The Complete Guide To Creating A Buyer Journey
Creating a buyer journey map is one of the best things you can do for your business. When you understand the different stages that a customer goes through when considering a purchase, you can create better content and messaging that speaks to them at each stage of the process. You'll also be able to track your progress and see whether or not your marketing efforts have the desired effect. In this blog post, we will teach you how to create a buyer journey map for your business!
What is a buyer's journey?
No customer goes straight to purchase. They usually follow a particular path of gathering info on your company, reading reviews, browsing competition etc. A buyer journey map visualizes the different stages that a customer goes through when considering a purchase. It can help you understand the different needs and motivations that your customers have at each stage of the buying process. When you know those needs, you can create content and messaging that speaks to them directly.
What are the different stages of the buyer's journey?
There are three main stages of the buyer's journey: awareness, consideration, and purchase. We'll take a closer look at each one:
Awareness: your potential customer became aware that they have a problem
Consideration: your potential customer tries to find solutions to their identified problem
Decision: your potential customer decides on their solution strategy
What is the awareness stage in the buyer journey?
In the awareness stage, your potential customer becomes aware that they have a problem. They may not even know that there is a solution to their problem yet, but they are becoming interested in finding out more. For example, they might ask, "I have a lot of acne on my face."
What is the consideration stage in the buyer journey?
In the consideration stage, your potential customer tries to find solutions to their identified problem. They might start by doing some research on their own or reach out to you for more information. They are beginning to become more serious about finding a solution and looking at their options. They will start asking themselves, "how do I treat acne." "how much does acne treatment costs?" "where can I buy acne treatment?"
What is the decision stage in the buyer journey?
The decision stage is when your potential customer decides on their solution strategy. They might choose one of your products or decide to go with a competitor. They have probably done a lot of research by this point, and they are making the final decisions about what they want to do.
How to create a customer journey map for a business?
There are a few steps involved in creating a customer journey map for your business and a few questions you should ask yourself at each buyer journey stage. If you have absolutely no understanding of your customers, you'll find it hard to craft a buyer journey. If this is you, consider conducting interviews with your customers, asking for customer feedback, and consulting with your salespeople to understand your customer better.
Questions for Awareness Stage
Remember, your potential buyer has realized they have a problem in this stage. Here are some questions you should be asking yourself.
What's the buyer's biggest goal?
How does the buyer decide to prioritize solving a challenge?
Who does the buyer ask for advice on their challenges and goals?
Questions for the Consideration Stage
At this stage, buyers identify possible solutions to their problems and begin to narrow down their options. You should be asking yourself:
What criteria do our buyers use to compare different solutions?
What content or resources do our buyers use during this stage?
Who is involved in the decision-making process?
Questions for the Decision Stage
Finally, buyers are ready to choose a solution and make a purchase. You should be asking yourself:
What is our buyer's preferred method of purchase?
What are the main objections our buyers have at this stage?
What kind of post-purchase support do our buyers need?
By asking these questions and mapping out your buyer's journey, you will better understand your customers and what they need from you at each stage of the process. This will also give you a better understanding of the type of content you need to offer them throughout the different stages. For example, during the awareness stage, you'll want to offer brochures, blogs, flyers etc. Something to give the customer more information. In the end, the buyer journey is informal information for your internal team.
Do I need to create a buyer persona to make a buyer journey?
Absolutely! You should know precisely who your ideal customers are. A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of your perfect customer. It takes into account demographics, behaviours, motivations, and challenges. By creating a buyer persona, you will better understand who you are trying to reach with your marketing efforts and help you create your buyer journey.
We have a buyer persona guidebook and template where you can create your buyer persona!
Buyer Persona Template and Guidebook
How does the buyer journey relate to the marketing funnel?
The marketing funnel and the buyer's journey go hand in hand. The marketing funnel is the process you use to bring potential customers through to becoming actual customers. It starts with getting your potential customer's attention and then moving them through the different stages of the buying process until they make a purchase. The buyer's journey is the stages that those potential customers go through while making a purchase decision.
The marketing funnel is a great tool to track your progress and make sure that you are doing everything you can to bring potential customers through to becoming actual customers. The buyer's journey is a great way to understand your customers better and figure out what you need to do to speak to them at each stage of the process. By understanding both the marketing funnel and the buyer's journey, you can create a powerful strategy for your business.
So, are you ready to get started? Creating a customer journey map is one of the best things you can do for your business. By understanding how customers interact with your brand throughout their buying journey, you'll be able to create marketing content that resonates with them and drives conversions.
