Understanding the steps behind the buyer’s journey
No one instantly wants to buy something, and there is also a process, a journey they go on before they decide. The buyer’s journey is a process where individuals become aware of a problem; they consider and evaluate their options before deciding to purchase a product or service. What we once understood to be buyers’ behaviour has changed. Buyers now hold all the power, not the seller. No longer is business about the gift of the gab but the gift of the tab.
Everyone has access to google and the power to access infinite information right at their fingertips, every enquiry answered within seconds, so much so that buyers have become smarter than salespeople. They no longer respond to the same marketing strategies they did years ago.
So much so that 33% of buyers prefer a seller-free experience. So rather than farming for leads, businesses now need to be always alert for those who are hunting online for your services.
So, how do you close sales if people don’t want to talk to people? Well, this is where your website takes the limelight.
How does my website take advantage of the limelight?
It’s simple; it all comes down to trust.
The buyer’s journey is complex. Instead, treat it as a staggered process that the user may repeat several times before taking action. The user will research and read as much information as possible to make an informed decision.
By conducting this research, it means that 80% of a buyer’s journey is done before they even make contact.
So, if you think about it, your website has become your new digital salesperson. All hail the salesman – all hail your website! But is it up to scratch?
What you need to do to utilise the Buyer’s Journey
So if the buyer’s journey isn’t linear, how can you ensure your website is an effective salesman? What can you implement into your online strategy?
1. Create a vault of content from all perspectives along the buyer’s journey. Give them the freedom to move in any order they choose and with enough information, so they feel well-informed.
2. Ensure your website features a clear user journey. Does your website even engage the user to go on this user journey?
3. Don’t assume the customer knows everything – teach them!
4. Remove all doubt from the buyer’s journey.
5. Being honest and transparent is the second most significant sales and trust tool alongside your website.