It May Be Your Sales Funnel, But It’s Their Decision Journey:

The Customer’s Journey De-mystified

Truly compelling content increases response and revenue. The reason it’s been hard to create that kind of content might be because we’re focusing on techniques and tools and media ― instead of on our customers. Or I should say: instead of on our human-to-human relationships with our customers.

Truly compelling content increases response and revenue. But one of the biggest obstacles in creating compelling content might be found in a surprising place: It’s in our marketing plans.

The problem for many companies is that we have too many options of things we could do to bring in new customers. Then we’re told that we’re supposed to become masters of them all!

It’s exhausting just considering the number of possible media and techniques we could leverage, let alone trying to implement them.?

So we spread ourselves too thin, doing too much in too little time …. and don’t have the energy to give our content the attention it deserves. We just bang stuff out and check it off our list.

So, the first thing to remember is: A good marketing plan is simply the most effective way to bring in new customers … depending on the realities of our time, team, and budget.

It doesn’t have to impress anybody else. An effective marketing plan can actually be very simple. All it needs to do is attract leads, nurture them, then convert them.

Shift our Funnel Focus

The reason that’s been harder to do than to say is because we’ve been focusing on the wrong thing. We’ve been focusing on techniques and tools and media, rather than on our customers.

We’ve been taught to ‘believe’ in sales funnels ― where we pull people in and push people through OUR funnel. Working within this ‘philosophy’, we can get desperate ‘to bring in more leads and sales’.

But that tilts us in the direction of creating ‘business communications that sell’ instead of human-to-human connections that build trust. Since we know that building trust is what naturally inspires people to buy, why would we want to do anything else?

With that in mind, we can see that the key to creating human-to-human connections ― through truly compelling content ― begins in the marketing plans we put into action.

Mindset Shift #1 ― Honoring Their Decision Journey

There’s a lot of discussion in the business world about ‘the customer journey’ as a concept or goal.

I’m going to take you further into it with a step-by-step process.

The Decision Journey

Let’s consider the stories of Harry Potter and Star Wars. Harry starts out as a muggle (or so his aunt and uncle would have him believe). Luke Skywalker starts out as a humble farm boy on a desert planet. There’s something terribly wrong in both of their worlds. And their journeys are about mastering new knowledge and skills so they can help make their world (or universe) a better place.

This is a metaphor for your audience’s Decision Journey: Your audience is in The Wounded Land (on the upper right) This is their “ordinary world.” They are mired in a problem; something is broken; they can’t achieve what they want … all because you’re not in their life.

They are struggling with something and have no idea that your solution could fix it.

Then, the Call to Adventure (your first touchpoint with them) wakes them up to the fact that you exist and that there just might be a new and better way to end their struggle.

That begins The Quest. Now they’re looking for a solution to what’s missing in their life. (Heads up: You’re not the only game in town; they may be considering other options.)

The Elixir.… This is your solution. And the best-case scenario is that this is the thing your audience is looking for during their Quest.

[By the way: Being The Elixir is no small potatoes. They’ve got a big problem. And no one can solve it the way you can.]

Once they buy your Elixir … don’t forget about them! Help them Master your Elixir. Help them learn how to use it to their best advantage. That’s what all good Mentors do. That’s what Obi-Wan and Yoda … and Gandalf and Hamish did for their Heroes.

And once your customer has Mastered how to use The Elixir? Their world is a better place; their Wounded Land is Healed. (Harry destroyed He Who Could Not Be Named; Luke makes that million-to-one shot and destroys the Death Star, and Katniss defeats The Capitol.)

That’s the story of transformation of all Decision Journeys.

SIDEBAR: if this all looks familiar to you, then you’re familiar with Joseph Campbell’s work and the hero’s journey. Yes, The HERO Method is deeply inspired by Joseph Campbell’s work and I highly recommend his book, “The Hero with a Thousand Faces.”

The bottom line of The Decision Journey

Create a marketing plan based on where your prospects and customers are in THEIR decision-making process. That’s the starting point for you to humanly and authentically stay connected with them. That human connection is the key to building trust … and trust is the key to increasing response and revenue.

Mindset Shift #2 ― You’re Their Mentor, Not The Hero

The Hero in the story is always transformed by The Journey. Harry is transformed from mere muggle to mighty wizard. Luke is transformed from farm boy to Jedi Knight.

Who’s the one who is transformed in your story? Your audience is. That’s why The Hero in your story is your audience.

That’s a big mindset shift, but it’s an important one. ??

When we take the spotlight off ourselves and turn around 180-degrees, we can see that The Hero is our audience who’s on The Quest for a solution to what’s ailing them.

AND … your solution is The Elixir they seek.

The Mentor’s role during The Decision Journey

No Hero in any story ever succeeds without a Mentor.?? It just never happens. That’s how important your role is.

Think in terms of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Dumbledore, and Hamish. They all offered their Heroes helpful insight, advice, and training. At every step of their Heroes’ journeys, these Mentors helped their Heroes learn to use the “Elixir” (whether that be The Force, The Arts of Wizardry, or How to Win the Games). In doing so, these Mentors played a key role in Healing their Wounded Land. Together, the Hero and Mentor are able to accomplish what they alone could never do.

When it comes to creating truly compelling content, you are your Heroes’ Mentor … shining a light on your Heroes’ Decision Journey every step of their way.

That’s why every piece of content you create ― for every touchpoint in your Heroes’ Decision Journey ― needs to convey the voice of Mentor. At every step, keep offering your Heroes helpful insight and advice that supports them in moving forward in their Decision Journey.

Tips for Creating Compelling Content for Your Heroes’ Decision Journeys

1. Review your marketing plan (and sales funnel). Consider the marketing and sales process as a Decision Journey. Start by testing a simple Decision Journey framework with the intention to support your audience (your Heroes) at every step of their Decision Journey. Create compelling, human-to-human (H2H) content at every touchpoint they have with you in this test journey ― from the first introduction (in Their Wounded Land) to loyal customer (The Healed Land).
2. Create a DO-ABLE flow of projects given the realities of your time and team and budget. Plan your test Decision Journey Framework so you have the time and resources to do a great job of creating H2H connections with your Heroes throughout Their Decision Journey.
3. Test and measure everything you can ... then do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. I’m sure this is not a new concept to you, but it’s one we too often put off ‘until later’. To better support our Heroes in their Decision Journey, this is invaluable feedback. It is often said, “Market research cannot tell you a fraction of what the actual market can.” Your Heroes are speaking to you through their response (or lack thereof). Listen to them and respond accordingly.

?Here’s what my years of experience working with The HERO Method have taught me: When your intention for every piece of content is to support your Heroes in their Decision Journey. When you set aside the impulse to try to Sell More Stuff. That’s when you build relationships built on trust … and that’s when more of your Heroes end up feeling that the choice is clear. They FEEL more connected to you and your solution than to any of your competitors. And because of that, more of them choose you … and more of them become loyal to you and how you help make the world a better place.

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About the Author: Kathryn Gillett is the creator of The HERO Method, and author of two best-selling books on the subject. The HERO Method combines neuroscience and the power of story to create compelling content that has proven to measurably increase response and revenue.

#content #salesenablement #story

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