When using a map to plan a trip don’t you need to first know where you’re going?
Over here at The Philantrepreneur Foundation we get so focused on supporting and implementing digital Social Impact programs, we took for granted or assumed (never make assumptions) that our business clients understood what we meant when we started talking about their customer journey. It was a reality check for us because we found most businesses have heard of it but really don’t know the steps, why it is so important, and how to effectively develop and implement one. Therefore, because our SI program is heavily dependent on creating a smooth customer journey (us being selfish), and we believe every business should thoroughly understand the process, in this 2 part blog we are going to outline key elements, provide data, and some recommendations.
Defining Customer Journey
In marketing the Customer Journey process is known by different names such as the customer lifecycle, customer mapping, buyer’s journey, or
customer experience (CX) to name a few. There are also different models being circulated with varying stages, components, and strategies. But as we will detail in our overview of the process, some of the initial stages remain consistent and, ultimately your business model determines how the process evolves to fit your needs and goals. You will create benchmarks, just like the navigation pins on a map, each pin defines a stage.
Why is the Customer Journey and Mapping so Important?
Salesforce, a leading customer relationship management (CRM) platform that emphasizes CX, defines mapping of a customer journey as ‘a visual representation of every experience your customers have with you.’ One reason it is so important is right there in the definition! The customer’s experience. CRM platforms are built to nurture customer relationships. Too often we see businesses try to start the experience with “Sign up for a Demo”. Unfortunately, that is too early in the relationship building process. In a relationship you wouldn’t ask someone to marry you when first introduced. Have you heard of the 12 Steps to Intimacy as it relates to business marketing? Here’s a great interview I did with Michael Drew, author of the marketing book, Pendulum.
In this highly competitive digital world, it is important to build a relationship and provide a great customer experience. This is non-negotiable and a key differentiator between a brand and its competitors. Customers have many options at the tips of their finger so providing top notch inclusive experience starts with understanding your customer, their needs, and how to connect with them before they know who you are. Then it is up to you to guide them through a valuable experience to the moment they decide to purchase from you and beyond.
The Data
Consider this data.
- Currently 64% of all advertising is digital
- By 2024 80% of the sales cycle will happen in digital or remote settings. However, we believe that benchmark may be reached before 2024 so are you getting your business prepared and fully engaged in the digital space?
- The Customer Experience Impact Report found that 89% of consumers began doing business with a competitor following a poor customer experience. Customer expectations are higher than ever, and we wouldn’t be surprised if this percentage increases in the near future.
This is Not One-Size-Fits-All
The lifeblood of your business literally depends on your customers having a great experience with you and mapping your customer journey allows you to ensure great CX throughout their entire relationship with your company.
When developing your strategies, it is important to be hyper-specific to your customers and very specific to your business. It is the first, and one of the most important things to clearly identify and develop because it not only pertains to marketing, but to your business’s strategies as a whole.
Have you created a customer avatar, which includes what they are searching for and their top problems? Here are five easy steps.
- Identify their Goals and Values
- Find their Sources of Information
- Fill in their Demographic Info (and NAME them)
- Identify Challenges & Pain Points
- List out their Objections & Role in the Purchase Process
With this avatar information, and at its most basic, the journey can be boiled down to 3 stages – Awareness, Consideration and Conversion.
However, while these can provide a great starting point, generally, even for a simple business, the journey is more complex. That is why in our next blog we detail a more comprehensive model mapping those stages out even further.
Remember, it’s not one-size-fits-all, so go define your avatar and goals now so you can apply them in the customer journey process.
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