Understanding Your Industry’s Customer Journey is Critical to Marketing Success

Digital marketing is an investment. And, like most investments, reducing uncertainty is fundamental to maximizing returns. That’s where in-depth research and accessible consumer data enter the picture.

Some businesses lean on outdated marketing philosophies like “casting a wide net” and “diversifying ad spend.” But what if there was a formula that could enhance efficiency and deliver a better return on investment? After countless hours of research, we have discovered that the customer journey is at the core of this formula.

Advertisers can make educated decisions and spend ad dollars more effectively using relevant consumer insights as a guide. This article explains why understanding your industry’s unique customer journey and incorporating it into the strategic process is critical to optimizing performance and increasing ROI.

Each Industry Has a Different Customer Journey

Let’s start by defining the customer journey. At 2060 Digital, this term encompasses customers' experiences when interacting with every company’s touchpoint, including digital advertisement. From learning about a brand to becoming a loyal customer, everyone goes through distinct phases of engagement with a company.

Though the specifics vary by industry, all consumers pass through four distinct phases along their journey: seeing & hearing, the trigger moment, research, and deciding. Our philosophy focuses on presenting the right messaging at each stage to move audiences closer to the destination.

All consumers pass through four distinct phases: seeing & hearing, the trigger moment, research & deciding.

The process that leads someone to buy concert tickets differs greatly from the process that drives the same individual to book an HVAC service or schedule a doctor’s appointment. It’s time we approached marketing with this idea in mind.

Digital Marketing is Like Growing a Vegetable Garden

Every marketer wants quick conversions. But the reality is capturing leads, driving purchases, and collecting form fills requires a systematic approach (and some patience).

To use an analogy, consider a backyard vegetable garden. The goal is to enjoy fresh produce, but before you’re ready to start picking, you’ll have to do some research. You need to review each vegetable’s unique growth process in order to transform your cucumber or tomato from seed to salad in the most efficient way possible. That means identifying the ideal soil composition, fertilizers, and care protocols before you begin planting.

There is no singular growing strategy that works for all plants. One crop may have different watering or sunlight requirements than another, and applying the wrong techniques could lead to slower or no growth at all.

Similarly, digital marketing efficiency involves “cultivating” (if you will) prospective customers. Advertisers need to recognize the specific steps involved in moving their target audience toward converting. To accomplish this goal, marketers must thoroughly understand the customer journey in each particular industry.

Reducing Wasted Ad Spend Increases ROI

If you have an unlimited marketing budget, feel free to skip this section. For those who are still reading, let’s talk about those three essential letters: ROI.

One of the most effective ways to increase the return on your ad spend is by reducing strategic guesswork. You can’t get inside the minds of your audience, but you can make informed strategic decisions that increase the odds of success.

If you’re building a campaign and your primary decision-making mechanism is a gut feeling, you will inevitably waste money figuring out what works and what doesn’t. When you act on data-backed insights, you’re much more likely to hit the mark without a costly trial and error period.

Right Message. Right Time.

Research shows that people are significantly more likely to purchase products or services from a business they’ve heard of. Stop for a moment and think about some of the brands you like. They are most likely top of mind due to exposure. With that in mind, it’s essential to prioritize brand awareness in your strategy. The savvy marketer knows brand awareness campaigns won’t drive a high volume of conversions, but if customers don’t know who you are, they’re unlikely to buy from you at any point. Successful advertising means playing the long game.

Once you’ve established a baseline of awareness among your target audience, you’ve positioned yourself for the “trigger moment.” When it’s time to replace the furnace or book a Saturday night dinner reservation, your brand will be top of mind.

Now, unless you’re the only HVAC company or restaurant in town, your work isn't finished yet. It’s critical to know when it’s time to serve up messaging that prompts people to act. The only way to identify this crucial moment is to have deep knowledge of your customer’s journey.

Get Proprietary Insights into Your Industry’s Customer Journey

2060 Digital’s analytics experts have dedicated significant time to researching and analyzing data in each of the four customer journey phases. Our proprietary customer journey data positions brands for more efficient ad spend and higher ROI. We focus on leveraging these insights to inform strategic planning and campaign execution.

Your business deserves a performance-oriented marketing team that focuses on bottom-line results. If you’re ready to grow, contact a 2060 Digital strategist to see how we can help.