As the pandemic has eased, we have been able to satisfy our longing to hug our family and friends, right? But let's analyze this hug from the perspective of your initiative. When you meet a good friend who you haven't hugged in a long time, who will initiate the hug? I believe it will be both of you.
The key issue here is that we will never be able to understand whether the initiative to hug comes from the one who hugs or the one who is hugged. The Buyer's Journey , also known as the Consumer Cycle, is directly related to the hug theory, as its central idea is that the consumer will never realize whether he has found your brand or whether your brand has reached him. But we know that it will take a lot of work for you to do this!
Doril Advertising
You need to be the first solution to your consumer's problem.
Google and the Zero Moment of Truth
In 2009, Google created the ZMOT ( Zero Moment Of Truth ) concept based on changes in consumer behavior, identified through its search system.
Until the search engine was consolidated in the market, when a buyer decided to buy a certain product, they would go to the physical store and test the product they were interested in. Let's say the consumer is looking for a new bicycle. Today, their ZMOT is the search for content related to the ideal product, with reviews on YouTube, reading blogs specialized in tips, and even downloading e-books to clear up any doubts before making the investment.
After all this, when the buyer feels confident about the chosen product, he will make the purchase. And then a new and very important moment for the ZMOT to perpetuate itself begins: the buyer publishes a photo of his new product tagging the company, and this will serve to feed the ZMOT of other users.
Buyer's Journey: ZMOT e-book
E-book image“ZMOT Conquering the Zero Moment of Truth”
The 4 stages of the Buying Journey
The Buyer's Journey is the path that potential australia email list consumers of your brand take before purchasing your product or service. Based on their knowledge, consideration and decision-making, your consumers should be your best promoters. For this to happen, developing and monitoring each stage of this journey is essential so that you don't miss out on opportunities to close excellent deals.
stages of the purchasing journey
The four stages of the Journey are complementary, and each one requires a series of specific technical actions and care. Learning and Discovery, Problem Recognition, Solution Consideration and Purchase Decision. It is within these phases that your brand must orient itself to actively pursue the best deals. By aligning a good product and/or service offering with relationship management, the natural tendency is for you to be able to sell more and better, having your customer as a new propagator of your brand.
Stage 1: Learning and Discovery
This is where the Buying Journey begins. The potential consumer is still not fully aware of the real problem they have, but they are looking for alternatives to identify it. Generally, aspects related to the management of your business and the market indicate these obstacles, such as reduced revenue, increased inventory and new competitors.
In practice : let's use an example to make it easier to project this scenario. A micro-entrepreneur from a metropolitan city has owned a snack bar in a central area of the city for 20 years and is a market leader. However, he noticed a 60% drop in sales in the last quarter, precisely at a time when a new snack bar chain opened in the city. He knows that this brand uses social media and Google advertising a lot, something he has never done for his brand.
Tip : companies that offer solutions for this situation must be concerned with identifying all the possible problems that this persona may have in their business, and a Marketing Plan is essential for this.
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Step 2: Problem Recognition
At this point, the consumer has researched the problem further and knows that it needs to be resolved. Ideally, your brand should present this problem to them, as they are looking for a solution. With the natural concern of any manager who identifies an obstacle in their operation, the professional who goes through this seeks, in their network of relationships, to identify those who are going through something similar.
In practice : a businessman who is facing new and intense competition starts to search on Google about marketing, while also analyzing the new competitor's social networks and talking to his friends who own businesses in the region. He ends up identifying that many of them use social networks and Google ads. After finding a free online course, he enrolls.
Tip : At this point, it is very important that your brand presents the problem to the consumer, as this will allow you to connect with them at a time of extreme vulnerability.