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Sales are essential to every business, but the constant pressure on sales teams to search out latest customers and sell more products ignores the even greater revenue driver. While acquiring latest customers, increasing sales, and upselling are essential, it is a misconception that these are the only ways to extend revenue. This mentality could be seen in each startups and large corporations. So why is such a narrow focus on acquiring latest customers a concern, and what could be done to alter this pondering?
Most entrepreneurs realize that their company must strive to resolve a problem or fill a void in the market. During startup and funding rounds, where founders prepare and present their presentations outlining their paths to revenue, a detailed focus is placed on building the customer base and growing it further. However, too little time is spent on the journey that potential customers will take between the first awareness measurement and making a purchase.
How your brand is failing customers
A customer’s journey with a brand begins with first being aware of the brand, considering purchasing from that brand, actually purchasing, and then moving on to loyalty and promoting that brand. It is essential to build a customer journey map and have a good understanding of the most simple touchpoints in the customer journey. Without this, too many missed opportunities will impact sales and customer loyalty over time.
The most fundamental touchpoints in customer journey mapping, including understanding why customers buy, their negative experiences, and how positive experiences can turn customers into advocates, are some of the most respected insights a company must explore and implement.
Without a properly developed and implemented customer journey strategy, brand failures are only a matter of time. What does this failure begin to appear like?
Below are eight common signs of a failed customer journey:
1. A brand without a real awareness building strategy
A straightforward technique to tell if your company lacks an awareness strategy is if it’s too reliant on its sales team without first building an awareness campaign and key messaging strategy. All the pressure to create a customer base is on sales without the apparatus to repeatedly build awareness.
2. Awareness is not based on the right message
Your customer’s problems, needs and/or demands are not being met. Little or no attention is given to the problems solved, the solutions offered, or the experiences that make a difference. (*8*), the message focuses solely on the product’s features and advantages.
3. The reason for purchasing your product is not compelling enough
Moving from awareness to consideration, there is not a compelling enough reason to proceed shopping. There are two versions of this example: either no purchase is made, or a single purchase is made and no value is defined in the purchasing process that would proceed further purchases. Additionally, there could also be no messages encouraging you to proceed shopping.
4. The purchase path is too complex and comprises too many barriers
Unfortunately, complicated purchasing processes are all too common. Too many layers, too many steps inside those layers, confusion over delivery and final result, time frames – the list goes on. Without a clear, concise and simplified shopping experience, too much confusion can arise, reducing the value of the purchase.
5. The purchasing process does not deliver satisfactory results, does not promise anything or is not as communicated
The most important signal of this is failure to fulfill expectations, especially when expectations result from the brand’s message. If the process is surprising, inconsistent, or doesn’t take feedback about the buying process seriously, this a part of the process can derail the entire experience.
6. The brand does not have a clear motivational process that may ensure continuous improvement of brand loyalty
It’s not enough to easily increase customer loyalty. If no campaign is created that consistently tells loyalty stories, additional awareness is not going to be created. Moreover, maintaining loyalty is at risk without clear incentives.
7. Failure to thoroughly review branding strategies every quarter
Too many corporations fail to acknowledge the advantages of strategy review. When done appropriately, a targeted quarterly review will help discover market developments and changes needed to build awareness, ensuring that the remaining steps are seamless and complementary.
8. Manage branding activities so that it is heard
Too often, supportive messages are omitted and not presented consistently enough to make an impact.
By spotting setbacks in the customer journey early on, brands can change (or re-evaluate) their customer journey strategy and ensure they do not let themselves and their customer base down. By truthfully assessing your brand and competitive offerings in the marketplace, you’ll be able to build and improve a unique differentiator, compelling key messages, and a solid and consistent awareness process that encourages purchase and repurchase. Through continuous strategy review, the success of the customer journey is maintained and scaled.