The marketing funnel versus the flywheel: Generating consistent leads through a new model of engagement

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Abstract: The marketing funnel is a failing metaphor. A new model, known as the flywheel, offers new ways to re-engage existing leads and customers to grow more effectively. This paper describes where the funnel has failed and offers new tactics for re-engaging leads at every step of the buyer’s journey. It explores the stages of inbound marketing — awareness, consideration and decision — and how to enhance results at each stage. Discussion of forces affecting the flywheel’s effectiveness will help outline a practical means to generate more leads and sales — reducing friction from the marketing and sales process, increasing lead and referral speed, and building a productive mass of quality content, leads and word-of-mouth referrals. Finally, the article describes a three-step process to engage (and re-engage) leads and prospects that are already familiar with a company: mapping out a company’s strategy, identifying the relevant forces to improve marketing results, and reducing points of friction in the conversion process.

Keywords: marketing funnel; marketing flywheel; inbound marketing; growth marketing; lead nurturing

Dave Meyer has more than 25 years of experience in marketing and communications and has presented digital marketing topics to thousands of people across the USA and Canada. Dave is a National Speaker for Google, a certified HubSpot Partner and was named Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016 by the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce in Minneapolis. Dave has a BA in journalism and an MBA in venture management (entrepreneurship) from the University of St. Thomas.