Grow Your Customer Base: The Important 5-Step Process Of The Customer Journey

A large customer base is what you need as a successful business, but what attracts new customers, and how do you make sure they stick to your brand? Well, in this article, we look at the customer journey, also known as ‘the customer buying process.’ By understanding this journey, you will find it easier to grow your lead generation, make sure that the public is aware of your business’s brand, and sales strategies will become more thought out and well-planned for success.

Up next, we peel open all the layers of the customer journey and show you how can use them in the most effective way to grow your business.

1. Identifying a problem or need awareness

When purchasing products and/or services, consumers will consider their problems and needs. When looking at psychology, there is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which places food, sleep, water and sex as people’s number one need, followed by security, love and belonging, status, intellectual stimulation and exploration, and finally order, harmony and beauty. 

Needs and problems can also be triggered through external stimuli when scrolling through Facebook and Instagram and seeing ads, noticing Google search ads, as well as through word of mouth. 

2. Collecting data

Once consumers identify their problems and needs, they will then gather as much information as possible about certain product or services. They will look at reviews, videos on YouTube, blogs, as well as through word of mouth.

These days, most people go online to research products and services. As a growing business, you should take advantage of this with the help of effective SEO services that will help consumers become more aware of you and your brand.

3. Looking at the alternatives

When consumers look for a product or service and have collected data about it, they will then start looking at alternatives. For instance, when looking for a new laptop, consumers will look at the price, battery life, size and weight, processor speed and guarantee. Once they have collected all this data, they will then look at all the alternatives on the market. 

Consumers’ attitudes also affect this part of the customer journey as well. Consumers with positive buying attitudes will look at many different businesses and/or brands – they will really get involved in the process. However, consumers with negative or less positive buying attitudes will just purchase products and services without considering their alternatives.

4. Whether or not to purchase

This is where the actual buying of a product or service occurs. Certain factors may impede the final purchasing decision, such as others’ negative reviews, the level of power and authority the seller has, how far the location of the product or service is, and whether or not it can be easily delivered. Amazon’s market capitalization gained $570 billion in 2020 during the Coronavirus pandemic – at-home delivery is vitally important to all businesses at the moment.

5. Post-purchase behaviour

Keeping brand loyalty among customers is of the utmost importance. This is the most important stage regarding the five-step customer journey. If consumers like certain products or services you have on offer, they are more likely to come back and purchase more of what you have. Certain consumers, like social media influencers, may love your products and services so much, that they will have the kind of social media reach influencing others that you can only dream of!

6. Digital marketing and the customer journey

A great digital marketer will be aware of the five steps of a customer’s journey and will be able to implement the best methods to garner more traffic to your business’ website and/or location. There are numerous ways in which you can use a digital marketing agency to attract your target audience, such as the following:

Building Customer Loyalty

By using a digital marketer that knows how to handle your brand best, your business can be thrust to the front of the line of your industry and can be the very first option and choice that consumers choose when needing or wanting certain products and/or services. These consumers will then, in turn, be able to boost your brand’s awareness through social proof (customers, friends, celebrities, certifications, crowds, and experts) which will hit your target audience in a big way!  

Influencing the Consumer Decision Process

With the right digital content, you will have more opportunity to influence the entire customer journey. Finishing important steps such as updating your Google My Business, allowing customers to leave reviews, and putting a stamp of approval on your brand impression will help give your business the image that it is an authority in your industry, and your products and/or services are of great value, and worth purchasing from. 

Creating Value

When you give valuable and relatable quality content that consumers can use, they will be more attracted to your products and/or services. Put your trust in First Page, and we will create a digital marketing strategy that will attract consumers, helping you convert them into organic customers, and retain them for the long-term.  Our services will help your business with:

• Consumer insights
• Specific exposure to target audiences
• Better revenue growth
• Branding
• Cost-effective techniques

Conclusion

The five-Step process of the customer journey is certainly of great importance in lead generation and making conversions. By understanding it thoroughly, your business will only start to expand, and your customer base will grow immensely. 

Use First Page for all your digital marketing needs, whether you want to rank first on Google’s SERP, or appear in sponsored social media ads. Our Digital Strategists are well aware of the customer buying process and will do everything they can to make sure your customers stay loyal to your brand!