The Marketing Rule of 7: Tips for Using It To Convert Leads

Updated December 12, 2022

The rule of seven in marketing states that brands that engage with a customer seven times are more likely to earn the trust and business of that customer. Frequent communications allow the brand to build a relationship with customers, which is important for making sales and strengthening the brand. Learning the importance of this rule and how you can use it to convert leads can help you when creating a marketing strategy.

In this article, we discuss the rule of 7 in marketing, explain why it's important and share a list of tips on choosing the right marketing methods and channels for your strategy.

What is the rule of 7 marketing?

The rule of seven in marketing refers to the idea that it takes, on average, seven messages to a customer before they make a purchase. While seven marketing communications isn't a rule, it highlights the importance of frequent interactions with the customer to stay relevant. This also ensures that the brand is easy to remember when the customer is ready to convert. The rule of seven in marketing may include a mix of marketing messages from a variety of channels, including:

Paid ads
Social media marketing
Email advertising
Commercial marking
Radio advertising
Online articles
Billboard messages
Google search
In-person presence at an event
How-to guide online

Why is the rule of 7 important in marketing?

The marketing rule of seven is important because it:

Builds trust with the customer

Interacting with your potential customer in a variety of methods frequently can help to build trust. Brands can use this to demonstrate value while positioning themselves as an expert in the industry. Building trust is an important part of developing a long-lasting relationship with the customer and creating brand recognition. This can also help brands combat common objections to buying from the customer.

Helps solve multiple customer problems

Contacting your customers seven or more times gives you the opportunity to address different customer concerns. This gives a brand multiple times to demonstrate that they understand what their customer needs, and how their product or service can solve that need. For example, a brand may present customers within different age ranges with different messages, showing that they understand the common challenges or needs of that generation.

Makes the brand more memorable

Communicating with customers multiple times in a variety of methods helps keep the brand the focus of the customer's attention. Customers may be at different parts of the buying cycle and the rule of seven can ensure that your brand is an option when the customer is ready to buy. The more times that a customer recognizes a brand's message, the more likely they are to remember that company when shopping.

Encourages learning more about the customer

With an average of seven communications, brands have more of an opportunity to learn about their customers. They can use search or shopping habits to learn how long it takes customers to buy their products. Brands can also use this information to target customers, providing them with the marketing communications or content that best fits their current buying needs.

For example, a company can display the items the customer views on the website, on another marketing channel, like social media or email ads. This retargeting method reminds them of the brand frequently.

Related: What Is a Marketing Campaign?

Helps brands create marketing funnels

Marketing funnels are a type of model that demonstrates how a customer moves from an awareness of a specific product to when they're ready to buy that product. The rule of seven can help divide customers into different funnels, based on where they're at in the buying cycle. This also allows the brand to present itself in front of multiple members of the household, helping to identify the decision-maker.

Different marketing channels work well in different parts of the funnel, and the rule of seven marketing allows brands to target each of these different cycles.

Provides brands with valuable feedback

Interacting with customers frequently and using a variety of communication methods can also help brands learn more about their business. They can use this information to understand what customers like and dislike most about the business and its practices. Customers also have multiple methods by which they can communicate directly with the company, where they can express their current concerns or needs.

Tips for achieving multiple interactions

You can use the following tips to increase your customer interactions using the rule of seven marketing:

Diversify your communication methods. Diversifying and changing the method in which you interact with your customers can help you build a deeper connection and more personal relationship with them. Consider transitioning between different marketing channels, including social media, email or direct mailers.

Focus on quality over quantity. The rule of seven in marketing isn't necessarily a rule, but rather a guideline to follow. Focus on quality messages over quantity to better serve the needs of customers, keeping in mind that it's the idea of repetition that works, not necessarily the specific number of marketing communications.

Get to know your customer. Before planning your seven marketing channels, take the time to know and understand your customer. This can help you choose the methods that produce the best results for each type of customer.

Research your competitors. It can also be beneficial to know how many, and what, marketing messages competitors are offering. You can use this information to decide which marketing channels to implement in your own strategy.

Take advantage of analytics. The rule of seven may not apply to all businesses. Take advantage of website analytics to learn the average number of marketing messages it takes your customers to convert to a sale.

Create a marketing strategy that includes all funnels. Make sure you choose seven marketing messages that target each of the different parts of the sales funnel. This includes channels that address the top, middle and bottom of the funnel.

Make a connection with the customer. The goal behind the rule of seven is to earn trust and develop a connection with the customer. Add value or engage with customers with each marketing channel you choose.

Be consistent. Consistency is also important in earning and keeping the customer's trust. Regardless of the marketing channels you use, ensure the message is consistent across each one of them.

Please note that any companies mentioned in this article are not affiliated with Indeed.