Literature/202603010908 aligning customer journey and strategy

<ul> <li>Source: [[<a class="litnote tooltip" href="/literature/@ghanadan2025">@ghanadan2025<span class="tooltiptext">Not Buying It: The Art of Selling to Scientists, Doctors, and Other Professional Skeptics</span></a>]]</li> <li>Tags: <a href="/tags/customer-journey">#customer-journey</a> <a href="/tags/sales">#sales</a> <a href="/tags/science-business">#science-business</a> <a href="/tags/marketing">#marketing</a> </li> </ul> <p>The traditional <a class="wikilink" href="/sales_funnel/">sales funnel</a> is outdated for the modern customer journey. Many customers engage with our offering, disengage, reengage at a later point. There are many steps that are not within our control: from customers reading a paper, to attending a presentation. </p> <p>We should not force a linear trajectory to our customers, but rather support them along the way (<a class="wikilink" href="/literature/202603010858_buying_journey_aligned_with_messaging/">202603010858 Buying journey aligned with messaging</a>). </p> <p>We need to find signals of <strong>authority</strong>, for example by having a strong or provocative point of view. </p> <p>We should create <strong>likeness</strong>, since most people feel attracted to others who are similar. </p> <p>People like <strong>consistency</strong>. If they asked for more information, they should be reminded that they asked for it. That triggers better reception and less cognitive stress. </p> <p><strong>Availability</strong> of a problem is not always clear to customers. If you ask: "how often do you encounter this problem", they will disengage emotionally. It is a data-driven question. While asking "when was the last time X happened?" will force them to remember and put themselves in the painful situation. </p> <p>If we provide value before asking for it, we create <strong>reciprocity</strong>. And this is a very powerful tool when we want to influence someone. First give, then ask. </p> <p><strong>Consensus</strong> is perhaps the most utilized tool: show that others are already doing it, they are already your customers, it's the social-proof.</p>