At one time or another every business owner has asked herself, “Why didn’t they buy from us?” What makes a consumer choose a certain company to fill their needs and wants?
Every buyer has a specific journey he or she takes when selecting a product or a service to fill a need. Take a person who is getting sick as an example. The first thing they do is become aware that they are not feeling well. Their throat gets scratchy, nose becomes runny, and their head hurts. They know something is wrong with them and they need to find relief. So they get on the Internet and start googling their symptoms and chatting friends on Facebook to find out what is wrong. This buyer is in the Awareness Stage of their buying journey.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Once the buyer figures out what is wrong they can then start seeking to find a solution. They go back to the Internet and google medicines, hospitals and maybe even some homeopathic alternatives, all in the hopes of finding a solution that they can afford and trust to fix their problem. This buyer has now moved to the Consideration Stage of their buying journey.
Finally, after hours of searching, the buyer is ready to make a decision. The buyer has compared all of their options, weighed the pros and cons of their selection and narrowed their search down to one choice. This buyer has now reached the Decision Stage in their buying journey.
When you really look at it, everyone goes through the same steps when making a purchase. It doesn’t matter what the purchase is –these three steps fit into the buyer’s journey– including that of your customer!
The question is – Are you answering your customers’ questions at each stage of their buying journey?
- Are you providing information to make the buyer aware that you offer a solution?
- Do they know your product or service exists?
- Once they find your product/service, do you have information available that will help the buyer consider your product or service?
- If your product/service makes it to the buyers “short list” do you give the buyer a compelling reason to make the decision to select your product or service over the competitors?
Understanding the journey your ideal customer takes when selecting products or services will help you create the right information to reach your ideal customer every step of the way. Download the Buyers Journey guide to get started on your journey with your customers.
