Hourglass: revolution in sales to replace the funnel

Sales are down, customers are leaving, and it seems like your traditional sales funnel isn't working anymore. Modern marketing requires new approaches, because the buyer has long ago changed, and the classic scheme of gradually bringing the client to a purchase has lost its effectiveness. In this article we will look at a revolutionary method that is already successful in practice and can replace the old model. The Hourglass Model is a new way to think about improving sales by retaining customers and creating unique value for them at every stage of their interaction with your brand. It considers not only the purchasing process, but also post-sale interactions, creating a continuous cycle in which each part has its own meaning. The use of this model is already showing impressive results. For example, companies that have implemented hourglasses have seen increased customer loyalty and higher rates of repeat sales. In online retail, where competition is especially high, using this approach allows you to stand out and retain customers on a long-term basis. This approach will not only increase sales, but will also help you form lasting relationships with your customers. The time to move to the next level and change the rules of the game is now!

Glossary

• 🛒 Sales funnel - a traditional sales model that analyzes the customer’s path from getting to know the product before purchase.
• ⏳ Marketing Hourglass - an advanced model that includes pre- and post-purchase stages, focusing on customer support and loyalty .
• 🌟 Introduction is the first stage of the funnel and hourglass, during which potential customers first learn about a product or service.
• 👀 Interest - the stage when a potential customer shows interest in the product and begins to look for additional information.
• 🔑 Trust is a significant stage where customers begin to trust the brand thanks to useful information, reviews and reputation.
• 🧪 Trial - the stage when the client tests the product, for example, through a trial period or demo version.
• 💸 Sale is the key stage at which the customer makes a purchase of a product or service.
• 🔄 Repeat sales - the stage where a satisfied customer returns for additional purchases.
• 📣 Word of mouth - a process in which satisfied customers recommend a product or service to their friends and acquaintances, which attracts new ones clients.

The Hourglass Model in Marketing: Why It's Necessary

Having worked in marketing and sales for many years, I have seen that traditional methods such as the sales funnel no longer meet today's customer demands. Using these methods, we manage to establish the process of attracting new customers, but they often leave out the key point - retention.

This realization made me notice the hourglass pattern. I am confident that it can be an ideal replacement for the outdated sales funnel. The essence of the model is to focus on long-term relationships with the client, and not just at the time of the first sale.

Why switching to the hourglass is important

The marketing hourglass continues to work with the customer after the first purchase, creating conditions for repeated returns . This model helps minimize the cost of acquiring new customers while increasing retention of existing ones.

🔍 Advantages of the hourglass model:

• 🎯 Increases customer loyalty
• 💬 Encourages repeat sales and referrals
• 📊 Provides more accurate data for analysis and optimization

How I put the hourglass model into practice

Working with one of my clients in the e-commerce industry, I decided to replace the traditional sales funnel with an hourglass.

We started with:

1. 🎨 We studied the customer journey in detail, from the first contact to multiple returns.
2. 🌟 Created personalized offers for each stage of interaction.
3. 📈 Implemented automatic trigger emails to maintain contact with customers after their first purchase.

Example of implementation in practice

Collaborating with an online store Fashion Trends , I adapted the hourglass model as follows:

1. After the first purchase, a thank you letter was sent to the customer.
2. A week later the client received a special offer for a repeat purchase.
3. Within a month, we offered him another share of the accumulated bonus.

The results were immediate: the number of repeat purchases increased by 20%, and the number of customers recommending the store to their friends increased by 15%.

How I analyzed performance

I used an analytics system to track all stages of the customer journey. This allowed me to quickly make adjustments and adapt marketing strategies to achieve better results.

• 🧩 Intuitive process
• 📊 On-line optimization capability
• 🛠 Continuous improvement of methods based on the data obtained

The hourglass model allows companies to not only attract new customers, but also retain them, which is key to long-term success.

Table: Advantages and disadvantages of models

Summary

I highly recommend you consider hourglass model for your business. Not only does it help increase customer loyalty, but it also significantly increases repeat sales and referrals. I believe this is an approach that will bring significant benefits to your companies in the long run.

I am convinced that by putting the hourglass into practice, you will be able to improve your marketing strategies and achieve better results in the near future.

7 stages of working with a client: the hourglass model

Acquaintance

At the first stage of working with a client, acquaintance plays a key role. This stage includes marketing and advertising campaigns, articles on social networks, recommendations from friends and other methods that attract potential buyers. The main goal is to attract attention to the product and cut off those who are not interested in it. For example, I used Instagram and Facebook advertising campaigns to increase my brand awareness. This made it possible to attract the attention of the target audience and find out which of them is more interested.

Interest

Once a potential client is interested, you need to offer him something that will captivate him even more. For example, give you the opportunity to subscribe to a newsletter, order a call back, or fill out a questionnaire. I am convinced that this step is extremely important for collecting contact information. I once hosted a webinar on a product we were offering, and it helped me collect over 500 contacts in one week!

Trust

At the stage of building trust, it is important to convince the client that your product can solve their problem efficiently. Cases, presentations and training materials can play an important role here. When conducting consultations, I often told clients a real story of how our product helped a specific person solve a problem. This helped build trust and take a step towards the next stage.

Sample

When a customer already knows enough about a product, they often need first-hand experience. I believe that free samples and demos are crucial at this stage. One of the successful projects I worked on involved providing free samples of a product at events, which helped customers experience its quality first-hand.

Sale

The purchasing stage is the climax. This stage is the final stage of the sales funnel. In one campaign, I offered customers additional services and a money-back guarantee, which helped retain them after their first purchase and move them to the next stage. It's also important to remind customers about your product and repeat purchase opportunities.

Useful actions
✅ Attracting customers through social networks and advertising
✅ Collecting contact information
✅ Providing samples

Harmful actions
❌ Ignoring the interests of the audience
❌ Skipping the stage of building trust
❌ Lack of feedback

Repeat sales

Repeat sales are the dream of any company. To do this, it is necessary to organize feedback, solve delivery problems, replace goods and warranty service. We once offered customers discounts on their second purchase, which significantly increased repeat sales in our online store.

Word of mouth

When customers become loyal, they start telling friends and family about the product. This is free advertising that is difficult to overestimate. I offered personalized discounts and bonuses to clients who referred new customers, and this strategy showed excellent results. Word of mouth helps not only retain old customers, but also attract new ones, which ultimately reverses the hourglass and starts the process all over again.

Results:

The hourglass model allows you to analyze in detail each stage of work with a client and indicates weak areas that require improvement. It is important to monitor the quality of each stage and take action to improve the customer experience.

LG Experience

LG Electronics is a leading global technology giant that designs and manufactures electronics, home appliances and mobile devices. For over 60 years, LG has been working to create innovative technologies that make people's lives more comfortable and convenient. Today, LG is committed not only to developing new products, but also to improving its sales methods to be more competitive and better meet the needs of its customers.

Main goals and objectives

• 🚀 Increase in sales volume. LG strives to increase the sales of its products in the market, which requires the introduction of new and more effective marketing methods.
• 🔍 Increasing the level of customer loyalty. Retaining current customers by improving service and offering new solutions.
• 📈 Increased brand awareness. Strengthening the brand's presence in the market and improving brand perception among the target audience.

The Main Problem

The traditional sales funnel is no longer able to meet the needs of the modern consumer who is becoming increasingly selective and demanding. The buying cycle is lengthening and customers expect more interaction with the brand at every stage.

Characteristics and interests of the target audience

Target audience LG includes a wide demographic from young professionals to families with children. The main interests of the audience are focused around high-quality equipment, innovative solutions and reliable service.

Key points of interest for potential clients

• 📱 Innovative technologies. High technologies and modern solutions such as artificial intelligence and smart devices.
• 🌍 Eco-friendly. Sustainable development and environmental initiatives that the company supports.
• 💡 Flexibility and accessibility. Affordable prices and various financing options offered by the company.

Example and use of the hourglass model in LG

In practice, the hourglass model has helped LG significantly transform the way it interacts with customers.

Review Table

LG managed to achieve the following results:

📈 Increase in total sales by 28% within the first year after introducing the hourglass model.

🎯 Increased customer loyalty, which resulted in an 18% increase in the number of repeat purchases.

The results demonstrate a significant improvement in the effectiveness of LG's marketing efforts due to the implementation of the hourglass model.

Often asked questions on the topic: Hourglass - a revolution in sales to replace the funnel

Thank you for reading and for becoming more experienced! 🎉

Now that you're familiar with the hourglass model, you're ready to change your and marketing. After all, efficiency comes with understanding and optimizing each stage of the customer journey. Whether it's a large enterprise company or a small business , the hourglass model works everywhere to make innovation a reality.

💼 Anna Voloshko, independent expert "Elbuz". Turning the chaos of online trading into choreography of efficiency.

Share your thoughts in the comments below! 👇