Gone are the days of the good ‘ole marketing funnel that illustrates the theoretical customer journey toward the purchase of a product or service and which includes the following stages:
- Awareness
- Engagement
- Consideration
- Evaluation
- Purchase
While the debate surrounding whether the marketing funnel should still be considered relevant and legitimate, there’s no denying it can serve as a surefire blueprint for understanding and analyzing today’s consumer buying process.
But with more research and further examination of today’s digitally-aware buyers, marketers are realizing the traditional funnel no longer reflects the habits of consumers with whom they want to win over. Read along as we discuss why the strategy behind the marketing funnel is out and what it’s been replaced with.
The Path is Not Linear — it’s Circular
To begin, consumers no longer (if they ever did) move in a direct path toward making a purchase. In fact, research shows today’s consumers join the proverbial marketing funnel at differing stages throughout their buying process, which is largely dependent on their level of knowledge, interest and sophistication about a particular product or service.
Indeed, the process consumers use to make a purchase has evolved into what is known as the consumer decision journey. Still, that doesn’t mean touchpoints rule all as marketers once thought. Now, instead of following a funnel that focuses on each separate touchpoint a customer may experience with a brand, the entire journey — end to end — becomes important.
This new holistic journey is important for marketers and business owners alike to grasp. That’s because it operates in more of a circular process, thanks in large part to consumers’ interaction with — and evaluation of — a particular product or service that takes place again and again in today’s online marketplace.
So, let’s break down the steps involved in the consumer decision journey, shall we?
1. Initial Consideration
This is the preliminary stage where a consumer is triggered by impressions with a brand. Think TV commercials, a Yelp or Amazon review and discussions with friends, all of which set the stage for whether they will consider purchasing something.
2. Active Evaluation
The next phase sees the customer weighing their options by doing a bit of due diligence — albeit scouring social media, reading news reports or simply asking their social network — on the company with which they may conduct business.
Ultimately, gleaning new and relevant information helps consumers narrow their options to something that best suits their needs and desires.
3. Buy
In the not-too-distant past, the transactional phase may have marked the end of interactions most businesses have with consumers. But in today’s information-driven world, it’s merely the midway point to making someone a repeat customer.
4. The Loyalty Loop
Let’s group the next three steps under the umbrella of the loyalty loop: enjoy, advocate and bond. We do this because a multitude of interactions and variables can ultimately affect a customer’s decision to buy from the brand a second, third or even 20th time.
“When we create customers, that’s just the first piece of it. The hardest part is actually keeping those customers and making sure they realize the value of their investment with us,” said Dusty DiMercurio, director of content marketing and social media for Autodesk.
So, what determines a highly satisfied repeat customer? Almost all marketing research points to one overarching theme: a consistent brand experience. But how exactly can that be achieved? Three words: Great customer service.
Cloud Call Centers to the Rescue
Businesses that ensure their customers are met with the same high-level personalized service across all channels are the most successful at retaining loyal customers. More and more businesses of all sizes are turning to cloud call centers to ensure they can promptly and intelligently meet their customer’s needs.
Cloud contact centers are one of the most reliable and cost-effective ways business owners can make sure they engage customers in a two-way conversation, something that rates as highly important to brand loyalty.
By creating a seamless experience on whichever channel customer support is needed — phone, email, IVR, chatbots and social media, to name a few — cloud-based call centers allow this conversation to remain consistent and happen in real time. Both customers and businesses gain something when this happens.
First, you show your brand is consumer-centric and understands consumers’ specific needs. Businesses can then look to these concerns as to why customers might be willing to leave their company for another and gain insight on what to change to retain them.
Because today’s customers are well-informed and sophisticated, they are less patient and less willing to overlook an inconsistent service experience. They want businesses to be on an intuitive level with their concerns and be able to meet them on whichever channel they prefer — and that’s what a cloud call center can provide to your business.
Use this new consumer decision journey as your marketing outline, but don’t rely simply on just making the sale. Remember, the loyalty loop is an invaluable part in customer retention and ultimately in increasing your business success.
