Mapping out customer journeys in CX storytelling

We're in an epoch of technological change, and with it comes great disruption to how we deliver, and how our customers receive, content. 

Developing content messaging is no longer as straightforward as online banner ads and instruction manuals. Each category has been fragmented into any number of parts — pop-up ads, Kickstarter campaigns, text messages, fully-produced podcast ads, host-read podcast ads, and on and on. It feels as though every time you find one successful method for communicating with your customers, they've already moved on to the next one. 

One way to navigate this constantly-shifting terrain is by changing your focus — from developing your own brand story to mapping out customer journeys.

Brand Stories vs. Customer Journeys

In the past, creating a "brand story" meant giving your customers, current or potential, a glimpse behind the curtain. Why was a certain product created? What were its creators trying to accomplish? These stories are told from the perspective of the brand or product. "This is what we are doing, this is why you should buy from us." 

Unfortunately, this one-sided "us-to-them" broadcasting style has extreme limitations in today's constantly-evolving media environment. Brand storytelling now is about an end-to-end experience, and so, to get the most out of your content, you need to focus on who's on the other end. You can't meet them where you hope they'll be, you have to meet them where they are.

Mapping out customer journeys is about discovering these locations.

How does this work? The first step is through forming a well-defined image of who you're speaking to. Is it a parent worried about their child's safety? Is it a young professional stressed about not having enough time in their day? A newlywed couple trying to find a new city to live in?

(It's worth noting how each of the above examples fills in the traditional structure of storytelling—Status quo, conflict, and resolution. The status quo describes the person, the conflict is the problem they're having, and the resolution, ideally, is your product.)

Mapping the Customer Journey

Once you've figured out who the person is, the next step is to craft a story with them, not you, in mind. With them as your lead character, you can figure out their touchpoints. Where did they hear about the product? How did they purchase it? Was it online, or in a brick-and-mortar store? Were they able to text with a sales associate nearby? 

Beyond developing these literal touchpoints — which can be discovered through rounds of focus groups or by delving into web analytics and social media discussions — it's time to get into the emotional touchpoints. 

What is the parent who's worried about their child telling themselves? Why are they upset? What are their worries? And what is the story we want to tell them in order to help them rise above these worries with our product?

Creating the Digital Customer Experience

The most revered and sought-after brands don't sell themselves, they are selling a version of their prospective customer living better within the context of that brand.

With the customer journey mapped, it's time to figure out how to make your content messaging work for you. Is the worried parent on Facebook or NextDoor? Are your newlywed couples looking for new apartments getting lost in your app's UI? Do young professionals listen to a certain genre of podcast? Do they fast forward through the commercials? 

Diagramming these pathways may seem endless, each forking off into other options as a new problem or customer cohort is introduced. And while crafting these narratives takes a systematic approach to content design, empathy connects us to our audience at each touchpoint. 

There are a wide variety of tools available — ranging from AI-assisted bots to headless CMS platforms that allow for dynamic display of personalized content — but for these to be effective, there needs to be a consistent and compelling storyline throughout the entire customer journey. That's where content experts like us come in. 

The story must inform, inspire, entertain, engage, and ultimately persuade our heroes to take action, and make that click to add to their cart. And as long as you consider their journey rather than yours, as long as they remain your story's North Star, you'll find them wherever they are.

---