If you're running B2B sales, it’s easy to drown in generic buyer journey templates and “thought leadership” that never turns into real results. This guide’s for folks who actually want to build a buyer journey map that gets used — not just stuck in a slide deck somewhere. We’ll walk through how to create a focused, actionable journey map in Akoonu, a tool built for sales teams who want something more than another spreadsheet.
Let’s skip the fluff and get right into it.
Why bother with a buyer journey map?
Before investing your time, here’s the honest take: a buyer journey map is only useful if it helps your team actually understand buyers, spot gaps, and adjust how you sell. Tools like Akoonu can help you do this — but only if you’re willing to get specific and keep things updated.
If you’re looking for “set and forget” diagrams, you can stop here. If you want a map that actually helps sales close deals, keep reading.
Step 1: Get your team on the same page (literally)
Don’t start mapping alone in Akoonu and expect buy-in later. Bring in your sales, marketing, and (if possible) customer success folks from the start.
- Keep it small: 3–5 people who know the customer well is enough.
- Skip the C-suite: You want honest info, not grandstanding.
- Agree on your target buyer: Nail down the 1–2 personas you actually want more of, not the fantasy buyer who never closes.
Pro tip: Schedule a 30-minute call just to decide on your target persona(s) and buying scenarios. It keeps things real.
Step 2: Set up your workspace and templates in Akoonu
Akoonu’s biggest selling point is that it’s built for sales, not just marketers. Here’s how to avoid getting lost in the setup:
- Log in and create a new Buyer Journey Map.
- Pick a simple template — don’t obsess over the “perfect” structure. The B2B template is often good enough.
- Name it clearly — e.g., “2024 Mid-Market IT Buyer Journey.”
Ignore: Akoonu’s advanced features for now (custom fields, integrations). Focus on mapping, not tinkering.
Step 3: Define real-world buyer stages
Don’t just copy the textbook stages (“Awareness, Consideration, Decision”). Instead, use the stages your sales team actually sees. Work backwards from real deals.
- Look at recent wins and losses: What were the actual steps?
- Ask your sales reps: “What do buyers do before they sign?”
- Keep it short: 4–6 stages is usually plenty.
Example: - Problem Identified - Research & Shortlist - Internal Buy-in - Validation/Pilot - Contract & Close
What to ignore: Overly detailed stages (“First Email Sent,” “Demo Booked”) — these are activities, not buyer stages.
Step 4: Map out buyer goals, questions, and blockers at each stage
This is where most journey maps get fluffy. Be brutally practical:
- Goals: What are buyers really trying to achieve at each stage?
- Questions: What are they asking your sales team (and themselves)?
- Blockers: What stalls them? Budget, legal, internal politics?
Use Akoonu’s fields for each stage, but keep it short and specific.
Example for “Research & Shortlist”: - Goal: Find 2–3 vendors that look legit and won’t get them fired. - Questions: “Does this work with our existing systems?” “What’s the real cost?” - Blockers: IT skepticism, lack of case studies in their industry.
Pro tip: Pull actual questions from CRM notes or sales call recordings. Real words beat imagined ones.
Step 5: Identify key content and sales actions for each stage
Here’s where Akoonu can help your team stop lobbing generic PDFs and start sending what actually helps.
- For each stage: List the 1–2 pieces of content or actions that move buyers forward. Not a laundry list — just what’s proven to work.
- Content: Case studies, ROI calculators, integration guides.
- Sales Actions: Intro calls, tailored demos, security reviews.
Avoid: Listing every webinar or blog post you’ve ever made. If reps don’t use it, don’t include it.
How to do it in Akoonu: - Use the “Content” or “Sales Tools” fields in each stage. - Link to actual docs or templates if Akoonu supports it. Otherwise, just jot notes for now.
Pro tip: If you have a content library, find out what sales actually sends (check email templates, not the marketing folder).
Step 6: Assign owners and keep it real
This is where a lot of nice-looking maps go to die. Assign someone (usually a sales enablement or ops lead) to:
- Review the journey map with the team every quarter.
- Update blockers, content, and questions as deals progress.
- Scrap stuff no one uses.
Akoonu lets you set roles and reminders — but even a recurring calendar invite works if your team’s small.
Ignore: Fancy workflows or approval chains. You want fast feedback, not bureaucracy.
Step 7: Put the map to work in your sales process
A map is only as good as its use. Here’s how to actually get value:
- Train new reps: Use the map as part of onboarding — “Here’s how deals actually move.”
- Pipeline reviews: Use stages and blockers from the map to spot where deals get stuck.
- Content requests: Ask reps which content would help at each stage — then update the map.
Akoonu’s reporting and integration features are handy, but don’t let setup drag on for weeks. Start simple, then layer on more as the team uses it.
Honest takes: What works, what doesn’t
What works: - Keeping journey stages tied to real buyer behavior (not your sales process). - Updating the map (and content links) every quarter. - Using Akoonu as a live tool, not a static doc.
What doesn’t: - Overcomplicating with too many personas or stages. - Building a map solo, then wondering why reps ignore it. - Treating Akoonu like a filing cabinet, not a living playbook.
Ignore: Vendor hype about “AI-driven journey mapping” unless you see it save you time, not create more work.
Keep it simple, tweak as you go
At the end of the day, the best buyer journey map is the one your team actually uses. Don’t let Akoonu (or any tool) become a project in itself. Keep your map short, based on reality, and review it with your team every quarter. Iterate, toss what isn’t working, and focus on what helps close deals.
You’ll end up with a journey map that’s more than a box-ticking exercise — and a sales process that’s actually grounded in how your buyers buy.