What are the best practices for sharing a customer journey map with stakeholders?

2 Tell a story

A customer journey map is not just a collection of data points, it is a narrative that reveals the customer's perspective. To make your customer journey map engaging and memorable, you need to tell a story that connects the dots and highlights the key findings. Use a clear structure, such as the situation, the problem, the solution, and the results, to guide your audience through the journey. Use visuals, such as icons, images, quotes, and emotions, to illustrate the journey and make it more vivid. Use language that is simple, concise, and empathetic, to convey the journey and make it more relatable.

3 Focus on the insights

A customer journey map is a means to an end, not an end in itself. The purpose of sharing your customer journey map is to communicate the insights that you derived from it, and how they can help you achieve your goals. Don't overwhelm your audience with too much detail or too many steps. Focus on the insights that are most relevant, valuable, and actionable for your audience. Explain how you arrived at those insights, what they mean for your customer and your business, and what recommendations you have based on those insights.

4 Invite feedback

A customer journey map is not a static document, it is a dynamic tool that evolves with your customer and your market. To keep your customer journey map relevant and useful, you need to invite feedback from your stakeholders and incorporate their input. Feedback can help you validate your assumptions, refine your analysis, identify gaps, and generate new ideas. Ask your audience open-ended questions, such as what surprised them, what challenged them, what inspired them, and what they would do differently. Listen actively, acknowledge their opinions, and thank them for their contribution.

5 Follow up

A customer journey map is not a one-time event, it is a continuous process that requires follow-up actions. To ensure that your customer journey map leads to positive outcomes, you need to follow up with your stakeholders and keep them updated on your progress. Follow-up can help you maintain momentum, track results, measure impact, and celebrate successes. Send a summary of your presentation, share your action plan, report your milestones, solicit feedback, and acknowledge achievements. Keep your customer journey map alive and visible, and use it as a reference and a guide for your future actions.