When I started my entrepreneurial journey, I thought success was all about having the perfect product. But quickly, learned that it’s not about the product. It’s about the market, the people, the customers, and their experience.

Like many beginners, I focused on creating more and more products, but soon realized that having something to sell isn’t enough—you actually have to know how to sell it.

I did what most people do: bought books, signed up for courses, and binged YouTube videos. But the more I learned, the more confused I became. Every expert had a different strategy: should I focus on ads, or maybe sales calls? Should I make videos? I wasn’t sure what approach would work for me.

Then, I hit a breakthrough. Each market and business requires its own way of communicating with customers. And the tricky part is, your business stage also determines what you’re capable of executing. Marketing and selling are two different beasts: marketing is reaching your customer, and sales is convincing them to take action.

Once I understood what activities belonged to marketing and which ones belonged to sales, things started to click. But even then, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of strategies out there. There were too many puzzle pieces, and I didn’t know how they all fit together.

It was only after I discovered something called the customer journey that it finally made sense. Everything clicked into place, like a puzzle solving itself. Let me explain why the customer journey is the most powerful framework to guide your marketing and sales efforts.

The Customer Journey: What It Really Means

The customer journey is the path a potential customer takes from the moment they become aware of your business to the point where they buy from you—and beyond. It's a roadmap that shows how people move from curiosity to commitment.

Here’s the breakdown of the stages:

1. Awareness Stage
   At this point, the customer doesn’t know about your brand or the solution you offer. Your goal is to make them aware of you—this is where marketing shines. You’re casting a net wide, using content like blogs, social media, and ads to catch their attention.

1. Consideration Stage
   Now, the customer is aware of their problem and they’re looking for solutions. This is when they’re evaluating their options, and you want to position your product or service as the best choice. At this stage, things like product demos, case studies, and webinars are highly effective.

1. Decision Stage
   The customer is ready to buy, but now it’s about giving them that final nudge. Maybe it’s through a special offer, a sales call, or a personal recommendation. This is where your sales tactics kick in.

1. Post-Purchase Stage
   After they’ve made a purchase, your job is not over. How you follow up can turn a first-time buyer into a repeat customer. Customer service, onboarding, and follow-up emails make a huge difference here.

1. Retention Stage
   It’s much easier (and cheaper) to keep a customer than to get a new one. Once someone buys from you, focus on providing a stellar experience so they continue to choose you. Retention strategies include loyalty programs, subscription models, and ongoing support.

1. Advocacy Stage
   When you’ve truly won someone over, they become advocates for your brand. This is the holy grail of business success: your customers start doing the marketing for you. Word of mouth, testimonials, and referrals come into play here.

Why the Customer Journey is Your Ultimate Guide

Every piece of marketing and sales activity should tie back to this journey. If you understand where your customer is along this path, you can create the right message at the right time, pushing them closer to that final decision of purchasing and eventually, becoming advocates.

The reason this framework is so valuable is because it helps you prioritize. Instead of chasing every marketing trend, you can focus on what matters most for your customer at their specific stage. It’s not about trying every tactic; it’s about choosing the right one.

The Lesson I Learned

If I had given up when I was overwhelmed by the endless strategies and tactics, I never would have figured it out. But once I understood the customer journey, everything aligned. It gave me a clear direction on what content to create, what strategies to use, and when to apply them.

Optimizing for the customer journey doesn’t just increase sales—it creates a better experience for your customers, leading to higher retention, more referrals, and loyal advocates for your brand. And that’s the ultimate win in business.

In the end, the customer journey isn’t just a marketing tool—it’s the roadmap to growing a sustainable and thriving business.