The Marketing Customer Journey: Part 2 of 3

In my business, helping align sales and marketing while delivering marketing plans and tactical implementation, I have discovered the importance of a well-thought-out customer journey. Before we start, it is important to understand that not all products and customers look like this, and you do not need all the tactical elements I touch on here. Budget, time, depth of interest, and what kind of business, service, or product make all the difference.

When it comes to marketing, many companies use a “spray and pray” approach rather than a more methodical and targeted approach. A plan like this one ensures you don’t waste time and money looking for anything that might work.

Understanding the marketing customer journey is essential for any business aiming to convert prospects into loyal advocates. In the journey I like to use, I add consideration and interest because, from a sales point of view, there are sometimes several customer connections between awareness and purchasing. We will link sales and marketing together in Part 3 of this series so you can see what I mean. There are several key stages of a marketing journey: Awareness, Consideration, Interest, Purchase, Retention, Loyalty, and Advocacy. Each stage reflects the customer's different thoughts and behaviours, requiring specific interactions from the marketing team. Here is an in-depth look at the Marketing Customer Journey Process, which will guide you through the path you need to follow, ensuring solid research and planning at the forefront.

Research Stage

At the beginning of the journey, your focus should be on understanding your target audience and the market landscape around the business – the importance of which cannot be over-stressed. ?Document your brand to ensure consistency in messaging and representation. Brand work is critical and can take time, as well as a profound knowledge of your team and leadership. We will certainly cover this in future articles, but at least know “why” you do what you do and get a cursory feeling of your brand's voice, tone and character - how does your brand show up?

Acquire in-depth market knowledge to identify your niche and prioritize your audience effectively. Knowing your customer profiles is essential to marketing plans. You need to plan around where they are and be there when they most need you and your service. Could you conduct a thorough marketing competitive analysis to understand your competitors' strengths and weaknesses? I use a marketing Excel matrix that serves to document my findings. With a little practice, you should be able to see positioning holes where your competitors cannot service well. Also, messaging gaps may start to unfold along with exploitable business practices. Lastly, look at their various customer profiles and locate any opportunities, or even learn more about the customers you want yourself. Use this information to develop a comprehensive marketing plan that aligns with your findings, setting the stage for future interactions and making your approach more targeted and effective. A key tip is to know that at the transition from one stage to another, there is a chance to measure change to show what works well and what doesn’t.

Awareness Stage

In the Awareness stage, potential customers learn about different companies and what they offer. This is your opportunity to make a strong first impression. Utilize social media and social advertising and SEO/SEM strategies to increase your online visibility. Participate in trade shows to showcase your brand and engage with potential customers directly. Lock this in with your sales force and drill down on the return on investment and what you need to come away with to ensure marketing actions in the future are guided by what you see and hear at the shows. The best way to look at spending time and money at trade shows is to know your audience well. At least a few times, I have turned my clients away from the usual trade shows in their industry to others where their actual customers can be found. (For example, a building company focused on modular housing is at a home show versus an architectural show where their builders reside). You can conduct Google searches to make sure your brand appears prominently in search results. The goal is to establish your presence and build relationships with your audience – make them aware you exist.

Consideration Stage

As customers enter the Consideration stage, they start comparing different options and evaluating what each company can offer them. Encourage potential customers to visit your website to find detailed information about your offerings. Provide blogs and comparison charts that highlight the unique benefits of your products or services. Share reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers to build credibility and trust. Equip your sales team with comprehensive sales materials emphasizing your brand's unique value propositions, helping customers see why they should choose you over your competitors.

Interest Stage

Customers who show interest delve deeper into specific offerings, seeking detailed information and weighing the pros and cons. Engage with potential customers by following them on social media and encouraging them to subscribe to your email list. Implement customization automation to tailor your communications to their specific needs and interests. Send personalized email promotions to keep them engaged and informed. This stage is about building trust and ensuring that customers feel confident in moving forward with your company.

Purchase Stage

Once customers are ready to purchase, they seek assurance of value and support. Maintain a well-organized flyer and merchandising calendar to ensure timely follow-ups and meetings. Produce a marketing calendar to keep track of key dates and events to wrap your promotions around. Use a customer resource management tool (CRM) to manage customer interactions and streamline purchasing. Send service emails and surveys to gather feedback and address any concerns promptly. At this stage, you aim to facilitate a smooth and reassuring purchase experience.

Retention Stage

After the purchase, customers evaluate their experience and the value they get from it. Continue supporting them with follow-up service emails and surveys to gather feedback and address ongoing needs. Conduct market research to stay informed about industry trends and customer preferences. Use the ABC priority schedule to prioritize follow-up actions based on customer importance. Engage customers with demos, product offerings, and exclusive events to enhance their experience further. Focus on long-term satisfaction and value creation by emphasizing the customer's lifetime value.

Loyalty Stage

As customers strongly prefer your brand and products, your focus should shift to maintaining and nurturing this loyalty. Introduce new products or services to meet their evolving needs, keeping them engaged and invested in your brand. Organize loyalty events that reward and recognize their continued support. Offer partnership and co-pack opportunities to create deeper collaborations. Implement a loyalty program to incentivize repeat business and referrals. This stage is about reinforcing their positive experience and making them feel valued.

Advocacy Stage

Finally, when customers become enthusiastic promoters of your brand, you reach the Advocacy stage. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive Google reviews and engage with your brand socially. Use these advocates to create new awareness cycles by sharing their success stories and positive experiences. Engage them in your marketing efforts by involving them in blogs, testimonials, and case studies. This stage not only brings in new potential customers but also reinforces the loyalty of existing ones, creating a virtuous cycle of advocacy.

The Marketing Customer Journey Map is a strategic tool that helps you understand and anticipate customer needs at each stage of their journey. You can create more personalized and effective engagement strategies by aligning your interactions with the customer's mindset. Solid research and planning are foundational to this process, ensuring that every step is intentional and geared toward building lasting customer relationships. Following this structured path enhances the likelihood of producing sales opportunities and fosters long-term loyalty and advocacy. By mastering this journey, you will be well-equipped to turn prospects into loyal advocates for your brand in no time.

In part 3 of this series, we want to bring sales and marketing together to study how these journeys overlap and work together for optimal results. Stay tuned for next week. I think you will really enjoy this last installment!

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