Navigating the Purchase Funnel: A Guide for Channel Success

Is the Purchase Funnel a Useful Model for the Channel?

The purchase funnel has long been a staple of sales and marketing strategies, but is it still relevant in today’s evolving marketplace? While theory and practice can differ significantly, the growing reliance on digital marketplaces is proving the purchase funnel to be an increasingly valuable tool for the channel.

Leveraging Marketplaces to Understand the Journey

Digital marketplaces have revolutionized the way resellers and MSPs interact with customers. These platforms capture tangible digital touchpoints throughout the customer journey, offering unprecedented insights into buyer behavior. By understanding where customers are in their purchase journey, channel partners can provide tailored marketing materials and support that help customers move seamlessly through the funnel stages.

Driving Growth Through the Funnel

For resellers, MSPs, and other channel companies, the purchase funnel isn’t just a theoretical model—it’s a framework for growth. Tracking customer digital touchpoints enables them to identify needs at every stage of the journey, ensuring that prospects receive the right information at the right time.

Vendor support plays a critical role in this process. Vendors can supply marketing assets like content marketing campaigns, webinars, social media posts, and product demonstrations to guide prospects through the funnel. Personalised email campaigns, eBooks, and even free trials can be instrumental in influencing decisions and closing sales.

The Complexity of the B2B Funnel

Unlike consumer purchases, B2B buying journeys are often more complex, with several layers of decision-making. High-value sales frequently involve multiple stakeholders, each with varying levels of knowledge and priorities. As a result, different individuals may find themselves at distinct stages of the funnel simultaneously.

Another challenge lies in the “black holes” that occur when leads move between platforms or when buyer journeys are handed off across channel layers. For instance, a lead tracked in a digital marketplace might disappear temporarily during transitions between interest, desire, and action phases, creating blind spots.

Supporting Customers Through the Funnel

To overcome these challenges, resellers must work closely with vendor partners, leveraging their resources and expertise to support customers. Vendors can provide access to essential tools, training, and content that smooth the transition through the funnel stages.

For example, Tollring offers its partners not only product training but also a library of sales resources and videos to equip their teams. This empowers resellers to tell compelling stories about how their solutions deliver ROI for customers, such as using call recordings to optimize business outcomes.

Automation is another critical asset. Vendors offering APIs to integrate their products with a reseller’s environment can streamline the process, allowing customers to move effortlessly from desire to delivery. This seamless experience enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty while enabling resellers to scale effectively.

The Value of External Marketing Expertise

Many telecoms resellers face resource constraints when it comes to marketing. Bringing in trusted external marketing experts can significantly boost their capabilities without the need for full-time hires. The right partners—especially those familiar with the fast-paced telecoms industry—can help resellers navigate complex technologies, evolving business models, and intricate sales journeys.