What does understanding the customer journey help you achieve?
Before a customer makes a purchase through your website they will first go through many interactions with your brand/business starting with when they first become aware of your brand right through to making a purchase. The route each customer takes to get to the final sale is varied and personal to them. We call this the customer journey.

Finding out about the customer journey is important if you want to help build a strong, loyal customer base. Knowing each stage the customer goes through helps you identify weak points in your communication strategy which you can then be improved to create a better customer experience and increase brand loyalty and sales.
 
How to track your customer journey
To understand the customer journey you need to analyse all the data from your marketing channels:

• Paid Advertising Basically any type of advertising you have to pay for ie. Google Ads or social media ads such as Facebook 
• Offline Activity Business cards, leaflets, networking, trade shows etc
• SEO All the channels you use to improve your website ranking in search engines such as Google  
• Social Media  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, blogs etc.
• Email Marketing

 
The different marketing channels all have the same aim - to lead the customer to your website. But, as you know, just getting the potential customer to the website isn’t enough, what you want is for the customer to take the next step:

• A phone call

• An enquiry/contact us form
• An order/purchase

 
There are ways to measure how all the marketing channels are performing using various apps:

• Website Analytics 

• Google Analytics 
• Mailchimp Stats
• Social Media Insights
• Collect your own data from questionnaires, trade shows, events and networking

 
These websites and apps will collect all the data you need and help you get a better understanding of your audience so you can then adapt your marketing strategy to try and turn those visits into sales and in time increase brand loyalty and keep customers returning.
 
Get to know your customer
For any of this to work it’s important you really get to know your customer at every stage of their journey. This will help you develop content and services that are relevant to your customer. Find out how the customer feels at each stage of their journey - what made them take the next step? What stopped them from making a purchase?
 
To get the most out of your data you need to understand your numbers then you can see where improvements need to be made in order to boost traffic, increase loyalty and get more sales.
 
For help understanding the customer journey and making sense of it all contact Creative Remedy

A marketing funnel is basically a way of mapping a customer journey from awareness of your brand/business through to the final stage (purchase/sign up). There are different types of funnels focusing on specific areas of marketing (social media marketing funnels, video marketing funnels, email marketing funnels etc) but they all have the same role - to follow the steps a customer takes before fulfilling the final stage.

Why do you need a marketing funnel?
Having a marketing funnel will give you great insight into your customer journey. The data you will get from the funnel report will highlight if you are losing customers along their journey and help you focus on the weaker areas of your marketing plan. You will see which areas are strong and which areas you can build on. It will help you focus your marketing to your target audience which will ensure a better conversion rate. Understanding your customers and their needs makes it much easier for you to guide them through the ‘funnel’ and hopefully bring you more sales through your website/leads.
 
It may seem like a lot of data but it all makes sense once you understand your numbers and can see where you can improve brand loyalty or increase conversion rates.
 
How can a marketing funnel help your business?
A marketing funnel is a great way to build brand loyalty which in turn leads to recommendations, new customers and further sales. The marketing funnel is made of stages your customer goes through before making that purchase:

• Awareness - Attracting new customers
• Attention - Make your brand stand out from your competitors

• Action - Encouraging your new customer to make the purchase
• Engagement - Keeping in touch with your new customer through social media channels
• Loyalty - Building trust with your customers so they recommend your business to others

 
The information you will get from a marketing funnel will help you gain understanding of your audience and ultimately help you convert them into loyal customers.
 
If you need help with your marketing plan and would like more information, why not get a FREE Health Check

What can you do to get more sales through your website?
If your goal is to increase the amount of sales you are getting through your website then there are a few simple steps you can take. Try looking at your website as if you’re seeing it for the very first time. Is it inviting? Does it encourage you to find out more about the products or services available? Does it look tired and in need of an update?

We’ve put together a helpful list of tips to get the most out of your website and hopefully increase those online sales:

• Homepage - keep it simple and easy to navigate. Don’t be tempted to cram as much as possible on your homepage, this will just overwhelm visitors and could lose you sales.
• Try adding videos for product demonstrations and information - we process visual images much faster than reading text making video a great way to communicate with your audience!
• Call To Action - a simple yet effective ‘Buy Now’ button could be all you need to turn that enquiry into a purchase!
• Marketing - is an integral part of any business. From digital marketing to the more traditional, offline channels, they all have a part to play in helping your business to grow and be successful. For your marketing to be a success you need to have a plan to follow strategically rather than just a knee-jerk reaction to changes in the business climate.

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Once you’ve ticked all those boxes the sales will come flooding in, right? Well no, unfortunately it’s a bit more complex. Once your website is fine-tuned and your marketing plan is updated there's still more work to be done to improve customer engagement to ultimately increase sales. This is where a marketing funnel can really make a difference.
 
What is a Marketing Funnel?
It might surprise you to learn that only a small percentage of sales happen the first time a customer visits your website. Just being aware of your products and services isn’t enough and all customers will go through a personal journey before they finally decide to make a purchase. A marketing funnel is simply a way to analyse this customer journey and understand how and when you can help convert the sale.
 
Your many and varied marketing channels all have the same aim... to lead the customer to your website and bring customers on-board.
 
Every customer or potential customer that visits your website goes through their own unique journey before they engage with you for a service or make a purchase. Understanding that journey is difficult and sometimes the only way to find out is to ask the customer through research eg. feedback questionnaires, emails and speaking to your customers.
 
This marketing funnel infographic gives an example of a typical customer journey.
 
Attracting customers to your website
There are many ways to draw customers to your website, such as email marketing, social media and Google Ads but it’s also important to remember that customers are heavily influenced by other aspects of your website such as design, user experience (make sure it’s easy to navigate), call to actions, relevant content and mobile optimisation.
 
But, as you know, just getting the potential customer to the website isn’t enough, what you want is for the customer to take the next step:

• A phone call
• An enquiry/contact us form
• An order /purchase

 
What you can do to help a potential sale
Get yourself acquainted with the granular details with your print and digital marketing, know your numbers! You can do this through understanding the data in your Google Analytics account or social media insights. To really improve your customer experience you need to put yourself in their shoes, start simple, take a look at your website - what can you change on your home page or a landing page to pull more customers in?
 
Need some support to understand your Google Analytics data or social media insights? Book a FREE Health Check.

The New Year is an ideal time to get proactive with your marketing and get your voice heard while we wait to see what the new financial year has in store. Reconnecting with your customers is key to strengthening your business relationships and letting them know you are there for support.
 
Most of us will have been glad to see the back of 2020, to say it has been difficult is an understatement. Some of you may have taken a step back from the business to focus on other things, others will have been busy reaching out to customers in new ways.
 
Regardless of how you’ve tackled the past year, now is a great time to get organised. Why not use this opportunity to reconnect with your customers, take stock and hit 2021 with some positivity!
 
Here are 5 simple things to try and get your business off to a good start in 2021:

1. Stay in touch Just a simple courtesy email or phone call can help promote confidence and loyalty. Be sure to ask your customer how they are and if there is anything you can do to help them, now is not the time for the hard sell but just a gentle reminder that we are all in this together.
2. Organise your customer database Update your customer lists, databases and email marketing funnels to make sure you have all the right details and that your products and services are still relevant for your customers needs.
3. Embrace the need for E-commerce If you don’t already sell your products or services online then now is definitely time to change that. If we have seen anything from the uncertainty and disruption of the past year it is that online purchases are here to stay.
4. Personalisation When thinking about marketing and communication try to make offers and promotions personal to each customer. Simple things such as asking for your customers communications preferences can really help you connect and strengthen your relationship.
5. Check your finances This year has been difficult on so many levels and many businesses will have taken a financial hit. Be sure to utilise any grants, loans or Government schemes that are available if you need them to see you through the coming months.

 
This is not on the list but still very important none the less, don’t forget to ask for help if you need it. It is often one of the hardest things to find the courage to do, but if you are struggling with payments, need some ideas or looking for something specialist, look to your network group, connections, contractors or suppliers and reach out.
 
Hopefully you’ve got some ideas and a plan of action to help get your business running as smoothly as possible in 2021. If not Creative Remedy are always on hand if you need any help or advice.

Once you’ve digested the Government guidance and regulations it’s time to start analysing your business and looking for ways to improve performance and increase sales. Now is the time to take a look at your marketing plan - how does it need to adapt to suit the new legislation? If you have a retail business how can you improve and maximise sales whilst still following social distancing and hygiene rules?
 
We’ve put together 8 top tips to help you ensure your business is ready for the new normal:

1. Marketing Plan or Strategy This should be your first job before you tackle anything else. Your business has undoubtedly gone through a huge change over lockdown so it’s important to reassess your plan and make sure you are fully informed.
2. Online Courses, webinars, training Now is the time to fully embrace the digital age. Make use of tools such as Zoom, Skype etc... to deliver your services.
3. Go Ecommerce Social distancing rules may mean your current premises are unsuitable to reopen or will only allow a small number of customers. This is where e-commerce can really boost your sales and customer base.
4. Video As well as allowing you to host meetings without having to worry about social distancing video is also a great way of showcasing your products or services. If you're not already using video to promote your business now is the perfect time to start.
5. Social Media Many that were not comfortable with social media pre-lockdown are now taking selfies and posting regularly! Your audience will have undoubtedly changed, now is the time to reassess your target audience and your message.
6. Email Marketing This is a brilliant way to keep in touch with your customers and keep them updated with any new developments with your business post lockdown. Be sure to include it in your marketing plan review.
7. Design Is it time for a new look? As you adapt your business and the way you work perhaps now is a great time or a fresh new look.
8. Website Update your website, this is by far one of the most significant things you can do. Think about how your business has changed, perhaps you have different products or services. How are you communicating these changes with your customers?

 
Important things to remember:

• Social distancing is easing, rules and regulations are changing weekly. Make sure your marketing plan can adapt as the government guidance changes.
• New processes and procedures are in place. Keep your customers updated with how you are following the new processes.
• Our environment has changed, there is a focus on cleanliness and hygiene. Instil confidence in your customers by communicating how you are ensuring your premises are clean and safe.
• How can you deliver your products in a limited contact/contactless environment? Utilise digital solutions where possible such as online payment options, contactless card payments, e-commerce. Allow customers to specify contactless delivery options such as safe places to leave parcels.

 
If you need a helping hand to navigate the post lockdown world contact Creative Remedy for a FREE Consultation.