Want More Customers? (Of Course You Do). This is the ONE Thing You Need to Get Them.

5 min readFeb 22, 2018

To Infinity and Beyond…

A business is nothing without customers. In business terms, customers make the world go ‘round.

This is why getting to know them is so important. Understanding your customer and their truest desires and intentions will help you elevate their experience to your advantage. It’s a win-win, by all accounts. Your customer gets the great experience they were looking for, and your great service renders them loyal forever. What could go wrong?

Somewhere along the way, though, your customer might get lost. Integrating the concept of the Customer Value Journey (CVJ) into your business operations will give you many of the tools you’ll need to attract your customers and ensure they stay customers for life.

But wait… WTF is a Customer Value Journey (CVJ), anyway?

The CVJ, in a nutshell, is the path your customer takes throughout the entirety of their interaction with you, as a business. The journey takes your customer from the “aware” stage, in which they know little about your brand, to the “promote” stage, in which you’ve already won them over with your charms and they want to shout their love for you from the rooftops. To achieve this level of bond with your customer, you’ll need to offer them some type of value. Each. Step. Of. The. Way. This is where a solid digital marketing strategy comes in.

Today, our journey begins with the Aware stage.

Aware

You may have the best product or service in the world, but if your customer doesn’t know about it, they might as well stick a fork in you, because you’re done.

The “aware” stage of the CVJ is one of the most important because it gets you noticed. During this stage, you’ll seek to attract the attention of your customer so they’re well aware of who you are, what you do, and what you can offer them.

There are many ways to make your potential customers aware of your brand. As long as you’re providing some kind of value, your potential customer will come.

Engage

You’ve gotten your customer’s attention. Now how do you truly engage them? You can engage them through content, but it’ll have to be the right kind of content.

So what does the right kind of content consist of?

Glad you asked!

It’ll be the type of content that leaves your audience wanting more. Remember that providing value within your content is vital, so all of your content should seek to resonate with your customer on an emotional level. Whether it’s expanding their mind through education, tugging at their heartstrings with a relatable story, or simply reminding them on a deeper level how your product or service will improve their life, the internet is too chocked full of information to not make your content substantial.

The “subscribe” stage of the Customer Value Journey is vital. This is where you’ll capture valuable data that can be used to make a sale later on. Part of creating good content means giving your audience opportunity for more. Offer them the potential to be further informed, engaged or excited, and they’ll welcome this opportunity with open arms.

Convert

The “convert” stage of the Customer Value Journey is when someone transitions from an active listener to a paying customer. This is where the money is.

But converting a customer is only half the battle. Once you’ve successfully converted a stranger into a paying customer or client, it’s your responsibility to nourish this relationship. Treating your customer right, even after you’ve got their money, will ensure they stay customers for the long run.

Plants need regular watering to stay healthy. Your customers need regular attention to stay active. Be careful not to drop the ball on your customers if you hope to keep them.

Excite

What is life without a little excitement?

Your customer has to have an “aha” moment once they use your product or service. Their life should be immediately made to feel better with you now in it. This moment is absolutely necessary in order for them to continue on down the path you set for them.

But how do you ensure they achieve this feeling of relief? Remember, the act of wooing your customer doesn’t stop as soon as you have their money. Make your product and customer service experience unbeatable, and your customer will respond in kind.

Ascend

This is where you elevate your customer’s experience to even higher levels. You can do this in myriad ways. From special offers, to thank you notes and gifts, it doesn’t take much effort to move your customer further on down the CVJ once you’ve hooked them with your great product or service.

Advocate

During this stage of the Customer Value Journey, your customer has already recognized the value you bring to their lives. Once they reach this stage of the CVJ, they’ll be happy to advocate for your brand through testimonials and to their friends and family.

Getting your customer to this stage in the customer value journey takes time, effort and patience. You won’t breed advocates for your brand overnight. You do it by consistently proving your value, for both your product/service, and your ability to offer them a superior quality customer experience.

Promote

They know you. They love you. They’re already singing your praises to the world. Jackpot! You’ve gained a customer for life.

The goal of every business, large or small, should be to convert strangers to your brand to promoters of your brand. The CVJ is built for exactly this.

Master the Customer Value Journey, from beginning to end, and glory is as good as yours.

Triggers specializes in inbound marketing for businesses, big and small. Visit our website at www.triggers.media to learn more about how we can take your digital marketing strategy to the next level.