The Customer Journey to Online Purchase

The modern day consumer’s path is a complex one that more often than not involves mobile.

SPONSOREDUpdated 8:08AM • 06/29/16

The modern customer journey is a complex one. Savvy franchise marketers understand that one single message, advertisement, social media post or PR placement does not always seal the deal. Users may see a display ad, get retargeted, click on a link texted from a friend or embark on a Google search before buying something from your website. It’s important to understand the entire customer journey so you can measure every element that contributes to the campaign and attribute value, and then adjust budgets accordingly.

For more than a century, marketing conventional wisdom suggested that customer-buying decisions followed a linear, top-down funnel-like progression. Capturing consumer attention at the top of the funnel was paramount in ensuring they entered into the buying process. Brands then used specific strategies at each point in the funnel to hit customers with targeted messages and guide them through the process.

Today, the idea of this funnel has essentially been rendered obsolete. The new path to purchase is a much more complicated, winding and sophisticated process. Smart companies have adapted to this shift after the rise of the Internet gave consumers more options than ever before.

More and more, thanks to mobile technology, consumers expect brands to meet their needs with real time relevance. These micro-moments are the new battleground for franchise brands. Think about it – how would you describe that device sitting next to you on your desk or in your pocket? I would venture to say that it’s no longer just a smartphone – it’s a lifeline.

Did you know that according to recent Google research, “Over two-thirds of smartphone users check their phone within 15 minutes of waking up in the morning and 87 percent of millennials always have their smartphone by their side, day and night.” Whether you like it or not, that little device by our sides is transforming our lives and enabling us to learn about new things while discovering new businesses. Your franchise business can perhaps benefit from these new discoveries, but only if you’re positioned to take advantage of these mobile bursts.

Behind these bursts are multiple interactions such as texting with a significant other, sending a quick work email while waiting to pick up lunch or posting pictures of your ski vacation to make friends jealous. These moments are common to most of our lives, but they’re not particularly good times for brand engagement.

But at other times, we’re very open to brand influence. This is especially true when we need answers to questions or help along our path to purchase. These are the moments that franchise marketers need to be ready for.

Google research goes on to claim that, “82 percent of smartphone users say they consult their phones on purchases they are about to make in a store and 91 percent of them turn to their phones for ideas in the middle of a task.”

The 2015 US edition of the Deloitte global mobile consumer survey found that Americans collectively check their smartphones upwards of eight billion times per day. That averages out to about 46 checks per day, but that number varies based on the age group. Those between the ages of 18 and 24 are looking most often, with an average of 74 checks per day. Those in the 25-34 age range look at their devices 50 times per day, and those between 35 and 44 do so about 35 times each day.

Today, you have to earn a customer’s consideration and action at any given moment. Why, you may ask? It’s because consumers tend to be more focused on their needs and not on any particular brand. Google mobile research shows that, “65 percent of smartphone users agree that when conducting a search on their smartphone, they look for the most relevant information, regardless of the company providing the information.”

In today’s crowded marketplace, your brand needs to be relevant to a consumer’s needs in the exact moment they need it. Those moments range from where to get the best burrito to whether or not they should buy a burrito franchise. By anticipating these micro-moments and connecting people to the answers they’re looking for, you’ll be one step ahead of your competition.

The Customer Journey to Online Purchase

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