The magic number of touchpoints
Traditional marketing theories used to say that a customer needs around seven points of contact with a brand before making a purchase decision.
However, digitalization has drastically changed customer behaviour.
Studies show that consumers today often go through between 6 and 20 touchpoints before making a purchase.
The number depends on various factors: the industry, the product, the price and the customer’s individual decision-making process.
The journey of the modern consumer
The customer journey has become more complex.
Whereas advertising or a sales pitch used to be enough, today a well thought-out interplay of online and offline channels is required.
A customer can be influenced by the following touchpoints:
- Social media – influencer marketing, advertisements, organic posts
- Search engines – Google search queries, SEO-optimized content, Google Ads
- Ratings & reviews – testimonials, Trustpilot, YouTube reviews
- Email marketing – personalized offers, follow-up emails
- Word of mouth – recommendations from friends or family
- Point of sale – store visits, test opportunities, consultations
All of these elements interact to lead the potential buyer step by step to a decision.
The emotional factor
A touchpoint is not just a touchpoint.
A customer can see an ad ten times and ignore it, but a single compelling testimonial can persuade them to buy.
Emotion is key: trust, curiosity and urgency can reduce the number of touchpoints needed.
Brands that appear authentic and consistent therefore have an advantage.
Conclusion
The exact number of touchpoints until a purchase is made is not set in stone, as every customer is different.
While some only need a few touchpoints, others need a longer decision time.
Companies should therefore design a customer journey that is as seamless, appealing and personalized as possible in order to minimize the hurdles to purchase.
However, one thing is certain: the path to purchase is not a straight line, but a journey with many stops.
