This is called the Rule of 7, and understanding it will completely change how you approach your marketing.
What is the Rule of 7?
The Rule of 7 is a marketing principle stating that potential customers need to encounter your brand's message at least seven times before they take action and make a purchase.
This concept dates back to the 1930s when movie studios discovered that people who saw a movie ad just once or twice didn't buy tickets. They needed around seven exposures before taking action.
Why does this happen?
Think about your own buying behavior. When you see a new brand for the first time, do you immediately pull out your credit card? Probably not. You need time to:
Learn what the brand is about
Decide if you trust them
Compare them to other options
Convince yourself it's worth the money
This process takes multiple interactions, not just one ad.
The Three Stages of the Customer Journey
Your customer journey has three main stages, often called the marketing funnel. Here's how it works:
Top of Funnel: Awareness
This is where people first discover your brand. They might:
See your ad on Facebook or Instagram
Find your website through Google
Hear about you from a friend
Your goal here: Make a good first impression. You're not trying to sell yet—you're just getting on their radar.
What to do:
Run awareness ads showing your product
Create content that educates or entertains
Focus on what problem you solve, not just features
At this stage, most people will scroll past. That's normal. You're planting a seed.
Middle of Funnel: Consideration
Now they know you exist. They're starting to think about whether they actually want your product.
They might:
Visit your website and browse
Read reviews
Compare your product to competitors
Follow you on social media
Your goal here: Build trust and stay top of mind.
What to do:
Use retargeting ads to show up again
Share customer testimonials and reviews
Send educational emails about your product
Show how your product solves their specific problem
This is where most of those "7 touches" happen. They're seeing you repeatedly across different platforms, and each time they learn a bit more and trust you a bit more.
Bottom of Funnel: Conversion
They're ready to buy, but they might still have doubts.
They might:
Add items to cart but not check out
Look at your return policy
Check shipping costs
Search for discount codes
Your goal here: Remove any final obstacles and push them to purchase.
What to do:
Send abandoned cart emails
Offer limited-time discounts
Show urgency (limited stock, sale ending soon)
Make checkout as easy as possible
Guarantee satisfaction with easy returns
Why Multiple Touchpoints Actually Work
Here's a real example of how this plays out:
Day 1: Sarah sees your ad for yoga mats on Instagram. She thinks "that's cool" and keeps scrolling.
Day 3: She sees another ad while browsing Facebook. Now she remembers your brand.
Day 5: Your retargeting ad shows customer reviews. She clicks through to your website.
Day 7: She gets an email with a blog post about yoga benefits. She reads it.
Day 10: She sees your ad again on Instagram. This time she adds a mat to her cart but doesn't buy.
Day 11: She gets an abandoned cart email with 10% off. She's seen you enough times now to trust you.
Day 12: She makes the purchase.
That's seven touchpoints over 12 days. Without those repeated exposures, she probably would have forgotten about you after that first ad.
How to Apply This to Your Store
1. Stop expecting instant results If someone doesn't buy after seeing your ad once, that's normal. Most people won't. Plan for multiple touchpoints.
2. Use retargeting ads Once someone visits your site, show them ads again. This keeps you in front of them as they move through the funnel.
3. Build an email list Email is one of the most effective ways to get those repeated touches. Collect emails through popups or lead magnets.
4. Be consistent across platforms Show up on Facebook, Instagram, email, and Google. The more places they see you, the faster you build familiarity.
5. Mix up your content Don't show the same ad seven times. Use different angles:
Product showcase
Customer testimonials
Behind-the-scenes content
Educational posts
Special offers
6. Track the journey Use tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel to see how many touchpoints your customers typically need before buying. This helps you understand your specific customer journey.
The Bottom Line
The chances of converting a prospect at their first interaction with your brand are extremely low. Most e-commerce purchases require multiple exposures over time.
The Rule of 7 isn't about bombarding people with ads until they give in. It's about building trust and familiarity through repeated, valuable interactions.
Each touchpoint is a chance to educate, build credibility, and move someone closer to trusting you enough to buy.
So if your ads aren't converting immediately, don't panic. You're just at the beginning of the journey. Keep showing up, stay consistent, and guide your customers through each stage of the funnel.
The sale happens when they're ready—not when you want it to happen.
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