Time to Evolve: Trading Your Marketing Funnel for an Hourglass

Are you pouring resources into marketing activities but struggling to connect the dots to revenue? You're not alone. Many businesses today find themselves caught in a cycle of constant content creation, social media campaigns, and influencer partnerships - yet can't definitively say what's moving the needle. The traditional marketing funnel, with its broad-brush approach to messaging and linear path to purchase, often leaves us questioning our ROI and wondering if we're truly building lasting customer relationships. While we track likes, shares, and surface-level engagement, the deeper metrics of customer lifetime value and genuine brand advocacy remain elusive. This is where the Marketing Hourglass framework changes everything. By reimagining the customer journey from a simple funnel to a more nuanced, relationship-driven approach, we can create meaningful connections that transform casual buyers into passionate advocates. Let's explore how this strategic shift can bring clarity to your marketing efforts and drive sustainable growth.

The Marketing Funnel: Core Components

The marketing funnel visualizes the customer’s journey through three key stages, each serving a distinct purpose in converting prospects to customers.

1. Top of Funnel: • Focus: Awareness and Discovery • Purpose: Introduce solutions to problems • Content Types: Educational materials, blogs, social media Goal: Cast wide net to attract potential customers.

2. Middle of Funnel: • Focus: Consideration and Evaluation • Purpose: Demonstrate expertise and value • Content Types: Case studies, white papers, comparison guides Goal: Help prospects evaluate options.

3. Bottom of Funnel: • Focus: Decision-Making • Purpose: Convert interested prospects • Content Types: Product demos, consultations, specific offers Goal: Guide final purchase decisions.

Each stage requires different content strategies and metrics to effectively move prospects through their decision journey. Success depends on aligning content with the prospect's information needs at each stage.

Enter the Marketing Hourglass Duct Tape Marketing

This comprehensive framework transforms how we think about customer relationships and business growth. Unlike the traditional funnel, the hourglass model recognizes that the real value lies not just in acquiring customers, but in creating advocates who drive repeat business and referrals. The Seven Phases of Customer Evolution:

KNOW

Initial awareness through targeted content and referrals: Strategies that help with this phase could be social media content about industry trends or educational webinars on common challenges or podcast appearances discussing expertise.

THAVMA INSIGHT: Market leadership balancing technical expertise with accessible content, driving both authority and engagement.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT: Mastering Awareness-Stage Marketing. Banfield Pet Hospital excels at creating educational content that builds trust while driving awareness. Standout Tactics: • Educational Content Series • "Pet Health Tips" • State of Pet Health Annual Report

LIKE

Engagement through digital presence and consistent communication: Strategies that help with this phase could be email newsletters with valuable insights, interactive social media content or regular blog updates with actionable advice.

THAVMA INSIGHT: The most effective customer experiences blend efficient automation with strategic moments of personal connection that transform transactions into relationships.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT: Digital Engagement & Customer Connection. Chewy excels at transforming standard customer interactions into meaningful relationships through personalized digital engagement strategies that drive loyalty and advocacy. Standout Tactics: • Personalized Pet Parent Communications • Customized birthday messages • Pet health resource center

TRUST

Credibility building through thought leadership and expertise demonstration: Strategies that help with this could be detailed white papers, speaking at industry conferences or publishing case studies.

THAVMA INSIGHT: Building credibility requires consistent demonstration of expertise through multiple channels, backed by scientific rigor and practical application.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT: Mastering Thought Leadership in Veterinary Diagnostics. IDEXX exemplifies how to build industry authority through strategic thought leadership and expertise demonstration in the veterinary diagnostics space. Standout Tactics: • Scientific Leadership • Peer-reviewed research publications • Clinical case studies • Research-backed insights

TRY

Risk-free sampling through pilot programs and initial engagements: Strategies that help with this phase could be free educational workshops, complimentary consultations or trial periods for services.

THAVMA INSIGHT: Success in the "try" phase comes from removing financial barriers while providing immediate value demonstration.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT: Mastering the "Try" Phase Through Risk-Free Engagement. Trupanion demonstrates excellence in reducing adoption barriers through strategic trial programs and risk-free engagement in the pet insurance space. Standout Tactics: • Hospital Direct Pay Program • Immediate claim processing • No upfront costs for pet owners • Risk-Free Engagement

BUY

Converting through value-driven solutions: Strategies that help with this phase could be streamlined onboarding process or detailed implementation plans.

THAVMA INSIGHT: Effective conversion in specialized markets requires making complex solutions accessible through systematic implementation and clear value demonstration.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT: Mastering Value-Driven Conversion. Hill's Pet Nutrition exemplifies excellence in converting scientific expertise into clear value propositions within the veterinary nutrition space. Standout Tactics: • Strategic Practice Integration • Customized clinic implementation plans • Nutrition advocate training programs

REPEAT

Nurturing through ongoing support and relationship building: Strategies that help with this phase could be product updates and improvements or educational resources.

THAVMA INSIGHT: Long-term success in specialized markets comes from consistently delivering value beyond the core product through educational resources and strategic support systems.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT: Mastering Customer Relationship Nurturing. MWI Animal Health Nordics excels at post-purchase engagement through strategic education and practice development support in the veterinary distribution space. Standout Tactics: • Practice Development • Business advisory services • Inventory optimization tools

REFER

Advocacy development through exceptional experience and community creation: Strategies that help with this phase could be customer success stories, referral programs or customer advisory boards.

THAVMA INSIGHT: Creating passionate advocates requires building a community where customers feel heard, valued, and actively involved in shaping future solutions.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT: Mastering Customer Advocacy Development. Covetrus exemplifies excellence in transforming satisfied customers into active brand advocates within the veterinary technology space. Standout Tactics: • Community Building • Veterinary Advisory Board • Practice Manager Forums

THAVMA INSIGHT: Sustainable growth comes from guiding prospects through a purposeful journey, not rushing them to purchase. Success requires measuring impact at each stage and adapting approaches based on industry context.

From Gaps to Growth: Building an Effective Customer Journey Framework

Every business faces a critical challenge: understanding where their customer experience excels and where it falls short. Whether you're seeing drops in engagement, inconsistent messaging across channels, or unclear paths to purchase, these gaps can significantly impact your growth potential. The key to transformation lies not in random improvements, but in systematic analysis and strategic implementation. By examining your customer journey through a structured lens, you can identify critical touchpoints, strengthen weak areas, and create a cohesive experience that guides customers naturally from awareness to advocacy. Let's explore how to turn these common challenges into opportunities for meaningful connection and sustainable growth.

Consideration Phase

As prospects begin evaluating solutions, provide them with concrete evidence of success. Develop detailed comparison guides, clear implementation roadmaps, and compelling case studies that demonstrate real-world applications and results.

Decision Phase

Help prospects make informed choices by presenting clear, value-driven information. Offer practical tools like ROI calculators, detailed implementation plans, and specific value propositions that address their unique needs and concerns.

Post-Purchase Phase

Transform new customers into long-term partners through structured onboarding and continuous support. Provide comprehensive getting-started guides, best practice resources, and regular check-ins to ensure success.

Pathway Development

Create intuitive progression steps that naturally guide customers through their journey. Establish clear calls-to-action and maintain consistent messaging across all touchpoints to build trust and momentum.

Measurement Framework

Track success through specific metrics at each stage. Monitor conversion rates, engagement levels, and customer satisfaction to continuously refine and improve the journey.

THAVMA INSIGHT: Success in customer journey optimization comes from continuous evaluation and refinement based on data and customer feedback.

Moving Forward: From Framework to Future Success

The shift from funnel to hourglass isn't just about restructuring your marketing approach - it's about fundamentally changing how we build and nurture customer relationships. By mapping each stage of the customer journey and creating intentional touchpoints, you can transform sporadic interactions into meaningful connections that drive sustainable growth. Successful marketing isn't measured solely by new customer acquisition, but by the strength of the relationships we build and maintain over time. As you evaluate your current marketing strategy, consider how each touchpoint either strengthens or weakens your customer relationships. The Marketing Hourglass framework provides the structure needed to create systematic, measurable growth while building a community of loyal advocates who fuel your business's future success.

If you haven't yet discovered the valuable information from previous Thavma Insights editions, seize the moment now!