The consumer goods industry, also called CPG (Consumer packaged Goods), in 2019 represented 635 billion dollars for the United States. It should be noted that this country is home to the leading companies in the industry and it is the country that has the largest market for consumer goods.
The spectrum of sectors covered by this industry represents a very extensive list. This variation allows market entry opportunities for both large and small companies. Examples of some sectors of this industry are food, drink, clothing, tobacco, makeup and household products. Some examples of the leading industries are Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble and Nestlé.
Index
A differentiating factor between companies that want to enter this market is their relationship with the client. This is where the Customer Journey Map comes into play and its importance for any company that wants to improve the experience of its customers. To demonstrate this, the Journey of any customer in a supermarket is taken as an example.
The Customer Journey begins long before the customer saw a product on a shelf in their closest supermarket. The first thing to understand is why the customer is willing to buy that product in the first place. This is also called in inbound marketing how to identify the customer's need.
The need can be stationary, that is, the customer's need to purchase at specific times such as holidays and specific events such as Christmas. Even so, these moments are specific and in much of the time companies must proactively create this need.
To begin to explain the stages of the Journey in the CPG industry it is important to specify the channels where the need arises in the first place. These channels are:
It is important to highlight these channels because as diverse as the clients are in this industry, so diverse are the channels that introduce them to this stage of Awareness.
This stage is critical in the CJ: If a client does not know that you exist, how is he going to buy your product?
Once the client enters the consideration stage, the client must actively consider options to meet the need. For the CPG industry, this stage is not if for example when buying a car. So, it is important to have your product available in Google searches, also known as "Near Me".
Basically, it is the recommendation of this online search engine for potential customers of your product and it is important that you take action to improve your position in the search.
The third stage is the realization of the purchase by the customer. The point of purchase is the moment that the customer interacts with your product and decides to buy it. In 2005 Procter & Gamble labels this phase as the first moment of truth and it is of vital importance to the CJ. A good experience currently and in the subsequent purchase are of vital importance for your client.
Experience
The second moment of truth is when the customer finally tries your product. This post-purchase moment is usually accompanied by a customer search for how to use the product correctly. So usually, customers look for information on the use of your product in:
In this industry the most important questions to answer at this stage are: How did your product perform? Does the price match the list of ingredients or taste? The answers to these questions will be the determining factor for a customer buyback.
To conclude, it is important to understand the concept of Advocacy. If your client's CJ is well defined and your client's experience is satisfactory. The client will do everything possible so that her family, friends and acquaintances buy your product. In this way, your client portfolio will be able to increase, and the fame of your product will benefit positively. It is at this stage that customers become long-term customers.
For more information on the use of the Customer Journey in other industries, visit our blogs: