Ep.92 Maria Lloyd | Mastering the Action Stage | The Sale Isn't the End, It's Just the Beginning

In this episode, podcast host, Maria Lloyd, continues her deep-dive series into the AI-CAR growth funnel. This time the focus is on the Action stage—the fourth part of her five-stage AI-CAR model—where potential customers go beyond weighing their options and officially place an order. She emphasises that a business' work doesn't end when a customer buys, but rather begins, and success lies in exceeding expectations to ensure buyers never regret their decision.

The conversation explores practical ways to create a smooth buying experience and avoid losing customers at the final step. Maria highlights tactics to delight buyers and draws from her own experience with the premium cat food brand Untamed.

Finally, the discussion concludes with Maria's actionable advice for the week: evaluating your current ordering process by examining how to make buying easy, how to make customers feel valued, and how to deliver value at every single touchpoint.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Sale is Just the Beginning: Maria highlights that a business' real work starts—not ends—when a customer places an order, making it critical to prove value and eliminate post-purchase regret right away.

Frictionless Buying & Delighters: Success in the Action stage requires removing friction (like sudden hidden delivery fees or complicated checkouts) while adding small touches that delight, such as instant post-purchase freebies, order tracking, and thoughtful packaging.