In honor of Valentine's Day in February, this SlideShare explores love (and all that it entails) as a metaphor for the sales funnel. The long journey a customer takes up to purchase is kind of like the path one takes to meet their mate.

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What if there's a reason
why a heart...

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Looks kind of like a Funnel!

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When only 30% of B2B content marketers
believe they know what they’re doing...
[source:CMI]

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Maybe it's time to stop looking
for customers to hear your
product pitch...

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...and spread the love across
your funnel—with Content!

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You see, content marketing
isn’t ALL about “picking up”
customers.

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As I think about the long journey a
customer takes and the importance
of the right content at every step
I’m reminded of the path one takes
to meet their mate!

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THE DATING

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BRINGING
HER HOME
(for more than one night)

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TYING
HER DOWN
(not literally)

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THE
PROPOSAL

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TYING THE KNOT

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KEEPING THE
ROMANCE

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Now why am I telling you
about the steps to finding love
when we’re talking content
marketing?

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You see, content marketing
isn’t ALL about “picking up”
customers.

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Content unlocks the door
to real relationships with
your customers-to-be.

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That’s why you can’t afford
to neglect content that:
Raises awareness
Reaches relevant audiences
Romances visitors into
subscribers and leads

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Find out what your customers
love and make it your gift
to them.

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And don't forget to ask them out again
with a Call-to-Action that's in the right
place, at the right time.

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But to become the brand that's
running through your prospect's
mind, you'll need to generate
demand for your product.

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You also need content that addresses
problems that your product solves.
Don't be shy about showing how with:
Webinars
Whitepapers
Videos
Case Studies
Capture the attention of qualified leads and romance them with nurture campaigns!

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Not everyone will commit
as a customer. That’s ok.
Maybe they’ve got a friend?
84% of B2B decision makers start the
journey with referrals, after all
[source: Influitive]

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But for those who
are ready to commit,
you'll need to get
more intimate...

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…NOT LIKE THAT

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Help Sales get more personal with:
Product demos
Sales enablement content
Targeted content libraries

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So your sales team can
strike the right chord
with your prospects...

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...to set up the big proposal!

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But content marketing doesn’t end
with customer acquisition.
You need to be there for
your customers —
in sickness and in wealth.

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Content marketing for customer retention is
just as important:
Knowledge Bases help your customers with self-service
product education.
Webinars let you coach customers to see greater returns on
their investment.
Advocate Marketing involves your community, encourages
user-generated content and makes customers feel like part
of your brand.

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[Source: Harvard Business Review]
Because even a 5% increase
in customer retention can boost
profits by 25 to 95%
WHY?

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Customer acquisition,
like love,
doesn't always happen
the way you expect.

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Customers
can come from
anywhere.
That’s what
inbound marketing
is all about.
[Blog posts, SEO, website, social media.]

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Some were longtime
Admirers of your blog.

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Others were actively
searching for a solution
like yours.

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Many would never have given
you the time of day. Until
they saw your case study.

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Your customers may all be on
different journeys, but if you
create content for your entire
funnel and beyond,
you'll find each other somewhere
in the Funnel of Love.