In subscription or repeat-purchase businesses, the customer relationship begins at the point of sale, it doesn't end. The funnel metaphor is limiting because it ignores the crucial post-acquisition phases of adoption, expansion, and loyalty, where most value is created.
Pouring marketing resources into a "leaky bucket" is inefficient. If customer onboarding is flawed, prioritize fixing it before optimizing top-of-funnel campaigns. The highest leverage is in ensuring activated users convert, not in acquiring more users who will quickly churn.
Most journey maps start when a customer discovers your brand. A better approach begins earlier in the "struggle phase," when the prospect is dealing with the problem your solution solves. Understanding this pre-awareness context is critical for creating resonant marketing.
By analyzing their customer journey, SparkToro realized a feature that motivated purchase decisions was introduced too late in the product experience. By moving its introduction to the early "adoption stage," they doubled their free-to-paid conversion rate without changing the feature itself.
A social media tool found its users were trying to either "grow an audience" or "automate processes." They had marketed to both as one group. By identifying and focusing messaging on the higher-value "automators," they increased trial-to-paid conversions by 40%.
Focusing on metrics like click-through rates without deep qualitative understanding of customer motivations leads to scattered strategies. This busywork creates an illusion of progress while distracting from foundational issues. Start with the qualitative "why" before measuring the quantitative "what."
Metrics like "Marketing Qualified Lead" are meaningless to the customer. Instead, define key performance indicators around the value a customer receives. A good KPI answers the question: "Have we delivered enough value to convince them to keep going to the next stage?"
Instead of broad surveys, interview 10-12 satisfied customers who signed up in the last few months. Their fresh memory of the problem and evaluation phases provides the most accurate insights into why people truly buy your product, allowing you to find patterns and replicate success.