Understanding the buyer’s journey can help you to sell your products and services more effectively. What are the steps in the buyer’s journey? This journey involves 3 main phases that a potential buyer goes through when deciding to make a purchase. These include awareness, consideration, and decision. In this article, we will explain each of these phases and how you can apply them to your business to gain more customers.

What Are the Steps in the Buyer’s Journey?

Awareness

The buyer’s journey begins with the awareness phase in which the potential customer realizes that they have a challenge. They may do research on it to try to understand it better, but they do not yet decide on a solution. At this stage, since they are searching for information, it’s best to provide them with informational content such as free downloads, blogs, books, reports, infographics, tips, or videos.

While providing the potential customer with information, you also promote your business. However, at this stage you are providing information to give them value and to build trust. So focus on this rather than trying to sell to them. When creating content for the awareness stage, use problem-solving words such as “tips” and “troubleshooting.” Also, consider the buyer’s point of view. What will be the impact to them if they don’t make a decision? Do they have any misconceptions? Is their problem a priority to them?

Consideration

After completing the awareness phase, the potential customer now understands their challenge and enters the consideration phase. In this phase, they look to find solutions to their challenge before making a decision about what the solution should be and who to purchase the solution from. Therefore, at this stage, you will want to provide them with information to help them make a decision about the solution, rather than focusing on advertising your brand.

During the consideration phase, you can provide informational content such as webinars, free step-by-step guides, tools, podcasts, video demonstrations, case studies, how-to articles, and Q & As. The more quality resources you provide, the more you will be seen as an authority in your niche. Consider the types of solutions that potential buyers search for online, the channels they use, and how they evaluate solutions.

Decision

When the potential customer has decided on a solution and has looked into potential offerings for the solution, they enter the decision phase. In this phase, they compare various product or service options for the solution in order to arrive at a final purchase decision. If you have built trust with them during the awareness and consideration phases, they will be more likely to buy from you rather than from competitors.

During the decision phase, you can provide content to your potential buyer such as product comparisons, price sheets, case studies, testimonials, demonstrations, and free trials. Consider all of the various criteria that a buyer may take into account before making the buying decision.

A coach can help you to develop an effective buyer’s journey for your business to increase your sales. Get in touch today!