What happens in your mind before you make a purchase? If you’re like most people, you probably go through a process before you pull out your wallet. Being aware of this process – often called the buyer’s journey – will help you market your service more effectively.
The buyer’s journey is a 3-stage process your ideal customer usually goes through before they purchase your product or service.
When a customer interacts with your online content, whether it’s social media, your website, or another online platform, they can be in any stage of this buyer’s journey. They could be just starting to research solutions to a problem they have, or they could be ready to click the ‘buy now’ button on your website.
Because they could be interacting with your content at any point along the journey, you must provide content that anticipates their needs. Doing so will nurture them along their journey and hopefully lead them to purchase your service.
Buyer’s Journey Stages: Awareness
In this stage, your buyer becomes aware that they have a problem that needs a solution. They are looking for information and clarity about their situation. Your buyer might go to various places on the internet to research and learn about potential solutions to their problem.
For example, let’s imagine a party planner is looking for decorations for an upcoming event. They go to Google and type in decorations. The search results page may include flower shops, party supply companies, wholesalers and much more. Your customer may search Instagram or Pinterest to find photos for inspiration for their event.
As your customer searches for possible solutions to their problem, your business needs to be highly visible. That could mean a website with optimized blog posts and/or a social media presence with value driven content. Whatever it is, your customer needs to be able to find your business in order for it to be considered as a possible solution to their problem.
Buyer’s Journey Stages: Consideration
This stage of the buyer’s journey is probably the most important as it often comes right before the purchase. Clients in this stage have identified their problem and are actively researching solutions. Your online content for buyers in this stage should focus on solving your buyer’s problem.
Demonstrate your expertise and provide value to your potential customers. Consider providing a free but valuable resource in exchange for your customer’s contact information. When you have their email address you can nurture them along the journey and follow up with targeted emails, free webinars, or trial memberships.
In the example above, our party planner has landed on your site because she saw the beautiful floral arrangements you have on your Instagram profile. She is reviewing all your social media posts, visiting your website, and reading your emails and blog posts. After identifying a few options, she is now deciding if you are the right shop for her event.
Buyer’s Journey Stages: Decision
Now your buyer is ready to make a purchase. For this stage in the journey, you want to prove why your offer is the best offer. Your content should focus on the value that you can provide, testimonials from loyal customers, coupons and/or discounts.
At this point our party planner could be converted to a paying customer by a well-placed coupon or review from a former customer.
Why the buyer’s journey matters?
Your awareness of the buyer’s journey will help you provide the right information at the right time which leads to increased sales and the continued success of your business.
