The customer journey, or the buyer’s journey, refers to the sum of the experiences your customers have before deciding to purchase your product or service. It can generally be divided into three stages: Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion. 

The most common mistake we see business owners make is that they hone in on the Conversion stage with little to no interest or investment in the Awareness or Consideration stage. It’s important to remember – and not to mention vital to your overall marketing strategy –  that you must first get your brand in front of your target audience and earn their trust if you wish to convert them to loyal, paying customers. 

Understanding The Three Stages of the Customer Journey 

Awareness: When the customer first learns about your business or product.

Whether it’s through paid advertising, social media, influencers, flyers, billboards, or events, Awareness is the stage where your potential customers are first hearing or reading your business name and/or what you offer. In this stage, your focus is to reach as many people in your target market as possible. You can generally measure your success in this stage by measuring key performance indicators such as impressions, views, or shares. 

Consideration: When the customer becomes interested in your business or product.

Arguably the most important but overlooked stage in the customer journey, Consideration is where you earn your audience’s trust. Now that they know who you are, take the time to share what sets you apart from your competitors. Is it your exceptional customer service? The quality of your products? The affordability? The Consideration stage is also the perfect time to leverage and maximize the potential of any glowing customer reviews you may have stashed away. According to BrightLocal’s 2020 research, 4 out of 5 consumers trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations from family and friends. 

Conversion: When the customer decides to purchase your product or service.

Now that you’ve reached your target audience and earned their trust, it’s time to convert those potential leads into paying customers. Remember to keep the potential barriers to buying (ex: cost) in mind during this stage, and try using language that encourages them to act now, such as “limited time offer”, “free shipping for November”, or even “offer valid while supplies last”. 

Using Your Customer Journey In Your Marketing Messages

Now, let’s put what we’ve learned about the customer journey to practice and craft a successful campaign!

Meet The Client

Roots is a plant shop. The owner of Roots is looking to invest in their marketing efforts to attract new customers. Once Roots has established their target audience, they begin mapping and utilizing their customer journey to craft a campaign centered around Mental Health Awareness Month.  

The Awareness Stage

When: Beginning – Mid April 

How: Roots utilizes Google Ads and social media ads to increase brand awareness. Content on social media platforms and in their newsletter includes messaging about the mental health benefits of owning and caring for houseplants. 

The Consideration Stage

When: Mid – Late April 

How: Roots shares high quality product images of their top selling house plants and glowing reviews to gain the trust of their audience. 

The Conversion Stage

When: Mental Health Awareness Month, May 

How: Roots offers a limited time sale or free shipping for Mental Health Awareness Month, successfully driving conversions. 

Ready to craft a marketing strategy that works? Contact Big Deal Marketing today and start with a FREE audit.