Typical stages
- Awareness: they realize they have a problem or a need.
- Consideration: they research options, compare and read reviews.
- Decision: they choose a supplier and buy.
- Retention: they use the product and, ideally, buy again.
- Advocacy: they recommend it to others.
Real journeys are rarely a straight line: people switch between devices and channels, and move back and forth between stages.
Customer journey mapping
A customer journey map shows the stages, what the customer is doing, thinking and feeling at each one, the touchpoints they use and where they get stuck. It should be built from real data: interviews, surveys, analytics, and sales and support conversations.
Why it matters for marketing
- It shows which content and channels are needed at each stage, such as guides for research and case studies for the decision.
- It reveals friction, such as a confusing pricing page or slow replies to enquiries.
- It helps you credit all the channels that contribute, not just the last click.