3 key stages of the buyer’s journey
The buyer’s journey is the process a customer goes through from the moment they realize they have a need to the point they decide on a solution and make a purchase. Knowing your business’ buyer journey allows you to insert touchpoints at strategic points in this process.
Stage 1: Awareness
Overview: At the awareness stage, potential buyers realize they have a problem or need but may not yet know what solutions exist. Here, they’re gathering initial information and starting to understand their needs.
What happens: The customer may search online, read articles, and watch videos that highlight or explain their issue. They’re looking for educational content that helps them make sense of what they need. This might result in them searching for broad terms, like “birthday gift ideas” or “how to choose a photographer”.
Example activities you can take: Publishing blog posts, sharing social content, and creating videos that discuss common problems or needs related to your product.
Stage 2: Consideration
Overview: In this stage, the buyer has defined their need and is now exploring various solutions. They start comparing products, researching brands, and evaluating the options available to them.
What happens: The buyer might download guides, compare product features, and read reviews from other customers. They’re looking for content that differentiates options and provides insights into what might be best for them. This is when someone might search for something like “ceramic pasta bowl” or “headshot photographers in Austin” to make comparisons.
Example activities: Engage potential customers with email marketing, case studies or reviews featuring happy customers, webinars or online courses, testimonials, and detailed product comparison guides.
Stage 3: Decision
Overview: At the decision stage, the buyer is ready to choose a solution. They know what they want, but they need reassurance that they’re making the best choice. Here, trust, clarity, and ease of purchase become top priorities.
What happens: The buyer may review final details, look for discounts, or seek that last piece of information or advice that confirms their choice. This is where they’re likely comparing the best-fit options and thinking about their purchase experience.
Example activities: Display clear pricing, offer product demos or free trials, provide a straightforward purchase process, and give options for consultations or live chats to address any last-minute concerns.
Example buyer’s journey for a fictional business
To illustrate how a buyer’s journey might look in action, let’s consider how a fictional freelancer might end up choosing a website platform like Squarespace. This freelancer wants to be able to create a professional-looking site without doing too much heavy lifting, share their work, and have options to add things like a newsletter, paid content, or client intake and invoicing if they want to.
Awareness stage
What’s happening: The freelancer realizes they need a website to showcase their portfolio but isn’t familiar with website-building platforms.
Touchpoints: They do a search for “how to create a portfolio website” and come across blog posts and guides that mention Squarespace.
Consideration stage
What’s happening: The freelancer now understands they need a website builder and begins comparing options.
Touchpoints: They read comparison articles, watch tutorial videos, and read blogs and web pages that outline each website builder’s unique features and tips for creative professionals.
Decision stage:
What’s happening: The freelancer decides that Squarespace’s portfolio templates, ease of use, and tools for managing clients are a good fit.
Touchpoints: They sign up for a free trial, receive a discount code via email, and decide to buy a subscription.
For each stage, Squarespace has targeted content, addressing possible objections and helping the freelancer move from awareness of their need to a confident decision and ultimately a purchase.
Understanding the buyer’s journey can transform the way you approach marketing, sales, and customer engagement. By mapping out each stage and aligning your content, marketing efforts, and customer interactions accordingly, you can create a smooth path from awareness to purchase, turning prospects into lifelong customers and fans.
AHD Consulting Solution is here to help you with tools and insights to not just deal with these challenges but turn them into opportunities for innovation success. Accessible to corporations of any size, our sprints and programs include interactive workflows, videos, pre-structured workspaces, and much more. If you want to discuss a potential project, you can email on services@ahdconsultingsolution.com or get in touch with us here. Alternatively, you can book in a free 15-minute consultation call here.
