Journey Mapping vs. The Marketing Funnel

A member journey map is a visualisation of a member's experience from their own perspective, focusing on their goals, emotions, and interactions across various touchpoints with a community or organisation. It is a member-centric, relational tool designed to build empathy and identify opportunities for improvement. In contrast, the traditional marketing funnel is an organisation-centric, transactional model that illustrates the theoretical path a customer takes towards a purchase or conversion. It focuses on quantifiable stages and organisational actions designed to move a person from one stage to the next.

Why it matters — Journey Mapping vs. The Marketing Funnel

For community professionals, the distinction between these two models is fundamental. A marketing funnel is designed to narrow down a large audience to a smaller group of customers. Its primary goal is acquisition and conversion, treating individuals as leads to be processed. This approach is often linear and transactional, which is at odds with the core principles of community building. Communities thrive on relationships, reciprocity, and a sense of belonging, which are cyclical and long-term in nature.