Are You Prepared for the Journey?
J is for Journey
A few days back, I recorded a video about the customer journey and the importance knowing what that is.
Knowing the journey a business owner is going to take to become your customer is essential. (A Google search on the ‘Importance of mapping out the customer journey’ returned 833,000,000 results).
So, it’s important, right?
Yet, why are so many micro and small business crap at doing it? (Us included).
Interestingly, as part of the research for this blog, I found that very little of this collective wisdom seems to be directed at this end of the business spectrum, yet micro and small business up to 49 employees make up 34% of total business turnover, according to the House of Commons business statistics published in 2022.
Just think how much more of a contribution we all could make if we all pulled up our big boy and girl pants and mapped out this customer journey.
What exactly is a Customer Journey?
It is mapping out the combination of all the touchpoints your eventual customer’s interactions with you and your brand, starting from before they even know of your existence, then getting to know you, building trust with you, considering whether you can help them, to then purchasing and then the experience you give them once they are your customer.
This long journey and needs to be broken down into smaller component parts and we have created the ABCDE model to help this process:
How are they going to get to know you exist?
That could be through networking, your website, the articles and blogs you write, the advertisements you run, a webinar, the list goes on. You need to be clear on where you are going to put your marketing efforts.
You need to consider every possible way that you and your team can start conversations with those businesses that are currently out of your marketing scope and explore ways of bringing them into your world.
Awareness - How are they going to get to know you exist?
That could be through networking, your website, the articles and blogs you write, the advertisements you run, a webinar, the list goes on. You need to be clear on where you are going to put your marketing efforts. You need to consider every possible way that you and your team can start conversations with those businesses that are currently out of your marketing scope and explore ways of bringing them into your world.
Befriending - Once they are aware of you, how can you develop that relationship?
Befriending is a two-way street. They have to be interesting to you if you are going to build any kind of friendship so explore any common ground you may have. Your interest in them must be genuine, otherwise the other party will see through your approaches and will be unlikely to engage with you. Work with people that you find interesting. However, if you do find that mutual interest, then that relationship can and will build and a trust will start to be created between you both.
Consideration - What should you be talking about that will trigger a response from them?
Researching their current needs is essential to start to understand how you can help them, and once you have a degree of trust, they will be happy to talk to you about their needs for their business and themselves. This is when you can start assessing where your product or service could support them most in their business and they will be impressed to hear that you’ve taken the time to give it thought. Even if you don’t believe there is anything you can directly support them with at this moment, you may know someone else that you could introduce to, them that would. That referral will also strengthen your relationship.
Also remember that even if they don’t need your service now, they may do in the future so keep their details in your database. Expect them to be doing the same and starting conversations with you about their services. They are wanting to grow their business as well.
Decision - They have decided to buy from you. Hoorah!
What steps are you going to take to encourage them to stay? You must remember that at this initial stage, they are testing you out. It’s unlikely they will be taking your premium product, more likely they’ll be fishing to find a low ticket product or service, which they can use as a gauge of the quality you provide. You can celebrate that now they are a customer of yours but this is where you need to be nurturing them. Your onboarding process and the continuing support really matters here. You’ve spent a lot of time and effort convincing them to give you their value in money terms, so now you need to reciprocate with your value of service and fulfilment.
Give them the love at this stage and they will gladly move on to the next.
Endorsement - You have given them great service and they are loving your work.
How are you going to make them want to endorse you? By giving them even more value, you are now creating in them the feeling that you cherish them. If you ask them for endorsements, they will give you them. If you want a testimonial, they’ll be happy to give that as well.
The more you can do for them, the more they will pay you, not just in money but in enhancing your reputation in your market and that is priceless. Just ask any PR expert how much reputation means in business.
Customer Journey - its as easy as ABCDE..
So there you have it, the ABCDE of your Customer Journey and the areas you need to focus on when mapping it out.
Here at the throbbing heart of Be Astute, we now take the mapping out of the Customer Journeys very seriously and now help many organisations build and improve theirs.
If you would like our help in creating or reviewing yours give the button to get in touch.
We’d be delighted to support you in getting yours right.
Julia and Mark /January 2023