Designing the Customer Journey for Your Art Business
You know that feeling when you walk into your favorite store? The scent, the lighting, the excitement about what you’ll find, the way you’re treated, the way you feel when you use your purchase—that’s all part of the customer journey.
Your customer journey is one of the best ways to set your business apart, create raving fans, and ensure your customers come back again and again—yet, it often gets overlooked.
It’s not enough to make a beautiful product and post it for sale. If you really want to make an impact, you need to offer a beautiful experience.
First Impression
First, figure out where people are finding you. Where are they getting the first impression? Is it social media, in person, your website? Wherever it is, roll out the red carpet! Think about what you want someone meeting you (or your brand) for the first time to know. Think about what you want them to feel. What is it about you and your brand that will stick with them? Plant a seed that you can nurture over time.
Build Trust & Over Deliver
Now that you’ve got their attention—ask yourself what you can do to make them want to come back for more. Is it a freebie, consistent free content, your stellar service, coupons, new releases? Consistency is a huge part of this, as is providing value time and time again. When each customer gets the royal treatment, there’s no doubt they’re going to tell someone else about it.
Let’s say you ship physical products. What special touches can you add to the packaging and delivery experience to get your customers even more excited and connected with your brand? How can you exceed their expectations or surprise them with something personal and special? Each point of contact with your customer is part of your brand experience, so make sure it counts.
Maintain
Repeat customers deserve your attention. It’s so much more lucrative to keep an existing customer coming back than it is to spend the time and money to bring in a new one. Work on fostering the relationships you already have, and those customers will do a lot of the work recruiting new customers for you.
How can you nurture those relationships? In addition to listening to your customers’ needs and checking in with them on a regular basis, consider rewarding loyalty! Can you create a discount for a second purchase? A coupon or birthday treat? A thank you gift for referring a friend?
Figure out how you can stay top of mind for these customers and serve them even more.
