The sales funnel. Just like its name indicates, a sales funnel illustrates the steps a buyer takes before becoming a customer. Each stage of the funnel is designed to push your most qualified prospects into the next stage. You’ve probably heard it referenced from time to time, but have you ever stopped to consider which stage of the funnel your continuing education efforts fit in?

In this article, we share how the various continuing education (CE) delivery methods can be utilized to attract advisers at all stages of the sales funnel. Is your goal to attract more leads? Convert more new business? Or retain loyal customers? No matter where they are in their buyer journey, we have the tools you need to transition cold leads into brand loyalists.

Top of Funnel: Marketing Qualified Leads (MQL)

Goal: Build Awareness

CE Delivery Type: On-Demand CE (Website Leads)

The top of the funnel is all about getting your name out there, bringing awareness to your brand, and connecting with as many advisers as possible. Since these are typically advisers whom your wholesalers haven’t connected with yet, we recommend on-demand designation CE credits in your sales strategy. On-Demand CE is a service that allows you to attach designation CE credits to the educational content you probably already host on your website, such as whitepapers, podcasts, webinar recordings, etc. Tacking on CE credit to your content is the perfect way to add more value to your leads while moving them further down the funnel.

To learn more about Quest CE’s On-Demand CE service, click here.

Middle of Funnel: Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)

Goal: Maintain Interest

CE Delivery Type: Classroom, Webinar & Super CE

Once leads familiarize themselves with your brand and start to become more active on your website, social media platforms, etc., they officially move to the interest stage of the sales funnel. With more leads coming to your website, we suggest offering options of Classroom CE, Super CE, and/or Webinar CE in your sales strategy.

  • Classroom CE will always offer that traditional, intangible value you just can’t get elsewhere. While a lot of wholesalers stepped away from in-person CE events during the height of COVID, they are making a huge comeback, and for good reason. There is no other delivery medium that allows you to get that one-on-one face time with advisers.
  • For a more modern approach, Super CE gives advisers the opportunity to earn anywhere from 8-24 credits all at once. All you have to do is send them a code to access the high-credit, self-study course materials and later host a short review session to prepare them to pass the exam. From the wholesaler’s standpoint, this method still gets you some “face-time” with advisers (could be virtual, or in person) so you can start making stronger connections with them.
  • Another popular delivery method for advisers in this stage of the funnel is Webinar CE. This delivery method allows you to still get in front of advisers but in more of a virtual setting. Typically, we see Webinar CE having the highest attendance rate, as advisers simply need to register and login to attend.

To learn more about Classroom-CE, click here.

To learn more about Super CE, click here.

To learn more about Webinar CE, click here.

Bottom of Funnel: Purchase/Loyalty

Goal: Decision

CE Delivery Type: Voucher Cards/Codes

Once leads have worked their way through the sales funnel and made the decision to partner with your firm, they have transitioned to the loyalty stage. Even though you’ve made the sale and you’re eager to move more advisors to this stage, it’s important to continue nurturing your existing client relationships. A great way to do this is by offering CE voucher cards/codes at this stage. These value-add vouchers are redeemable for online CE credits and can be distributed in a ton of unique ways. Wholesalers can attach CE codes to lead generation emails or mailers, hand them out at networking events and conferences, add custom codes to their business cards, and much more! If you have an email address or mailing address, that’s really all you need. As a hands-off approach to CE delivery, vouchers are the perfect method for staying at the forefront of adviser’s minds when CE needs arise.

To learn more about voucher cards/codes, click here.