From Awareness to Advocacy: The Customer Journey Revisited

Storytime Introduction

Whilst thinking about today’s topic of the journey from awareness to advocacy, it reminded me of when I was just a fresh-faced 14-year-old. I landed a gig stocking shelves at a bustling supermarket. One day, a customer approached me in a huff, unable to locate their beloved cereal brand. But as an eager beaver, I jumped at the opportunity to help.

After all, helping customers beats stacking shelves any day. We scoured the cereal aisle from top to bottom, but just as we were about to throw in the towel, I spotted a lone box on the highest shelf. Out came my trusty rolling stepping stool, nicknamed the Dalek. Those of you who are Doctor Who fans will understand.

This was an absolute hoot to use. Just give it a little kick and it rolls. I hopped aboard, snagged the cereal bar and with a smile, slipped and went down for the count. Much to my surprise, the cereal sailed gracefully and, what seemed to be in slow motion, into the customer’s cart. I lay there, a little confused and dazed, as the grateful customer kept on thanking me.

It probably wasn’t my proudest moment at the store, however, I did realise that it’s not about stacking shelves, but creating memorable experience that turns customers into brand ambassadors. At 14, I probably wouldn’t have phrased it like that. More customer happy, time flies. And that’s exactly what happened.

I became an aisle detective with great customer service, but left the falling of the Dalek part out on future endeavours. Soon after, I actually got promoted to serving customers at the cheese counter. I was the best cheese cutter on this side of the county. Anyway, let’s move on to the journey from awareness to advocacy.

So what is the customer journey?

Well, let me tell you, it’s the roadmap that leads customers from “who are you” to “I love you”. I have another popular episode dedicated to this one specific subject. So you may, after this, want to hop over and listen to that.

Customer Journey Stages

And we’re going to talk about the three main stages: Awareness, Consideration and Advocacy.

Think of it like a love triangle, but with customers and brands instead of Romeo and Juliet. Now, companies have to be knights in shining armour and make sure they’re addressing customers needs and pain points at every stage of the journey.

And trust me, a little chivalry goes a long way. But above all else, companies need to create a positive customer experience. Because let’s face it, who wants to date someone who treats them poorly?

Let’s move the customers from awareness to consideration. So how do you capture the attention of your potential customers and create awareness? Think of it like a first date. You want to make a good impression.

Content marketing is like a pickup line. It’s all about a connection. Blog posts, white papers, and social media can all be used to make an initial connection. And just like in dating, it’s important to differentiate yourself and stand out in a crowded market.

Show off your unique value proposition and make your customers swoon. But you can’t just talk the talk. You’ve got to walk the walk. You must create a seamless customer experience and give them a clear call to action. It’s like asking them out on a second date.

Now it’s time to turn the consideration into advocacy.

Think of it like moving in together and you want to build a long lasting relationship. Customer service is like relationship counselling. It’s all about communication and addressing any issues that may arise. And just like in any good relationship, positive word of mouth is key. Encourage your customers to become brand ambassadors and spread the love.

And also like any relationship, it’s important to continuously monitor and analyse to make improvements and ensure customer satisfaction. It’s all about keeping the spark alive. You know, that lovely little spark. Let’s give you an example of a customer journey in action. Let’s look at a case study of a company that’s absolutely killing it.

Customer Journey Case Study

We’ll call them Brand X. Now Brand X noticed that their customers were having a hard time finding the information they needed on their website. So they implemented a chatbot to answer common questions and provide a seamless customer experience. Now, you know, when you go onto a website, you can click on the chat box and say, I am looking for this and utilising AI, it will automatically send them to the URL they’re looking for.

As a result, customer satisfaction increased and more customers were becoming brand ambassadors. People will generally talk about these positive experiences that they’re getting.

Hopefully now you understand the customer journey and it’s important. You may be wondering how to implement it into your own business.

Useful Tips

I’m going to give you a few tips that will get you started. You should start by mapping out the journey your customers take with your company. From their first interaction to becoming a brand ambassador. Address customer needs and pain points. Make sure you’re addressing customer needs and pain points at every stage of the journey.

This includes providing seamless customer experience and resolving any issue that may arrive through effective communication and customer service. Use content marketing to capture the attention of potential customers and create this awareness. This can include the blog posts, white papers, social media.

Absolutely key is to encourage word of mouth. Your customers can become your brand ambassadors and spread the word about their positive experience with your company. And finally, you must continuously monitor and analyse your customer’s journey to identify areas for improvement and ensure customer satisfaction.

Implementing the customer journey into your business can help turn customers into brand ambassadors and increase customer satisfaction. Start by mapping out the journey, addressing your customer needs, utilising content marketing, and encouraging word of mouth, and continuously monitor and analyse.

Final Notes

Well, that concludes our journey through the customer journey. We’ve covered three main stages, the importance of creating a positive customer experience, and how to turn customers into brand ambassadors. Thanks for joining me on this Dalek ride and be sure to tune in next time for another exciting episode. We’ll be diving into measuring and improving customer experience, key metrics and techniques.

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