Linear customer journeys or conversion points?
We need to talk about customer journeys. Sure, it sounds great to draw a nice, clean line from awareness to purchase and on to loyalty.
But let’s be honest – how often does it really work that way?
In B2B, the journey is rarely linear. It’s more like a messy web of interactions – some clear, others almost invisible. The customer path is anything but straight. They jump in and out of different phases, through various channels and touchpoints – sometimes without us even noticing. They might:
-
Create an account just to try something out.
-
Talk to customer service to understand technical details.
-
Download specific product documentation.
-
Visit your Q&A pages multiple times.
-
Watch a webinar… two months after it was aired.
And in B2B, it’s not even just one customer – it’s a whole team with different roles and agendas. One is focused on price. Another on security. A third on integration.
And you need to meet them all where they are – at the same time.
So how should we actually think about customer journeys and marketing automation?
I don’t think we should throw out the classic customer journey altogether. On the contrary – it’s still a valuable framework, from first contact through to loyalty and expansion.
But we need to combine it with something much more powerful:
A laser focus on the key conversion points – those moments when the customer pauses, reflects, looks for answers, or is ready to act.
That’s where we have the biggest chance to make an impact. That’s where we need to:
-
Understand the customer’s motivation and uncertainty.
-
Deliver the right content, in the right format, at the right moment.
-
Make space for human interaction – where it actually matters.
Because it’s often in those moments that trust is built. And deals are won.
So instead of filling your marketing automation platform with fluffy flows no one follows:
-
Identify your real "moments that matter."
-
Figure out what the customer truly needs – right then, right there.
-
Automate smart – but leave room for the human touch where it counts.
We believe in a combination:
A clear, overall journey – from first contact to loyal customer.
But with laser focus on the critical moments where you can actually make a difference.
What about you?
Do you know what your most important conversion points are?
And how to best meet your customers – right where it matters most?
