3 Stats at a Glance...
1. Up to 94% of customers say that a negative review or social media comment has convinced them to avoid a company. InMoment.
2. Nearly all marketers (94%) read online articles when researching new solutions. Another 81% use product reviews, and 75% use case studies. CMI.
3. By the time B2B buyers engage sellers directly, they’re 70% through their buying process. In a typical B2B deal cycle, that’s eight months in. 6sense.
Customer Journey (n)
The path a prospect follows to become a customer. It usually starts with recognizing a problem, searching for solutions, comparing solutions, making a purchase, and then evaluating how well that purchase solved the problem. Historically, marketers have looked at this as a linear path. Today's consumers often jump around to different steps at different times and interact with companies across many channels.
Boost Conversions with Customer Journey Maps
Understanding the customer journey is key for B2B tech marketing to be effective. Identifying these steps enables you to guide users through an optimal path. It also helps you tailor that path to a buyer's unique needs and preferences, from the first touchpoint until they become a repeat buyer.
The goal is to create a seamless and satisfying journey that transforms one-time buyers into long-term, loyal customers.
News Curated for You
Elon Musk's and X filed a lawsuit against the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM). Musk claims the group has conspired to boycott advertising on X due to disagreements on political and social issues. CNN.
A U.S. federal judge ruled that Google is an illegal monopoly. The DOJ and Google squared off in a 10-week-long trial last fall and U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta recently ruled that by paying billions of dollars to certain companies to be the default search engine on various devices, Google acted as a monopoly to secure its dominant position in search. Marketing Dive.
Some ads for AI tools on Facebook could contain Malware. A new report from Trend Micro shows how some hackers have gained access to legitimate Facebook pages and then run ads for AI software that, once downloaded, contains malware. Mashable.
"Seeing things for what they are instead of what you imagined them to be will change your life."
Marketing Micro Tip
In-N-Out has recently been getting attention because of an alleged "secret" menu item. After seeing rumors online, more and more customers have been asking for a "Monkey-Style" burger.
A monkey burger is supposed to be one of the In-N-Out burgers but with “animal-style” fries, which are fries that are topped with melted cheese, caramelized onions, and burger spread.
However, no such item exists on their menu.
Instead of embracing this trend and adapting, the company staff and owner have all shot it down and are seemingly annoyed with their customers for asking about it.
In-N-Out is missing a major opportunity to capitalize on a trend and make its customers happy at the same time.
Chipotle was in a similar boat last summer with the Keithadilla trend that went viral. Instead of shooting it down, Chipotle listened to their customers and made this order part of their menu.
Be like Chipotle. RetailWire. Chipotle.
Unforgettable
Playing chess can help…inmates? See how this jail-based chess club is helping rehabilitate participants.
