One of the key components of creating content that converts is understanding the stages of the customer journey. There are five basic checkpoints your ideal clients will hit as they make their way through the process of getting to know you and your brand and eventually becoming a paying customer.

• Awareness 
• Consideration
• Decision
• Retention
• Advocacy

I think we can agree that first impressions are pretty important, right? Well, think of the awareness stage as the first impression of the customer journey. It’s your ideal client’s initial exposure to you and your brand and you want it to feel like love at first sight for them. 

The awareness stage is not the time to make an offer. The goal is to introduce yourself, show your dream clients what you’re all about, and make them feel like they’re reconnecting with a long lost friend from high school who they haven’t seen in 15 years (someone they actually liked…not a frenemy.)

Once your audience knows what you’re about, they’ll move into the consideration stage. At this point, they’re contemplating the possibility of working with you.

Here’s the thing; you’re not the only option out there. At this stage in the game, your ideal clients are doing their research and weighing their options. 

So, what can you do? Show them what sets you apart from other people who do what you do. This is where authenticity comes in. It’s no more complicated than just being you. Your dream clients are the ones who will relate to you and feel like you’re in their heads.

The decision phase is the time to make your offer. Now that your dream clients know, like, and trust you, they’re primed and ready to pony up and buy your stuff. 

Making a direct offer is uncomfortable for a lot of biz owners but no matter how much someone likes you and connects with you, they’re never gonna ask you to please, please take their money. You need to take the lead on this one.

I would argue that the retention phase (although often overlooked) is the most important part of the customer journey. 

Why? 

Because getting repeat business from your current clients is a whole lot easier (and more cost-effective) than finding new ones. 

You always want to spend time offering value and nurturing the relationship with prior clients. Maintaining those relationships and establishing loyalty means you don’t have to hustle so hard to find clients; If they’re happy, previous clients will want to work with you again and again and they’ll start sending you new clients by way of their rave reviews.

Which leads me to the fifth and final stage of the customer journey, advocacy…

If you’ve done your job in the previous stages, this part is a breeze. If you’ve made a lasting impression and your products or services have provided value to your customers and clients, they’ll be singing your praises to their friends, family, acquaintances, and random people on the street (or at least their social media platforms.) 

Creating advocates for your brand is the ultimate goal of all of your marketing efforts for the simple reason that it makes your life easier by spreading your message and building your reputation faster than you could do it on your own.  

In fact, you can’t do it on your own because without happy customers, you won’t be in business very long. Happy customers = longterm success.

 

GET MY 4-STEP FRAMEWORK TO SELL YOUR SIGNATURE PROGRAM ON AUTOPILOT

 

 

 

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