Did Dell decided to sell computers on Internet by looking at existing customer buying behavior? Of course, not. When Dell started selling PC on the web no one else was selling them using Internet. Dell’s innovative approach of selling was based on a clear thinking about how customers would be willing to buy, based on what is important for them in the sale of PCs, including: low price, exact configuration to customers’ specifications, and ease of doing business, among other factors. All of these needs could be met—and better met—using direct channels such as telephone and the Internet.
You can do the same, if you step back and identify the buying criteria at each stage in your customer journey. The list below provides you a good starting point to identify key criteria at each step. The vivid customer persona that you created in the last step will help you customize it for your business:
| Steps in Customer Journey | Barriers |
|
Awareness |
Identify venues where prospects go for information and establish touch points to communicate your value proposition in comparison with your competitors |
|
Investigation |
Understand prospects needs and present information such that it answer their questions quickly and clearly. Position your message to effectively address your competitors' message |
| Consideration | Understand prospects key criteria and hierarchy of need and provide them with information that readily speak to them. Ensure a consistent brand experience across all the touch points |
| Selection / Purchase | Understand real objections; get familiar with prospects evaluation process; articulate how your solution fit well with their hierarchies of needs; become personal |
| Use | Don't make promises that you couldn't keep. Improve product quality and on-time delivery; provide training; generous return policies; customize offerings |
| Satisfaction | Poor customer service; inconsistent brand experience; poor sales process; lack of tools to engage customers |
| Loyalty | Recognize that good customer service is the only way to do business; improve product or service quality; invest in profitable customers; initiate loyalty programs; engage customers |
| Advocacy |
Understand the emotional drivers of your customers; Track and measure Net Promoter Score; provide tools like social networks |
As you go through the list above, you will notice that the requirement to establish proper and adequate touch points at each step cut across all the steps. Next section shows how to pick right channels to deliver the wow experience.
[ THIS SECTION NEEDS TO BE RE-WRITTEN: Possibly add SWOT Analysis for each step in customer journey?]
Related:
- Table of Content
- Red Queen Effect – An Introduction
- The Billionaire Code
- Cracking the Code
- Implementation Plan