From Funnels to Adaptive Marketing Models: Understanding the Next Evolution
For decades, marketing strategy revolved around the funnel—a linear model guiding buyers from awareness to purchase. But modern customer behavior no longer follows predictable paths. Buyers move across channels, revisit decisions, and engage anonymously before committing. As a result, organizations are shifting toward adaptive marketing models that respond dynamically to behavior and context. This evolution marks a fundamental change in how growth strategies are designed and executed. Why the Traditional Funnel Is Losing Relevance The classic funnel assumes sequential progression: awareness, consideration, decision, and conversion. While useful conceptually, it struggles to reflect today’s nonlinear journeys. Modern buyers conduct independent research, pause evaluation, involve additional stakeholders, and switch channels frequently. They may enter at multiple stages simultaneously or revisit earlier phases after engaging with sales. Static funnels cannot capture these behaviors,...