7 Touches: Fact or Myth

How Many Times Does a Potential Customer Have to See or Hear Your Business Name Before They Do Business With You?

When it comes to marketing, one of the most fundamental concepts to understand is the importance of visibility and repetition. As a small or medium business owner, you may have heard of the "7 Touches" rule, which suggests that potential customers need to encounter your brand at least seven times before they are likely to make a purchase decision. But how true is this rule, and how can you apply it in your marketing strategy? In this article, we’ll explore the concept of brand visibility, why repeated exposure is crucial, and how many touchpoints are necessary before a potential customer is likely to convert.

The Psychology of Consumer Decision-Making

Before diving into specific numbers, it’s essential to understand the psychology behind how consumers make decisions. Consumer behavior experts have long known that people rarely make immediate purchasing decisions. In fact, multiple studies suggest that customers need repeated exposure to a business before they are comfortable enough to make a purchase or take an action. The process of becoming familiar with a brand and establishing trust takes time. Here’s why:

1. Brand Recognition and Trust: Consumers often need time to recognize and trust a brand. In a world filled with noise and competition, your potential customers need to see your name and associate it with positive experiences, value, and reliability. Repeated exposure helps to create familiarity, which is the first step toward building that trust.

2. Perception of Value: Consumers don’t always buy the first time they encounter a brand. The initial interaction may serve as an introduction, but it often takes several more interactions before they truly understand the value you offer and how it aligns with their needs or desires.

3. The Need for Reinforcement: People forget things, especially in today’s fast-paced digital environment. Repetition helps reinforce your message, ensuring it stays top-of-mind. If your business name is seen or heard enough, it can prompt recall at the right moment—when a customer is ready to make a buying decision.

   
   

The "7 Touches" Rule: A Marketing Benchmark

The “7 Touches” rule is widely used in the marketing world to suggest that it typically takes at least seven interactions or touchpoints with your brand before a customer is ready to convert. This rule originated from the understanding that a single exposure to a brand is rarely enough to drive a decision, and it has become a common benchmark for marketers.

But what exactly does “touchpoints” mean? Touchpoints refer to any interaction or point of contact between your brand and a potential customer. These can include:

• Seeing a social media post

• Receiving an email

• Viewing a paid ad

• Hearing about your business from a friend or colleague

• Visiting your website

• Interacting with customer service

• Watching a YouTube video

• Seeing your logo on merchandise or in public

Every time a potential customer experiences one of these touchpoints, it reinforces your message and increases their familiarity with your business.

The "7 Touches" Rule in Practice

While the "7 Touches" rule provides a useful guideline, it’s important to note that the number of touchpoints required can vary depending on a few key factors:

1. Industry and Product Type

In industries that involve higher costs, greater risk, or longer decision-making processes (like real estate, finance, or healthcare), customers may require more touchpoints before they feel comfortable enough to purchase. For example, purchasing a house or car requires a significant investment, so it’s likely that potential customers will need to see and hear about your business more times before making a decision.

On the other hand, low-cost or impulse-buy products may require fewer touchpoints. If you sell a $10 product, the decision to purchase may happen faster than if you’re selling something priced at $1,000.

2. Quality of Content and Engagement

The quality of the touchpoints matters just as much as the quantity. Engaging, personalized, and relevant content will not only increase the number of touchpoints, but it will also help move potential customers through the sales funnel more quickly. If your touchpoints are helpful, educational, or entertaining, customers are more likely to remember you and take action sooner.

Consider the following:

• Are your ads and content attention-grabbing?

• Are you addressing pain points and providing real solutions?

• Do you offer value in every interaction (whether it’s a social post, email, or blog)?

A mix of high-quality, engaging content and the right number of touchpoints can lead to faster conversions.

3. Customer Relationship Building

Repetition is essential, but so is relationship-building. If a potential customer is not simply encountering your business name, but also developing a relationship with your brand (through customer service, community engagement, or loyalty programs), you may find that fewer touchpoints are necessary.

When you build a relationship with your customers, they begin to see your business as a trusted partner, rather than just another brand vying for their attention. This emotional connection can significantly shorten the time it takes for a customer to decide to do business with you.

4. The Sales Funnel Stage

The stage of the sales funnel a potential customer is in plays a significant role in how many touchpoints they need. A potential customer at the awareness stage (just discovering your brand) will need more touchpoints than someone in the consideration stage (evaluating your product against competitors) or the decision stage (ready to make a purchase).

To optimize conversions, it’s essential to understand where your potential customers are in the sales funnel and adjust your marketing accordingly. You can use the following touchpoint strategies for each stage of the funnel:

• Awareness Stage: High-level content, paid ads, social media posts, blog articles

• Consideration Stage: Product demos, case studies, email newsletters, retargeted ads

• Decision Stage: Special offers, product reviews, customer testimonials, limited-time discounts

By providing relevant content at the right time in the funnel, you can reduce the number of touchpoints necessary for conversion.

The Optimal Time Frame for Reaching a Customer

Now that we’ve discussed how many touchpoints are necessary, let’s address how much time it takes for these touchpoints to convert a customer. The time frame can vary significantly based on the industry, product, and customer behavior, but there are a few general trends to consider.

1. Immediate Conversions (Short Sales Cycle)

For products or services with a short sales cycle, such as impulse buys or low-cost items, potential customers might make a purchase after just a few days or weeks of seeing your brand. For example, a customer might need only 2–3 touchpoints over the course of a week to decide to buy your product, especially if it’s something that provides immediate value.

2. Mid-Range Sales Cycle (2–6 Months)

For businesses with a mid-range sales cycle, like SaaS products, consumer electronics, or event planning services, it might take anywhere from 2 to 6 months of touchpoints before a potential customer makes a purchase decision. This could involve a mix of email marketing, social media engagement, blog posts, webinars, and product demos to nurture leads over time.

3. Long Sales Cycle (6+ Months)

For high-ticket items or services that involve significant investment, such as real estate, insurance, or luxury goods, it may take 6 months or longer for a customer to convert. During this time, you’ll need to build trust through frequent, high-quality touchpoints. Personalized emails, educational content, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings may all be part of the process.

Strategies to Increase Your Touchpoints and Conversions

So, how can you ensure that you’re providing enough touchpoints within the right time frame to convert potential customers? Here are some effective strategies:

1. Retargeting Ads

Retargeting ads allow you to follow up with potential customers who have already interacted with your website, social media, or ads. These ads are a powerful way to remind people of your brand and increase the number of touchpoints in a timely manner.

2. Email Marketing

Email is one of the most effective channels for nurturing leads and maintaining consistent touchpoints. By segmenting your audience and delivering personalized, value-driven content, you can stay in front of your customers and guide them through the sales funnel.

3. Content Marketing

Regularly publishing blog posts, videos, or other forms of content not only builds trust but keeps you top-of-mind with your audience. Content can be used strategically to target different stages of the customer journey, ensuring that your touchpoints are relevant and valuable.

4. Social Media Engagement

Consistency is key when it comes to social media. Posting regularly and interacting with your audience through comments, polls, or direct messages can increase touchpoints and build a stronger connection with potential customers.

5. Customer Loyalty Programs

Once customers have made a purchase, loyalty programs can help keep them engaged and encourage repeat business. Offering discounts, special deals, or exclusive content to past customers is a powerful way to maintain your touchpoints over time.

Conclusion: The Power of Repetition and Strategic Touchpoints

When it comes to converting potential customers, repetition matters. The more times a person encounters your business name, the more familiar they become with your brand, the more trust you build, and the more likely they are to convert. However, it’s not just about the quantity of touchpoints, but the quality and relevance of those interactions that will make the difference.

By understanding the number of touchpoints necessary for conversion and tailoring your strategy to meet the specific needs of your customers, you can increase your chances of success. Whether it takes 7 touchpoints or 15, with a well-planned, consistent marketing strategy, you can ensure that you’re giving your potential customers enough time and value to make a decision and do business with you.