Article | 5 minute read
Why You Should Create a Customer Journey Map
Article | 5 minute read
Why You Should Create a Customer Journey Map
Published: 27 February 2023
In this article:
Today's consumers are increasingly discerning and selective, challenging even the most established brands.
But how can you keep customers on your side?
Through a deeper understanding of their needs and motivations, you can create a map of the customer journey tailored to your specific audience.
But that's not the only benefit.
Just when your marketing activities seem to hit the mark, new channels, trends and technologies emerge to take you back to square one. Understanding how customers think, feel and are motivated by can be a challenge.
One study shows that 70% fill their shopping baskets, but don't complete the purchase.
So potential buyers spend time finding the products but lack the motivation to buy them. Why does it take several steps and turns for prospects to become customers, when one step should be enough?
What is a customer journey?
The customer journey describes the process by which customers interact with a brand to fulfil a particular need.
From the moment the customer becomes aware of your brand on social media, for example, to the moment they start subscribing to your newsletter, to the moment they click through to your website.
The customer journey can seem very simple. Brands offer a product or service, which customers then buy.
But it's more complex than that.
A study has shown that 80% of today's consumers value their customer experience as highly as the products they buy.
This shows why it's important to understand the customer journey and tailor it to the target audience. From the moment customers pay attention to your brand to the moment they buy a product, their experience should live up to their expectations.
But it's not enough to just understand the customer journey. You need to visualize the whole process. You do this by making a map of the customer journey.
The map will help you pinpoint the most crucial steps and increase the chances of them making it all the way through the purchase.
Benefits of a customer journey map
Now you may be thinking that this isn't necessary for you and your business.
But when you map out the customer journey step by step with a concrete goal, you have the opportunity to improve both the customer experience and the bottom line. The aim is to solve your customers' problems and meet their needs.
1. Inbound is better than outbound
Instead of focusing on finding customers through outbound marketing, your customers can find your products through inbound marketing.
Outbound marketing requires a lot of resources. By mapping out the customer journey, you can gain a better understanding of both what piques consumers' interest and what causes them to become bored. This will give you clear guidelines for future production.
2. Relevant target audience
If you lack insights into the customer journey, you probably don't have enough information about your target audience. You risk wasting both time and money creating marketing activities that target the wrong audience.
By identifying your target audience's customer journey, motivations and needs, you have more opportunities to create activities that generate results.
3. Customer service that sells
A map of the customer journey says something about the customer experience. It shows you what they're happy with, but also where things can go wrong in the process.
It helps you prevent miscommunication or lack of information through accessible customer service.
Live chats, for example, can improve your customer service. Not least when it comes to accessibility and quick response. It will help you build trust and deepen your relationship with customers.
4. Improve the customer experience
When you have a clear insight into the customer journey, it's easier to identify areas that need improvement. This will lead to more customers staying with you and prevent them from taking an interest in competing businesses.
Research shows that as many as 33% of customers switch brands after a bad experience. That's why it's important to work as preventively as possible.
When you have a clear insight into the customer journey, it's easier to identify areas that need improvement. This will lead to more customers staying with you and prevent them from taking an interest in competing businesses.
A map of the customer journey can identify where things go wrong in the process, making it easier for you to prevent it happening again. In other words, you have the opportunity to stay one step ahead.
5. Create a customer-focused mentality
As your brand grows, it's important not to forget about the core of your success - your customers. It's important that all departments, whether it's marketing, sales or support, are customer-centric in their work.
Wrapping up
Share the customer journey with your employees. A map of the customer journey can usefully be shared with all departments. The advantage of the map is that it defines each step of the customer journey. From first contact to completed purchase. This means that everyone is involved in the process in one way or another and can relate.
A map of the customer journey can help you gain deeper insights into your customers' experiences, motivations and needs. It gives you deeper insights into behaviour and how you can work proactively to both convert them into customers and retain them.
Isn't that enough motivation to get started?
Published: 27 February 2023
In this article:
Today's consumers are increasingly discerning and selective, challenging even the most established brands.
But how can you keep customers on your side?
Through a deeper understanding of their needs and motivations, you can create a map of the customer journey tailored to your specific audience.
But that's not the only benefit.
Just when your marketing activities seem to hit the mark, new channels, trends and technologies emerge to take you back to square one. Understanding how customers think, feel and are motivated by can be a challenge.
One study shows that 70% fill their shopping baskets, but don't complete the purchase.
So potential buyers spend time finding the products but lack the motivation to buy them. Why does it take several steps and turns for prospects to become customers, when one step should be enough?
What is a customer journey?
The customer journey describes the process by which customers interact with a brand to fulfil a particular need.
From the moment the customer becomes aware of your brand on social media, for example, to the moment they start subscribing to your newsletter, to the moment they click through to your website.
The customer journey can seem very simple. Brands offer a product or service, which customers then buy.
But it's more complex than that.
A study has shown that 80% of today's consumers value their customer experience as highly as the products they buy.
This shows why it's important to understand the customer journey and tailor it to the target audience. From the moment customers pay attention to your brand to the moment they buy a product, their experience should live up to their expectations.
But it's not enough to just understand the customer journey. You need to visualize the whole process. You do this by making a map of the customer journey.
The map will help you pinpoint the most crucial steps and increase the chances of them making it all the way through the purchase.
Benefits of a customer journey map
Now you may be thinking that this isn't necessary for you and your business.
But when you map out the customer journey step by step with a concrete goal, you have the opportunity to improve both the customer experience and the bottom line. The aim is to solve your customers' problems and meet their needs.
1. Inbound is better than outbound
Instead of focusing on finding customers through outbound marketing, your customers can find your products through inbound marketing.
Outbound marketing requires a lot of resources. By mapping out the customer journey, you can gain a better understanding of both what piques consumers' interest and what causes them to become bored. This will give you clear guidelines for future production.
2. Relevant target audience
If you lack insights into the customer journey, you probably don't have enough information about your target audience. You risk wasting both time and money creating marketing activities that target the wrong audience.
By identifying your target audience's customer journey, motivations and needs, you have more opportunities to create activities that generate results.
3. Customer service that sells
A map of the customer journey says something about the customer experience. It shows you what they're happy with, but also where things can go wrong in the process.
It helps you prevent miscommunication or lack of information through accessible customer service.
Live chats, for example, can improve your customer service. Not least when it comes to accessibility and quick response. It will help you build trust and deepen your relationship with customers.
4. Improve the customer experience
When you have a clear insight into the customer journey, it's easier to identify areas that need improvement. This will lead to more customers staying with you and prevent them from taking an interest in competing businesses.
Research shows that as many as 33% of customers switch brands after a bad experience. That's why it's important to work as preventively as possible.
When you have a clear insight into the customer journey, it's easier to identify areas that need improvement. This will lead to more customers staying with you and prevent them from taking an interest in competing businesses.
A map of the customer journey can identify where things go wrong in the process, making it easier for you to prevent it happening again. In other words, you have the opportunity to stay one step ahead.
5. Create a customer-focused mentality
As your brand grows, it's important not to forget about the core of your success - your customers. It's important that all departments, whether it's marketing, sales or support, are customer-centric in their work.
Wrapping up
Share the customer journey with your employees. A map of the customer journey can usefully be shared with all departments. The advantage of the map is that it defines each step of the customer journey. From first contact to completed purchase. This means that everyone is involved in the process in one way or another and can relate.
A map of the customer journey can help you gain deeper insights into your customers' experiences, motivations and needs. It gives you deeper insights into behaviour and how you can work proactively to both convert them into customers and retain them.
Isn't that enough motivation to get started?