"Paths...to....desire..."

Not what you think. City planners have studied something called 'desire paths'.

This is the study of human behaviour of people not taking the path of 'free will' when walking somewhere. You know the sidewalk you're supposed to walk on but you cut through a park or lawn or area that has no structured path? Yeah...that one.

Now I don't know much about city planning or architecture other than George Costanza pretended to be an architect in an episode of Seinfeld. Also, I sometimes look at buildings and think..."cool." Around these buildings are paths...walkways...sidewalks...roads....planned routes for people.

So how do desire paths relate to the customer journey?

Also....why would a city planner care about desire paths?

Well, these are paths designed by individuals and studied by planners to best design cities to utilize space properly and efficiently.

If the amount of data that we have floating in the 'ether' of the modern world exists then the opportunity to utilize data properly is at our fingertips as a marketer.

Instead of trying to fit a square peg in a round hole...take the time and allow the data to speak for itself.

Although we are inundated with data (say that 5 times quickly out loud) we need to understand that each customer is an individual and not everyone goes by a 'script'.

So, they don't go by a script and they shouldn't. You don't.

That's where being a great business owner/leader/marketer begins. Don't structure your space with the expectations that everyone will be following your smooth path. Structure your ideas and messaging with the thinking of 'everyone is an individual' and although I can not speak directly to them I can make their space/path very enjoyable. Offer incentives, offer feedback that is tangible and not just lip service, provide REAL results.

Just because someone says they will recommend your product or service means...they will actually do it. Remember you're the only one that cares as much about your business as much as you do.

Even incentivizing recommendations doesn't mean 'for sure' BUT if you personalize your business no matter how big or small the recommendations will come naturally. The path you need to create is one of 'why' you care to exist in this space.