Before making a purchase, a customer will go through a series of stages that will shape what they buy, and who they buy from. Working out who is best placed to serve you as a customer is known as ‘the buyer’s journey’.
Gartner research found that when B2B buyers are considering a purchase‚ they spend only 17% of that time meeting with potential suppliers. The rest is spent researching and contemplating the route they will pursue, which is why it’s crucial to be in the customer’s mind before they even begin the journey.
In this post, we explain what the buyer’s journey is, and why understanding it is crucial to earning new business.
What Is the Buyer’s Journey?
The buyer’s journey is the process a potential customer goes through, from discovering they have a problem that they need resolved, to finalising their decision on what the solution will be and who will deliver it. It’s an important part of marketing because it allows you to create customised content that directly targets potential customers in the different stages and increases the likelihood that they will make a purchase with you.
Why Is the Buyer’s Journey Important?
Knowing the buyer’s journey and when each stage happens is crucial to building a strong professional relationship with customers. It enables brands to tailor content appropriately to increase the chances of success for the sales team. In competitive markets the brands that will be most successful are the ones that stand out from day 1.
What Are the Stages of the Buyer’s Journey?
The Awareness Stage
The buyer’s journey can be broken down into 3 key stages. The first stage is the awareness stage, and this involves the buyer becoming conscious that they have an issue they need to address. During this stage, it’s important to increase your brand awareness by offering useful advice that demonstrates your business’ expertise. At this stage you should focus on helping the buyer rather than imposing your business on them so that they are not overwhelmed.
The Consideration Stage
Once the buyer has defined the problem they have, they then move into the consideration stage. This is where they research the solutions to solve their problem. Your content marketing strategies, such as blogs and surveys, will be very useful during this stage because the buyer wants to be educated on the solution you are offering. You can now introduce more branding and company-focused content to reassure the buyer that you are someone they should be considering.
The Decision Stage
By this stage, the buyer has defined their problem and knows the steps they need to take to alleviate it. They must now decide on a solutions provider. They may already be interacting with you directly, through sales representatives or free demonstrations, for example. To ensure that the buyer follows through with your company, you can offer them direct marketing solutions such as personalised, direct mail, which can act as a final factor when they are deciding who to choose.
At Ilex, we can implement a range of marketing techniques at any stage during your customer’s journey to ensure your audience and prospects know who you are. We are experts in brand messaging and strategy to help you deliver a story that matters to your audience. Our borderless approach to marketing and PR ensures you capture new growth and potential sales leads prosper.
