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Every Buyer’s Path Leads to the Stronger Content You Need

Imagine for a moment that you could step into a meeting with a potential customer or client and know exactly what they were thinking. Wouldn’t that make it a lot easier to close the deal? Can’t you imagine how magical it would be? Oh, the content you could throw their way. Every word tailored to their specific needs. The look of shock and joy on their faces. What divine bliss is this?

Alas, we haven’t invented a telepathic helmet here at Atlantic BT. We did try but in the end, we don’t know what we were thinking. We did hope to be the first to make a pair of glasses that gives you ESP. But, Mark Zuckerburg already has those and is now using them to great aplomb. We digress.

Despite the lack of these fantastical tools, there is a way to predict what your users need and want. Customers follow a predictable thought pattern called The Buyer’s Journey. This happens every time they visit your website. Once you understand it, you can create content that leads them from one step to the next. Guiding their path can result in sales or an appointment.

Naturally, different buyers are going to move at their own pace, with their own unique quirks. However, they will almost always follow a three-step process that begins with awareness, moves to research, and ends with a decision.

To show you how this works in the real world, let’s give an example. We have an adult who is searching for a dental solution. Here is where The Buyer’s Journey might take them.

Awareness

The first thing that happens on The Buyer’s Journey is a realization. The buyer discovers they have a need. This could be for themselves, their friends and family, or even an entire organization. One way or another, they suddenly find themselves on the search for information, and possibly a product or service.

In our example, we have an adult who has noticed pain in their mouth. So, they might start searching for things like: “symptoms of sensitive gums” or “why does sugar irritate my teeth?” They know they have a problem, so they start looking for answers.

Research

In the research phase, potential buyers begin looking at companies, products, and services that can solve the problem they are having. In other words, they are looking at possible solutions without committing to any of them.

Our adult with dental concerns may begin comparing different dentists, or checking out specific mouthwash or toothpaste products. They’ve moved beyond the source of the issue and have started investigating potential answers.

Decision

The decision step in The Buyer’s Journey speaks for itself. But, it’s still worth pointing out that people like to be reassured that they’re doing the right thing. So, they’ll read testimonials, check out reviews, and look at things like money-back guarantees. They’ll also want to know if there are any big obstacles (like high prices or restrictive terms) that may get in their way.

Assuming they want the solution strongly enough, they’ll decide to move forward and make a purchase.

How to Use The Buyer’s Journey for Stronger Content

Once you know what your customers have on their minds, it’s easier to create content that appeals to them. First and foremost, you must understand your audience. Recall our adult looking for answers about their own mouth pain. The questions they have, and the solutions they would find, might be different compared to a parent who needed the same thing for their child.

When you know the person and the problem, you can tailor your blog posts, landing pages, and even social updates accordingly. You want to guide buyers through each step of their journey. Here’s how that might look:

  • For buyers who are in the awareness stage, you’ll want to talk about the “pain points” associated with their current condition. This spurs them to keep looking for solutions.
  • During the research step, you can compare your services with your competitors. Now, potential customers are more informed (and amenable to buying from you).
  • Finally, you can help them make a good decision by providing social proof in the form of strong reviews, industry certifications, and other supporting materials.

Put all these together and you have everything you need to move buyers through your sales funnel. In the end, you will have helped them find the solution that best fits their needs.

Is Your Digital Marketing Strategy Speaking to Buyers on Their Terms?

At Atlantic BT we build great websites. More importantly, we generate online marketing plans that get real-world results because they move buyers to action. If you could use that kind of focus on your company website, now is a great time to contact us and schedule a free consultation.

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