The importance of customer journeys

One of the first things taught in sales is “consultative selling”, which essentially uses a fictional upside down funnel that is filled consistently with a high volume of new sales prospects. All of the prospects that enter the top of the funnel are now “aware” of your product or service. After several rounds of follow up emails, voicemails, leave behinds and an occasional direct mail piece, some of the individuals in your funnel will hopefully advance to the middle stage of your funnel, the “consideration” stage, where you as the salesperson must now pull out all the stops to convince your prospects that your product or service solves a problem of theirs. After dozens of pitch meetings that ultimately end with your product being too expensive or the decision maker has to consult with their spouse first and stops returning your phone calls, you will hopefully convert one of your prospects into a customer.

 

Congratulations! You’ve converted a prospect into a customer and you’ve officially made a sale.

Many think that this is the end of the customer journey, however it is really just the beginning. What you need to do now is turn your new customer into an advocate for your business or brand. In other words, treat them like family and continue to provide value through your expertise, products and content. Not only will your efforts help you generate repeat business, but also you’ll be introduced to new customers through referrals. The end game is to not earn sales, but continuous trust of your biggest fans, your core customers.

 

Here are some helpful ideas of how you can extend your brand’s customer journey beyond your initial sale:

 

Send a follow up thank you email

A thank you goes a long way. Consider sending a personalized note with a customer satisfaction survey and a referral link to share your products or services with others in their network on social media. Leverage those happy customer experiences into a grassroots marketing campaign of customer testimonials.

 

Check in monthly with recommendations, tips and new product information

Customer data is your friend. If you know a customer purchases fitness gear from your website, consider sending them an email with a free workout plan curated by a fitness expert along with a preview of a new fitness on-demand streaming program that just launched with a special offer for a free trial.

 

Reward loyalty with special offers

It is so important to take care of your customers. Consider rewarding them with special offers, or a gift with purchase on your products or service from time to time.

 

Customers in today’s digital landscape have virtually an unlimited selection of choices. Your effort to engage your customer and provide unmatched customer service on a consistent basis will help your brand stay relevant, top of mind and stand out from your competition.

 

What ways are you engaging your customers before and after a sale? We want to hear from you. Share your insights with us on social media at @Marketwren with the hashtag #MyCustomerJourney and let us know what works for you.