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<\/a><\/p>\nSo, you need a process to get customers from learning about your brand to actively buying. While many companies have this type of funnel, they often focus just on marketing and sales. From my 14 years in the field, I know that successful companies focus their funnels on the customer. Below, I\u2019ll explain the customer journey funnel, what it solves, and why it works.<\/p>\n
Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Most businesses today use a marketing funnel to inform their engagement strategy, with many still relying on the traditional AIDA<\/a> model. The AIDA framework describes four stages that buyers go through in their purchasing journey:<\/p>\n That seems pretty straightforward. However, customers don’t purchase in a linear way, says Karin Holmgren,<\/a> marketing director. Some customers need more steps before they\u2019re ready to buy.<\/p>\n \u201cSeeing the path to a sale, even gathering all the data from different systems and making sense of them, can be overwhelming. One customer may need to see 5 Instagram ads, and another sees none; one customer clicks on one email and purchases \u2014 another unsubscribes but still purchases,\u201d Holmgren says.<\/p>\n Beyond that, I\u2019ve noticed a huge flaw of the AIDA model. When you look at the funnel below, do you notice anything missing? The process ends after the point of sale.<\/p>\n When looking at this model, I assume that the customer\u2019s buying journey is over after that initial purchase. However, as a customer success professional, I know the importance of nurturing this relationship after a deal has closed. That\u2019s how I turn our customers into brand evangelists.<\/p>\n Marley Wagner<\/a>, a digital customer success consultant, notes that repeat business has become increasingly important in today\u2019s subscription-driven world.<\/p>\n \u201cA majority of marketers have been exclusively focused and measured on driving net new revenue from the acquisition of new customers,\u201d Wagner explained. \u201cBut the subscription economy necessitates a longer-term view of the retention and growth of that revenue, on top of the continuous addition of more and more new customers.\u201d<\/p>\n So, while the traditional sales and marketing funnel makes a great foundation, it\u2019s due for an upgrade that reflects the complexity of today\u2019s buying journey, including a customer\u2019s intent to repurchase.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where the customer journey funnel comes in.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n The customer journey funnel helps you understand the holistic buying journey from your customer\u2019s perspective. This framework allows you to create strategies to engage your ideal customer at each individual stage, with a focus on retaining business.<\/p>\n The customer journey funnel is unique because it provides insight into the end-to-end buying experience and includes two additional stages missing from a marketing funnel. So, the stages of the custom journey funnel include:<\/p>\n Why should you use a customer journey funnel? Taking the time to nurture your customers in those post-sale stages is worth the investment. Businesses continue to report<\/a> that repeat customers make up the majority of their annual revenue and<\/em> spend more on average than new customers.<\/p>\n Using this framework can also help you increase personalization (which is shown to drive 10-15%<\/a> more in revenue), increase your conversion rates, and retain and grow your current customer base.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is absolutely value in marketing teams considering the entire customer journey in their efforts, rather than simply ignoring anything that happens after a sale is marked closed,\u201d says Wagner.<\/p>\n However, she notes that business leaders need to set team goals and KPIs that align with this broader purview. Sales and marketing pros also need to \u201cwork in close concert with the customer success organization, Wagner says.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Before you start creating your funnel, there are a few important things you\u2019ll need to identify. It\u2019s critical to include insights from key stakeholders like your customer experience, sales, and even product teams as you work through this process. Here are my recommendations for getting the foundation right.<\/p>\n When creating a customer journey funnel, I start by using data and insights about my company\u2019s buyers. I can then map out the buying journey from their perspective. I recommend working on this with your customer experience team. They likely have already created a customer journey map.<\/p>\n When defining stages, I start with the first touchpoint with my brand (awareness) through the point of conversion. Then, I can add what loyalty and advocacy look like, better defining those two new stages.<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> Feel free to name the stages in a way that makes sense for your brand. I\u2019ve seen the second stage named in many different ways, including consideration, intent, interest, and nurture.<\/p>\n If you want to test this out, try our free customer journey template<\/a>. You can outline your company\u2019s customer journey and experience with these seven free templates from Hubspot.<\/p>\n In the section above, I defined the stages of the customer journey. These stages now become the different parts of my funnel.<\/p>\n Once I have my stages defined and named, I map out what customer behaviors and actions happen during each stage. By understanding what my customers are doing at different stages in their buying journey, I can tell what they need and how to engage them in a relevant way.<\/p>\n Customer behavior can be things like reading reviews, clicking on an ad, or downloading an ebook. Every action counts, so try to be as specific as possible.<\/p>\n Now that you know what your buyer does (and needs) at every step of their journey, how will you engage them? Each stage has its own engagement strategy. Different teams may take the lead at different stages. For example, your marketing team will make most of your Awareness stage collateral. The sales team may be the star of your conversion strategy.<\/p>\n In customer success, I often work with the retention and advocacy stages. I make sure to consider the unique pain points or motivators in the post-sale experience. For example, if I\u2019m selling software, my customers may need help with implementation. Providing great service helps build brand loyalty and keep customers for the long term.<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> Don\u2019t skip out on creating a robust strategy for your Advocacy stage. Beyond asking for referrals, you can nurture these customers with loyalty programs, spotlight speaking opportunities, or collaborate on case studies.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have a customer advocacy team to take the lead, I recommend using automation, like intake forms for customer case studies or triggering email campaigns that ask for referrals.<\/p>\n Chances are, even if you changed your funnel, your main KPIs and engagement metrics<\/a> are still the same \u2014 or very similar. However, now you should include metrics for long-term impact. Make sure your metrics are specific to each stage and measure the relative engagement strategy.<\/p>\n For example, customer lifetime value and cost per acquisition can show that your buyers are satisfied after a purchase is made. These two metrics allow me to see if our Retention and Advocacy strategies actually work.<\/p>\n Understanding success isn\u2019t all about numbers. Holmgren recommends defining what success looks like at each stage of your customer journey funnel. That vision will help you improve your messaging and see what roadblocks are barriers to success.<\/p>\n \u201cReviewing customer journey metrics at each stage makes it easier to make data-driven decisions, even if they go against your initial instinct. By reviewing insights, you can create a truly customer-centric organization,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n Now that you\u2019ve set the foundation, it\u2019s time to build that funnel.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Above, we talked about how to build a customer journey funnel. Now, we\u2019ll take a look at what might happen in each stage.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that funnels vary by company and team. If your customer journey has a different number of stages than what you see below, what happens in each stage may look different. However, you\u2019ll likely notice similar goals and a strong focus on the customer.<\/p>\n In this first stage, my potential customers are just becoming aware of my brand or product. My goal is to capture their attention and inform them that a solution to their problems exists.<\/p>\n Common strategies in this stage include promoting helpful blog posts, posting freemium content on social media, or putting a helpful playbook behind a paywall. I\u2019ve also seen companies organize an exclusive product release webinar to drive awareness of new offerings.<\/p>\n In this stage, marketers are trying to connect with a customer pain point, point to a few solutions direction, and get potential buyers familiar with the brand,<\/p>\n In this stage, the buyer is considering my product as a possible solution to their problem. They\u2019re doing research and comparing their options. My goal is to give them information that helps them understand my product\u2019s benefits and its differentiators.<\/p>\n Current customers may have different pain points as they enter back into earlier funnel stages.<\/p>\n For example, let\u2019s say a common pain point for an existing customer is obtaining additional budget approval to add a new product to their account. You could create content with proof points that show the compounded value that comes from layering a new product to their existing subscription.<\/p>\n In the Conversion stage, the customer evaluates the product and considers things like price, features, and brand reputation. At this point, they may sign up for a free trial, submit their information through a contact form, or complete a purchase.<\/p>\n This is when the scale tips from a prospect considering a product to actually making a purchase. Your sales team may be giving product demos and addressing any concerns related to the offer. Potential buyers exit this stage as customers.<\/p>\n After a customer purchases, they either become loyal to your brand or leave it at the time of renewal. The goal of this stage is to build loyalty with the customer to drive retention, maintain customer satisfaction, and encourage repeat purchases.<\/p>\n Retention looks wildly different depending on what you sell. For B2C brand Sephora, Beauty Rewards points are a tangible program that incentivizes people to shop. In the B2B world, I\u2019ve had to get more creative, relying on excellent service and building long-lasting relationships. I\u2019ve also seen exclusive offers and discounts successfully win repeat business.<\/p>\n I recommend creating targeted campaigns for customers’ milestones. On a purchase anniversary, send them an email thanking them for their business and offer them company swag in exchange for a review.<\/p>\n Another fun tactic for customers at this stage? You can give them early access to test upcoming paid features. This acts as a free trial and primes them for purchase once the paid feature hits the market.<\/p>\n Here, your happy customers become advocates for your brand by sharing their positive experiences. The goal of this stage is to turn your customers into advocates so they help bring in new customers.<\/p>\n This stage can be a dream come true for a customer advocacy team. You can tap into happy and successful customers. You may aks them to collaborate on case studies, user-generated content, marketing events, customer round tables, and more.<\/p>\n You may even surface some hardcore brand evangelists. Creating an \u201cInner Circle\u201d is a great way to invite all your advocates to one place. You can run targeted campaigns asking these customers to give a referral, submit a testimonial, or provide a review. I recommend offering financial incentives or company swag in exchange. I\u2019ll always leave a review for a gift card.<\/p>\n To identify the right advocates, you can tap into your NPS promoters and review the data on product outcomes.<\/p>\n\n
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Why the Marketing and Sales Funnel Needs a Revamp<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nWhy The Customer Journey Funnel Is the Solution<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nHow to Build a Customer Journey Funnel<\/h2>\n
1. Identify the stages of the customer journey.<\/h3>\n
2. Align customer behavior.<\/h3>\n
3. Create your engagement strategy.<\/h3>\n
4. Define success metrics.<\/h3>\n
The Customer Journey Funnel In Action \u2014 What to Expect in Each Stage<\/h2>\n
Awareness Stage<\/h3>\n
Consideration Stage<\/h3>\n
Conversion Stage<\/h3>\n
Retention\/Loyalty Stage<\/h3>\n
Advocacy Stage<\/h3>\n
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