Ok hear me out: if you’re planning an epic road trip across the country, you wouldn’t just hop in the car and start driving, would you?
(Well, maybe some of us would, but stick with me here!)
You’d probably look at Google Maps, plot your route, and mark some cool stops along the way.
That’s exactly what customer journey mapping is all about ā except instead of planning a road trip, you’re mapping out your customer’s path from first hearing about your brand to becoming a loyal fan.
But before we dive into the tools that’ll help you make this journey mapping a breeze, let’s take a quick pit stop to understand the basics.
Your customer spots your brand on the horizon. Maybe they stumbled upon your Instagram post or heard about you from a friend.
They’re intrigued and start window shopping. They might be comparing you to other options or reading reviews.
The big moment! They decide to buy from you. Cue the confetti! š
You’ve made the sale, but the journey’s not over! This is where you keep them coming back for more.
Your customer loves you so much they start telling everyone about you. It’s like they’ve become your personal brand cheerleader.
Now, let’s talk about the tools that’ll help you map this journey like a pro.
While there are plenty of high-tech, interactive maps tools like UXPressia or Smaply (which let you create visual representations of your customer’s journey), you can plot out each stage and identify touchpoints even on a piece of paper. My go to is using either Milanote or Whimsical. I like the visual aspect of building it myself.
Why you need it: The point of using any tool that gives you that āwhiteboardā feeling is that you can have a bird’s-eye view of the entire customer journey, helping you spot potential roadblocks or shortcuts.
This is like your trusty compass. Analytics software/trackers provide crucial data about how customers interact with your website.
You can see which pages they visit, how long they stay, and where they tend to drop off.
Why you need it: Understanding your website traffic patterns helps you optimize the online portion of your customer’s journey! (I use Fathom for my business – aff link).
Consider this like your journey logbook. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems like Honeybook, HubSpot, or Salesforce help you track every interaction a customer has with your brand across various channels.
Why you need it: A CRM gives you a 360-degree view of your customer, helping you personalize their experience at every touchpoint! š°Get HoneyBook for 30% off for one year with my referral link!
These are like asking your customers for directions. Tools such as SurveyMonkey or Typeform allow you to gather direct feedback from your customers about their experience with your brand.
Why you need it: Sometimes the best way to understand your customer’s journey is to ask them directly. Their insights can be pure gold!
Think of these as your x-ray vision goggles (creepy, but not so creepy). Tools like Hotjar or Crazy Egg show you exactly where customers are clicking (or not clicking) on your website. I personally use Hotjar for myself and clients!
Why you need it: Heat maps help you understand how customers navigate your site, allowing you to optimize your layout and improve user experience.
Here’s a peek at mine:
Now that you’ve got your toolkit ready, it’s time to start mapping!
By using these tools in combination, you’ll be able to create a comprehensive view of your customer’s journey.
You’ll spot where everything’s going great, and the potential traffic jams (where customers might be getting stuck).
The goal isn’t just to map the journey ā it’s to make it better! Use the insights you gain to smooth out any bumps in the road, add some exciting engagement touch points, and make sure the destination (buying from you!) is irresistible.
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed (totally normal, by the way!), I’ve got something to help you:
My Offer Synergy course (only $9) is designed to help you identify gaps in your current offers and create a seamless journey for your customers at every stage.
It’s perfect for multi-passionate entrepreneurs who have lots of ideas but need a clear map of where to focus their attention.
Think of it as your personal journey planner, helping you craft offers that cater to your customers at different stages of their journey. (It also comes with my personal template for mapping your journey!)
When you create your very own Customer Journey Offer Tracker following my lead inside Offer Synergy, youāll easily map your unique customer journey and track your timely, relevant offers that help boost conversion rates and bring more revenue in the door.
Understanding and optimizing your customer’s journey isn’t just about making more sales (although that’s a nice bonus!). It’s truly about creating an experience so awesome that your customers can’t help but rave about you to everyone they know.
So grab your toolkit, fire up that Offer Synergy, and start mapping! Your customers ā and your business ā will thank you for it.
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@penguindesigning
I'm Ingrid, welcome! I'm a branding designer + Showit Design Partner, doggy mamma, and tea drinker.
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Iām a designer with a magic touch for monetizing websites. Iām also a tea-lover, dog momma, Ravenclaw, INFP and 2w3 (for all you personality-test nerds like me).
Iāve also been called a Showit website expert (been with them since 2013), and a sucker for understanding customer journeys, brand psychology, and consumer and sales psychology. My clients have some pretty cool results after working together, things like doubled shop conversions, booked-out services in weeks, and increased monthly revenue, among other cheer-worthy celebrations.
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