From Stranger to Raving Fan

LEADER'S FIELD GUIDE

A road map exists for converting potential clients to raving fans of your products and services. Discover the 8 stops on the Customer Value Journey.

Usually, it’s hours passed my bedtime before the band even starts their sound checks! I’m not a huge concert fan, and for those keeping score, I happen to be married to one! I am the one impatiently waiting for the opening band to hurry up, so the headliner can get on with their performance. Oh, and the dreaded encores. Again, and again, we are on our feet, yelling at the top of our lungs for the band to play our favorite songs-- yes, the songs they intentionally withhold from us, their raving fans, knowing we will cheer incessantly to hear them.

Just like a band, as leaders, we are usually selling something, too! Whether it’s an idea, product, or process, to get buy in, our customers, employees, and family members must embark on the Customer Value Journey (CVJ). Think of a road map with eight destinations. We want customers, donors, advocates, and voyeurs alike to hold at least one space on our map. 

Here are the eight stops on the Customer Value Journey:¹

1. Awareness: Potential customers now know about you. Congratulations! We create awareness (in order of expense) through word-of-mouth, social media, blogs, events, and advertising. Catch their attention, then inform or entertain.
2. Engagement: Time to start building a relationship, inviting involvement, and enticing commitment through meaningful interaction, like exchanging comments on a video post or requesting additional information.
3. Subscription: At this stop, we request formal commitment. For example, we exchange a webinar, online assessment, or download for an email address or 30-minute chat. Our trade must solve a problem or answer burning questions.
4. Conversion: Here, we request a bit of money using an “entry-point offer-- a high-value, low risk exchange”. Though it’s tempting to generate revenue through these exchanges, offers may just cover the cost of converting a subscriber into a customer.
5. Excitement: Now, we wow ‘em. Affirm the client’s decision to become a customer. We make them feel special with relatively little additional investment, like a hand-written Thank You note, a gift card, or online welcome packet.
6. Ascension: We want our happy clients to continue buying from us with more frequency and through higher-priced offerings. Provide suggestions for revenue-generating products and add-on products, call upsells. Most importantly, keep clients happy!
7. Advocation: Believe it or not, sharing a thoughtful testimony or meaningful social media post reinforces client loyalty. Customers pleased with our products and services actually like talking about their experiences. Invite advocates to share.
8. Promotion: Promoters are advocates actively sharing stories, sincerely recommending our solutions, and introducing potential clients. At this stage, our sales team has organically expanded, share rewards with promoters or affiliates.

I love that the Customer Value Journey is not linear…mind blown emoji 🤯! Over time, a converted customer may require reengagement. …And an excited client may move up the ascension ladder, becoming a promoter of our more premium offerings. Now, as a concert goer, you are going to have reengage me. Unless you’re selling a thick blanket on a grassy knoll and a picnic basket on a summer’s afternoon. In that case, I am teetering between advocate and promoter. Where are your clients teetering? What would make them raving fans?

Sources: ¹ Digital Marketer: Customer Value Journey explainer and a very cool, customizable Online Template.

by Michelle Sugerman • Leading Synergies, LLC • © All Rights Reserved

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