Designing for the Journey
Ever gone on a road trip? Then you'll know all about "padkos". Literally, food for the road.
I love having plenty of munchies and drinks close by. Roast chicken, big bags of potato chips and a flask of hot tea.
But every time we hit the road, we end up not eating most of what I pack.
At the start of the trip, it's too early for roast chicken. It's also not that easy to handle a jumbo bag of chips while driving. I want some of that hot tea in the thermos, but it's difficult to pour in motion and the thermos cups don't fit in the cupholders.
After a couple of hours, we stop to stretch our legs. As we stroll around the rest stop, a hot toasted cheese and tomato sandwich with a cappuccino sounds better than cold chicken. The cheese is gooey on the inside, with crispy bits on the outside.
As we pay for our order at the counter, the jelly babies and wine gums look really good (and easier to munch while driving). My daughter is more interested in brightly coloured Twizzlers than the healthy dried fruit I packed for her.
By the time we reach our destination, we've spent more than we planned at rest stops. And I have a whole lot of leftover roast chicken.
Simple. I tried to solve the challenge, but I didn't consider the journey. Food, like content, is best served when the timing is just right. While roast chicken always sounds good - a comforting toasted cheese and cappuccino combo is just what I need at that time.
Understanding your customer's journey is the same. From coming to terms with their challenge to making a purchase to solve it.
It can be tempting to bombard customers with a hard sales pitch. But if they have just started their journey, they'd prefer something "snackable" to help them understand their problem.
When they've recognised the challenge, they might still not be ready for a main course of features and benefits. They probably need "comfort food". Testimonials and checklists reassure them that they're on the right track. It's safe to invest more of their time and energy.
Knowing where your customer is in their journey will help you to you deliver the right content at the right time. When they're ready for that delicious "roast chicken" offer - you'll be ready too!
I love having plenty of munchies and drinks close by. Roast chicken, big bags of potato chips and a flask of hot tea.
But every time we hit the road, we end up not eating most of what I pack.
At the start of the trip, it's too early for roast chicken. It's also not that easy to handle a jumbo bag of chips while driving. I want some of that hot tea in the thermos, but it's difficult to pour in motion and the thermos cups don't fit in the cupholders.
After a couple of hours, we stop to stretch our legs. As we stroll around the rest stop, a hot toasted cheese and tomato sandwich with a cappuccino sounds better than cold chicken. The cheese is gooey on the inside, with crispy bits on the outside.
As we pay for our order at the counter, the jelly babies and wine gums look really good (and easier to munch while driving). My daughter is more interested in brightly coloured Twizzlers than the healthy dried fruit I packed for her.
By the time we reach our destination, we've spent more than we planned at rest stops. And I have a whole lot of leftover roast chicken.
Why does this happen?
Simple. I tried to solve the challenge, but I didn't consider the journey. Food, like content, is best served when the timing is just right. While roast chicken always sounds good - a comforting toasted cheese and cappuccino combo is just what I need at that time.
Understanding your customer's journey is the same. From coming to terms with their challenge to making a purchase to solve it.
It can be tempting to bombard customers with a hard sales pitch. But if they have just started their journey, they'd prefer something "snackable" to help them understand their problem.
When they've recognised the challenge, they might still not be ready for a main course of features and benefits. They probably need "comfort food". Testimonials and checklists reassure them that they're on the right track. It's safe to invest more of their time and energy.
Knowing where your customer is in their journey will help you to you deliver the right content at the right time. When they're ready for that delicious "roast chicken" offer - you'll be ready too!
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