The digital transformation demands a lot from companies. After all, they now have to focus more and more on the requirements and wishes of their customers. And in this digital marketplace, the customer feels like king - and wants to be looked after and cared for. Before deciding to buy a product, your potential customers go through a customer journey. How this is structured and what your customers experience on this "journey" has a direct influence on the purchase decision. But what options are available to you to guide the customer on their customer journey to their desired destination?
Every customer journey is divided into so-called touchpoints. These are important goals that are also referred to as "moments of truth". For you as an entrepreneur, this means that you need to pay particular attention to each of these touchpoints.
The first moment of truth is when the customer's attention is drawn to a specific website. This can happen through Google Ads, links, online platforms or social media. The hurdle is that the offer must be attractive enough for the customer to become curious and click on the website.
At the second touchpoint, the product must meet the customer's requirements. It is important that the customer does not drop out at this point. The next step involves consideration: The customer asks himself whether he should buy this product or rather look for an alternative. Here you can help by influencing the purchase decision with additional material. Now the potential customer has clearly taken the bait - it's time to make them a concrete offer. Be flexible:
If you respond to the customer's wishes, this can lead to long-term customer loyalty. If you act correctly at this stage, the next step is already yours: The customer decides to buy your product.
In the past, you used to ask neighbors, friends and relatives for their opinion when you wanted to buy something. Today, the entire internet is at your fingertips - opinions can be called up in seconds. You can't always influence what is said about your company everywhere. But there are strategies to increase your online presence and give potential customers a sense of security. These include, for example, the appearance and communication of the company. Remember to always present yourself in a serious and professional manner and answer any inquiries promptly. Your social media presence also plays an important role. Your social media accounts need to be maintained and must always provide new content.
Your online presence can be as good as you want it to be: If products are constantly missing or the information on individual products is inadequate, this will damage the customer journey in the long run. The customer wants to "travel" as smoothly as possible. If they have to make inquiries or even look elsewhere, there are obstacles in the way. The payment method also plays an important role for the customer. The more payment methods available, the more likely a purchase decision is to be made. In general, you should give potential customers the feeling that they can choose from a variety of options.
Why should a potential customer buy from you? It's not always just about the price - after all, this is the same for a large number of products in different stores. For many customers, it's about the shopping experience. Your task is to arouse emotions. This starts at the very first touchpoint: put yourself in the customer's shoes and think about how you can attract their attention. The customer should feel that they are in good hands at every stage and ultimately recommend your company to others. Keep your target group in mind and adapt your company's customer journey accordingly. By arousing positive emotions, you can count on good customer loyalty. Remember that this also needs to be nurtured.
You are not the only one who influences the customer journey - in turn, an analysis of the "customer journey" provides important clues as to how your company can be improved. You will learn how customers can be influenced by advertising campaigns and which strategies are most effective in persuading customers to make a purchase decision. You now have a wide range of tools at your disposal to understand customer behavior. You can find out which touchpoints had the greatest influence on the purchase decision and what can be improved.
The customer journey is crucial for the purchase decision. That's why it needs to be seamless and give potential customers the feeling that they are always well informed. The individual stages should flow seamlessly into one another so that the customer doesn't even notice how they are being guided towards the purchase decision. In addition to the actual customer journey, your company's online presence is also important. The more reputable your presence, the easier it is to persuade customers to buy your product.