Cold calling isn’t as effective as it used to be. Savvy buyers demand to be fully informed before handing over their hard-earned cash. A more consumer-focused methodology known as inbound marketing has become a key strategy for marketing professionals hoping to grow their customer base and attract new leads to their business or product.
Inbound marketing revolves around the idea of attracting rather than attacking your consumers and focusing on the buyer’s journey. This is the path a prospective customer will typically take to become aware of, evaluate and ultimately purchase your product or service.
The buyer’s journey is broken down into three key stages:
- The Awareness Stage: The buyer has a problem and is looking for a solution.
- The Consideration Stage: The buyer begins researching various options to solve the problem.
- The Decision Stage: The buyer chooses the solution that best meets the needs of their problem.
When you adopt the inbound methodology as part of your marketing strategy, you should use the buyer’s journey as a framework to help you understand the needs and buying habits of your consumers.
Sit down with your team and ask some valuable questions to get to know your buyers better.
For example, in order to fully understand the Awareness stage for your buyer, some questions for you and your team to ask might be:
- What goals, solutions, or challenges are your buyers trying to achieve or find an answer to?
- How do buyers normally educate themselves about the product or service you’re offering them?
- Do buyers feel like your product or service is a priority in their lives?
When it comes to the Consideration Stage, your buyer has identified what their need is and they are now looking for the ideal product or service that will meet that need. You need to not only meet the need but hopefully, exceed it! Some helpful questions to ask might be:
- What categories of solutions do buyers search for when they start looking?
- Is your product or service priced competitively with other companies within your industry? If not, what sets yours apart?
- How will you help your buyer decide your product or service is exactly what they need?
Finally, once your buyer has considered all of their options, they are ready to make a decision and a purchase. To help ensure that they choose you, ask a few questions including:
- What does a buyer look at and use to evaluate the various offers available?
- When a buyer researches your company, what do they like about it compared to alternatives? Are there any possible concerns they could have in regards to your product or service?
- In what ways can you make the purchasing process as seamless as possible and deter any misgivings they might have?
The answers to these questions will help provide a solid foundation on which to build a buyer’s journey that is unique to your business.
By taking the time to put yourself in the shoes of your buyers or donors, and determining the information that will provide what your contacts are looking for, you increase the likelihood of attracting and retaining people who are the right fit for your company or organisation. Hopefully, these customers and donors will remain faithful for years to come and become great advocates for your business.
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