The Differences Between One-Step & Multi-Step Marketing
Marketing campaigns fall into two different categories: those that have one step, and those with multiple steps. Can you guess what each type of marketing campaign is called?
Think of it as a Sales Funnel
By definition, one-step (or single-step) content marketing involves a small-scale campaign that focuses on a single piece of meaningful content. A great example of one-step marketing is an opinion piece that is published in the newspaper. The article is brief, runs one time, and does not have a call-to-action; it’s only meant to reach the reader once and educate them about a singular topic.
Multi-step marketing, by contrast, is the more traditional type that is used to generate leads and sales. It begins with copy that is meant to influence potential buyers and point them toward relevant content they can read or download. Each step in the process serves a distinct purpose: it is meant to increase the number of conversions (people who take further action) and to teach consumers about your product, providing information such as features, benefits, and practical applications. It should effectively answer any questions they have and ultimately influence them to make a purchase.
Think of a multi-step marketing campaign as a funnel, in which the consumer begins at the top and eventually makes his or her way down the funnel to the bottom. Once there, your company will have either a solid lead or a purchase, either directly from your online site or in a physical store.
Every multi-step marketing campaign should include at least one free piece of content, such as a brochure, white paper, or report that details a problem your product or service solves. You can increase your responses by directing consumers to contact you for a FREE copy of the content you are making available to them. Without a hook like this, you can expect to have a lower response rate.
It’s also important to make sure you aren’t just reaching people who want something for free. To do this, offer both a “soft” offer (“click on this link to download a copy of…”) and a “hard” offer (“call us today for more information about how we can improve your life”).
By following these practices, you’ll be well-positioned to secure more leads and sales, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of your marketing campaign.