Contented
Unaware of the problem or that a better state exists.
- Not actively searching
- Consuming general industry content
- Reachable through brand awareness
Pre-Contact Journey Mapping
Be there before they know they need you.
By the time someone reaches out, they've already formed opinions about who they trust. Pre-contact journey mapping shows you where those opinions are being formed and whether you're part of that conversation.
What it is
Map the other 97%.
Pre-contact journey mapping traces the full path your ideal customer takes from the moment they first feel a problem through purchase decision, covering everything before they ever contact you. Only about 3% of a market is ready to buy at a given moment. This engagement maps who the other 97% are, what they are experiencing, where they look for answers, and what your marketing needs to say to build familiarity first.
The pre-contact journey
Where buyers are before they find you
Suffering
Aware of the problem and actively researching it.
- Researching the problem itself
- Looking for diagnosis, not vendors
- Forming early opinions
Waiting
Aware but held back by cost, timing, or uncertainty.
- Sitting on unresolved objections
- Watching for a trigger
- Not yet comparing vendors
Buying
Ready to decide and actively evaluating options.
- Visiting vendor sites
- Checking credentials and proof
- Choosing familiarity and trust
How we work
A research-backed path to action.
Identify your ICP
We separate best-fit from worst-fit accounts, then interview top customer segments to surface the patterns that predict fit.
Map the journey
We build a stage-by-stage map of where buyers go, what they read, who they trust, and how they move toward a decision.
Analyze competitors and gaps
We show where competitors appear, where you are absent, and where your current message does not match the buyer's stage.
Align channels and messaging
We turn the map into specific channel and messaging recommendations your marketing team can act on immediately.
When you need it
You might need this if…
- Your content gets traffic but not pipeline
- You're invisible at the awareness stage
- You know your channels but not whether buyers are there
- Your marketing focuses only on buyers ready now
- You have an ICP but no plan to reach it early
- Sales cycles are long and you don't know why
What results look like
What you walk away with
- A validated ICP your sales and marketing teams can align on
- A complete pre-contact journey map from unawareness to purchase decision
- A gap analysis showing where your current marketing misses the journey
- Stage-specific channel recommendations
- Messaging frameworks for every stage
FAQ
Common questions
What is pre-contact journey mapping?
It documents the path a buyer takes before contacting a vendor: the questions they ask, channels they use, content they consume, and competitors they consider at each stage.
How is this different from a persona?
A persona describes who your buyer is. A pre-contact journey map shows what they do before contacting you and where your brand is invisible in that process.
Do we need a large customer base?
No. We have completed effective mapping with 10–15 ideal-fit customers. The goal is pattern recognition, and a few in-depth conversations reveal more than a large survey.
How long does an engagement take?
Typically 6–10 weeks, depending on the number of interviews, buying-committee complexity, and industries involved.
What does the final deliverable look like?
A validated ICP, stage-by-stage journey map, competitive analysis, and specific channel and messaging recommendations.