Latest / The Marketing Funnel Podcast with Fexingo: Awareness, Interest, Decision, and Action Stages / How Glossier Built a Marketing Funnel on Community
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's a brand that essentially ran its entire marketing funnel through a comment section. And I'm not exaggerating. Luna: A comment section? That sounds like a nightmare for most brands. Lucas: Right, but that's exactly what Glossier did in its early years. Before the products even existed, Emily Weiss was running a beauty blog called Into The Gloss. And it was on that blog that she started asking readers what they wanted in a moisturizer, what their skin actually needed. Thousands of responses later, she had a product roadmap written by her future customers. Luna: So she basically outsourced market research to her audience. That's a clever way to build awareness before you even have something to sell. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the foundation of what I think of as the Glossier funnel. The awareness stage wasn't built on paid ads or influencer shoutouts. It was built on genuine conversation. People were already visiting Into The Gloss daily for beauty tips, and suddenly there was this brand emerging from those conversations. It felt less like a launch and more like a continuation of the community's dialogue. Luna: But a blog audience is one thing. Getting those people to actually buy a product is another. How did they make that leap? Lucas: Well, they launched with just four products. And each one had been directly requested by readers. So the interest stage was almost pre-built. When Glossier finally opened its online store in 2014, the people who had been commenting on the blog were already primed. They knew the story, they'd contributed to the development. The decision to buy felt like a natural next step rather than a leap of faith. Luna: It's like they pre-sold the idea before the product even existed. That's a masterclass in building desire. Lucas: And they kept that momentum going with user-generated content. You know, Glossier's Instagram feed is mostly reposts of customers using their products. Real people, real skin, no heavy filters. That social proof is incredibly powerful, especially in beauty where trust is everything. Luna: Right, because you're not just seeing a model in an ad. You're seeing someone who looks like you, maybe with similar skin issues, and they're saying this product works. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the decision stage, right? The comments on those posts are full of questions like 'Does this really work for oily skin?' or 'Which shade should I get?' And other customers answer. It's peer to peer selling, at scale. Luna: So the action stage, the actual purchase, is almost just a formality at that point. They've already been convinced by the community. Lucas: Right. And they even had a program called Glossier Reps, which was basically an early ambassador program. Customers could apply to represent the brand, get a discount code, and earn commission on sales. It turned loyal customers into active promoters, which slashed their customer acquisition costs. Luna: But not every brand can pull that off. What made it work so well for Glossier? Lucas: I think it came down to authenticity. Emily Weiss wasn't a stranger. She was a known voice in the beauty community. So when she launched a brand, it felt like a friend coming out with a product line. And the products themselves were designed to be photogenic. The pink packaging, the minimalist labels, they're made for the 'shelfie' moment. That's not an accident. Luna: So the product design was part of the marketing strategy. That's thinking about the funnel from the very beginning. Lucas: Absolutely. And they also kept the community loop going. They'd ask for feedback on new ideas, even let customers vote on things like new shades or scents. So people felt invested. They weren't just buying a product; they were supporting something they'd helped shape. Luna: It's like they built a whole ecosystem of brand loyalty before a lot of companies even start thinking about that. Lucas: Yeah, and that's why the funnel worked so well. But it's also worth noting that as Glossier scaled, maintaining that community intimacy got harder. They've faced criticism that the brand got too big, too corporate, and that the early magic faded a bit. Luna: That's a real challenge for any brand that grows. How do you keep that personal feel when you're serving millions of customers? Lucas: And that's the double-edged sword of community-driven growth. The same comments that built your brand can later become a place for complaints. But the core lesson still holds: if you build the funnel on genuine conversation and feedback, you create a foundation that's incredibly resilient. Luna: Resilient, but not immune. I suppose nothing is, in the end. Lucas: Right. And that's a good reminder that even the most brilliant funnel needs constant care. You can't just set it and forget it. Luna: So for someone listening who wants to apply this to their own brand, what's the first step? It can't just be 'start a blog and hope for the best.' Lucas: No, definitely not. But you can start by listening. Find out where your potential customers are already talking about the problem you solve. Could be Reddit, could be Instagram comments, could be reviews on Amazon. And then start engaging genuinely. Ask questions, really listen to the answers, and let that dialog inform what you build. It's not about creating a fake community; it's about tapping into one that already exists. Luna: That's a solid takeaway. And it reminds me of something you said earlier about the product design being part of the marketing. Any thoughts on how to make your product inherently shareable? Lucas: Think about the unboxing experience. Think about how your product looks in a photo. Glossier made sure every product looked good on a shelf. But you don't need a pink pouch. Maybe it's a clever message on the packaging, or a unique shape that stands out in a flat lay. The point is to make it easy for your customers to become your marketers. Luna: Speaking of marketers, let's talk about the Glossier Reps program a bit more. That was basically turning customers into a sales force, right? Lucas: Exactly. And it worked because it didn't feel like a typical referral program. Reps were chosen not just for their follower count but for their genuine love of the brand. They received early access to products and a unique discount code. It was about building a network of trusted voices, not just pushing sales. Luna: So it was more about brand advocacy than hard selling. That's a fine line to walk. Lucas: It is. And I think that's why it worked so well for them. But it also shows how the funnel isn't linear. These reps were both the end result of the funnel and the beginning of a new loop, bringing in new customers who then became reps themselves. Luna: It's like a flywheel effect. The community feeds itself. Lucas: Right. And that's the real magic of the Glossier funnel. It's not just a series of steps; it's a self-reinforcing system. And it's something that took years to cultivate. They didn't rush it. Luna: Patience seems like a lost art in business sometimes. Lucas: It is. But when you see the payoff, it's clear that building a community takes time. You can't buy that kind of trust with ads. Luna: Well, speaking of trust, I know that this podcast is kind of a community project too. We love hearing from listeners and we're grateful for the support that keeps us ad-free. Lucas: Absolutely. If you've been enjoying these conversations and want to help us keep going, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Just a small gesture goes a long way. Luna: And we're back to the funnel. So, Lucas, do you think any brand can replicate what Glossier did, or is it something specific to that time and industry? Lucas: I think the principles are universal, but the execution has to be authentic to your brand. You can't fake community. You have to genuinely care about what your customers think. If you do, the funnel will take care of itself. But if you're just trying to check boxes, it won't work. Luna: That's a good note to end on. Thanks for breaking it down with me today. Lucas: Anytime. It's a great example of how marketing can be about building relationships, not just transactions.