Digital touchpoints in the B2B customer journey

Intro

The buying process in B2B industries is usually very long and complex. Marketing and Sales teams must acquire knowledge and intelligence about how their customers usually buy their products/services. It might sound banal to ask that kind of question because we know how (and why) they buy from us right!??

Well, quite wrong … usually marketers are pretty lost when it comes to defining their buyer’s typical purchasing behaviour. From conducting research in the starting stages to advocating (or saying bad things about) our product/service.

In a B2B customer journey, digital touchpoints play a crucial role in engaging and interacting with customers at various stages of their buying process. Digital touchpoints refer to the digital channels or points of interaction where businesses can connect and communicate with their B2B customers.?

Let’s take a closer look at some common digital touchpoints in a B2B customer journey.

Website: A company's website is often the starting point for B2B customers. It provides information about the products or services, showcases the company's expertise, and offers various resources and tools to assist customers in their decision-making process.

Customer Support and Live Chat: Digital touchpoints like live chat, chatbots, or customer support systems allow B2B customers to reach out for assistance, ask questions, and resolve issues promptly.

Search Engines: B2B customers often use search engines to research and discover potential solutions to their business needs. Being visible in search engine results through search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for businesses to attract and capture customer attention.

Content Marketing: Through blogs, articles, whitepapers, case studies, and other forms of content, businesses can educate, inform, and engage B2B customers. Content marketing helps build trust, establish thought leadership, and address customers' pain points at different stages of their journey.

Social Media: Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, offer opportunities for businesses to connect with B2B customers, share valuable content, participate in industry discussions, and build relationships. Social media also enables customer feedback and engagement, fostering a sense of community.

Email Marketing: Email remains a powerful tool for nurturing B2B leads and customers. It allows businesses to deliver personalized messages, share relevant content, announce promotions or events, and maintain ongoing communication throughout the customer journey.

Online Advertising: Display ads, search engine advertising (SEM), and social media advertising can help businesses reach their target audience at different stages of the B2B customer journey. These ads can drive traffic to the website, generate leads, and increase brand awareness.

Webinars and Online Events: Hosting webinars, virtual conferences, or online events tailored to B2B customers can provide opportunities to demonstrate products, deliver educational content, engage in live discussions, and establish direct connections with potential customers.

Customer Portals and Self-Service Tools: Providing B2B customers with access to online portals, self-service tools, or customer support platforms allows them to access information, track orders, manage accounts, and resolve issues independently.

Mobile Apps: Mobile apps can offer convenience and accessibility to B2B customers, allowing them to interact with the company, place orders, access product information, track shipments, or receive personalized notifications.

Online Reviews and Testimonials: B2B customers often rely on reviews, testimonials, and ratings to evaluate potential vendors or service providers. Positive online feedback can enhance credibility and influence purchasing decisions.

Online Communities and Forums: Industry-specific online communities, forums, and discussion boards are digital touchpoints where B2B customers seek advice, share experiences, and learn from peers. Engaging with these platforms allows companies to establish their presence and offer helpful insights.

These are just some examples - most usual suspects - of digital touchpoints in a B2B customer journey. It's important for businesses to understand their target audience, identify the relevant touchpoints, and provide a seamless and personalized experience across these digital channels to engage and support customers effectively.

Now let us take a look at an example of a customer’s digital journey for a B2B software-as-a-service (SaaS) like a project management software.?With this example, we can better understand digital touchpoints in a real-life scenario,

We can classify touchpoints throughout the customer’s journey into different buying stages.

1. Awareness Stage:

• Digital Touchpoint: Search Engine
• Scenario: A business owner or project manager becomes aware of the need for a project management solution to streamline their processes. They perform a search on Google for "project management software for businesses" to explore available options.

2. Consideration Stage:

• Digital Touchpoints: Website, Content Marketing, Social Media
• Scenario: The potential customer lands on the SaaS company's website through an organic search result. They browse the website to understand the features, benefits, and pricing of the project management software. They also come across informative blog posts, case studies, and customer testimonials that provide insights into the software's capabilities. They follow the company's social media profiles to gather more information and see how the software is being used by other businesses.

3. Decision Stage:

• Digital Touchpoints: Email Marketing, Webinars, Demo Requests
• Scenario: The potential customer has narrowed down their options and is interested in the SaaS company's project management software. They sign up for the company's email newsletter to receive more information and updates. They also register for a live webinar or watch a pre-recorded webinar that demonstrates the software's features and benefits in detail. Impressed by what they see, the potential customer decides to request a personalized demo of the software to evaluate its suitability for their specific needs.

4. Purchase Stage:

• Digital Touchpoints: Demo Sessions, Customer Portals
• Scenario: The potential customer schedules a demo session with a sales representative who walks them through the software's functionalities, answers their questions, and addresses any concerns. After the demo, the potential customer is convinced that the software meets their requirements and decides to make a purchase. They are provided with login credentials for a customer portal where they can access their account, set up their team, and start using the project management software.

5. Post-Purchase Stage:

• Digital Touchpoints: Customer Support, Upgrades and Add-ons
• Scenario: The customer is now an active user of the project management software. If they encounter any issues or have questions, they can reach out to customer support via email, live chat, or a support ticketing system. They also receive regular updates about new features, upgrades, and add-ons through email newsletters or within the customer portal, enhancing their experience and expanding their usage of the software.

The above journey is not the only possible scenario. And we can also draw out our sales funnel differently (ultimately it comes down to our business model and product/service specifics). Let’s take a look at how the purchasing process for the same project management software could take place alternatively …

1. Awareness Stage:

• The customer becomes aware of the need for an efficient project management solution through various channels like industry blogs, social media, or search engine results.
• They may come across a blog post or social media ad from the B2B service provider, highlighting the benefits of their project management software.

2. Research Stage:

• The customer starts researching different project management software options.
• They visit the service provider's website to learn more about the features, pricing, and testimonials.
• They may read case studies or watch demo videos to understand how the software can address their specific needs.

3. Evaluation Stage:

• The customer compares the service provider's software with competitors' offerings.
• They might request a free trial or schedule a product demonstration to get a hands-on experience.
• They explore online reviews and forums or seek recommendations from industry peers to gather more insights.

4. Purchase Stage:

• Convinced of the service provider's software, the customer decides to make a purchase.
• They fill out an online form, provide necessary details, and select a pricing plan that suits their requirements.
• The service provider may offer a seamless checkout process or assign a sales representative to assist with the purchase.

5. Onboarding Stage:

• After the purchase, the customer receives a welcome email with instructions on how to set up their account.
• They log into the customer portal, where they find helpful tutorials, guides, and FAQs to get started.
• The service provider may offer personalized onboarding sessions or provide customer support for any questions or issues.

6. Adoption Stage:

• The customer begins implementing the project management software within their organization.
• They may import existing project data, invite team members, and configure the software according to their workflows.
• The service provider may offer training resources, webinars, or additional support to ensure a smooth transition and adoption.

7. Ongoing Engagement:

• The customer continues to use the project management software and experiences its benefits.
• They receive regular communication from the service provider, such as product updates, industry insights, or tips for maximizing software usage.
• The customer may participate in user forums, provide feedback, or refer the service provider to other businesses.

8. Renewal and Expansion:

• As the subscription term approaches its end, the service provider proactively engages with the customer to discuss renewal options.
• If the customer is satisfied, they renew the subscription and may even consider upgrading or expanding their usage of the software.
• The service provider maintains ongoing customer support, ensuring a positive experience to encourage customer loyalty.

Last words

The example above shows how digital channels and interactions play a significant role in creating awareness, educating customers, facilitating decision-making, and supporting the customer throughout their journey.

By planning and drawing out the points in your customers’ journeys, you can plan how to deliver clients’ desired outcomes and the best possible experiences. When planned and executed in the right manner, B2B customer journey touchpoints serve as a powerful tool for increasing the effectiveness of your customer success strategy.

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