Lifecycle (Customer Lifecycle) / Marketing Terms Lifecycle (Customer Lifecycle) The customer lifecycle refers to the stages a person goes through in their relationship with a brand, from initial awareness to eventual advocacy or disengagement. Understanding the customer lifecycle helps organisations design better experiences, communicate more effectively and optimise each stage to support long-term value. It applies to both for-profit and nonprofit sectors, including B2B, SaaS, e-commerce and fundraising journeys. Typical lifecycle stages include awareness, consideration, conversion, onboarding, retention and loyalty. In the awareness stage, potential customers or supporters discover your brand through channels such as search, social media or referrals. During consideration, they engage with content, compare options or sign up for more information. Conversion may involve a purchase, a sign-up or a donation. Post-conversion stages focus on delivering value, encouraging repeat engagement and turning customers or supporters into advocates who share their positive experiences with others. Mapping and managing the customer lifecycle allows you to tailor messages, offers and experiences to each stage. For example, early-stage content may focus on education and storytelling, while later stages involve personalised follow-ups, satisfaction surveys or loyalty incentives. Tools like CRMs, marketing automation platforms and customer feedback systems support lifecycle marketing by tracking engagement and prompting timely actions. For nonprofits, lifecycle management can improve donor retention and re-engagement. For B2B and SaaS brands, it increases customer lifetime value and reduces churn.