Lots of lookers, no buyers? Where does it go wrong in your customer journey?
At Webba we sometimes come across them: companies that focus entirely on generating traffic. Whose marketing strategy consists purely of search engine optimisation and online advertising. And who seem to score pretty well with that too. Seem to…because if those new website visitors then don’t go on to take action, all that effort delivers nothing. Do you have plenty of lookers, but no buyers? Then something’s going wrong in your customer journey. What that is and how you can set up your customer journey as optimally as possible, we’ll tell you in this blog.
‘Just looking, not buying!’
‘Just looking, not buying!’ A phrase you undoubtedly know. We Dutch are a critical bunch when it comes to making a purchase, online too. Do we land on a web page? Then we want to be able to find at a glance what we’re looking for, whether that’s certain information or a product. Attracting website visitors is therefore only a small part of the customer journey. Do you want to make sure potential customers don’t stop at just a visit, but actually go on to purchase? Then you’ll need to be a good tour guide.
What is a customer journey?
As mentioned, customer journey stands for the journey a customer takes. With this we mean the path your customers travel, from the very first introduction to making a purchase and well beyond. Whether you sell a product or a service, and whether you target consumers or the business market, an optimal customer journey matters greatly for every company.
There are various models you can use to map out a customer journey. Some companies and marketing agencies use the well-known AIDA model (Attention – Interest – Desire – Action). As far as we’re concerned, a simpler alternative is Google’s See, Think, Do, Care model. As the name already indicates, this model consists of four phases.
See – Think – Do – Care
The See, Think, Do, Care model describes the journey from the very first introduction (SEE) and the consideration of buying something (THINK), to the actual action (DO) and finally the aftercare (CARE).
You’re a travel agency and Matthijs is your potential customer. Matthijs is considering a holiday to Mallorca. First he starts to orient himself. What’s the weather like in July? What is there to do? And what are the main sights? Via Google he quickly ends up on your website. You have, after all, a fantastic landing page, entirely dedicated to Mallorca. For Matthijs, this is his first introduction to your company. The SEE phase. On your website, Matthijs finds plenty of information about his potential holiday destination, but — at least as important — a prominent link to your offer, in other words the booking page.
Matthijs looks at the options you have to offer and compares your offer with that of other travel providers. The THINK phase. He sleeps on it and eventually decides to book the trip with you. The DO phase. Here, Matthijs particularly appreciates the ease with which he can order. Your website is, after all, hugely user-friendly. After his purchase, you make sure the trip is arranged down to the smallest detail and afterwards send him a voucher, giving him no less than €100 discount on his next trip. Matthijs is happy and definitely wants to book with you again next time! In short: a successful CARE phase!
Where does it go wrong in your (online) customer journey?
The example above tells the story of a successful customer journey. Matthijs, after all, books a trip. And not only that: he stays a customer. The result of a website that acts as an excellent tour guide. A customer journey, of course, doesn’t only have to play out on the web. A first introduction could also be an ad in a local newspaper or a recommendation from an acquaintance. And maybe you have a brick-and-mortar shop, or you provide face-to-face aftercare. One fact remains, though: don’t set up your customer journey (online and offline) optimally? Then you’ll lose your potential customers somewhere along the journey.
In the customer journey there are a number of spots and moments where you can lose customers. Where do you lose customers and what can you do about it? We’ve listed 3 common mistakes for you. Make the most of them!
- Not getting to know the customer
A common mistake is filling in the customer journey by feel, without doing any research into your target audience. It’s understandable in itself that you think you know your customers well. But is that really the case? And do you actually know exactly which route they take before they buy from you? Online statistics like Google Analytics can give you surprising insights. - Focusing purely on SEO
Another mistake you can make is focusing purely on SEO. Of course SEO can lead to better visitor numbers. But never forget the end goal in the process. A landing page with only information about the product might score well in Google, but without an order button or other call to action, your visitors don’t know what to do next. And then you’ve lost them. So make sure you guide them towards the next step. That could be a purchase, but also, for example, signing up for a newsletter. - Not paying attention to aftercare
Finally, the Care part is also often forgotten. Many companies think the customer journey stops the moment the purchase is made. Sale in the pocket, ka-ching! But what’s one sale worth compared to a satisfied customer who comes back every month? Or a customer who’s so satisfied that they tell their entire circle of friends about your company? In the Care phase there are plenty of opportunities to bind customers to you. For example, ship your product in special packaging, call after a while to ask whether the customer is still satisfied with your service, or send a nice little gift or discount voucher.
Have you already thought about your customer journey?
Be honest: have you ever thought about the route your customers take before they buy something from you? No? Then it’s time to start NOW! Make the most of the tips in this blog, go out and investigate, take a good look at your website and check whether every page prompts action.