There is hardly any business that doesn’t know that every consumer goes through quite a few stages until they reach the decision to make a purchase. These stages, better known as the consumer journey, can be planned and managed with the right marketing strategy.
To move the target audience from brand awareness to conversion and loyalty, building a comprehensive marketing concept is necessary. This includes detailed audience segmentation, optimal resource allocation and selecting the most appropriate digital channels for each stage of the sales funnel.
What are these key stages of the consumer journey and what strategies work best in each of them, we will tell more in this article.
What is a customer journey and why is it important?
Before we begin, let’s discuss in more detail what exactly a customer journey is and why it’s important to know it well.
The customer journey is the process a potential customer goes through – from initial awareness of a product or service to making a purchase decision and building a long-term relationship with the brand.
However, this is far from a straightforward process. Customers search for information, compare options and interact with brands in different ways. That’s why it’s important to communicate relevantly. In other words, your tone, goals and digital channels at each stage should be different in order to achieve optimal quality marketing.
Moreover, by constantly monitoring customer behavior and analyzing data, you can adapt your marketing strategies in real time, optimize content and increase the rate of successful conversions.
The better you adapt to your audience’s needs at each stage, the more effective your customer acquisition and retention strategy will be. A relevantly cared customer will become loyal and even a brand ambassador.
And it costs more to get a new customer than to keep one…
Now let’s see what the key stages are and which digital channels are most appropriate for interactions at each stage.
1. Awareness – How to attract the user’s attention?
In the first stage of the customer journey, the key goal is to introduce potential customers to the brand and spread the word about the product or service.
To reach new audiences, you need to leverage effective digital channels, offer value, and create engaging content.
For this purpose, suitable digital channels are:
SEO optimized articles and useful blog content with quality link building can help users discover the brand organically through searches for specific keywords or a specific problem. In this way, moving to the next stage of the funnel is easier;
Social media such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok are also great digital channels for increasing awareness and engagement;
Video marketing on YouTube, Reels and TikTok is an excellent way to present short stories, useful tips and demonstrations;
Paid ads on Google Display, Instagram and Facebook Ads (Meta) allow targeting the exact target audience;
Influencer marketing can help you reach new potential customers and increase brand trust through the authority of popular personalities.
2. Consideration – How to engage and inform users?
Every next step in the sales process leads to the closing of the sales funnel, so in this second stage, communication becomes a bit more targeted. Here it is important to deepen the relationship with potential customers by providing them with more information about your product or service and assuring them of its quality.
This is the moment when you need to gain the customer’s trust and make them sure that they can find a solution to their problem or need with you.
For this purpose, suitable digital channels are:
Email marketing is an effective tool for sending useful information and special offers;
Retargeting campaigns in Google Ads and Facebook Ads allow you to target users who have already visited your website or interacted with your content on social media;
Webinars and podcasts are a great way to share expert knowledge and engage your audience;
Case studies and reviews demonstrate real results and customer successes;
Comparison articles and product reviews help users in the selection process.
3. Decision – How to facilitate conversion?
At this stage, consumers need to be motivated to complete the purchase and make a final decision. This is the moment when you need to be more precise in tracking the user journey and communicating at a more specific level.
For this purpose, suitable digital channels are:
PPC ads on Google Search help to reach users who are looking for a specific solution;
SEO-optimized landing pages with a clear call-to-action (CTA) increase conversion rates;
Personalised offers and discounts such as limited promotions, guarantees and free trial periods encourage consumers to make a purchase;
Social proof in the form of customer reviews and testimonials further boost brand credibility.
4. Retention – How to keep customers active
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The so-called Post-sale stage is another key moment where you either lose the customer in the vast competitive market or retain them. Once the desired conversion has taken place, it is important to keep the customer engaged and satisfied.
For this purpose, suitable digital channels are:
Email marketing with personalised offers and recommendations based on previous purchases is an effective communication channel;
Loyalty programmes that offer points, rewards and exclusive offers, incentivise repeat purchases;
Polling and collecting feedback allows for improvement of the services offered and shows concern for the personal opinion of the customer;
Fast and efficient support and service plays a key role in audience retention.
Regular blog content, newsletters and videos also help maintain interest in the brand.
5. Loyalty – How to turn customers into brand ambassadors?
To build a long-term relationship with customers, we need to encourage their loyalty and commitment. They could also become an excellent tool to attract more new audiences.
For this purpose suitable digital channels are:
Referral programs offer stimulus for customers who recommend the brand to their family, friends and acquaintances.
User-generated content (UGC), content created by users, can be used as organic and paid advertising for products and services.
Exclusive offers for loyal customers contribute to building a stronger brand relationship.
Encouraging customers to leave comments, ratings and reviews increases the credibility of the company.
Conclusion
Knowing and strategically planning communication with target audiences along the customer journey is key for any business. By choosing the right digital channels, the right content, and a relevant tone in every part of the sales funnel, you ensure successful closed marketing campaigns and customers.
Combining different approaches and optimizing them for consumer behavior will help you increase engagement, sales and brand loyalty.
If you want to build an effective multi-component marketing strategy that takes your customers through the entire consumer journey, Createx marketers are here to help.
Whether it’s a company website, online store, social media page, advertising campaign, email marketing or personal blog, you can contact us.
If you are on a Threshold of starting your own business and you need a comprehensive way to build, market and advertise your products or services, StartUp pack is an opportunity to get everything in one place.
