Good morning! Do you have one minute to read and one hour to do? If so, you can improve your small business’ marketing in a big way. Each week, we will provide new ideas. Grab your morning beverage and let’s get started:
This Week: Examine Your Customer Journey
STEP ONE
How does your customer arrive on your business doorstep? Sounds like a simple question, but to effectively convert leads into paying customers, you need to understand every step in detail. Follow these three steps to get valuable insights into what parts of the journey are going well and where your small business may be experiencing some “hick ups”.
Think through the customer journey steps as you know them. Make sure you’re considering your ideal customer, the one that is the best and most profitable fit for your brand. Consider:
How do they hear about you first?
How do they decide to work with you?
When do they first visit your web page?
How and when do they make their first purchase?
How do they make repeat purchases and turn into a loyal customer?
STEP TWO
Now, draw a customer journey map to really “see” what’s going on here. Nothing fancy required, just a pencil and a sheet of paper.
STEP THREE
Analyze your map and compare it with any data you may have, like Facebook and Instagram insights or Google Analytics results. (If you don’t have google analytics yet, ask your web designer to hook you up. It should take them about 15 minutes tops.) You can even use customer feedback to help. Are there places on your map that need more attention? For example:
If potential customers appear to drop out when they hit your web page, could you improve your contact us page or create a landing page to be more welcoming?
If you are having trouble getting them to fill out your website contact form to give their emails so you can follow up, perhaps you could offer them something of value in exchange like a short e-book or a how-to guide about something to do with your product. Post this offer on your social media and website.
Do they purchase once but never again? Maybe you need a post purchase email, thanking them for doing business with you.
Payoff: Once you understand every step in detail, you can begin to scale this customer journey. After all, you want to bring in lots of new clients and grow — not in a haphazard way but in a planned, optimal way. Understanding the customer journey in this way will really help your small business succeed!
Want a new bit of marketing each week? Subscribe to the Morning Mark. Like our simple-but-proactive approach to marketing? Visit us at smallbizbrands.com.
