We all know that today’s consumer is well informed. Technology makes it easier than ever for users to research and compare products or services online before purchasing. In fact, 88% of consumers research before they buy, consulting an average of 10.4 sources. With access to product information at their fingertips, there’s never been a better time to be a consumer. However, marketers need to understand the buyer’s journey in order to stay in front of users.
The buyer’s journey is essential to inbound marketing. Understanding the path to purchase of your users is the only way to strategically offer the right information to the right users at the right time. This is how marketers can attract visitors, convert them into leads and eventually into customers.
What is the buyer’s journey?
The buyer’s journey is the process buyers go through to become aware of, evaluate, and purchase a new product or service. It's broken down into three stages:
- The Awareness Stage
- The Consideration Stage
- The Decision Stage
Awareness Stage
In the awareness stage, the buyers recognize that they have a problem to solve or challenge to overcome. This is where it all begins, and selling to users in this stage will not be as productive as providing them with educational information.
This is a great time to establish yourself and your company as a thought leader and to share information with users that helps them define their problems and move into the next stage. For example, blog posts such as “Why doesn't my website show up on Google?” and “How does inbound marketing solve business challenges?” can help to answer your users’ challenge questions.
Consideration Stage
In the consideration stage, the buyer defines their problem and researches ways to solve it. This is the stage when users have committed to addressing their problem. They are now actively searching for information on how to approach their challenge, so it’s important to provide them with information such as how to use inbound marketing to increase sales.
Decision Stage
In the decision stage, the buyer compares solutions and makes a purchasing decision. In this stage, your users are now comparing the pros and cons of working with you. Provide them with case studies, client testimonials, and information like what to look for in an inbound marketing agency.
Now that we’ve gone through the three stages of the buyer’s journey, it’s easy to see just how important it is to understand your consumers' path to purchase. If you’re interested in implementing a new marketing strategy that attracts, converts, and delights your potential customers, schedule a consultation with one of Blue Frog's inbound marketing strategists.
Blue Frog is a marketing firm with offices located in Denver, CO, Des Moines, IA, and Huron, OH. If you don't live in any of these locations, don't worry. We work with businesses all across the nation. Contact us today!
