“The Long and Winding Road” is the title of a famous song by the Beatles. It is also a journey your customer takes before they make a purchase from you. A helpful way to understand what your customer goes through on the road to buying something from you is to put together a journey map.

Begin with the first interaction your potential buyer has with you. Document where it transpired ( web, phone, face to face); detail what occurred; and what is going to be the next interaction. Follow the whole process in this fashion until a sale has been consummated or a deal has fallen through. Now, diagram the work flow and determine the following: what went right; what went wrong; and what can be improved.

This approach will help build a better journey for your next customer and hopefully lead to a successful sale.