01   CHAPTER

This is where digital marketing begins and ends…

With a Customer Value Journey that strategically builds relationship with new prospects and converts them into loyal, repeat customers.

This Journey is the process every prospect goes through to become a new customer.

It’s how strangers become buyers and, eventually, raving fans of your business.

The hard truth is that marketing is not a one-step process. There are eight stages you must account for on the path to purchase and promotion.

But, I have great news. If you understand this digital marketing strategy (a.k.a. the Customer Value Journey), then you can intentionally engineer your business in such a way that it moves people predictably through the stages in this template.

In other words, you’ll no longer wonder if you’ll be able to generate leads. You won’t have to cross your fingers and hope for customers. When you understand the Customer Value Journey, even reviews and referrals will become automatic.

The Customer Value Journey is the strategic foundation of everything we do here at DigitalMarketer. It’s the master template upon which every other digital marketing discipline and tactic is built.

It’s so important, we confidently make this bold statement:

The job of marketing is to move prospects and customers seamlessly and subtly through each phase of the Customer Value Journey.

In this chapter, we’ll start with a high-level map of the Customer Value Journey. Then we’ll dive into each of the 8 steps, talk about the tactics you’ll need to move people along the Journey, and review case studies so you can see it in action.

An Overview of the Customer Value Journey

So, now that you understand why it’s important… here’s what the Customer Value Journey looks like:

Step 1: Awareness

Before someone can buy from you, they have to realize you exist—right? Well, that’s Step 1 in the Customer Value Journey.

This step is pretty self-explanatory: It’s where the person becomes aware of you. After all, nobody is born knowing who Apple or Amazon are. At some point they have to become aware of these companies if they are to become a customer.

The same thing is true of your company.

Examples of Marketing that Generates Awareness

There are any number of ways a prospect could become aware of your company, products, and services. Here are three possible scenarios:

• A father of two sees an advertisement for a new children’s summer camp on Facebook.

• An office manager searches Google to find a new coffee supplier.

• A college student watches an Instagram video of her friend raving about a new brand of noise canceling headphones.

Facebook ads are the perfect vehicle for driving awareness. In this example, browsers are introduced to a home security company:

If you weren’t aware of Canary, this Facebook ad makes you aware.

Digital Marketing Disciplines That Create Awareness

To improve awareness of your company, the digital marketing tactics you need to master or hire include:

• Digital Advertising

• Search Marketing

• Content Marketing

• Social Media Marketing

• Community Management

• Copywriting