Like almost all the terms used in marketing, this also comes from the English "buyer journey". A process is a set of successive stages to achieve something. In the case of the purchasing process, it is nothing more than a set of stages that a person like you or me goes through before becoming a customer. They are the stages that a person goes through from the moment they identify that they have a need until they buy a certain product or service to cover that need.
Nowadays, we go through a whole process until we make the decision to buy something. Not everyone buys at the beginning and without hesitation. Some take their time to think about which product to buy, others will compare with the offers available on the market, etc. We have so much access to information that it is often overwhelming due to the amount of offers and advertisements we see every day. Before, advertising had a greater impact on the user, as we did not have so much access to information. Today, if we want to buy a hoover, we can read about the product, compare it with other similar ones, look for others with lower prices, in other words, we no longer blindly believe what advertising tells us. Now we can evaluate and decide on what suits us best.
The information you provide about your product is essential to persuade the user during the buying process, as they will not run into your arms and buy your product without hesitation, but will inform themselves in every possible way before swiping their card. The importance of a blog about your brand is essential in this case, as you can include all the information about your product and, through persuasive writing, make the user become a customer. Don't forget that it is one thing to write about your product and another to sell through words. The latter is what you need, that is, a copywriter to create the texts of your blog so that they buy without hesitation.
We have already talked about what the buying process is. Now let's see how many stages it is divided into. The buying process is divided into 4 stages: learning and discovery, problem recognition, solution consideration and purchase decision. That's right, we, today's buyers, go through these 4 stages before we pay for something.
let's see what they are!
what are the stages of the buying process?
Stage 1: Learning and discovery
This is the first step. Having a need is not the same as having an interest in something. Well, it is at this stage that the consumer does not quite know that they have a need, but they are attracted to something. This means that they are not quite sure and are still discovering what it is that they need. It is at this stage that you must get their attention and provide them with a possible solution to their need and make them discover what it is that they need.
Phase 2 - Problem recognition
In the second phase, the user already knows what he needs, i.e. he has already identified a problem that he will seek to solve. What he will do next is look for information, seek references, ask about a certain product or service, read blogs, see if the product or service has positive or negative reviews. In other words, he will become immersed in the subject. It is here where a commercial strategy must be taken into account so that he decides to choose your company.
Phase 3: Consideration of the solution
After having been informed and having searched for information about what they need, the user has already selected some options. The objective is that your option is the best for the user. In this phase it is important to create a sense of urgency so that the user does not let time pass or change their mind. Remember, your company is the best option to solve the user's problem, but the user must know it.
Phase 4: Purchase decision
At last we have reached the final phase. Here the user is already clear about what product or service he is going to buy. In this process he makes the decision to buy what he needed. It is advisable to maintain an active exchange channel about his interests and doubts to have all his attention on your brand. You can offer trial versions to clarify his doubts. In this way, you will make him decide for your brand. In this phase you have to make the purchase process simple, otherwise you could lose the user.
Phase 5: After-sales
It is important that they buy from you, but it is even more important not to lose that customer. The buyer's process does not end when they pay for your product or service. This is where you can ask them for their opinion, ask them how they did with your product or service, ask them for recommendations, make them feel that their opinion is important to you so that they will come back.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that not everyone goes strictly through this buying process. Each person is different and is conditioned by various factors such as the user's lifestyle and the urgency factor. Therefore, each buying process is different and complex, but if you know your potential audience well, you can design a buyer journey that makes this journey much faster and easier, thus achieving more sales.
This process is a component of the general study of consumer behaviour, which seeks to understand the motivation, perception, emotions and memory that a person goes through before, during and after the purchase of a good or service.
Don't forget to accompany the user in their buying process and not abandon them once they have purchased your product or service. Remember that they can become a loyal customer, but that only depends on the marketing strategies you use. Likewise, appropriate copywriting will activate the need in the user and show the benefits of your brand, as well as the problems it can solve.
Just to arouse your curiosity a bit, think about the last purchase you made and analyse your buying process. Did you go through all the stages?
