Marketing Examined - 🔍 How To Create A Conversion Funnel

Hey friend!

We are going to break today’s case study into two parts:

• Today we’ll focus on Hostage Tape’s conversion funnel.
• Next Tuesday, we’ll zoom in on their post-purchase funnel.

This brand’s customer journey is so well-curated (because we experienced it ourselves) that we cannot squeeze them into one.

Lemme explain.

A: Lack of consumer understanding. At least, that’s what 75% of marketers think.

Attest used its own platform to get the latest data on their target audience – marketers – to understand how their roles are evolving in the current landscape.

A huge 92.6^ of US marketers say expectations of their team are higher than ever before. An even huger 93.1% say their market has become more competitive.

Why not follow Attest’s lead to understand your audience better, too?

Their consumer research platform gives you direct access to 125 million consumers across 58 countries in just a few clicks.

Attest’s data is triple-checked by AI and humans, so you can feel comfortable using it to make big decisions.

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Get the unfair advantage that comes with access to great research.

Alex converted through a Hostage Tape ad and shared the ad with me.

I saw the message at 9:02 pm and converted it at 9:07 pm.

This is a 5-minute funnel because the brand did everything right.

Let me elaborate.

Hostage Tape did an amazing job with their IG ad. It was educational, engaging, and entertaining.

Imagine seeing a guy wearing the hostage tape waking up and exercising with tape on his mouth.

Capturing audience attention - check ✅

In the ad caption, they explained that it’s a product that helps with health issues like snoring and anxiety, which are problems their target market is facing.

This isn’t an ad trying to drive clicks but a product trying to solve a problem.

Addressing the need for the product - check ✅

Let’s say you don’t click through and want to check out the IG page…

For those who deviated from the “ideal funnel,” the Hostage Tape profile page got set up as a landing page itself that addresses the top questions/objections any new user might have:

• What the product is: mouth tape
• Why people should care about it: make you sleep better
• Objections:
  • Will it move around: strong
  • Will it be uncomfortable: comfortable and great for facial hair
  • How it compares to the famous competitor product: Why 3M tape doesn’t work
  • What the product looks like in action: video + photo

But you did click through, so Hostage Tape doesn’t take you to a dedicated landing page; they direct you to an advertorial.

On that continues to educate you on the product and shares social proof.

1. More education on the need

It starts with the “why” behind the product supported by evidence from experts like Dr. Andrew Huberman and James Nestor to cement their value prop.

2. Why Hostage Tape is the better solution

Next, they position themselves as the better solution compared to competitors.

They bold the benefits so they stand out in the copy: flexible, strong, breathable, comfortable, 30 strips/pack.

3. Objections to the solution

Then they address the top objections head-on.

Hostage Tape takes top customer questions and answers them converting customer concerns into confidence in the product.

4. Social proof - it’s not us saying we are good

Don’t say how good you are, let your customers tell future customers how good the product is.

5. Objections to the Purchase

Now the last push.

Customers need to be assured they’re not making a bad decision.

Q: Am I going to waste my money

A: 30-Day Money Back Guarantee - risk reversal option ✅

Q: Is this a legit company?

A: 700+ reviews from real people with - confidence in the company & product ✅

6. The Final Push - Urgency + Merchandising

At the bottom of the landing page, Hostage Tape uses various smart merchandising tactics to encourage people to convert.

• Build urgency through a good limited-time discount offer
• Note the cost/use: Converting the $50 price to $0.55 cents/day feels a lot less in comparison, especially for life-changing sleep.
• Reinforce the benefits (”sleep better now”) and the low risk (”100% money back guarantee”)

And this is a story about how they converted me in 5 freakin’ minutes.

• Sam Parr from The Hustle Explains his Content Strategy
• An editor to make your writing clear
• An example of the type of marketing content to create with AI
• A genius movie marketing move - the Barbie meme generator
• The litmus test for good branding - not boring

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In the next issue, we’ll cover their post-purchase funnel.

If you can, do me a quick favor and reply to this email and convince Gmail to keep this newsletter out of the promotion tab.

Thanks so much!

Chi & Alex