The Collapse of the Funnel: How Trust Now Drives Every Purchase

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Oct 9, 2025

Trust has transformed the buying journey into a single moment of interaction. The podcast dives into three types of trust: Identity, Competence, and Proximity, showcasing real-world examples from brands like Nike and Peloton. Learn why consumers now favor relatable employees over celebrities, and how adding 'desirable friction' can enhance engagement. Creative frameworks are provided for short-form content that can drive conversions quickly. The hosts also discuss localization tactics and the importance of authentic brand storytelling in building trust.

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INSIGHT

Funnel Collapsed Into A Popcorn Popper

The buying journey is no longer a linear funnel; it's a popcorn popper where kernels pop at different times.
Trust acts as the lid that keeps prospects popping into your pot for your brand.

INSIGHT

Competence Trust Is 'The Brand Gets Me'

Competence trust shows customers the brand 'gets me' by explaining motivations and context.
Shifting messaging from commands to questions invites conversation and builds relationship.

ANECDOTE

Peloton Holiday Ad Caused A Major Backlash

Peloton's 2019 holiday ad was widely seen as tone deaf and sexist, triggering massive backlash.
The stock dropped 15% in three days and the company lost about $1.5 billion in market value.

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In this episode of Business Lunch, Roland Frasier and Ryan Deiss explain how the classic four-stage buying journey has collapsed into one moment—and why trust is the lid that keeps prospects “popping” in your pot. They unpack three forms of trust—Identity, Competence, and Proximity—with sharp wins and public flops (Nike, Sephora, Peloton, DSW, Starbucks, Apple, United). You’ll get simple creative frameworks to turn short-form content into instant, in-channel conversions and a 14-day sprint to prove it on a small budget.

Highlights

“It’s not a funnel anymore—it’s a popcorn popper. Your audience are kernels heating at different speeds. Trust is the lid that keeps them popping for you.”
“Competence trust means the brand ‘gets me’—often better than I can describe myself.”
“Employees outperform celebrities for reach and credibility—because most buyers are employees.”
“Frictionless is forgettable. Add desirable friction that helps buyers name their pain and act.”
“If you can’t pivot your model, bolt trust into your media: mirror-micro-media, why-what-where, people-place-proof.”

Mentioned in This Episode

Three Trust Types (MAP mnemonic):

M – Identity trust: Mirror → Micro → Media
A – Competence trust: “Answer” with Why → What → Where
P – Proximity trust: People → Place → Proof

Competence wins & misses: Nike’s “Why do it?” repositioning; Sephora tutorials lifting AOV; Peloton’s 2019 holiday ad backlash.

Proximity plays: DSW AR try-ons; Starbucks barista TikToks; Apple retail specialists; cautionary tale—United Airlines viral incidents.

Localization tactics: regional currency/sites, geo-specific visuals (city skylines), and micro-influencers by market.

KPI effects: higher AOV/retention/loyalty from competence; higher LTV from proximity; employee posts driving outsized reach.

Timestamps

00:00 – The collapsed customer journey: from funnel to popcorn popper (trust as the lid)
04:00 – Recap: Identity trust (mirror, micro, media)—and why episodes stand alone but compound
07:30 – Competence trust: the brand that “gets me” (Nike shift, Sephora demos) + Peloton misread
14:20 – Framework for competence: Why → What → Where (myth-bust, demo, direct CTA)
17:30 – Example: 30-sec tax advisory myth-buster → LinkedIn/Reels → consult link → track AOV
20:10 – Proximity trust: employees, in-place context, show real proof (DSW AR, Starbucks, Apple)
24:10 – Employee content > celebrity polish; make it authentic, even shot on phone
26:00 – 14-day Trust Sprint and MAP recap; why proximity is overlooked yet most scalable

Takeaways for Operators

Stop chasing linear funnels; engineer trust in-channel so action can happen immediately.
Use Why → What → Where to collapse steps: name the pain, show the fix, drop the link.
Turn staff into a media network: People → Place → Proof with incentives and simple tracking.
Localize by currency, domains, visuals, accents, micro-influencers—it quietly multiplies conversion.
Run a 14-day sprint: baseline CAC/AOV → recruit 3 customers + 3 insiders → record shorts → post/boost winners → re-measure.
Remember MAP: Mirror-Micro-Media; Answer (Why-What-Where); People-Place-Proof. Build trust, and the journey collapses in your favor.

🎧 Whether you’re in B2B services or retail, this playbook turns everyday posts into high-trust, one-step conversions—without celebrity budgets.

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Mentioned in this episode:

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