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Let's take a quick jump back to 40 years ago. In 1985, Don Peppers and Ron Zemke were two guys who believed in research and management initiatives; they had initiated customer journey mapping for the telephone company.
They decided to focus on the target audience's pain points and find out how they can be used for marketing. In the early 2010s, the era of data-driven and results-oriented approaches and such technology as the customer journey began the must-have approach for skilled marketers.
Fast forward to today, data-driven strategies are still leading the way, and in 2024-2025, they remain at the forefront of marketing trends, helping businesses tailor their approaches more effectively to customer needs.
Today, the customer journey is a set of habits and patterns of thinking during all customer touchpoints, but let's be detailed. In this article, you can find why you need a customer journey map and how to represent customers' needs and touchpoints with a business visually.
How to Define Customer Journey Stages in a Map
The customer journey typically consists of five key stages: Awareness, Consideration, Decision, Retention, and Advocacy. However, modern customer journeys often include additional stages like Engagement and Experience to account for the increasingly complex digital interactions customers have with brands.
Traditional Customer Journey Stages:
Awareness: The customer becomes aware of a need or problem and starts looking for solutions.
Consideration: The customer evaluates different options and researches products and services.
Decision: The customer chooses a solution and makes a purchase decision.
Retention: Post-purchase, the brand works to retain the customer through follow-ups and added value.
Advocacy: Satisfied customers become brand advocates, recommending the product to others.
Research the steps before the client starts their purchase journey to build more close and trustable relationships. It can be covered by answering the questions:
Why do they even start the journey?
What's happening in their business to trigger their search?
This means that you have to provide such deep research to understand what has been happening in their business, who is involved in such transformation, what the real goals are, and what their sequence is.
It's not about selling your product or services but strategically building a network to understand what interests and motivates your potential clients. This approach will make you feel more strategic and proactive in client relationships.
What can attract their interest and motivate them to learn more about the concern or an opportunity?
Extra Stages:
Engagement: Covers all the interactions customers have with your brand before they make a decision.
Experience: Encompasses post-purchase experiences and how they shape long-term customer satisfaction.
Understanding the customer journey helps you connect with clients by addressing their needs at every stage. But how can you engage with them before they even begin? LinkedIn is a key platform for this.
How to use LinkedIn for building networking with your target audience
Have you ever heard the idea that people trust people, not faceless companies? One of the most effective strategies to build trust and grow your network is to rework your LinkedIn profile to showcase and offer your unique services while focusing on creating content that addresses the pain points of your target audience.
To effectively communicate with your target audience on LinkedIn, follow these key steps:
Optimize Your Profile: Your profile should clearly communicate who you are and how you can help your target audience. Add professional photo and banner with CTA, engaging headline, and concise summary that speaks directly to your target audience. Make sure your experience and skills align with the needs of your audience.
Connect with Intention: Focus on quality over quantity when building connections. Research individuals in your industry, including potential clients, partners, or influencers, and send personalized connection requests explaining why you’re interested in connecting.
Quick tip: Before you start sending connection requests to your audience, engage with their latest posts or comments. This way, you can attract their attention before initiating a full sequence of messages.
Create Relevant Content: Build visibility by engaging your target audience through posts that address their key pain points. It's also important to create various types of content—text posts, videos, carousel images, infographics, etc.—and test which formats perform better in your market. LinkedIn's algorithm is designed so that if your target audience interacts with your content, LinkedIn will show it to a similar audience.
Quick tip: Use tools like ChatGPT to analyze your audience’s pain points and create buyer personas. This helps you craft content that aligns with your target audience’s interests, saving time and resources.
Learn more about using ChatGPT in marketing in the article: ChatGPT Guide: Get Best Results with ChatGPT.
Participate in Groups and Discussions: Join LinkedIn groups relevant to your industry or target market. Actively contribute to discussions by sharing expertise, asking thoughtful questions, and networking with group members.
Follow Up: Networking doesn’t end with a connection request. Send a follow-up message to introduce yourself, mention common interests, and suggest how you could collaborate or help them.
Key Components of a Customer Journey
To map out a customer journey in a best way, it’s important to identify the key components:
Buyer Personas: Who are your customers? Different customer segments may have varying journeys. Building Buyer Personas is another crucial step in developing a marketing strategy.
Goals and Pain Points: What are the customer's objectives, and what challenges do they face?
Touchpoints and Channels: Any interaction between the customer and your brand: websites, social media, influencers, etc.
Content: The information your brand provides at each stage of the journey, like blog posts, product pages, or tutorials.
Emotions: The feelings customers experience as they interact with your brand, from curiosity to frustration to satisfaction.
Identifying Key Customer Touchpoints: 7 Crucial Steps
To identify key touchpoints in the customer journey, businesses must take a strategic and data-driven approach. Catch these 7 key steps to effectively identify and analyze these crucial interactions along the customer journey:
List All Possible Interactions
Make a comprehensive list of all potential customer interactions with your business. These could be online (website, email, social media) or offline (in-store visits, customer service).
Analyze Existing Customer Data
Use CRM systems and analytics tools to see where customers have interacted with your business in the past. This data-driven approach helps highlight key touchpoints.
Survey and Interview Customers
Get direct feedback from your customers. Ask them where they interact with your brand, what stood out, and which touchpoints are most important in their experience.
Identify High-Engagement Channels
Analyze which channels drive the most engagement from your customers. This could be through metrics like click-through rates, interaction frequency, or conversion rates.
Pinpoint Key Decision-Making Moments
Focus on the touchpoints where customers are making critical decisions (e.g., making a purchase, subscribing, or contacting support). These are often the highest impact.
Prioritize Digital and Physical Touchpoints
Ensure that both online (emails, ads, websites) and offline (store visits, events) interactions are considered, as customers often move between these seamlessly.
Refine Based on Customer Feedback
Regularly update your touchpoint map by incorporating feedback and new insights from customers. This ensures your touchpoints remain relevant and optimized for their experience.
Digital Tools for Touchpoint Personalization
HubSpot: A CRM tool that tracks customer interactions and enables personalized follow-ups.
Google Analytics: Understand which touchpoints drive conversions and where customers drop off.
Hotjar: Analyze customer behavior on your website to identify friction points in the digital journey.
Sprout Social: Monitor social media channels to understand how customers interact with your brand across platforms.
How to Map Out the Customer Journey
To create a compelling customer journey map, you should understand the goals and features of your target audience. If you don't know it, please take a step back and find it.If you are ready to be in a team that creates a customer-oriented business approach, let's check out the main steps to create an ideal approach to connecting with your target audience.
Step 1: Collect Data
Start with data from surveys, web analytics, and CRM tools to understand current customer behavior. You can track specific client behavior using heatmaps, GoogleAnalytics, etc. Additionally, a tried-and-true approach for analyzing data is by conducting funnel and customer path analysis.
Step 2: Identify Personas
Build buyer personas to represent your different customer segments. Customer segmentation helps you get to know your customers better by grouping them into categories based on factors like their behavior, interests, location, demographics, and more. It’s all about understanding who they are and what makes them tick so you can connect with them in a more meaningful way.
Step 3: Outline Stages
Divide the customer journey into key stages, from awareness to advocacy.
To truly understand your potential client, it's crucial to view each step of their journey from their perspective.
This approach not only helps you get to know them better but also enables you to think like them—uncovering their concerns and figuring out the kind of content you need to create.
Here’s a key tip: if you answer these six questions at each stage of the buyer's journey, you’ll be able to craft content that resonates perfectly:
What information are they searching for?
Where are they searching for this information?
Who do they turn to for advice?
How can we positively influence their decisions?
What actions should we take?
What kind of content can we create to meet their needs?
By addressing these questions, you'll develop content that truly connects with your audience at each touchpoint.
Step 4: Map Touchpoints
Identify every point of interaction between your brand and customers.
To make the customer journey mapping process not only effective but also enjoyable and user-friendly, it’s essential to utilize modern tools designed for this purpose.
Customer journey mapping tools help you clearly identify and visualize the various stages of your customers' journey, making it easier to understand their experiences and optimize touchpoints.
To make the mapping process faster and easier, I truly recommend using the relevant tools.
Here is a list of the 5 best customer journey mapping tools to grow your business. Luckily for you, we've researched these tools for you and highlighted their pros and cons so you can make informed decisions.
Pros:
Highly intuitive and user-friendly interface, great for collaboration.
Extensive customer journey map template library, including customer journey maps and personas.
Real-time collaboration with team members, allowing simultaneous editing.
Cons:
Limited offline functionality; works best with a stable internet connection.
It can become cluttered when working on large or complex maps.
Requires a paid plan to access advanced features, which might be costly for smaller teams.
Pros:
Tailored specifically for customer journey mapping with templates and persona creation.
Integrates with other tools (e.g., Google Drive), offering easy sharing and exporting.
Offers real-time collaboration for remote teams.
Cons:
Limited customization options compared to general design tools.
Some advanced features are available only in higher-priced plans.
Pros:
Dedicated to journey mapping, offering specialized features such as persona creation and stakeholder maps.
Easy to share and collaborate with clients and team members through export options.
Provides structured layouts that help keep maps visually clean and professional.
Cons:
Less flexible for general use beyond customer journey mapping.
Limited design customization may only suit users who want partial creative control.
Pricing can be a barrier for small teams or freelancers.
Pros:
Simple drag-and-drop interface, easy for beginners to use.
Integrates well with other platforms such as Jira and Confluence, making it ideal for teams already using those tools.
Good for creating a variety of diagrams, not just customer journey maps.
Cons:
Limited template options specifically for customer journey mapping.
Collaboration features are basic compared to more advanced tools like Miro or Lucidchart.
It can feel outdated compared to newer tools with more modern interfaces.
Pros:
Flexible and versatile tool with a wide range of diagramming options, including customer journey maps.
Strong collaboration features that allow multiple users to work on a document simultaneously.
Easy integration with other platforms such as Google Drive, Slack, and Microsoft Office.
Cons:
Complex for beginners; the learning curve can be steep for users unfamiliar with diagramming tools.
Advanced features require a paid plan, which may not be suitable for all budgets.
It can become visually overwhelming when working with complex or large-scale maps.
How to Choose the Right Customer Journey Mapping Tool
Team Collaboration: If real-time collaboration is key, Miro and Lucidchart are great options.
Specialized Needs: UXPressia and Smaply are best for dedicated journey mapping with persona creation.
Ease of Use: Gliffy offers simplicity, ideal for beginners or teams using tools like Jira or Confluence.
Customization: For more flexibility and creative control, Lucidchart and Miro excel.
Budget: Consider pricing, as advanced features often require paid plans. Choose a tool that fits your needs and budget.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Digital Customer Journey
Customer journey mapping is like a vitamin intake plan: sometimes it is not very clear, you need to know and mix the composition and quantity exactly and take it only after analyzing your current health condition.
But if you foresee all the pitfalls, you can get good results quickly. Let's look at the most common pitfalls of journey mapping and how to avoid them.
Overcomplicating the Journey Map: Keep it simple and actionable. A bloated customer journey map can be overwhelming and hard to implement.
Ignoring Post-Purchase Stages: Many marketers focus too much on pre-purchase stages, neglecting retention and advocacy.
Failure to Update the Map: Customer behaviors and preferences change over time. Regular updates are crucial.
Not Segmenting Customers: One-size-fits-all approaches don’t work. Each customer segment may have a unique journey.
Neglecting Emotions: Failing to account for the emotional state of your customers at each stage can result in missed opportunities for engagement.
Strategies for Optimizing Pre-Purchase Touchpoints
Personalized Content: Tailor content based on the stage the customer is in. For example, use educational blog posts for those in the awareness stage and product comparisons for the consideration stage.
Targeted Ads: Use digital tools like Google Ads and social media targeting to show relevant offers based on the customer’s behavior.
Streamlined Website UX: Ensure your website is user-friendly, with clear CTAs and easy navigation. A good digital customer journey should minimize friction.
Post-Purchase Touchpoint Strategies for Lasting Engagement
Follow-Up Emails: Send personalized emails thanking the customer and offering additional value (e.g., tutorials, special offers).
Loyalty Programs: Incentivize repeat purchases with point-based or tiered rewards. For instance, “4-Level Loyalty Program for registered users.”
Customer Support: Offer excellent post-purchase support through live chat, phone, and self-service knowledge bases.
Community Engagement: Create social media communities or forums where customers can engage with your brand and each other.
Customer Journey Map Examples for B2B and B2C Business
B2B Customer Journey Map Example: SaaS Software Purchase
Awareness:
Touchpoint: Targeted LinkedIn ads and industry webinars
Customer Action: The potential customer recognizes a problem in their business operations and begins exploring solutions.
Customer Emotion: Curious and eager to find improvements.
Business Goal: Raise awareness about the SaaS product's ability to solve common operational issues.
Consideration:
Touchpoint: Product website with case studies and demos
Customer Action: Evaluating different software providers by comparing features and reading reviews.
Customer Emotion: Analyzing pros and cons, seeking validation from other customers' experiences.
Business Goal: Provide compelling content that showcases the software’s value.
Decision:
Touchpoint: Direct sales consultation and product demo
Customer Action: Customer participates in a product demo and discusses pricing with the sales team.
Customer Emotion: Hesitant but leaning towards a solution.
Business Goal: Overcome objections and offer tailored solutions to close the deal.
Retention:
Touchpoint: Follow-up emails and onboarding support
Customer Action: Customers start using the product and receive training materials.
Customer Emotion: Confident but still adjusting to the new software.
Business Goal: Ensure smooth onboarding and offer ongoing support to foster loyalty.
B2C Customer Journey Map Example: E-commerce Purchase of Skincare Products
Awareness:
Touchpoint: Instagram ad and influencer promotion
Customer Action: The customer becomes aware of a skincare product via social media ads and posts by influencers they follow.
Customer Emotion: Intrigued and curious about the product’s benefits.
Business Goal: Attract attention and build interest through visually appealing promotions.
Consideration:
Touchpoint: Product page with reviews and tutorials
Customer Action: Customer visits the website to explore the product, watches tutorial videos, and reads customer reviews.
Customer Emotion: Considering how the product fits their skincare routine.
Business Goal: Provide enough information and social proof to nudge the customer closer to a purchase.
Decision:
Touchpoint: Checkout page with discount offer
Customer Action: Customer decides to buy the product after receiving a limited-time discount offer.
Customer Emotion: Excited about the purchase.
Business Goal: Drive conversions through incentives and a seamless checkout experience.
Retention:
Touchpoint: Post-purchase email with tips and loyalty rewards
Customer Action: Customer receives a thank-you email with skincare tips and a loyalty points offer.
Customer Emotion: Satisfied and engaged, likely to become a repeat customer.
Business Goal: Encourage future purchases through personalized engagement and rewards.
Aligning Marketing Campaigns with the Customer Journey
To ensure your marketing campaigns resonate with customers at every stage of their journey, it’s crucial to tailor your messaging to fit the specific phase they’re in.
For example, during the awareness stage, your messaging should focus on highlighting the problem your product solves, whereas in the retention phase, emphasizing loyalty rewards might be more effective.
Additionally, aligning your campaigns across multiple channels ensures consistency, whether it's through Facebook ads, emails, or landing pages.
Finally, make data-driven decisions by leveraging tools like Google Analytics and CRM data to track how each marketing effort impacts various stages, allowing you to refine your strategy accordingly.
Summary
Mastering the customer journey stages is crucial for optimizing each interaction and maximizing impact for B2B and B2C marketers. Businesses that want to grow and maximize profit can better align their marketing efforts with customer needs by identifying key touchpoints.
Effective customer journey mapping requires deep research into customer motivations, utilizing tools like Miro, UXPressia, and Lucidchart to visualize and streamline the process.
Businesses can enhance customer satisfaction and build lasting relationships by tailoring content and campaigns to each journey stage, analyzing customer data, and continuously refining strategies.