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.
Customer journey example
A homeowner needs a new boiler. She searches “boiler not heating”, reads two guides, watches a video, compares three installers on Google reviews, requests a quote from one, gets a call the next day, books an installation and later leaves a review. The installer that answered her early questions, showed good reviews and called back quickly won the job, though the final click was on the quote form.
How to map a customer journey
- Pick one customer type and one goal, such as booking a first appointment.
- List the stages from first need to after-sale.
- For each stage, write what the customer does, thinks and feels.
- Add every touchpoint: searches, pages, ads, emails, calls, visits.
- Mark the gaps and friction, such as slow replies or unclear prices.
- Fix the biggest gap first and measure the change.
Customer journey mistakes
- Mapping what you wish happens rather than what customers actually do.
- Looking only at the website and forgetting phone, email and reviews.
- Assuming a straight line from awareness to purchase.
- Not updating the map after changes.
Customer journey FAQs
How is the customer journey related to the funnel?
The funnel is a simple model. The journey describes real behaviour in more detail. See customer lifecycle.
Where do I get the data?
From analytics, interviews, surveys, sales calls and reviews. See buyer personas and website analytics.