some engagement in your brand, products, or services. Customers in this stage are actively seeking more information and are open to learning how your offerings can meet their needs or desires.

Businesses should continue nurturing leads by providing in-depth content, such as long-form blog posts, guides, webinars or similarly educational, interesting, problem-solving content. Email marketing can be particularly effective during this stage, offering tailored content to keep potential customers engaged and informed. The aim is to establish a deeper connection and build trust, ultimately guiding them to the next phase of the funnel.

Reviews at the Interest Stage

Since customers in the Interest Stage are seeking more information and reasons to trust—or distrust—your business, reviews or testimonials that showcase value and trust are important. Reviews at this stage can be a bit longer and more detailed, since customers are seeking information and are more likely to read longer reviews, or watch longer video testimonials.

You might share these longer reviews and testimonials by themselves on your social media accounts, particularly aspects of social media that your followers are more likely to see. These reviews or testimonials can also be useful on products pages, informational blog posts, demonstration videos, remarketing ads, and similar content that’s aimed at consumers who already have some interest in your business.

Consideration Stage

In the Consideration Stage, potential customers are evaluating their options and comparing different solutions to their problem. They are looking for specific details, features, and benefits that set your products or services apart from the competition. It’s crucial for businesses to provide the necessary information and tools to aid in the decision-making process.

This is the ideal time to offer product demonstrations, free trials, discounts, or consultations. Additionally, content such as comparison guides, customer reviews, and expert opinions can help prospects make informed choices. Businesses should focus on demonstrating why their offerings are the best fit for the customer’s needs and how they can address pain points effectively.

Reviews at the Consideration Stage

Customers at this stage have determined that they want a product, and they are considering your business, but they may be considering your competitors, too. Reviews at this stage should make a connection with your customers, show that your business is trustworthy and reliable, and alleviate any remaining concerns your customers might have.

Some of the most helpful reviews at this stage are more detailed. Look for reviews or testimonials where customers have explicitly stated what they enjoyed about your products or services. On product pages, prioritize reviews that give customers specific information about your products, such as sizing or features. Businesses with a longer sales funnel might use longer, more detailed case studies that demonstrate how your business has served customers with distinction.

Action Stage

The final stage of the sales funnel is the Action Stage.”At this point, potential customers have made their decision and are ready to take action, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a service, or something else. Businesses should ensure a smooth and frictionless conversion process to prevent potential customers from abandoning their decision.

This stage often involves clear calls to action (CTAs), simplified purchase processes, and responsive customer support. Additionally, businesses can continue to provide value through post-purchase content, upselling or cross-selling opportunities, and loyalty programs to keep customers engaged and returning for more.

Action Stage Reviews

Reviews, testimonials, or case studies at the action stage will ideally encourage customers to continue to engage with and buy from your business. For customers to turn into repeat customers or evangelists, they’ll need to see that your brand continues to provide value. This means, you might include reviews or testimonials from other loyal customers, and provide information on other products or services.

The sales funnel is a strategic framework that guides potential customers through a series of stages, from initial awareness to taking action. By understanding customer behavior at each stage and using the right reviews at each sales funnel stage, businesses can increase their chances of converting leads into loyal customers.

Posted in: Conversion Rates