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Digital Marketing Archives - Anne C Clark
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The Basics of Understanding the Customer Journey

The Basics of Understanding the Customer Journey

When it comes to small business success, understanding the customer journey is an important necessity. Your ability to comprehend how customers interact with your brand from initial awareness to post-purchase engagement can make or break your business. In this overview, I am going to explain the fundamental concepts of the customer journey and explore how small businesses can leverage this understanding to drive growth and build lasting relationships with their customers.

 

What is the Customer Journey?

The customer journey is the sum total of all interactions and touchpoints a customer has with your business, from the moment they become aware of your brand to their eventual purchase and beyond. It encompasses every step of the buying process, including research, consideration, decision-making, purchase, and post-purchase engagement. Visualizing the customer journey allows businesses to gain insights into how customers move through these stages and where they may encounter challenges or opportunities for improvement.

 

Key Stages of the Customer Journey

1. Awareness: This is the stage where a potential customer first becomes aware of your brand, product, or service. It could happen through various channels such as social media, advertising, word-of-mouth recommendations, or organic search.

2. Consideration: After becoming aware of your brand, the customer begins to consider whether your product or service meets their needs or solves their problems. They might conduct research, compare options, read reviews, and seek recommendations from peers.

3. Decision-Making: Once the customer has evaluated their options, they make a purchase decision. This could involve buying directly from your website, visiting a physical store, or making a purchase through a third-party retailer.

4. Purchase: The customer completes the transaction and acquires your product or service. This stage is crucial, but it’s not the end of the customer journey.

5. Post-Purchase Engagement: After the purchase, the customer’s journey continues. Post-purchase engagement involves providing support, gathering feedback, encouraging repeat purchases, and fostering brand loyalty.

 

Why Understanding the Customer Journey Matters for Small Businesses

1. Better Targeting: By understanding the customer journey, small businesses can tailor their marketing efforts to target customers at different stages of the buying process. This ensures that marketing messages are relevant and timely, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

2. Improved Customer Experience: Mapping out the customer journey allows businesses to identify pain points and areas for improvement in the customer experience. By addressing these issues, businesses can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

3. Increased Sales and Revenue: A deeper understanding of the customer journey enables small businesses to optimize their sales process and maximize conversion rates. By providing the right information and support at each stage of the journey, businesses can guide customers towards making a purchase.

4. Enhanced Brand Loyalty: A positive customer journey fosters trust and loyalty. When customers have a seamless and enjoyable experience from awareness to post-purchase, they are more likely to become repeat buyers and brand advocates.

 

Implementing a Customer Journey Strategy

 

1. Map Out Your Customer Journey: Start by identifying the key stages of the customer journey for your business and the touchpoints associated with each stage.

2. Gather Data: Collect data from various sources, such as customer feedback, website analytics, social media metrics, and sales data, to gain insights into customer behaviour and preferences.

3. Analyze and Identify Pain Points: Use the data gathered to analyse the customer journey and identify pain points or areas where customers may be experiencing friction or dissatisfaction.

4. Implement Improvements: Take proactive steps to address identified pain points and improve the customer experience at every stage of the journey. This might involve refining your website, streamlining the checkout process, enhancing customer support, or optimizing marketing campaigns.

5. Monitor and Iterate: Continuously monitor the effectiveness of your customer journey strategy and be prepared to iterate based on feedback and evolving customer needs.

Understanding the customer journey is essential for businesses looking to thrive in today’s online space. By mapping out the customer journey, identifying pain points, and implementing improvements, small businesses can enhance the customer experience, drive growth, and build lasting relationships with their customers.

 

50 motivational quotes to kick off your Mondays

50 motivational quotes to kick off your Mondays

Suffering a bit of Monday-i-tis! Look no further here are

50 motivational quotes to kick off your Mondays!

1. “Mondays are the start of the workweek which offers new beginnings 52 times a year!” – David Dweck
2. “Monday is a fresh start. It’s never too late to dig in and begin a new journey of success.”
3. “Your Monday morning thoughts set the tone for your whole week. See yourself getting stronger, and living a fulfilling, happier, and healthier life.”
4. “Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand.” – Napoleon Hill
5. “Success is to wake up each morning and consciously decide that today will be the best day of your life.” – Ken Poirot
6. “To be successful, the first thing to do is fall in love with your work.”
7. “Mondays are a lot like getting fat. They make you feel sad, sometimes angry and there is not much scope for liking either fat or Mondays for any reason.” – Garry Moll
8. “Believe on Monday the way you believe on Sunday.” – Rita Schiano
9. “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn
10. “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar
11. “With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
12. “Candy is nature’s way of making up for Mondays.” – Unknown Author
13. “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer
14. “The future depends on what you do today.” – Mahatma Gandhi
15. “This is your Monday morning reminder that you can handle whatever this week throws at you.”
16. “Mondays are the potholes in the road of life.” – Tom Wilson
17. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
18. “The biggest thrill wasn’t in winning on Sunday but in meeting the payroll on Monday.” – Art Rooney
19. “Your passion is waiting for your courage to catch up.” – Isabelle Lafleche
20. “Monday is just a reminder that the weekend has past and there are only a few more days before another weekend gets here.”
21. “The start of your week sets the tone for the rest of it. Start strong and positive!”
22. “Every Monday is a chance to start a new fabulous week. Embrace it!”
23. “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” – Mark Twain
24. “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” – Will Rogers
25. “A ship is always safe at shore but that is not what it’s built for.” – Albert Einstein
26. “The future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.” – Robert Kiyosaki
27. “The only limits you have are the limits you believe.” – Wayne Dyer
28. “Turn your obstacles into opportunities and your problems into possibilities.” – Roy T. Bennett
29. “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson
30. “You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you.” – Brian Tracy
31. “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John R. Wooden
32. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
33. “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” – Francis of Assisi
34. “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.”
35. “Mondays are a good day to make statements, not Friday.” – Ernie Els
36. “Monday won’t be so gloomy if you believe that something good is always bound to happen.”
37. “New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” – Lao Tzu
38. “Today, you are you that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” – Dr. Seuss
39. “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” – Steve Martin
40. “Attack Monday with enthusiasm, laughter, thousands of smiles and cheerfulness.”
41. “Success means doing the best we can with what we have.” – Zig Ziglar
42. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius
43. “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll
44. “Wake up on Monday and start your day with a lot of awesomeness and you will get happiness back.”
45. “It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort.” – Jillian Michaels
46. “The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there.” – Vince Lombardi
47. “It’s Monday. Get a new perspective. Whatever obstacle you’re facing, it’s not permanent.”
48. “Monday is the day to be back at your passion. Turn your dreams into goals. Action them into reality.”
49. “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” – Maya Angelou
50. “Monday is a great for becoming too busy to die.” – Roy Station

Remember, motivation is what gets you started, but habit is what keeps you going. Make every Monday count!

How your business can grow its returns with email marketing

How your business can grow its returns with email marketing

Email marketing gives you immediate access to your audience by allowing you to send your content directly to their inboxes, which can lead to increased conversions and brand loyalty.

According to research email marketing has the highest return on investment than any other form of digital marketing.

Here are some best practices for using email marketing in your business:

The first step is to build a list.

You can’t market to anyone if you don’t have their contact information, and the best way to do that is by building an email list.

You want to develop an offering of some form that entices your target market to subscribe to your list. For example; a retail store may offer a discount on their first purchase, and service-based business might offer something that showcases their expertise and gives their audience a sample of how their services will benefit them. Give a solution to the most common problem your target market may have.

Send emails with personalized content that engages your readers.

Personalised content

  • is more effective,
  • helps build a relationship with customers, and
  • helps you stand out from competitors.

Personalised emails are more likely to be read and acted upon by your customers, which can increase customer satisfaction levels if used appropriately.

Automate where possible

When someone signs up to your mailing list, create an automation where you welcome them and introduce your business and services in more detail so they can get to know you.

Some kinds of automation you can also add that have great ROI (return on investment) are

Anniversary or birthday emails – make your audience feel special. Sending a birthday or anniversary email is a wonderful way to make a customer feel special. You can add an incentive for them to buy products as part of their birthday wishes, for example: when they spend $50, they will receive a birthday gift valued at $30.

Abandon Cart or Recovery emails – often people can get distracted on a website and forget to finish their purchases, a simple email saying you held their items for them can see purchases completed.

Some interesting statistics on abandoned cart emails by Moosend

  • A staggering average of 69% of online carts are being abandoned by users 
  • 45% of cart abandonment emails are opened; 21% of all are clicked on, while 50% of the users clicked purchase. 
  • Shipping-related reasons contribute to over 60% of carts being abandoned. 
  • Setting up an automated cart abandonment email is a great way to lower your cart abandonment rates.
  • Offer free shipping to really boost the conversion of your cart abandonment emails.

Perhaps incorporating free shipping more regularly in your marketing offers could be a great conversion for your business, obviously, you would have set guidelines around this such as minimum spend amount, or limited time offer. 

Consistency

Send out a regular newsletter is important, this can be weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Consistency is key. Your target market has given you permission to be able to email them, so don’t allow this opportunity to be missed. Life gets busy, so being consistent is a gentle way of reminding your audience you are still there if they need you!

Content

Make sure your content is valuable to your audience. It’s a privilege that they’ve allowed you to email them directly, so treat them with that same respect. Where possible throughout your content, don’t be afraid to insert their first name.  

When creating your newsletter, create the value of sharing your content and showcasing your expertise.  

Whilst we have AI here to help you along, only YOU can make it a personal experience for your audience. 

Need Help?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the whole process, then feel free to reach out to me for assistance. Creating opt-in, automations, funnels and newsletters is one of my specialities.

Some wise words for you

David Newman says “Email has an ability many channels don’t: creating valuable, personal touches—at scale.”

Ramsay Leimenstoll says “A small list that wants exactly what you’re offering is better than a bigger list that isn’t committed.”

Ann Handley says “Make the customer the hero of your story”

Karl Murray says “Focus on growing your list all the time as newer subscribers are more engaged, adding to healthier open rates and ROI.”

2022 Australian Social Media Calendar Dates

2022 Australian Social Media Calendar Dates

Looking for content ideas for your social media, here are key dates for Australia. 

January – Creativity Month

1: New Year’s Day
2: World Introvert Day
4: Trivia Day
6: Technology Day
10: Houseplant Appreciation Day
10: Cut Your Energy Costs Day
20: Penguin Awareness Day
24: Belly Laughs Day
25: Opposite Day
27: Chocolate Cake Day
28: Data privacy Day
30: Croissant Day

February – Black History Month

1: Lunar New Year
1: Change Your Password Day
2: International Groundhog Day
2: World Wetlands Day
3: International Golden Retriever Day
4: World Cancer Day
6: Frozen Yoghurt Day
9: National Pizza Day
11: Safer Internet Day
14: Donor Day
14: Valentine’s Day
17: Random Acts of Kindness Day
18: National Drink Wine Day
18: Sydney Mardi Gras begins
20: World Day of Social Justice
20: Love Your Pet Day
22: World Thinking Day
22: National Margarita Day
26: Teal Ribbon Day
27: Retro Day
29: Rare Disease Day
29: Leap Year Day

March – Women’s History Month

1: World Compliment Day
3: World Wildlife Day
3: World Book Day
4: Employee Appreciation Day
4: National Grammar Day
6: Clean Up Australia Day
8: International Women’s Day
10: Pack Your Lunch Day
14: Legal Assistance Day
17: St Patrick’s Day
18: World Sleep Day
20: International Day of Happiness
20: World Storytelling Day
21: World Down Syndrome Day
22: World Water Day
26: Purple Day
27: World Theatre Day
26: Earth Hour
27: Neighbour Day
31: International Day of Transgender Visibility

April

1: April Fools Day
2: World Autism Awareness Day
7: World Health Day
10: National Sibling Day
15: Good Friday
17: Easter Sunday
20: Volunteer Recognition Day
21: High Five Day
22: International Mother Earth Day
25: ANZAC Day
27: Marine Mammal Rescue Day
28: Pay it Forward Day

May

1: World Laughter Day
3: World Asthma Day
4: Star Wars Day [May the 4th be with you!]
4: Firefighters Day
24: Starlight Day
8: Mother’s Day
12: Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
15: International Day of Families
17: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
18-24: National Volunteer Week
26: National Sorry Day
19: Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea
28: International Hamburger Day

June

1: Global Day of Parents
3: National Donut Day
3: Mabo Day
5: World Environment Day
8: World Oceans Day
14: World Blood Donor Day
18: International Picnic Day
20: World Refugee Day
21: International Yoga Day
21: National Selfie Day
21: World Music Day
27: National Sunglasses Day
30: Social Media Day

July – Plastic Free July

5-12: NAIDOC Week
7: World Chocolate Day
17: World Emoji Day
20: World Jump Day
24: Stress Down Day
30: International Friendship Day

August

1: International Beer Day
7: Genes for Jeans Day
8: International Cat Day
12: International Youth Day
14: Red Nose Day
19: World Humanitarian Day
19: World Photography Day
23: Daffodil Day

September

5: International Day of Charity
6: Father’s Day
8: R U OK? Day10: World Suicide Prevention Day
18-20: Clean up the World Weekend
19: Talk Like a Pirate Day
21: International Day of Peace

October – Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Mental Health Awareness month

1: International Coffee Day
2: International Day of Non-Violence
4: World Animal Day
5: World Teachers’ Day
6: Instagram’s Birthday
10: World Mental Health Day
10: World Homelessness Day
16: World Food Day
17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
31: Halloween

November – Movember

1: World Vegan Day
11: Remembrance Day
13: World Kindness Day
14: World Diabetes Day
16: International Day for Tolerance
19: World Toilet Day
20: Universal Children’s Day
20: Transgender Day of Remembrance
25: Black Friday
26: Small Business Saturday
28: Cyber Monday

December

1: World AIDS Day
3: International Day of People with Disabilities
4: World Wildlife Conversation Day
5: International Volunteer Day
10: Human Rights Day
18: International Migrants Day
24: Christmas Eve
25: Christmas
26: Boxing Day
31: New Year’s Eve