Would you believe that the gramophone shares similarities with our old friend the marketing funnel? Here’s the deal: Both were revolutionary (once), their 100th birthdays are long past, and they fell out of favor somewhere along the way — made obsolete in favour of progress, and replaced by inventions better suited to our needs.
In a world where AI and automation are ubiquitous, holding onto a concept that originated in the 1800s seems redundant. Some argue that tacking on loyalty and advocacy somehow completes the funnel, modernizing it. But they’re still advocating for the funnel, and that’s the problem.
In this post, we propose that swapping this concept for a new iterative model can actually engage your customers better and grow more business, sustainably. Let’s explore.
“Funnel thinking” is flawed. Here's why.
Whether you’ve used the marketing or sales funnel, it undoubtedly influences your work in deep ways. But as proponents of inbound marketing, we see three flaws in relying on it:
1. The funnel gives you tunnel vision
Whether you realize it or not, aligning every effort around the funnel narrows your perspective. Here, every decision sees teams focused on attracting and converting buyers — to the exclusion of all else. It misses a key factor — customer engagement — which is the key to sustainable growth.
We should add that customer engagement and brand loyalty aren’t strictly the domain of service teams anymore. Success now depends on involvement from all players on the revenue team.
2. The funnel delivers a leaky bucket
By its very design, the funnel assumes you’re going to lose people along the way. Those who don’t convert as hoped are “filtered” out. And so, marketing continues to replenish the funnel with new prospects and sales keeps only working the leads they are given.
But just because someone hasn’t downloaded that ebook or purchased a product, it doesn’t mean they should be filtered out. You can still maintain a mutually beneficial relationship.
3. The funnel neglects brand advocacy
We like to refer to this phase as the “delight pathway”, which is where customers become promoters. But, as mentioned, the funnel overlooks their ongoing journey. In short, it ends when someone becomes a customer. Why not just extend the funnel, you ask? Because the funnel has an end point.
Funnels can’t maintain momentum.
An infinity symbol, on the other hand, is endless, everlasting, self-sustaining.
The Infinity Track®: A new model for sustainable growth
Driving business growth becomes streamlined, sustainable, even, when thinking beyond the oversimplified stages of attract and convert. This is why we’re advocating leaders to switch the funnel for a self-sustaining loop: The Infinity Track.
The Infinity Track drives your business forward, delivering incredible experiences at every touchpoint, and nudging prospects into long term customers. With it, your team moves beyond attracting and converting customers to delighting and expanding as well.
The Infinity Track considers the very first touch point through to loyalty. Here’s how it works: Nestled within the “inner circle” are your people, processes, and product (or services). The “outer circle” encompasses the experience teams deliver. The place where the business and experience intersect, “the core”, that’s where the true power lies.
The core is where your data sits while everything across the journey gets measured. Here, you can manage performance and ensure that each half of the track energizes the other. (Author’s note: While the journey may not be perfectly linear, The Infinity Track provides the best chance at keeping buyers on track.)
Adopting The Infinity Track allows teams to create a seamless customer journey that engages, converts and retains — while maximizing profit. It’s also about maximizing the value of those hard-won customers, turning brand loyalists into evangelists, which attracts more buyers.
It creates momentum — and works. Case in point: By building an Infinity Track for ResMed, we increased leads by 150%, 10% of which purchased long-term sleep therapy.
Add HubSpot to power momentum
Everything becomes easier and simpler as technology advances. Combine The Infinity Track with HubSpot, the AI-powered customer platform, and you’ve got yourself a powerful duo on which to build your success.
If we look at The Infinity Track, HubSpot’s AI “Breeze” lives at the innermost part, helping teams deliver value faster. HubSpot's Breeze AI streamlines marketing and sales through automation and AI-driven insights, enabling smarter decision-making and hyper-targeted communication.
AI should be an ally in your arsenal, if it isn’t already. For marketers, Breeze AI optimizes email campaigns, generates compelling copy, and provides predictive analytics to boost engagement and conversions. What’s more, Sales reps have much to gain from its AI-powered lead scoring and deal management, and automated follow-ups, just to name a few.
By reducing manual effort and improving efficiency, AI like Breeze allows teams to focus on high-impact activities, ultimately driving revenue growth and improving customer relationships in a seamless, scalable way. Because when you use AI responsibly, your business scales smarter. We like what HubSpot’s SVP of Marketing has to say about it:
“We have an unprecedented opportunity to be smarter, more efficient, and more human in how we connect with our audiences. The tools are here, and the possibilities for creativity are endless.”
— Kieran Flanagan, SVP of Marketing, HubSpot
If you ask us, the possibilities for growth are endless, too.
Get on track toward better business growth
The Infinity Track is a mindset as much as it is a model for customer engagement. Adoption, combined with automation and AI, will orient your teams toward sustainable growth. If you’re wondering where to begin, start by mapping your buyer journey end to end, and identify your biggest blockage or opportunity for growth this year. Then, all that’s left to do is optimize your way to success.
Hungry for more? To learn about powering strong customer engagement, join us at our next masterclass (it’s free!). We’re hosting six exclusive sessions across Melbourne and Sydney, with limited seats available.
