Insights

Understand the user journey for better business decisions

Organizations can create content to help customers go through the stages of the user journey, from the first touch to the post-sale phase, by understanding these phases.

Marketing and sales leaders frequently refer to the user journey when creating strategies and roadmaps since it refers to all of the interactions that customers have with a company. Together, a website, a CRM platform, and marketing automation software may give businesses information about the paths taken by their consumers and allow them to optimize each step of the process.

What is a user journey?

According to the definition in the book, a user journey is the series of interactions a consumer has with a business while procuring a good or service. It takes into account the entire interaction roadmap, from brand discovery to purchasing and beyond, to put it simply.

5 Things about User Journey to Help You Better Understand Your Customers

Awareness phase

The majority of potential consumers begin at the awareness stage when a user has an issue or need and searches for a solution. Customers are currently mostly looking for informational articles regarding products that could help them with their difficulties.

Organizations should refrain from excessively pushing products on customers since these consumers prefer instructional thought leadership to promotional or product-oriented insights. Instead, by outlining benefits, marketing teams may demonstrate how their products can meet client needs. Online advertisements and educational promotions like white papers and e-books are typical marketing strategies for this stage.

Consideration phase

Customers contrast one company’s offerings with those of its rivals during the consideration stage. Organizations can help audience engagement by using blog material, success stories, email nurturing programs, and webinar or event registrations.

As CX teams interact with customers, they can emphasize the features that their goods and services provide so that customers are more aware of the advantages. Prospects may actively interact with companies they are already considering during this period.

In the end, marketing teams may assist consumers in moving into the following phase of the customer journey if they can resolve significant difficulties that prospects have. In this stage, marketing teams must switch from a high-level and instructive tone to a more specific one.

Purchase/ Decision phase

As they consistently gather and nurture leads, the first two phases place a great burden on marketing teams. When a brand-engaged person reaches the decision- or purchase phase, they are ready to interact with sales or support engineers as a marketing-qualified lead.

Sometimes, if they initially ask for demos, quotations, or to talk with a sales professional, individuals start the customer journey in this phase. These people might complete a contact form for a company or other conversion points farther down the sales funnel, such as a paid advertisement that targets the bottom of the funnel.

Retention phase

Following a sale, the final two stages of the customer journey take place. Sales personnel frequently close the deals, onboard the clients, and then wait for a cross-selling or renewal opportunity before engaging with them. Successful businesses, on the other hand, continue to engage with and market to their customers, increasing the possibility that repeat business will result in a greater customer lifecycle value.

Companies might develop a loyalty program or knowledge base FAQ during the retention phase. They also routinely update clients on company or product advancements. Additionally, businesses might arrange frequent product training sessions or extend their promotions throughout the customer lifecycle. Increased customer involvement, customer value, and education can all result from regular communication. Read more: Starbucks loyalty program

Advocacy phase

Great CX comes after strong customer advocacy. Customers who have positive interactions with a company’s goods or services might become ardent defenders of the brand.

Organizations should be aware of the expectations of new clients while onboarding them. Customers are more likely to support an organization if they can identify its objectives and gauge its success. Consumers who are happy enhance the number of potential customers who hear about those experiences and could think about using that business for their own requirements.

Conclusion

Marketing teams can identify the right content, dialogue, or tone to capture customer engagement at each stage, and can create new ones if they know where each consumer stands in the user journey. 

Positive CX may be ensured by sales and marketing teams who are aware of how customers react at various phases. Businesses that comprehend the customer journey from the customer’s perspective can spot weaknesses in existing strategies, pinpoint what works, and change specific phases or upcoming campaigns.

The company, the product, or the service evolves together with the customer journey. Understanding the customer journey can help firms respond and make necessary adjustments as consumer wants and demands evolve. Working with prospects and customers to gain their input can help a team make better decisions and develop CX strategies in the future.

If you are still unclear about the user journey, please contact us for the most in-depth and thoughtful advice.