Whenever a buyer (or potential customer) visits your website, most, if not all, of them are not ready to spend their money yet. In fact, according to research conducted by Marketing Donut, 63% of consumers won’t make a purchase for 3 months after asking for information about your business or products.
No matter if you offer memberships/subscriptions users can sign up for, sell products directly on your website, or offer a range of services, every potential customer that encounters your business online will be in a different phase of their “buyer’s journey”.
But, what is the buyer’s journey and why is it so important to your overall digital marketing strategy? Let’s break it down below:
The 3 Stages of The Buyer’s Journey Explained
The Awareness Stage
No matter what it is you sell (or where), every potential customer will start their buyer’s journey at the Awareness stage. This is when buyers recognize they have a unique challenge/need or have an opportunity worth pursuing.
Here’s an example scenario to better understand this stage of the journey:
A man has owned an old pair of running shoes for 3 months. While these shoes may not have been ideal for a significant period of time, they were still wearable. However, one day the soles begin to fall out, causing the man’s feet to hurt after his daily run.
This forces the man to come to the realization that he should probably get a new pair, as the problem can’t be ignored any longer. He is now in the Awareness stage, and begins browsing footwear companies online.
The Consideration Stage
Once the buyer has committed to finding a way to solve their distinct challenge or need — which has already been established — they enter into the Consideration stage of their journey.
During this stage, the buyer will typically weigh their options by researching and evaluating different options and solutions. They’ll look at reviews from existing customers. Check important information such as pricing and features.
In other words, they are shopping around and considering what options, in particular, are ideal for them. This is why it’s so important to focus on reputation management. Company’s without reviews are less likely to attract new customers.
The Decision Stage
The Decision stage is self-explanatory. Basically, the buyer has already found a few options they like and are in the final phase of choosing which option to go with. They’re beginning to narrow their decision down by weighing a few final pro’s and con’s.
By now, the buyer already knows nearly everything about the products or services they’re interested in. They may have even spoken to a sales representative or watched a product demo. They are as informed and educated as they need to be and are ready to buy.
Depending on what it is you’re selling, it could take your buyer days, weeks, or even months to get to this point. However, if you have a strong USP (Unique Selling Proposition) along with the reviews to back up the quality of your products or services, then the buyer is likely to make a purchase.
Winnow Digital Marketing Services will customize a Digital Marketing Strategy to meet your potential customers at any stage in the Buyer’s Journey. Learn how we can help your businesses or agency generate revenue.
