Customer journeys: do you know your customers?

A customer journey will look different for each business. For example, a B2C clothing retailer has a short sales process with one individual. Contrast that with a B2B company that manufactures and supplies hospital equipment to major health services, and you’ll see what we’re getting at.

But there are things all customer journeys do have in common. You can typically map them to three specific stages:

• Awareness, the point at which your customer is aware that they have a problem or a need and is seeking more information
• Consideration, the stage where your customer is discovering the ways and methods of tackling their problem or meeting their need
• Decision, the stage at which your customer picks a provider and makes a purchase

Awareness: know the problem, establish yourself as a solution

You have to know what your ideal customer looks like. (Not sure how? Check out our blog on customer personas!) Pick out some information about this ideal customer in order to understand them better. Consider things like:

• The problem or need that is going to throw them into your path! Make sure you know what your value proposition is and to whom it applies.
• Their values, motives and goals
• Are they already likely to be educated about your specific niche? What are their existing opinions or misconceptions likely to be?

Once you understand their situation, you’re better able to position your business as a credible authority and a source of useful information. This isn’t likely to be the best time for a hard sell, since for most of us the sales process is going to need multiple interactions—you’ll see magic numbers of “touch points” anywhere between seven and twelve cited online, but the truth is that, like most things, the number of interactions you need to maximise conversion is variable! It depends on product, complexity and timeline.

At this stage, there are specific ideas you need to communicate to your prospects to ensure they take you seriously and view your company as legitimate, credible and trustworthy, like:

• You understand their problem or need
• Your business is aligned with their goals, values and motives
• You can help them learn more about this topic, and your collateral is educational for them without being sales-y, challenging or intimidating

Consideration: know the types of solutions on the market and where you fit in

Your ideal customer is now considering what methods of meeting their need or fixing their problem actually exist—and it’s likely that there’s a range of methods, solutions and products, and that your product is one of many. At the consideration stage, your ideal customer is thinking of things like:

• Researching those specific solutions and categories of product, which includes yours and your direct competitors
• The pros and cons of different approaches—for example, effectiveness for their own needs versus the complexity of the solution
• Deciding on the kind of solution that’s right for them

At this stage, you’ll need to consider what you’re doing to position your service most favourably. Ask yourself questions like:

• Do you have an institution-wide understanding of how your service works in comparison to other kinds of solutions? For example, do you or your staff understand the differences between shorter- and longer-term solutions? Or one-off purchases versus ongoing subscriptions?
• How are other businesses in the market positioning themselves, and what makes yours different?
• Are you able to provide resources to help customers in their consideration at this stage? This is a good time to be sure you’re making direct contact and keeping your business at front of mind. It’s also a good time to introduce more in-depth collateral if you’ve got it, like whitepapers or guides.

Decision: customers choose and purchase—make sure they choose you

If you’re responding to all these points, then we bet you already know how you’re positioned and what your customers are thinking of you in this stage. Now is the time to address the nitty-gritty of the sale, like:

• Are there concerns that customers often raise at this point?
• What needs to happen for your customer to actually make this purchase? Are there legal obligations? Training requirements?
• What do your ideal customers like about your solution?

If you can answer these, then you can make it easier for your customers to choose you.

• Get ready to answer any concerns. You have strong product and industry knowledge, so put it to use.
• Keep in mind exactly why it is that your ideal customers love your product and incorporate it when you remind them of your unique value proposition.
• Smooth out the buying process for your customers. Can you help with organising training, or facilitating relationships with your customer success team, or offering guidance?

Lastly, although it’s not always a traditional part of the customer journey, it’s pretty important to mention: treating your customers well after you’ve closed a deal is how you make sure they trust you and they stay loyal.

Loyal customers are both likely to buy again and stick with your service, and much more likely to refer other customers to you. Both of those are easy wins for you, so make sure you follow up, check in and value the relationships you’ve built with your customers.