In the latest episode of the On Brand Podcast, I dove deep into one of my favorite topics: full-funnel marketing and why taking a holistic approach to marketing is crucial for long-term success. As a full-funnel holistic strategist, I’ve worked in almost every area of marketing – from web design and development to managing multimillion-dollar ad campaigns for global brands. This unique, all-encompassing perspective allows me to understand how every piece of the marketing puzzle fits together.

This episode is all about breaking down the marketing funnel, exploring each stage, and showing you how to leverage a holistic marketing strategy to create long-term, sustainable success for your business. Let’s dive in!

What is Full-Funnel Marketing?

Full-funnel marketing is about taking every stage of the customer journey into consideration. Unlike many marketing professionals who specialize in one area—like social media, SEO, or advertising—I’ve been in all areas. This allows me to take a holistic view, ensuring every piece of the strategy works together seamlessly.

A marketing funnel represents the journey potential customers take from becoming aware of your brand to making a purchase. As you move down the funnel, the audience size decreases – hence the funnel shape. This gradual narrowing illustrates how not every person who becomes aware of your brand will convert into a paying customer.

Understanding and optimizing each stage of the funnel is critical for long-term success. If one part of the funnel is broken or neglected, the entire strategy can fall apart. That’s why I approach marketing as a cohesive, interconnected system.

Why Full-Funnel Marketing Matters

Many brands struggle to see results because they focus too heavily on one area of marketing. Maybe they’re killing it with social media engagement but aren’t converting followers into paying customers. Or they have a beautiful website but no traffic driving to it. This happens because their marketing strategy isn’t cohesive; it’s fragmented.

Full-funnel marketing solves this by ensuring all areas of marketing work together. It also plays the long game, nurturing prospects through each stage until they’re ready to convert. This approach doesn’t just generate leads—it builds sustainable, long-term growth.

The 3 Stages of the Marketing Funnel

While some marketers break the funnel down into more stages, I like to focus on three primary stages that are always included:

1. Awareness
2. Consideration
3. Conversion

Before we dive into each stage, it’s important to understand the concept of the funnel flux rate – the percentage of your audience that moves from one stage to the next. Not everyone will move through every stage, which is why the funnel narrows as it goes down.

Stage 1: Awareness

The awareness stage is where your audience first learns about you and your brand. This is the top of the funnel, where you’ll have the largest number of people viewing your content, but they don’t necessarily know who you are yet.

What Does Awareness Look Like?

This is where your brand gets in front of new potential customers. It includes:

• Social media impressions and video views
• Podcast plays
• Website visitors
• Advertising impressions

One crucial thing to remember is that it takes an average of seven interactions with your brand before someone even recognizes it. That’s why consistency is key at this stage.

Awareness Stage Strategies

There are both organic and paid strategies you can use:

• Organic Marketing:

  • Short-form videos (Reels, TikToks, YouTube Shorts)
  • Social media posts
  • Blog posts (on your website, Substack, or Medium)
  • Podcast episodes
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

• Paid Marketing:

  • Brand awareness campaigns on platforms like LinkedIn and Pinterest
  • Display ads, discovery ads, and responsive search ads

Pro Tip: Focus on organic strategies first. In my experience, brands that master organic growth before diving into paid ads see much higher conversion rates. Ads should amplify what’s already working organically, not be relied upon as the sole driver of traffic.

Stage 2: Consideration

The consideration stage is when your audience recognizes you and is interested in learning more. They’re not quite ready to buy but are interacting with your content more meaningfully.

What Does Consideration Look Like?

At this stage, people are:

• Commenting on social media posts
• Subscribing to your channels or newsletters
• Downloading your lead magnets (eBooks, guides, etc.)

It’s rare for someone to jump from awareness straight to conversion. They usually need more information and nurturing before they’re ready to buy.

Consideration Stage Strategies

To effectively nurture leads in this stage:

• Email Marketing: Capture emails through valuable lead magnets like eBooks, guides, or discount codes. Don’t just ask for their email; give them a reason to sign up.
• Retargeting Ads: Use retargeting ads to engage people who have already interacted with your brand. These ads should focus on building trust and providing more value.
• Content Marketing: Continue to educate your audience through blog posts, newsletters, and social media, positioning yourself as an expert in your field.

Pro Tip: Your email list is one of your most valuable assets. It’s a direct line of communication with your audience that isn’t influenced by social media algorithms. Treat your subscribers like VIPs and consistently deliver high-value content.

Stage 3: Conversion

The conversion stage is when a potential customer is ready to buy. This is the most crucial part of the funnel because it’s where you finally ask for the sale.

What Does Conversion Look Like?

This could be:

• Purchasing a product
• Signing up for a service
• Enrolling in a course
• Any other action that generates revenue for your business

It’s important to remember that the average sales cycle is about two years. Don’t get discouraged if people don’t buy right away. They’re on their own journey, and your job is to stay top of mind until they’re ready to convert.

Conversion Stage Strategies

• Limited-Time Offers: Create urgency with seasonal promotions or limited-time discounts.
• Personalized Marketing: Use email automation to send personalized messages to leads based on their behavior.
• Social Proof: Include testimonials, case studies, and user-generated content to build trust.

Don’t Forget About Retention

Many marketers consider retention as the final stage of the funnel. While I like to include it within the conversion stage, it’s worth emphasizing because retaining a customer is far more cost-effective than acquiring a new one.

Strategies for retention include:

• Excellent Customer Service – Keep customers happy and they’ll stick around.
• Loyalty Programs – Reward repeat customers with discounts, exclusive access, or loyalty points.
• Re-Engagement Campaigns – Send personalized emails to re-engage past customers and keep them coming back.

The Power of a Full-Funnel Strategy

Why is full-funnel marketing so powerful? Because it ensures no potential customer falls through the cracks. It provides a seamless, cohesive experience that guides them from awareness to conversion and beyond.

In the podcast, I shared an example of a friend who was doing an incredible job with social media but wasn’t seeing sales. Her problem wasn’t engagement—it was that her funnel was stuck in the awareness stage. By understanding the funnel stages and optimizing her strategy holistically, she could move her audience through the entire journey.

Bringing It All Together

A full-funnel holistic marketing strategy is about seeing the big picture. It’s about understanding how each piece of your marketing works together and ensuring you’re not just showing up but showing up strategically.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to optimize your current strategy, remember this: Marketing is a journey, not a sprint. Play the long game, stay consistent, and the results will follow.

Want to learn more about building a sustainable full-funnel marketing strategy? Make sure to subscribe to the On Brand Podcast!