Was there a time when you were looking at a Traffic Source report in Google Analytics and found out that there is specific traffic source that is not converting well? If yes, continue reading this blog post. It might help you understand why this is happening.
Are you aware that a typical user has different stages when it comes to their conversion paths? If yes, congratulations!!! If you’re interested in hearing my thoughts, please continue reading. I’ll make sure to send you some cookies for reading 🙂
A Simpler Way of Breaking Down the Stages of a Typical Customer Buying Cycle
A simpler way of analyzing a typical Customer Buying Cycle is by breaking it into 3 important stages such as Awareness, Consideration, and Purchase. If you go to https://www.google.com and use the keywords Customer Buying Cycle, you’ll see that there are so many variations of different stages for this topic.
In my professional and expert opinion, as long as you have a good understanding of the 3 major stages, that will help you tremendously when making an important marketing decision.
Awareness
Awareness is the stage where a typical user finds the need for a specific product or services. This can also be a stage where the user found out about what your business is offering.
How it relates to Marketing?
If a user is at this stage, we can not expect them to convert by purchasing your product or signing up your for your services. The conversion is not likely to happen. The only thing you can do with these users is to make sure that they can find you as soon as they entered the next phase of the Buying Cycle such as Consideration.
Consideration
Consideration is one of the most crucial stages in the buying cycle. This is the stage where your business can make an impact on customer’s buying decision. This is also the stage where a potential customer is weighing different options that are available.
How it relates to Marketing?
If a user is at this stage, it’s critical for us to let the user know that we have a solution to their needs.
Example: You’re a cake shop owner located in Dubai, U.A.E and your specialty is making wedding cakes 🙂 If a user goes to Google and typed in the keyword “wedding cakes in Dubai”, you need to make sure that your business is visible to the user. In this example, your business is visible in Search Engine Marketing which is Google AdWords.
At this stage, you have the ability to educate and inform your potential customer that you have what they need. You can provide a solution to what they need. Of course, you are not the only one who wants to get noticed. You will compete with other businesses who happen to offer a similar service. You just need to make sure that you stand out.
Purchase
Purchase is the stage where a user has determined which option he or she will choose, whether it’s in the form of a product or service. There are many factors that have affected the buyer’s decision-making process. These factors can include product quality, prices, and past customer reviews among many other factors.
How it relates to Marketing?
If a user is at this stage, congratulations. You have successfully won the user’s heart. This is the start of a good relationship between your business and your new customer. However, don’t be confident when you reached this stage. Your business needs to prove that the customer’s decision was the right thing to do.
You need to make sure to attend to all their needs and provide support if necessary. You also have the ability to upsell your new customer to other products or services depending on what you are offering.
In Business, there’s a saying that it’s cheaper to maintain an existing customer than to acquire a new one.
General Thought:
Your campaigns may be targeting different users at different stages in the Buying Cycle. As a marketer or business owner, it’s important for you to understand the type of users your campaigns are targeting. In that way, it will be easier for you to determine whether a specific campaign is performing or not. You should have a marketing campaign intended for each Stage of the Buying Cycle.
Here are some example channels you can leverage at each stage:
Awareness
● Display Campaigns
● Social Media Campaigns
● Video Campaign
Consideration
● Search Campaigns
● Display and Video Campaigns (Retargeting)
Purchase
● Email Campaigns
● Search Campaigns (Retargeting or Upsell)
Need help converting customers during the buying cycle? Contact your InfoTrust Consultant today!
