When is a Funnel Not a Funnel?

A funnel enables the flow of a material from a wide opening to a narrower opening. The flow progresses in one direction from top to bottom. The volume of the material flowing through the funnel remains the same - nothing is lost - there is no escaping the bounds of the funnel. Only the speed with which the material flows increases as it progresses through the funnel.

Which part of this describes your digital marketing "flow"?

In my experience, this metaphorical funnel doesn't capture the true nature of consumer behavior, where individuals have the freedom to explore or ignore various touchpoints along a more flexible, non-linear journey.  

Envision the buyer journey as a traveler exploring different sights. Some travellers are prepared - they've done their research, they know what they'd like to see along the way, and where they'd like to end up. Others are just out and about when something captures their attention along their route, with them arriving at some unanticipated destination.

Travellers discover and engage with what captures their attention along the way and businesses are perpetually aiming to attract that attention. The competition for this attention is fierce. Capturing this attention doesn't necessarily translate to engagement or purchase - sometimes, the traveller was just looking, sometimes, they find something more interesting, sometimes they make a note to get back to that sight another time.

Unless we want to start talking about your marketing and sales chinois, I think buyer journey still works best.

This perspective recognizes that buyer engagement isn't a strict linear progression but rather a multi-faceted exploration. It allows businesses to adapt their strategies to the nuanced behaviors of their audience, fostering a more adaptable approach to marketing.