Understanding the conversion funnel on Facebook

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1. Background

This article is derived from interviews with 65 pigmentation artists specializing primarily in powder brows, hairstrokes, and microblading. The focus of this extensive research, spanning from 2019 to 2024, has been on sales and marketing strategies. Some of these studies are ongoing. A majority of the participating artists, 51, are based in EU countries, complemented by eight from the UK and six from the US. Each artist boasts a minimum of three years of experience. Notably, many have embarked on learning digital marketing from scratch. Therefore, the insights they provide are grounded in their firsthand experiences as they endeavored to break into the market and build their client base.

Furthermore, all gathered observations have undergone a thorough review by two senior digital media experts from powderbrows.io, a dedicated digital media marketing division of the Powderbrows.com Research Center.

The primary goal of this article is to offer practical insights and context. It is tailored for novice and experienced artists in the Permanent Makeup (PMU) field who either utilize Facebook for their digital media campaigns or are considering its adoption.

2. Conversion funnels in brow business

When we discuss the conversion funnel of Facebook, we first have to clarify the term funnel and why it is important in the context of brow business and social media marketing. A conversion funnel, also known as a sales funnel, is a framework that describes the journey a customer takes from becoming aware of an artist to completing a purchase or booking of the procedure. The term is widely used in digital marketing to understand and optimize the path to customer conversion.

The funnel metaphor is used because at each stage of the process, the number of potential customers decreases. Imagine a physical funnel: wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. Initially, many people enter the funnel (become aware of the artist and their service), but only a fraction complete the journey (make a booking).

Funnel on Facebook

The conversion funnel stages on Facebook for the brow business can be outlined as follows:

Awareness. This is the funnel's starting point. Potential customers become aware of the artist and their services in a specific location. The primary goal here is to establish initial contact, informing potential clients about the existence and activity of the artist.
Interest. Once awareness is achieved, it's crucial to cultivate interest. The artist must present something compelling enough to encourage potential clients to interact and engage. This might involve targeted messaging to clients within certain demographics, showcasing the service offered.
Consideration. This stage involves presenting a tangible offer to potential customers, which they can accept or decline. It’s a critical phase where clients get a broader view of the artist and their services. They may start comparing with competitors, reading reviews, or seeking additional information to make an informed decision.
Conversion. This stage marks the end of the funnel, where actual sales occur. At this point, customers commit by making a booking. They both desire the procedure and the financial means to proceed.
Loyalty/Advocacy. Following the purchase, the focus shifts to nurturing repeat business and encouraging customers to advocate for your services to others.

3. Understanding Facebook landscape

Facebook differs markedly from Google in terms of user intent. While Google users often search with a specific purchase intention, Facebook's environment is centered around discovery and nurturing. Users typically don't log onto Facebook ready to make immediate purchases. Instead, they are at various stages in their decision-making process. The next section of this article delves into understanding these different conversion phases on Facebook, highlighting the importance of not just targeting those few who are ready to commit immediately.

The key to successful marketing on Facebook recognizes that potential clients are typically in the early stages of awareness and initial interest. Therefore, the messaging should align with these phases. It's counterproductive to focus heavily on final conversion tactics and adopt a hard-selling approach, such as using "Last chance to buy! Do you want to go for it now or not?" strategies. Such tactics are misaligned with the funnel stage, where most customers are currently situated.

Research indicates that potential brow clients usually require 10-15 touchpoints with messaging from a specific artist before they advance to the final stages of consideration and conversion. This means most advertisements by artists should be designed to foster interest and address questions that assist customers in progressing further down the funnel. The goal is to guide them gently through the process rather than confronting them with an ultimatum or aggressive attitude.

4. Typical Mistake on Facebook

A cardinal rule in successful marketing is to communicate in the language of your target audience. This involves simplifying industry jargon, aligning messages with customer perspectives, and explicitly addressing their needs, applicable across various business sectors.

However, this approach requires a slight adjustment in the specialized realm of powder brows and hairstrokes. Although artists in this field are experts with a deep understanding of the processes and nuances involved, their clients often lack this level of knowledge. Many artists significantly overestimate their clients' understanding of powder brows and pigmentation.

This discrepancy between the artist's knowledge and the client's awareness often results in missed opportunities to effectively communicate the value and complexities of the service. The assumption that explaining every step might seem "too basic" for the client is surprisingly common.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect

The hesitancy of experienced powder brows or hairstrokes artists to simplify and elucidate the basics of their service can be understood through the Dunning-Kruger Effect. This cognitive bias, identified by psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger in 1999, involves a paradox between knowledge and self-awareness. Typically, individuals with limited knowledge in a domain tend to overestimate their abilities, while experts may undervalue their expertise, erroneously assuming others have similar knowledge.

This effect takes an interesting turn for powder brows and hairstrokes artists. Contrary to the usual Dunning-Kruger pattern where novices overrate their skills, experienced artists might hesitate to discuss fundamental aspects, fearing that covering basic topics would undermine their perceived competence. They often think that these "obvious" details are already known to everyone.

Thus, put, when you have limited knowledge in a field, you might advise on topics beyond your expertise. Conversely, if you are genuinely qualified, you might avoid discussing "too basic" subjects. Most competent brow artists fall into this latter category.

5. Bridging the Knowledge Gap

For powder brows and hairstrokes artists, recognizing and acknowledging this cognitive bias is a crucial first step in improving their marketing communications. By adopting the role of an educator, artists can inform potential clients and establish themselves as experts in the field. Explaining basic aspects of powder brows and hairstrokes should not be viewed as oversimplification. Rather, it's a strategy to ensure that clients are thoroughly informed, comfortable, and confident in their decision to opt for the service.

Addressing the client's knowledge gap is vital. Artists should incorporate more inclusive, detailed, and client-focused messaging. By doing so, powder brows artists can significantly enhance their presence in the market, build stronger trust with their clients, and improve the overall experience of their service.

6. Concrete Examples of Questions

Many powder brows and hairstrokes artists have inquired about their clients' questions and how to address them effectively. Below are some illustrative examples with responses to guide artists.

What's the difference between Permanent Tattooing and Semi-permanent Powder Brows?
Permanent tattoos penetrate deeper into the skin, resulting in longer-lasting effects but a higher risk of color changes. Powder brows are semi-permanent, with a gentler application, typically fading within 1-3 years.
What is the difference between Microblading and Powder Brows?
Microblading involves making fine cuts to implant pigment, mimicking real hairs, while Powder Brows create a soft, powdered makeup look.
How long do Powder Brows typically last?
Powder Brows usually last 1-2 years, influenced by skin type, aftercare, and sun exposure.
Will the brows change color over time?
Color shifts can occur depending on pigment quality, application depth, and skin undertones. A proficient artist can reduce these risks.
Are there age restrictions for Microblading or Powder Brows?
The procedure is generally recommended for individuals 18 and older, but consultations are crucial. There's no set upper age limit.
What's the difference between Hairstrokes and Powder Brows?
Hairstrokes involve creating hair-like lines with a PMU machine, whereas Powder Brows provide a more uniform, powdered coverage without hair-like lines.
Can Powder Brows be removed if one changes their mind?
Removal is a separate, possibly painful, and lengthy process, often involving lasers. The brows should naturally fade over time if a professional artist uses mineral pigments.
How often are touch-ups needed, and what's the cost?
Annual touch-ups are typically advised. Costs vary by location and artist's expertise.
Is it safe to visit the gym, sauna, or spa post-procedure?
Avoid sweat, steam, and sun for optimal healing and pigment retention for the first 7-10 days.
Do artists customize brow designs for each client?
Every brow design is personalized to the client's facial structure, preferences, and natural brow shape.
What exactly is the Combo Brows technique?
Combo Brows combine Microblading's hair-like strokes with Powder Brows' powdered appearance.
How long does the procedure take?
The process generally takes about an hour, with considerable time mapping and drawing brows for client approval.

These questions represent just a few of many potential inquiries. Addressing them offers clients a thorough understanding, fostering a trusting artist-client relationship. Empirical studies indicate that most potential Facebook clients are in the stages of awareness and interest. Providing content at this depth level “helps them move forward” rather than appearing overly complex or specialized.

7. Simplicity is Key

A common misstep in advertising, particularly on platforms like Facebook, is overly concentrating on the small segment of clients ready to make an immediate purchase. This approach often neglects the larger group of potential clients progressing through their decision-making journey.

Creating ads that are rich in information yet straightforward can appeal to clients at various stages of the conversion funnel. These range from individuals just beginning to recognize their needs to those nearing a purchase decision. On the other hand, ads heavily focused on aggressive selling or delving into complex style details might turn away those not yet at the final stage of purchasing.

The essence of effective advertising is not always in displaying extensive expertise or detailed knowledge in every ad. Instead, it involves crafting universally understandable messages, catering to people regardless of their position in their buying journey. Simplification and clear communication are key but always be prepared to engage in more detailed discussions when a client is ready for that level of conversation. This approach can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your marketing strategies.

8. Measuring Results Effectively

A frequent error made by many artists new to Facebook marketing is focusing solely on targeting customers at the "bottom" of the conversion funnel with intense, short-term campaigns. They often launch a sales offer, briefly boost it, and expect immediate conversions leading to financial gain.

However, as discussed in this article, this approach contradicts the fundamental logic of the conversion funnel on Facebook. Not only does it fail to reach a sufficient number of people at the funnel's bottom – because Facebook isn't typically where these individuals are found – but it's also too brief to create the necessary number of touchpoints.

Artists who adopt this strategy may prematurely conclude that "Facebook advertising doesn't work in the brow business" and shift their focus elsewhere. This belief is far from accurate. Often, the solution involves running longer campaigns and dedicating a larger portion of the marketing budget to Facebook. Experienced artists and professional social media marketing experts agree that constantly changing ads and expecting quick financial returns is ineffective. On Facebook, it's generally more effective to run longer campaigns that aren't overly aggressive and to expect results over weeks and months, not hours and days.

Once artists discover methods that yield inbound leads from Facebook at a reasonable average cost, it can become a stable and effective funnel. Investing more money can lead to exponentially greater returns. However, achieving this success requires time and patience, qualities that many artists may find challenging to maintain.

9. Conclusions

Understanding Facebook as a source for inbound business in the brow industry can be effectively achieved through the concept of the conversion funnel. This concept revolves around the idea that each customer is at a specific stage in the sales or conversion funnel, requiring tailored communication in terms of semantics, optics, and attitude to match their current state.

In the context of Facebook, we can delineate the funnel stages as awareness, interest, consideration, and conversion, followed by advocacy and promotion. Research indicates that many potential brow business clients on Facebook are in the awareness and interest stages. Therefore, presenting them with direct sales offers and immediate booking requests often results in a wasted budget, given that Facebook's nature isn't centered on constant purchasing, unlike platforms such as Amazon.

Furthermore, it's established that clients typically need 10-15 touchpoints, or instances of interaction with the artist's messaging, to reach the conversion stage. Keeping this in mind, the messaging in ads should be designed to guide the client further down the conversion funnel rather than alienating them with aggressive "hard-closing" tactics.

Regarding the questions clients need answered, there are two common pitfalls among artists. Firstly, less knowledgeable artists may overcomplicate simple matters to showcase their understanding, not realizing the average customer's limited knowledge. More commonly, competent artists hesitate to discuss basic topics, believing them to be common knowledge.

Practical research demonstrates that addressing simple issues is often what a large portion of the target audience seeks, and catering to this need is beneficial. However, there is a crucial aspect to consider: because most clients are in the conversion funnel on Facebook, success should be measured over longer periods (weeks and months), not in mere hours or days.

Consequently, only a minority of artists successfully convert Facebook marketing into a continual, profitable source of inbound leads. Many prematurely conclude it as "ineffective" due to a mismatch between their expectations and the actual position of potential customers in the conversion funnel on Facebook.

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Comments

Lucy

Sunday, Mar 10, 2024

I use facebook all the time and this article really enable me to take it to the next level. Love it!

Nastasja

Friday, Jan 19, 2024

Not bad! I am a bit of a digital marketer myself and I can say that when I started doing pigmentation, the skills I had gained in an agency were absolutely essential to get clients!

Robin

Thursday, Jan 18, 2024

Another interesting and informative piece. I think I have read over 20+ articles on this site and I find those really useful. Thanks a lot for helping out starting artists! :)

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