Customer Journey Mapping: Do You Really Understand How Your Customers Buy?
Do you know which touchpoints a customer has with your company before they buy? According to McKinsey, the average B2B buyer completes 70% of their decision journey before first speaking with sales. In B2C, it's often 80%.
Customer Journey Mapping makes this invisible journey visible – and shows you where you win or lose customers. In this guide, we show how to create an effective journey map and use it for your growth.
What is Customer Journey Mapping?
A Customer Journey Map is a visual representation of all touchpoints a customer has with your company – from first awareness to post-purchase loyalty.
The map shows not only what customers do, but also what they think and feel at each moment. Only when you understand why customers drop off at certain points can you optimize effectively.
"Get closer than ever to your customers. So close that you tell them what they need well before they realize it themselves." — Steve Jobs
Why is Customer Journey Mapping Important?
- Take customer perspective: See your company through customers' eyes
- Identify pain points: Where are the issues? Where do you lose customers?
- Break down silos: Marketing, sales, service see the big picture
- Focus resources: Invest where it has the biggest impact
- Consistent experience: Every touchpoint supports the overall journey
According to Forrester, companies with customer-centric approaches achieve 5-10% higher revenues and 15-25% lower costs.
The 5 Phases of the Customer Journey
1. Awareness
The customer recognizes they have a problem or need. They don't yet know what solutions exist.
Typical touchpoints:
- Google search (informational)
- Social media posts
- Blog articles
- Recommendations from acquaintances
- Advertisements
Your task: Be visible, sharpen problem awareness, position as expert. SEO and content marketing are decisive here – see our SEO guide.
2. Consideration
The customer knows possible solutions and compares providers. They actively research.
Typical touchpoints:
- Product pages
- Comparison articles
- Reviews and testimonials
- Case studies
- Pricing pages
Your task: Show differentiation, build trust, communicate value. Your website must convince here.
3. Decision
The customer is ready to buy and chooses between a few finalists.
Typical touchpoints:
- Quote request
- Initial call/demo
- Checkout process
- Contract/Terms
- Payment processing
Your task: Frictionless process, remove last objections, minimize purchase risk. Guarantees, testimonials, simple processes.
4. Retention
The purchase is complete. Now it's about meeting or exceeding expectations.
Typical touchpoints:
- Onboarding process
- Delivery/project kickoff
- Customer service
- Product/service usage
- Follow-up communication
Your task: Deliver value, provide support, communicate regularly. A satisfied customer buys again.
5. Advocacy
Enthusiastic customers become brand ambassadors.
Typical touchpoints:
- Review platforms
- Social media shares
- Referral programs
- Case studies/testimonials
- Word of mouth
Your task: Ask for reviews, create referral incentives, document success stories.
How to Create a Customer Journey Map
Step 1: Define Buyer Personas
Who are your typical customers? Create detailed profiles with:
- Demographic data (age, position, industry)
- Goals and motivations
- Challenges and pain points
- Information sources
- Decision criteria
Tip: Conduct real customer interviews. Assumptions are dangerous. 5-10 interviews already provide valuable insights.
Step 2: Collect Touchpoints
List all touchpoints a customer can have with your company:
- Digital touchpoints: Website, social media, emails, ads
- Personal touchpoints: Phone, meetings, events
- Indirect touchpoints: Reviews, recommendations, press
Step 3: Capture Customer Emotions
For each touchpoint: What does the customer feel? Positive, neutral, negative? Where are the frustration points?
Methods:
- Customer interviews and surveys
- Analysis of support requests
- Website analytics (where do visitors drop off?)
- Social listening
- Employee feedback (sales, support)
Step 4: Visualize the Map
Bring everything together in a visual representation:
- X-axis: The journey phases
- Y-axis: Touchpoints, actions, thoughts, emotions
- Emotion curve: Where are highs and lows?
Tools: Miro, Figma, Lucidchart, or simply whiteboard and post-its to start.
Step 5: Identify Opportunities
Analyze the map and find:
- Pain points: Where are negative emotions? How can you fix them?
- Gaps: Which touchpoints are missing? Where can you be more present?
- Moments of truth: Which moments are decisive for purchase or dropout?
- Quick wins: What can you improve quickly?
Customer Journey for Different Industries
B2B Service Provider (e.g., Agency, Consulting)
Typical journey:
- Awareness: Google search, LinkedIn, referrals
- Consideration: Website, case studies, blog, initial call
- Decision: Proposal, references, contract
- Retention: Project work, regular updates, QBRs
- Advocacy: Testimonials, referrals, case studies
Critical: Long sales cycles, multiple decision-makers, high trust requirement. Content and thought leadership are essential.
E-Commerce (Online Shop)
Typical journey:
- Awareness: Social ads, Google Shopping, influencers
- Consideration: Product pages, reviews, price comparisons
- Decision: Cart, checkout, payment options
- Retention: Delivery, tracking, after-sales emails
- Advocacy: Reviews, user-generated content
Critical: Short cycles but many potential dropout points. Checkout optimization is critical.
Local Business (e.g., Tradesperson, Doctor, Restaurant)
Typical journey:
- Awareness: Google Maps, local search, recommendations
- Consideration: Google Business Profile, website, reviews
- Decision: Appointment booking, call, on-site visit
- Retention: Service experience, follow-up
- Advocacy: Google reviews, word of mouth
Critical: Local visibility and reviews are everything. See our Local SEO.
Common Mistakes in Journey Mapping
- Only internal perspective: The map reflects your processes, not customer reality
- Too generic: One map for all customers doesn't work – different personas have different journeys
- Once and forget: The journey changes – update regularly
- No data: Gut feeling instead of real customer insights
- No consequences: Create map but change nothing
From Map to Action: Optimizing the Journey
A Customer Journey Map is only as valuable as the actions that follow:
1. Prioritize
Not everything at once. Focus on:
- The biggest pain points
- Moments with highest conversion impact
- Quick wins with little effort
2. Work Cross-Functionally
The journey doesn't belong to one department. Marketing, sales, service, product – everyone must collaborate.
3. Measure and Iterate
Define KPIs for each journey section:
- Awareness: Traffic, impressions, brand searches
- Consideration: Time on site, pages per session, inquiries
- Decision: Conversion rate, cart abandonment
- Retention: NPS, churn rate, repurchase rate
- Advocacy: Reviews, referrals
Customer Journey and Your Website
Your website is the most important digital touchpoint. It must support the journey:
- Awareness: Blog, SEO-optimized content found during problem searches
- Consideration: Service pages, case studies, comparisons, testimonials
- Decision: Clear CTAs, simple contact options, trust signals
- Retention: Login area, resources, support access
- Advocacy: Social proof, easy sharing options
Our web projects are always based on customer journey analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to create a Customer Journey Map?
A simple mapping for one persona takes 2-4 weeks with customer interviews. Comprehensive mapping for multiple personas and products can take 2-3 months.
Which tools are suitable for Customer Journey Mapping?
For beginners: Whiteboard or Miro. For more complex maps: Smaply, UXPressia, Lucidchart. For data-driven mapping: Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Hotjar.
How often should I update the Journey Map?
At least annually, preferably semi-annually. With major changes (new product, new channel, changed customer needs) immediately.
How do I involve my team in mapping?
Conduct a workshop with representatives from marketing, sales, service, product. Each department has different insights into customer reality.
What's the difference between Customer Journey and User Journey?
Customer Journey = entire relationship with the company. User Journey = specific interaction with a product or digital touchpoint. User journeys are part of the customer journey.
Do I need a separate Journey Map for each persona?
Ideally yes. Different personas have different needs, pain points and decision paths. Start with your most important persona.
How do I measure ROI of Customer Journey Mapping?
Indirectly via KPIs like conversion rate, customer lifetime value, NPS, churn rate. Directly: What specific improvements have you implemented based on the map?
Want to analyze your customer journey professionally? Contact us for a strategy conversation.
