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What Is the Buyer's Journey?

Updated: July 21, 2022

Published: April 21, 2021

Today's buyer is more informed than ever before, thanks to the vast amount of information available at their fingertips. Because of this, the balance of power has shifted from the sales rep to the buyer in most sales conversations . This is why pushy sales tactics are no longer effective the way they used to be.

buyer taking a train: conceptualizing the buyer's journey

Instead, to be successful in sales in today's day and age, sales reps must adapt their mindset from selling to helping . And the best way to start this process is becoming intimately familiar with who the buyer is and the journey they take on their path to purchase : The buyer's journey .

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What is the buyer's journey.

The buyer's journey describes a buyer's path to purchase. In other words, buyers don't wake up and decide to buy on a whim. They go through a process to become aware of, consider and evaluate, and decide to purchase a new product or service.

By understanding the buyer's journey , the pains and problems they experience along that journey, and the influencing factors that shape their thinking, sales reps can better empathize with the buyer and position their product or service along that path. So let's dig in a little further.

What are the three stages of the buyer's journey?

The buyer's journey can be broken down into three steps or "stages" that describe how they advance along their path to purchase: the awareness stage, the consideration stage, and the decision stage.

Here's how to conceptualize each stage:

Awareness Stage: The buyer becomes aware that they have a problem.
Consideration Stage: The buyer defines their problem and considers options to solve it.
Decision Stage: The buyer evaluates and decides on the right provider to administer the solution.

Now that the overall journey has been defined, let's take a look at each stage in greater detail, from the buyer's perspective:

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What is the buyer doing during the awareness stage?

The buyer is experiencing a problem or symptoms of a pain, and their goal is to alleviate it. They may be looking for informational resources to more clearly understand, frame, and give a name to their problem.

Example: "Why do my feet hurt all the time?"

What is the buyer doing the consideration stage?

The buyer will have clearly defined and given a name to their problem, and they are committed to researching and understanding all of the available approaches and/or methods to solving the defined problem or opportunity.

Example: "How do you treat arch pain?"

What is the buyer doing during the decision stage?

The buyer has decided on their solution strategy, method, or approach. Their goal now is to compile a list of available vendors, make a short list, and ultimately make a final purchase decision.

Example: "Where can I get custom orthotics? How much will they cost?"

If you don't have an intimate understanding of your buyers, it may be difficult to map out the buyer's journey in a way that will be helpful from a sales perspective. In this case, be sure to conduct a few interviews with customers, prospects, and other salespeople at your company to get a sense of the buying journey.

Tailoring Your Sales Process to the Buyer's Journey

With all of this in mind, buyers don't want to be prospected, or demoed, or closed when they're not ready. These steps add zero value, from their perspective, when offered at the wrong time.

However, where a sales rep can shine is in the instances when buyers are looking for additional information about your product that can't be found online.

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Buyers are identifying the challenge or opportunity they want to pursue. They are also deciding whether or not the goal or challenge should be a priority.

Consideration Stage

Buyers have clearly defined the goal or challenge and have committed to addressing it. They are now evaluating different approaches or methods available to pursue the goal or solve their challenge.

Decision Stage

Buyers have already decided on a solution category and are now evaluating providers. For example, they may have written a pro/con list of specific offerings to decide on the one that best meets their needs.

Some of these considerations may fall more under the marketing umbrella than the sales umbrella, but ultimately the answers to these questions will provide a robust foundation for your buyer's journey.

The process of getting to know how your buyers buy is invaluable as you create or refine your sales process. You'll be better able to empathize with prospects, handle objections, and provide the right information at the right time, helping you close more deals and win more business.

Thank you for reading this post from HubSpot .

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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What Is the Buyer’s Journey — and Why Should You Care About It?

Learn how to map out your buyer's journey to improve the path to purchase.

Erin Hueffner

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Today’s buyers are more informed than ever. In fact, 81% of reps say customers are conducting their own research before they ever connect with sales. Canned scripts and one-size-fits-all methods won’t cut it when dealing with savvy buyers — they want more detailed information, more personalized solutions, and a tailored sales approach. That’s why it’s so critical to understand the buyer’s journey. Once you know what a prospect needs to move from interest to purchase, you navigate the sales road with ease and close quickly.

Here’s how you get there.

What you’ll learn:

What is the buyer’s journey, what are the stages of the buyer’s journey, why is understanding the buyer’s journey important, how does the buyer’s journey relate to the lead funnel, how to tailor your sales process to the buyer’s journey, buyer’s journey example, drive pipe faster with a single source of truth.

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The buyer’s journey accounts for all the steps a customer takes to move from discovery for a product to purchase. This includes their behaviors and attitudes toward your brand and how they interact with your marketing and, eventually, your product or service.

This journey is typically segmented into three stages: awareness, consideration, and decision. Don’t assume, however, that every buyer steps through those three stages in 1-2-3 order every time. Buyers’ journeys often wind up taking very non-linear paths. We’ll get into that below.

As noted above, the buyer’s journey can be summed up in three stages. Each stage factors in the psychological state of the buyer, including their needs, behaviors, and decision-making processes. These help inform the actions a seller can take to move the deal forward. Let’s take a closer look at each one:

Awareness stage

Buyers at the awareness stage want something that solves a problem or meets a need, but they don’t know exactly what that is. They start to gather information about solutions, but this information is driven by knowledge of a specific product, service, or brand. Typically, this research involves online research or conversations with others dealing with similar problems/needs.

Tip: At this stage, it’s all about making a strong and credible first impression that lays the groundwork for a relationship based on trust and value. How? By focusing on solutions. Don’t pitch a product — solve a problem. This is when your marketing content, especially on social media, can shine. Video content is a great way to answer questions, provide examples, share testimonials, and deliver in-depth information that promises a helpful solution. As part of this, you’ll want to gently introduce your product — while keeping the focus on the solution it offers, not the features it includes.

Consideration stage

As buyers move into this stage, they are actively researching, comparing, and considering different options. Online shopping and review sites, social media, and email newsletters give customers multiple channels to explore. Take advantage of these by making them next steps in the buyer journey. If you find the buyer is engaging with awareness content like a blog post, for example, create a promo for a newsletter signup in the post to encourage continued engagement.

Tip: Engage potential customers in this stage by providing detailed, comparative, and solution-focused content like blog posts and personalized emails that highlight the unique benefits and features of your offerings.

Decision stage

By now, buyers understand their problem, have done their research, and are ready to make a purchase — but they haven’t crossed the finish line yet. Everything they’ve explored up to now, including price, value, features, benefits, customer reviews, and brand reputation, will be considered and factored into their final decision. The seller’s job? Package all of these as part of the original solution the buyer was looking for.

Tip: In this crucial stage, you want to address any remaining concerns and help the buyer make a purchase decision. To overcome objections , your interactions with customers should be persuasive, reassuring, and clear. Reinforce the value and benefits of your offering. Remember: Selling a solution rather than a product can help set you apart from competitors.

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More than just a throwaway sales concept, the buyer’s journey lets you see and understand the choices your buyers make at each stage of the sales process so you can meet their needs in the moment. Understanding the buyer’s journey can give you:

Enhanced customer insights: Studying the buyer’s journey gives you a deeper understanding of your customers’ needs, pain points, and decision-making processes. This data then helps you create content and strategies that resonate with potential customers.
Improved content strategy: By knowing what buyers think and want at each stage, you can create content that addresses specific concerns and questions. The right content can provide the guidance customers need to make informed decisions and can also help you field objections.
Increased sales efficiency: With insights from the buyer’s journey, you can anticipate needs, counter objections quickly, and tailor pitches more effectively. You’re not just selling. You’re providing solutions and guidance at the moment the buyer is most receptive.
Enhanced customer experience: When you anticipate and address needs at each stage of the journey, you deliver a smoother, more personalized customer experience. This not only increases the likelihood of conversion but also fosters loyalty, leading to repeat business and referrals.

Understanding the buyer’s journey is a key part of building lasting relationships with customers. It’s about moving beyond sales to build genuine connections based on trust and value and ensuring satisfaction at every touchpoint. This ultimately redounds to the seller’s benefit; with strong relationships and loyalty often come repeat sales.

The lead funnel and the buyer’s journey look at the sales process from different perspectives. The lead funnel represents the process from a seller’s or company’s perspective. It outlines the stages a seller walks through on the way to a close. In contrast, the buyer’s journey sees things from the customer’s perspective. It’s all about their experience on the path to purchase.

Aligning your sales process with the buyer’s journey ensures that you meet customer needs at each stage and can guide them toward a purchase decision without delays. Let’s combine what we’ve learned so far into actionable items:

Awareness stage actions

• Understand your audience: Identify and analyze your potential customers’ needs and behavior. Pro tip: Use your CRM to help! An AI-powered tool such as Sales Cloud Einstein can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you via prompt-based research.

• Generate awareness: Use educational content to draw prospects in and establish your brand as a credible source.

Consideration stage actions

Provide more details product content: Offer comparative, solution-focused content that highlights your product’s benefits.
Personalize communication: Tailor your interactions with information you’ve gathered about your potential customers.

Decision stage actions

Address objections: Prepare your team to counter any concerns or objections with clear and compelling information.
Simplify the purchase: Streamline the buying process, offer clear pricing, and be transparent about contracts.

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The buyer’s journey is not linear. It’s a fluid relationship between brand and customer. Here’s an example that illustrates this:

Raina wants to cut down on her bills and realizes there’s an opportunity to cut down her monthly entertainment spend. Rather than pay for streaming services and cable TV, she wants something that consolidates both.

To start, Raina maps out what she wants. She lists her must-watch shows and researches which streaming platforms offer them (awareness). She narrows her choices to two platforms, including one ad-supported and one premium service. She’s also thinking about adding a live sports package but isn’t clear on which packages carry her favorite teams’ games, so she contacts the streaming service companies for more information (consideration). After chatting with several sales representatives, Raina asks for a demo of one of the service’s sports add-ons. She and the rep discuss subscription plans and go over which games will be available for streaming.

Ultimately, Raina decides to subscribe to both streaming platforms without the additional sports package (decision). Lucky for her, she’s offered a free three-month trial of the live sports add-on at sign-up. After realizing how much she enjoys the add-on in the trial period, Raina decides to keep it.

In this case, Raina’s buyer journey doesn’t end after her purchase. Her experience with the streaming services will influence how she feels about the brands and shape her future interactions with them, including future purchases.

Map to the buyer’s journey for better outcomes

If you pay close attention to the buyer’s journey and deliver high value, your customers are more likely to stay loyal and explore other products in your portfolio, which means more sales. Remember, each interaction with a prospect is an opportunity to understand, engage, and nurture. By aligning your sales process with each stage in the buyer’s journey, you can increase sales while building long-term relationships.

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Buyer journey

Key Takeaways:

The buyer journey involves three stages: Awareness, consideration, and decision.
When a company understands each stage of their buyer journey, they can make improvements that drive more sales and satisfied customers.
Hosting a journey mapping workshop is the first step in understanding your buyer journey.
Everyone at your company should care about the buyer journey, including marketing, sales, analytics, and the C-suite.

What is the buyer journey.

The buyer journey is the process during which a buyer progresses from being aware they have a problem, through purchasing a product to solve that problem.

Why is the buyer journey so important today?

In years past, shoppers had limited options if they wanted to purchase a product. These days, the choices for most items are nearly infinite. Therefore, the role of the salesperson and marketer is now to help guide the shopper to choose their brand.

The best way to guide the shopper to choose your brand is by deeply understanding your target customers and the journey they take to purchase with your company. This is the buyer’s journey.

What are the stages of the buyer journey?

The better you understand each of the buyer journey stages, the more you can adapt your messaging and marketing campaigns to address potential challenges and pain points. There are three main stages to the buyer journey:

Awareness stage

During the awareness stage, the potential customer first becomes aware that they have a problem. They are typically researching information about this problem to better understand it, but may not be ready to research solutions or products yet.

A consumer in the awareness stage may become passively aware of your brand via an online ad or targeted marketing on a social media platform like Facebook or Instagram. Or they may actively discover your brand while seeking out information about their problem, such as through a search engine.

You can boost your company’s visibility during the awareness phase by:

Running targeted ads. Purchase relevant ads to carefully targeted audiences that speak directly to their pain points and offer a clear solution.
Using SEO to guide your content. As an example, if you’re a healthcare organization and you know through SEO research that consumers in your market area are commonly performing web searches for outpatient testing. Consider creating a blog post or series that provides details on the outpatient testing services your organization offers, with clear CTAs and links to those service webpages for more details.

Consideration stage

In the consideration stage, the potential customer is researching potential solutions to their problem. They’re looking at the pros and cons of each option — including your product, as well as how it stacks up to your competition. It’s important to note that the higher the purchase amount, the longer this stage may last.

If your sales team is in conversation with the potential customer at this stage, they should be working through any hesitations to purchase and addressing obstacles. Marketers can help facilitate these conversations by creating print and web collateral that provides clear details on your product offerings and show how they meet customer needs.

During consideration, the prospect may seek out product reviews on Google, Yelp, Facebook, G2 or Capterra. Or, they may ask trusted colleagues, friends or family for their recommendations..

You can better position your company during the consideration phase by:

Addressing negative online reviews. Publicly respond to the reviews in a straightforward, neutral way, and be sure to personally follow up with the reviewer to try to find a resolution.
Auditing your product web pages. It’s also helpful to review your company’s website and social media pages to ensure they’re providing clear information on your product offerings to facilitate easy decisions for potential customers.
Featuring customer testimonials. Providing customer testimonials on your website or social media channels shows consumers that you’re a trusted brand and that you have experience in successfully solving similar problems for other customers.

Decision stage

During the decision phase, the customer has narrowed down the type of product they want to buy. Now, they’re determining which vendor to choose. They may be deciding between two or more vendors who provide similar solutions.

At the end of the decision phase, they may purchase your product in a store or sign a binding contract for your services. Your team should do everything you can to facilitate the buying process for the customer and make it a smooth, positive experience.

Here are some ways that your company can improve the decision stage for customers:

Providing an excellent customer experience. Keep the lines of communication with the customer open. Follow up with them at regular intervals, with helpful tips. Let them know that your company is eagerly standing by to take the next step whenever they’re ready.
Providinge easy financing. If applicable to your product, offer easy financing options that make it simple for the customer to make the purchase with your company.
Making pricing straightforward. The last thing you want is to lose a sale because the customer was confused about your pricing structure. Make your pricing clear, consistent, and straightforward.

Why is it important to understand the buyer journey?

Understanding the buyer journey is important because it allows a company to optimize touchpoints at each stage and ultimately, increase purchases.

For sales and marketing teams, knowing the buyer journey is critical for creating meaningful, targeted campaigns. When you understand who your customer is, their pain points, and the buying stage they’re in, you can create messaging that moves a prospect through the sales funnel to a purchase.

Sales teams with a solid understanding of the buyer’s journey can also proactively work through any barriers to purchase that buyers may face on their journey.

Why data specialists need to know about the buyer's journey

While marketing and sales may be more closely involved with the buyer journey, they’re not the only teams who need to understand its stages and touchpoints. Data analysts are also involved with the buyer’s journey because they often control your company’s customer and prospect data and share it across other business units.

Your data analysts should be familiar with the buyer’s journey so they can make better use of the customer data in a company’s data warehouse and identify unique needs at each stage. Data specialists can use specialized platforms to pull data out of your data warehouses and translate it into meaningful metrics that other teams across your company can use. For example, data specialists can segment data by various demographic information. Then, they can work with marketing, sales, or other customer-facing teams to deliver more targeted content at each stage of the buyer’s journey.

What's the difference between the buyer journey and the customer journey?

The buyer journey describes the three stages that lead to the shopper’s purchasing decision. The customer journey involves those first three stages plus an additional two stages — the retention/loyalty stage and the advocacy stage. These stages involve growing and retaining loyal, long-term customers.

While the buyer journey focuses on acquiring customers, the customer journey stages also includes retaining customers with a post-purchase focus.

What's the role of the buyer journey in journey orchestration?

Customer journey orchestration — or CJO — is the process of coordinating the customer experience in real-time, and then working them through the buyer’s journey stages using meaningful, individualized experiences. CJO is typically enabled by a CJO platform or engine. This platform uses your company’s data to identify ways to improve customer flow in real-time.

Understanding the buyer journey and incorporating it into your CJO can help enhance your customer experience and provide more meaningful touchpoints. The CJO channels that are part of the buying journey include your website, social media accounts, inbound marketing, online ads, and email marketing. The way that you position your brand across all of these channels during each phase of the buyer journey impacts the buyer’s decision to purchase your product downstream.

For example, if the prospect sees a message that didn’t resonate with them on your social media account during the awareness phase, they may choose a different brand in the decision phase. Targeting the highest converting ad and email messages to the right potential customers is critical for initiating a purchase with your company.

What is buyer journey mapping?

A journey mapping workshop can be a helpful resource in understanding the buyer journey with your brand. Plotting out each step of the journey — including touchpoints, pain points, and ideal outcomes for each step — can help teams across your company understand and address gaps in the buyer journey. You can use online resources as the framework for your journey map, or you may want to bring in a third-party expert to facilitate the workshop for you.

Depending on your focus, you may choose to plot out the full customer journey map , or you may only need to plot out the first three stages of that map (the buyer’s journey). Regardless of your approach, journey mapping can help you understand the path that potential customers take with your brand, so you can improve their experience and move more of them into the decision phase.

Buyer journey examples

It’s important to note that the buyer journey won’t be the same at every organization — it will vary depending on the industry, audience, product, etc. Also, buyer journeys aren’t always linear and can jump or skip stages depending on the individual customer and product/service.

Below are some examples of buyer journeys across various B2B and B2C industries.

Finance B2B buyer journey example

During this B2B buyer journey example, the consumer moves from deciding to leave their current payroll software that doesn’t offer a feature they need to signing a contract with a new platform that provides even more features that they may need in the future.

The head of finance at a mid-sized company receives authorization from the C-suite to shop around for new payroll software. They are specifically looking for a platform that allows them to pay employees via digital payment apps, which their current software does not provide.

The head of finance begins the consideration phase by connecting with their local chamber of commerce and asking their counterparts at other similarly sized businesses about payroll software. They receive two top recommendations and find the platforms’ websites through an online search. The search also populates online software reviews of the two platforms through G2 and Capterra.

Companies can improve their visibility during the consideration stage for B2B decisions by maintaining a good industry reputation, providing excellent customer service, and continuously making software updates that fit user needs. Companies should focus on continuous improvement to their products. They should solicit user feedback and incorporate relevant suggestions. By doing so, they can make informed improvements to their product which will translate into increased sales.

Also, during the consideration phase, the account executive at the software companies should be directly addressing the customer’s pain point – in this example, the ability to pay employees via digital wallets. In this way, they can clearly demonstrate that their platform is the best choice.

The head of finance connects with sales reps at each of these companies to learn more details about pricing and whether the specific features will meet their needs. They ultimately choose the platform that can send employee payments to the widest range of digital wallets and has the shortest contract term.

Retail B2C buyer journey example

In this buyer’s journey, the consumer is really making two purchasing decisions: the television and the retailer. Here, we’ll concentrate on the retailer choice.

A consumer decides they want to purchase a new television because their existing television is starting to show signs of age. They’re specifically interested in purchasing one of the latest television models that is easily mounted on the wall.

During the awareness stage, when the customer first decides to shop around in-person for new televisions, a local brick-and-mortar retailer can boost their visibility by ensuring that their store ranks high in Google Maps listings.

The customer begins their shopping process by visiting a large electronics store nearby. They compare prices and features, and have their choices narrowed down to three options. They reference the printed in-store collateral about the specific televisions, as well as about current financing offers for large purchases.

The consumer uses their mobile phone to look up reviews of the televisions as well as look at prices for the same model online. The consumer decides to leave the store, and they do some further shopping online at home.

In this example, the consideration stage consisted of in-store and online shopping. During in-store consideration, retailers can improve the shopper experience by having friendly, knowledgeable staff. They can provide attractive physical collateral that contains details about their merchandise, as well as about any current retailer-specific offers like financing.

The customer ultimately purchases one of the three top models the next day online from a different retailer. They choose this retailer because they have better reviews for customer support and their price was $100 less than the brick-and-mortar store.

For the decision stage, this consumer ultimately chose the retailer that had a better reputation for customer service and lower prices. Your company can get ahead of your competition in this stage by ensuring that your customer support teams are accessible and knowledgeable. Be sure to address any past customer service issues or negative reviews; don’t ignore them.

Telecom B2C buyer journey example

By understanding this B2C buyer journey, internet service providers can improve their chances of being the consumer’s choice like this example.

A consumer learns that they need to switch home internet providers. They’ve recently moved to a new residence, and their previous provider doesn’t offer service at their new residence.

They begin their shopping process by asking their local friends and family members about which service providers they use. They receive mixed reviews. So, they turn to their local Facebook group for reviews from people in their new neighborhood.

They receive two strong recommendations, and then turn to those provider’s websites to learn about pricing and current promotions. By offering great customer service and being responsive to all potential issues, current customers are more likely to make referrals to that company.

The consumer decides to go with the home internet provider that offers the lowest long-term price and can complete installation within three days. Offering a clear pricing structure on their website enables potential customers to quickly determine what’s the best choice for them. And, when a potential customer calls to inquire about installation, a service provider can increase their chances of being the frontrunner by having:

Courteous, knowledgeable agents
Short wait times
Quick installation timeframes

How to improve the buyer journey

Improving the buyer journey will ultimately help your company win more customers and increase revenue. Here are some ways to get started.

Map your buyer’s journey

Visualizing the buyer journey with a journey map can help your company better understand potential messaging gaps or user experience issues that are preventing purchases. This process can also help your team determine which type of content to deliver at each stage to move potential customers along the sales funnel ( see the section below on this).

Personalize content across all channels

Today’s customers expect personalized messaging and experiences from brands throughout cross-channel marketing or omnichannel marketing . With that in mind, make sure all your touchpoints — website, social media, and in-store — have consistent, personalized messaging that factors in the customer’s preferences and past purchases.

Share valuable content that fits the buyer stage

Knowing the ins and outs of the buyer journey means understanding what type of content to serve up at each stage. For example, if you know you have prospectswho are in the consideration stage and review content has contributed to a high conversion rate, you can target these prospects with messaging featuring customer testimonials or positive reviews.

Having a grasp on the buyer stages can also help you understand potential barriers to purchase, including pain points and what your competitors are offering. Use this information to provide content that speaks directly to these barriers, reassuring potential customers that your company has what it takes to deliver on brand promises.

Use data-driven insights

Lean on data to understand customer behavior at each buyer journey stage and continuously measure results. For example, if your Google Analytics data or website heat mapping tool shows users leaving your product pages quickly, dig into clicks and scroll data to find ways to put the most important information front and center. Or, if you see engagement drop on a particular email, test out new design, subject lines, send time, or call-to-action copy.

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Buyer’s Journey

What is the buyer’s journey.

The buyer’s journey is a process customers go through to become aware of, consider, and decide to purchase a new product or service. It’s a framework that guides sales strategies by mapping the customer’s path from recognizing a need to the final purchase decision.

In sales, this journey encompasses three stages: Awareness, where customers identify a need; Consideration, where they explore potential solutions; and Decision, where they choose a product or service. Sales strategies are tailored to these stages to align with the customer’s evolving needs and decision-making process.

With digital advancements, the buyer’s journey has transformed from a linear path to a complex, multi-channel process. Modern buyers are well-informed and influenced by online research, social media, and peer reviews. Sales strategies now require an in-depth understanding of these dynamics to engage customers effectively across various digital platforms.

Customer journey map
Procurement process

Stages of the Buyer’s Journey

The buyer’s journey can be dissected into three distinct stages, each characterized by unique activities and customer mindsets.

In the Awareness stage, the buyer realizes they have a problem or need. Here, their primary activity is gathering information. For instance, a marketing manager noticing a decline in website traffic represents this stage. They might search for articles on increasing web engagement, unaware of specific solutions or products. Sales strategies at this stage should focus on educational content, gently steering the buyer toward recognizing their needs.

Consideration

During the Consideration stage, the buyer defines their problem and researches options to solve it. Using the previous example, the marketing manager now knows they need to improve SEO and explore various tools and strategies. This stage is where detailed product information, comparisons, and case studies are indispensable, helping the buyer evaluate their options.

Finally, in the Decision stage, the buyer chooses a solution. The marketing manager might decide on a specific SEO tool or service. Sales interactions at this point are critical, focusing on closing the deal through demonstrations, trial offers, and discussions about product benefits. This is the stage where understanding the buyer’s specific needs and addressing any final concerns can make a significant difference in completing the sale.

Difference Between Buyer Journey and Customer Journey

Understanding the distinct nuances between the buyer and customer journeys is essential for refining marketing and sales strategies.

The buyer journey specifically refers to a potential customer’s process before purchasing. It includes the stages of Awareness, Consideration, and Decision, focusing primarily on the pre-purchase experience. For instance, a buyer discovering a need for a productivity tool, exploring different software options, and finally deciding to purchase a specific tool encapsulates this journey. Marketing and sales strategies here are geared towards informing, educating, and persuading the buyer to purchase.

In contrast, the customer journey encompasses a customer’s entire experience with a brand, extending beyond the purchase. This includes post-purchase interactions such as customer service, product use, and loyalty programs. For example, after purchasing the productivity tool, the customer’s journey includes their experiences with software installation, customer support, and ongoing engagement with the brand. Strategies in this area focus on customer satisfaction, retention, and fostering long-term relationships.

Importance of the Buyer’s Journey in Marketing and Sales

The buyer’s journey is fundamental to the success of marketing and sales efforts. It has a profound impact on customer experience and the cultivation of lasting relationships.

In marketing and sales, recognizing the buyer’s journey stages enables professionals to create targeted strategies. By aligning content and interactions with each stage – Awareness, Consideration, and Decision – businesses ensure they address the buyer’s specific needs and questions at the right time. For example, in the Awareness stage, providing informative content can establish a valuable brand. In contrast, in the Decision stage, detailed product comparisons and demonstrations can effectively influence the final purchase decision.

Moreover, a well-understood and respected buyer’s journey enhances the overall customer experience . It ensures that interactions are relevant and meaningful, reducing friction and building trust. As customers move smoothly through their journey, their experience with the brand becomes more positive, laying the foundation for ongoing engagement and loyalty.

Mapping the Buyer’s Journey

Creating a buyer’s journey map is a strategic exercise that visualizes the path potential customers take toward a purchase. It utilizes tools and techniques to ensure effective mapping.

Start by defining your buyer personas , which represent your ideal customers. Understanding who they are, their needs, challenges, and goals is necessary in this step. Next, outline the key stages of the buyer’s journey for these personas – Awareness, Consideration, and Decision. Each stage should detail the buyer’s emotions, thoughts, and actions.

Data collection is the key to unlocking valuable insights. Use customer surveys, feedback, and analytics to understand how buyers interact with your brand at each stage. Look for patterns in behavior, preferences, and pain points. Integrating this data brings accuracy and depth to your map.

Next, incorporate touchpoints – the places where customers interact with the brand, such as websites, social media, or customer service. Understanding these interactions helps identify opportunities for improvement.

Finally, visualize your journey map in a format that’s easy to understand and share. A visual map aids in communicating the journey across your organization, aligning marketing and sales strategies with the customer’s experience.

Effectively mapping the buyer’s journey requires ongoing updates to stay aligned with customer needs and behaviors.

Content Strategy Across the Buyer’s Journey

Creating specific content tailored to each stage involves developing a strategy that aligns with the buyer’s journey. This targeted approach ensures that the content meets the evolving needs of potential customers as they progress toward a purchase.

In the Awareness stage, potential customers are just beginning to recognize a problem or need. This content should focus on educating and informing them. Examples include blog posts, infographics, and educational videos that address common pain points or questions related to your buyer persona or industry. For instance, a business selling gardening tools might publish a blog post titled “10 Common Gardening Challenges for Beginners.” This type of content helps establish brand authority and builds trust with potential customers.

During the Consideration stage, buyers evaluate different solutions to their problems. Content should provide more in-depth information that helps them compare options. Examples include comparison guides, webinars, and case studies. For a company offering project management software, a detailed guide comparing various software features or a case study showing how their software solved a specific problem can be effective.

In the Decision stage, the buyer is ready to make a purchase. Content should aim to convince them that your product or service is the best choice. This includes product demos, customer testimonials, and detailed product information. Continuing with the project management software example, a free trial offer with a comprehensive tutorial video or testimonials from satisfied customers can be powerful in nudging the buyer to convert.

Businesses can enhance the customer experience and increase conversion rates by providing tailored content for each stage of the buyer’s journey, guiding potential customers through the decision-making process with relevant information.

Buyer Persona and the Buyer Journey

Integrating buyer personas into the buyer journey is important to better understand and engage with the target audience. A buyer persona is a fictionalized profile of your ideal customer , based on research and real data about your existing customers.

Creating buyer personas involves gathering detailed information about your target audience, including demographics, behavior patterns, motivations, and goals. This can be achieved through customer surveys, interviews, and analyzing interactions with your current customer base. For example, a software company might have a persona named “Tech-savvy Tim,” a young professional who values efficiency and cutting-edge technology.

Utilizing these personas in mapping the buyer’s journey helps tailor your marketing and sales strategies more precisely. For each persona, outline how they move through the Awareness, Consideration, and Decision stages, focusing on their specific needs, preferences, and decision-making processes. This targeted approach ensures that your content, messaging, and sales tactics resonate deeply with each audience segment.

Leveraging buyer personas effectively in the journey helps craft more relevant and impactful interactions, leading to better customer engagement, higher conversion rates, and improved customer loyalty. It’s a strategy that turns generic marketing into a personalized customer experience , significantly enhancing the effectiveness of your sales efforts.

Measuring and Analyzing the Buyer’s Journey

To optimize the buyer’s journey, it’s essential to measure and analyze metrics that assess its effectiveness. This analysis assists in recognizing areas that require improvement and helps to refine strategies.

Key metrics include:

Conversion Rates : Track conversions at each stage of the journey to understand where potential customers drop off and why. For example, a low conversion rate in the Consideration stage might indicate the need for more compelling content.
Customer Feedback : Customer feedback provides insights into the customer’s experience and satisfaction levels throughout their journey.
Engagement Metrics : Analyze how customers interact with your content, including page views, time spent on site, and social media engagement. These metrics are an indication of how relevant and effective your content is.
Sales Cycle Length : Monitor how long it takes for a buyer to move through the entire journey. A prolonged sales cycle might suggest bottlenecks that need addressing.

Strategies for Optimization

Optimizing the buyer’s journey requires a multi-pronged approach. By constantly testing different elements like email campaigns, landing pages, and calls to action through A/B testing, you can discover what resonates most effectively with your target audience. Regularly updating customer journey maps with fresh data and insights ensures your strategies remain aligned with actual customer behavior. Additionally, personalizing marketing and sales efforts through customer data creates a more relevant experience for each buyer. Finally, continually refining your content strategy based on engagement metrics and feedback guarantees it meets the needs of your audience at every stage of their journey.

Future Trends and Evolving Practices

In the future, there will be a greater focus on AI and machine learning to offer enhanced insights and personalized customer experiences. Interactive content and virtual reality may play a more significant role in engaging customers, especially in the Awareness and Consideration stages. Additionally, as customer values shift towards sustainability and ethics, businesses will need to align their sales and marketing strategies accordingly, ensuring their practices resonate with these evolving preferences. The buyer’s journey is set to become even more customer-centric, with a focus on creating long-term relationships rather than just transactions.

What are innovative techniques to enhance the buyer’s journey?

Innovative techniques include using AI for personalized content recommendations and predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs. Interactive content like quizzes and augmented reality experiences can engage customers more deeply. Chatbots provide real-time assistance, guiding customers through the journey. Additionally, integrating customer feedback loops at every stage ensures continuous improvement based on direct input.

How does technology influence the evolution of the buyer’s journey?

Technology, especially digital, has made the buyer’s journey more dynamic and multi-channel . Online resources allow customers to self-educate, making them more informed and autonomous. Social media and review platforms continue to shape opinions and decisions. Mobile technology ensures constant connectivity, allowing for immediate research and purchases. Technology also enables businesses to gather and analyze vast amounts of data for more targeted marketing and sales strategies.

What are common misconceptions about the buyer’s journey?

A common misconception is that the buyer’s journey is linear and the same for every customer. In reality, it’s often non-linear and varies greatly between individuals. Additionally, there’s a tendency to undervalue the importance of the Consideration stage, whereas it’s a vital period for building trust and establishing value.

How is AIDA related to the buyer journey?

The AIDA model and the buyer’s journey are closely linked. AIDA describes the mental stages a customer goes through before making a purchase, while the buyer’s journey maps out the specific touchpoints a customer encounters with your brand throughout this decision-making process. Here’s how they align: – A (Attention): This stage in AIDA corresponds to the beginning of the buyer’s journey, where they first become aware of a problem they need to solve or a desire they want to fulfill. Your marketing efforts at this stage (social media posts, eye-catching ads) aim to grab their attention and introduce your brand as a potential solution. – I (Interest): In AIDA, this is when the customer becomes interested in learning more about the solution (your product/service). The buyer’s journey might involve them visiting your website, reading blog posts, or watching explainer videos. Your marketing here should focus on educating them about the benefits you offer. – D (Desire): AIDA’s desire stage translates to the point where the customer actively considers your brand and compares it to alternatives. The buyer’s journey might involve downloading case studies, comparing features, or reading customer reviews. Here, your marketing should highlight what makes you unique and address any potential concerns. – A (Action): This final stage in AIDA is when the customer makes a purchase decision. In the buyer’s journey, this could be signing up for a free trial, requesting a demo, or finally making the purchase. Your marketing should provide clear calls to action and remove any friction from the buying process. By understanding both AIDA and the buyer’s journey, you can create targeted marketing campaigns that effectively guide potential customers through each stage, ultimately leading them to make a purchase.

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What is the Buyer's Journey? (Explained With Examples)

Oct 11, 2023

The Buyer's Journey is a crucial concept in the field of marketing. It refers to the process that a buyer goes through when making a purchasing decision. Understanding the buyer's journey is essential for businesses as it helps them create effective marketing strategies to attract and engage potential customers

1°) What is the Buyer's Journey?

The buyer's journey can be defined as the process that a consumer goes through, starting from the awareness stage, where they become aware of a problem or a need, to the decision stage, where they make a purchase decision. This journey can be broken down into different stages, each with its own set of characteristics and goals.

1.1 - Definition of the Buyer's Journey

At its core, the buyer's journey is a framework that helps businesses understand the psychology and behavior of their target audience. It allows them to map out the various stages a typical buyer goes through and tailor their marketing efforts accordingly. By understanding the buyer's journey, businesses can create targeted content and experiences that resonate with potential customers at each stage.

The awareness stage is the first stage of the buyer's journey. During this stage, consumers become aware of a problem or a need that they have. They may start researching and gathering information to better understand their situation. For example, a person who wants to buy a new car may become aware of the need for a more fuel-efficient vehicle.

The consideration stage is the second stage of the buyer's journey. At this stage, consumers have clearly defined their problem or need and are actively seeking solutions. They may compare different options and evaluate the pros and cons of each. Continuing with the previous example, the person in the consideration stage may research different car models and compare their fuel efficiency, features, and prices.

The decision stage is the final stage of the buyer's journey. At this point, consumers have narrowed down their options and are ready to make a purchase decision. They may seek out additional information, such as reviews or testimonials, to validate their choice. Finally, they make a purchase and become a customer. In our example, the person in the decision stage may visit car dealerships, test drive different models, and ultimately choose and purchase a car.

1.2 - Advantages of the Buyer's Journey

The buyer's journey provides several advantages for businesses. Firstly, it allows them to gain insights into the needs, motivations, and pain points of their buyers. This knowledge helps businesses develop targeted marketing messages that address the specific challenges faced by potential customers. For instance, a car manufacturer who understands that their target audience values fuel efficiency can create marketing campaigns highlighting the fuel efficiency of their vehicles.

Secondly, understanding the buyer's journey enables businesses to optimize their sales and marketing strategies to meet the needs of buyers at different stages. By tailoring their messaging and content to each stage, businesses can ensure that they are engaging with customers at the right time and in the right way. This increases the chances of conversion and ultimately leads to more sales.

Finally, the buyer's journey helps businesses build long-term relationships with customers by providing a personalized and seamless buying experience. By understanding the journey, businesses can create a smooth transition from one stage to another, ensuring that customers feel supported and valued throughout their buying process. This can result in customer loyalty and repeat purchases.

1.3 - Disadvantages of the Buyer's Journey

While the buyer's journey offers many benefits, it is not without its limitations. One disadvantage is that not every customer follows the same journey in a linear fashion. Some customers may skip certain stages or move back and forth between stages. This complexity makes it challenging for businesses to create a one-size-fits-all marketing strategy. To address this, businesses may need to create flexible marketing campaigns that can adapt to different customer journeys.

Additionally, the buyer's journey may not capture all aspects of the decision-making process, such as external influences or emotional factors. While the framework provides a valuable structure for understanding customer behavior, businesses should also consider other factors that may influence a customer's decision. This could include factors like social media influence, recommendations from friends and family, or emotional attachments to certain brands.

In conclusion, the buyer's journey is a valuable framework that helps businesses understand and cater to the needs of their customers. By mapping out the different stages and characteristics of the journey, businesses can create targeted marketing strategies that resonate with potential customers at each stage. However, it is important for businesses to recognize the limitations of the buyer's journey and supplement it with additional research and insights to create a comprehensive marketing approach.

2°) Examples of the Buyer's Journey

Now that we have a clear understanding of the buyer's journey, let's explore some real-life examples to illustrate how it works in different contexts.

2.1 - Example in a Startup Context

Imagine a startup that has developed a new productivity app. The buyer's journey for this startup might start with potential customers becoming aware of the app through targeted advertising or word of mouth. The next stage could involve potential customers researching the app's features and benefits, comparing it with competitors, and reading reviews. Finally, the decision stage would involve the potential customers making a purchase or downloading the app and becoming active users. Throughout this journey, the startup would need to provide relevant content and experiences to nurture potential customers and guide them towards making a positive purchasing decision.

2.2 - Example in a Consulting Context

In the consulting industry, the buyer's journey may involve potential clients identifying a problem or opportunity within their organization and seeking solutions. They might start by researching various consulting firms and their expertise. The consideration stage could involve requesting proposals or scheduling consultations with selected firms. Finally, the decision stage would involve the client selecting a consulting firm and signing a contract. Consulting firms need to engage potential clients throughout this journey by showcasing their expertise, providing case studies, and offering personalized recommendations.

2.3 - Example in a Digital Marketing Agency Context

A digital marketing agency's buyer's journey might begin with potential clients recognizing the need for professional marketing services to expand their online presence and attract more customers. The next stage could involve potential clients researching different agencies, exploring their portfolios, and looking for testimonials. In the decision stage, potential clients may request proposals or schedule meetings with selected agencies. The agency's goal would be to establish credibility, showcase successful campaigns, and demonstrate how they can help potential clients achieve their marketing objectives.

2.4 - Example with Analogies

To further illustrate the buyer's journey, let's explore a few analogies. Imagine you are planning a vacation. The awareness stage would involve realizing that you need a break and looking for potential destinations. The consideration stage might involve researching different locations, comparing prices, and reading reviews. Finally, the decision stage would involve booking the trip and making all the necessary arrangements. Similarly, when buying a new car, you go through stages such as researching different models, visiting dealerships, and ultimately making a purchase decision. These analogies highlight how the buyer's journey is a universal concept that applies to various aspects of our lives.

In conclusion, the buyer's journey is an invaluable tool for businesses looking to attract and engage potential customers. By understanding the various stages and characteristics of the buyer's journey, businesses can tailor their marketing strategies to effectively address the needs and motivations of their target audience. Furthermore, real-life examples demonstrate how the buyer's journey can be applied in different contexts. So, whether you're a startup, a consulting firm, or a digital marketing agency, incorporating the buyer's journey into your marketing efforts can lead to increased customer engagement and ultimately drive business success.

About the author

Arnaud Belinga

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A definitive guide to the buyer’s journey

What is a buyer’s journey.

The buyer’s journey is a framework for thinking about the stages that a buyer goes through in the complex purchase typical in B2B. It allows sellers to arrange their tactics to best help their buyers navigate each of those stages and to measure their effectiveness at creating advantage as they do. Summarised as awareness, consideration, and decision, it is often broken down into further stages.

B2B Buyer's journey as a framework for sales and marketing performance

Growing businesses – whether start-up, small, medium or enterprise – want a sales and marketing engine that performs. At what though? Revenue is a measure but a flawed one for both Sales and Marketing; this year’s revenue often contains sales success from past years and delivery success since. Revenue growth (rather than absolute revenue) might be more accurate. But that, too, is a difficult measure. Is revenue growth this year a function of price increases, amazing delivery of value from the operational side of your business, usage growth by your customers, or the efforts of Sales and Marketing?

Closed sales this year/quarter/month is a better measure for sales and marketing as it strips out these impurities. Your decisions about whether you record the value of closed sales by number, number of new logos, annual contract value, anticipated lifetime value, and revenue or gross margin is situational.

Regardless, closed sales is a lag indicator. Before a sale, we have preference. And before that, we have an offer of some sort. Before an offer, we have a scoped need, and other stages like basic awareness still earlier.

We (Sales and Marketing) want to choose the right tactics, and we want them to work.

It turns out we also want our strategy to work. We consider strategic questions like:

who do we want to be exposed to those tactics?
and what are we going to sell them when they are?
and who’s going to execute the tactic? Is it for us or our resellers?

As I’ll argue in this essay, the buyer’s journey is a framework for optimising both your tactics and your strategy, and therefore your performance.

Why the B2B journey is really different

Marketers who are more familiar with consumer marketing than business to business marketing will tell us, “Businesses don’t buy, people do”. While true, this is a sure sign of someone who’s not had a lot of experience marketing to businesses.

In consumer marketing (B2C), you can make an amazing and provocative piece of creative, make people laugh, slap the logo on the end, and you’re done. I’m kidding of course, but only just. Consider some of the funniest ads you saw last night and try to remember the brands.

Most B2B buying is especially complex. Business (B2B) marketers understand that their buyers take many steps on their path to purchase, and they often take many weeks, months or years to make a decision. And there are many players involved on both sides.

And in B2B, we need to use many, many tactics to help buyers move through this complex and time-consuming journey. So, the job of any tactic isn’t to sell but to move.

From where?

And what went on before this particular tactic that might influence a buyer’s receptivity to this tactic? To bring in the father of persuasion Robert Cialdini, how were they persuaded (sic)?

That is, what ‘priors’ do they bring to each stage in the journey? In a perfect world, we might have been the author of all of those ‘priors’. In reality, this is rare.

Buyers take a journey

The buyer’s journey is a progression of thought. It might help if I describe it backwards first to unpack the buyers journey stages, then forwards so you can think about how you might optimise that journey.

Why do I need something like xx anyway, though?
And what will happen if I don’t buy something like xx?
Who might I consider?

Let’s now play that forwards using slightly different language:

I know you (but don’t really care)
I’m curious enough (but still not terribly motivated), perhaps look at solutions and concepts for a while without really knowing what I ought to be looking for
I bounce in and out of those moments for eons until…
I have a problem worth fixing
I explore options, talk to vendors, colleagues, friends, advisors, scratch my head and arrive at a view about what I need (from someone)
Maybe I retreat and return a few times before landing on a clear enough idea about what I need
Then I get more proper offers from one or more options. That can be anything from a super formal tender to a phone quote or DIY web-config, but now I know what the deal is
Then I discard options until one seems to be the best path
And if I work at a big company or am an otherwise clear target, maybe before that whole journey started, someone had my name in a database, and I didn’t even know that I was a ‘target’.

Buyer's journey stages (high level first)

Some writers like to argue that the buyer’s journey is not linear and might use language like “the funnel is dead”. Cute, but not terribly helpful. It is perhaps more helpful to think of the journey as iterative than linear.

Many have had a go at defining and articulating the buyer’s journey. I like HubSpot’s attempt. https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/what-is-the-buyers-journey

They distil the multiple stages into three:

Awareness stage
Consideration stage
Decision stage

A nd they acknowledge the changing awareness for the buyer at each stage:

Awareness – pain/problem aware
Consideration – solution aware
Decision – provider aware

Sourced from HubSpot

At align.me, we use a more-granular journey for a few reasons, which I’ll argue here. But I’m still comfortable with HubSpot’s somewhat-simple top/middle/bottom of funnel stratification.

Even at this very high level, though, I’d use different language (just to be picky). Buyers are usually aware of the provider(s) early in the journey, not just late.

The B2B buyer's journey has many stages

Sales and Marketing both have roles in helping buyers to navigate their journey. Pre-sales does too. Is it the case that Marketing owns the awareness stage, Pre-sales the consideration stage, and Sales owns the decision stage?

The buyer's journey - a term first coined by Hugh Macfarlane in 2003

Let’s flip to the buyer’s view of this journey. For a buyer, gaining clarity about what they need – whether from you or someone else – is a key stage in their journey. Once they’re clear about what they need, they can view and judge solutions well.

But why do they need a solution at all? What is going on – or what risks going on – that gives rise to this need? Put differently, what problem are they trying to solve? And what would the consequence be for not solving that problem? These are key questions for a buyer.

Whatever good things the business is trying to achieve (growth, cost reduction, expansion, compliance, etc.), those goals and objectives face hurdles. Maybe the business lacks know-how, resources, or capabilities. Maybe they lack something less human, like data or systems.

In pursuit of their objectives, a business will face:

Impediments
Constraints

For a seller, it doesn’t make sense to offer a solution until there’s agreed clarity about the need. And the need is informed or triggered by this gap.

The difference between this gap and the need is key. It’s also the seller’s best opportunity to create positive influence. One seller might be superior at meeting one articulation of the need, and another seller better at meeting a different articulation of the need.

Let me give you an example. A part of our own business is go-to-market planning . If you believe that you need a go-to-market plan that is largely similar to others’ and you don’t have many stakeholders, then we’d be competing with low-priced books, courses, eBooks and the like.

But if you believe you need a go-to-market plan that is unique and has been built and bought into by a dozen senior contributors, then our workshop-driven approach would be more attractive.

Let’s push that further. If you believe that you need a go-to-market plan that is informed by deep research, sector analysis, contributions from hundreds of customers and your field, then align.me would be competing with Bain, BCG and McKinsey.

We do sometimes. But we win when the need is for a go-to-market plan built and bought into by your senior contributors. So as a seller, if we’re granted an opportunity to shape your concept of the problem you want solved and what you need to do so, we’ll argue the need for team input and suggest that you need a plan built in a few weeks, not in many months. And we’d argue that you need a plan built within a sane commercial cost range and so ought to be leveraging some sort of clever tech to allow us to do so.

I won’t take that argument any further lest you think I’m trying to shape your thinking :).

When the buyer begins their own journey, you need to be visible

If it doesn’t make sense to offer a solution until there’s agreed clarity about the need and the gap, is that true earlier? That is, should we be trying to trouble a potential buyer when we are just getting onto their radar?

Sometimes you do. Perhaps you want to be positioned in their mind as one of the credible providers of a solution in a certain category. But you might also want to be positioned as someone who can solve a certain type of problem.

If a B2B buyer is already looking for solutions in a certain category, they might be Googling that category, researching listing sites like Captera, or consulting with analysts like Gartner. In this case, we should position as a credible solution and use good questioning and discovery techniques to take them backwards in the journey to reshape their concept of what they need. Done well and authentically, a buyer can believe they need A/B/C when they start and legitimately and wisely conclude at the end of that process that they need B/C/D.

For a buyer not yet looking, we might position as someone who has insights into their problems and can help.

The job of tactics is help buyers to progress through each stage of the journey

Pick any common tactic in B2B sales and marketing and think about the stage in the buyers journey where this best fits. Or most often fits.

Consider case studies for example. They are a common and effective way for a seller to evidence their ability to deliver value. A case study can describe the entire journey that the buyer took and continue on to describe the outcomes achieved.

But we can also optimise any case study for one or another buyer’s journey stage. Consider how you might optimise a case study in these common use cases:

A buyer who can’t (yet) see some of the barriers they will face as they pursue their objectives;
One who isn’t yet clear, or perhaps wrong in their thinking, and what is needed to overcome those barriers;
One who doesn’t really understand you’re approach to the proposed solution; or
One who doesn’t understand why this approach will yield better outcomes.

The case study document itself might be optimised for any one of those stages. In theory, we might even entertain the idea of a single case study being manifested as many documents, each optimised for one stage in the journey. This could allow for the automated marketing or the manual selling to leverage the right story to help any individual buyer to their next stage.

An effective case study, though, is rarely optimised for every buyers journey stage.

That little example, and insight from it, suggests that every single tactic needs this simple piece of clarity:

What do we believe buyers who receive this tactic already think?
What do we want them to think once we’re done with this tactic?

That’s it. Simple, but a little too rare. Consider any big tactic:

Executive roundtable
Seminar presentation
Discovery workshop

…or any smaller tactic

Follow up email
Confirmation call

The job of each tactic is to help a buyer from one thought to another.

Sometimes, they need to be repeated. Consider a nurture series where you might rely on many emails read over an extended period to slowly unlock the grip on one idea to allow consideration of another.

Sometimes they work in tandem with others to successfully achieve a progression:

An email invitation to a webinar hints at the problem (gap/challenge/barrier/impediment)
The webinar explores it
The follow-up email reinforces it
The 1-1 meetings and discovery sessions personalise and enumerate it

The job of each tactic – alone or in tandem – is to help a buyer from one thought to another along the buyer’s journey.

We get great insights from measuring the buyer's journey

Ask any sales professional about their closure rate – the percentage of their proposals that they successfully close – and they’ll almost certainly know. 25% to 33% (one in four or one in three) is common. Ask them how long their sales cycle is, and they’ll also often have a decent handle on this. Three months is not uncommon, although many in B2B deal with sales cycles that are considerably longer and some are blissfully shorter.

Ask them to break both closure and cycle length down to the stages, and they’ll rarely know.

But they need to.

We’ve built hundreds of go-to-market plans in workshops in 32 countries and thousands using our planning software. And the difference between the shape of average deals that are ultimately won and those that are ultimately lost is telling. This pattern is different for every business, but there are two common patterns:

If a buyer has been ‘stuck’ at any particular buyer’s journey stage for longer than is normal for you, then the probability of them ever progressing is already low and is getting lower by the day
If a buyer whistles through a stage faster than is normal for you, double-check that they really are locked in at the next stage. There is a huge risk they will slip backwards later.

Neither do salespeople generally like conceding defeat. Many of the deals that look like they are ‘stuck’ in your funnel have leaked from it long ago.

All that to say, we need to get good at updating progressions so we can gain useful insights into win and loss patterns generally and the probability of each deal specifically.

I coined the term - the Buyer's Journey

In 2003 I wrote The Leaky Funnel. My first version was a prescriptive argument about how to build a go-to-market plan, but I discarded that in favour of writing it as a novel.

In the book, I needed to argue the ideas contained in this essay and to refer frequently back to that idea. I needed a handful of words to collect this idea so that if I had to refer to it 50 times in the book, I’d need a few thousand words only once, and a few words every other time. Like the way we use an acronym like ‘B2B’ as shorthand for business-to-business.

It was for this reason, and not for any grand plan, that I coined the term ‘the buyer’s journey’. It is now a common expression and owned by the universe. But the fire started here. I risk saying this and appearing immodest to argue only a few points:

I have been thinking about this idea for a long time
I have a lot of experience using this idea
Anyone who lays claim to owning the term might want to check around a little

I coined the buyer’s journey as a term, but I don’t own it. No-one does.

Buyer's journey stages

I’ve mentioned a few times that we run workshops to help businesses build go-to-market plans and have software to make that process hyper-efficient.

When I ran the very first Funnel Camp workshop in 2000 for IBM, one of our workshops was to define their own concept of the buyer’s journey. We repeated that for around 20 workshops with other clients and abandoned the journey-definition exercise thereafter as the conclusions were always identical. Each discussion might have started uniquely, but once we analysed, discussed, debated, we always landed at the same articulation of the buyer’s journey. We’ve now run around 500 workshops and used the buyer’s journey to shape every single one.

Since 2020 these workshops have all been done on Zoom. Before 2020, they were all face to face. When COVID-19 pandemic sent the whole world home in March 2020, we made a deliberate decision that our pivot (everyone had one) would be to lean into remote delivery. We modified our Funnel Plan software to enable multiple remote participants to input, rate, and debate options and to decide and articulate their conclusions. We even integrated Zoom into Funnel Plan so that we can kick off a Zoom meeting from inside the software.

All that to say, I am confident arguing that the following is the clearest and most road-test articulation of the buyer’s journey for complex B2B.

Journey stages expanded

You can see parallels to HubSpot’s simpler articulation:

Positioned in Category
Interest Established
Gap Acknowledged
Need Agreed
Offer Understood
Preference Formed
Decision Made

But we’ve added two stages in the buyer’s journey that don’t fit neatly into HubSpot’s model. HubSpot are famous for championing inbound marketing. And why not? But many of us in B2B have to do lots of outbounding too. And for this reason, we need to begin with a stage that’s not truly a buyer’s journey stage, but when choosing tactics (coming up next in this essay), there are many key tactics needed to find the right names.

And the same is true of the recycling that we need to do to those buyers who have leaked from the funnel and need to be nurtured back in.

Typical tactics for each stage in the buyer's journey

Every business needs to craft its own set of tactics. And they should have the CEO (or divisional head) and the heads of each of Sales, Marketing, Pre-sales in the room when they craft their tactics for the buyer’s journey, and often a half a dozen others who report to these leaders. And they probably should have an experienced facilitator lead them through the process of considering, debating, forming their tactics roadmap for the buyer’s journey

The result might look something like this:

And for buyers who leaked from the funnel and needed to be nurtured before returning to the funnel, we might expect tactics like:

Email blog to those we have email addresses for
Google remarketing for website visitors
LinkedIn remarketing for the subset of our website visitors who also meet our ideal client profile as defined in our LinkedIn filters

In our Funnel Plan we’d represent this as a series of inter-connected tactics:

Buyer's journey implementation plan

Enough with the theory. Here are some steps for your to consider:

Rename the stages in your CRM to be those of the buyer’s journey, rather than the sellers. It doesn’t matter where you are. It matters a lot where they are.
Set gates up for your marketers and salespeople to define what indicators you’d expect to see from the buyer to suggest they have completed this stage in their thinking, and what actions your sales and marketing folks need to take to close out this stage.
Get your sales and marketing leadership together to build a buyer-centric strategy (not “what do we sell and to whom?” but “what problem to we solve, and for whom?”. Remember your team should include CEO (or divisional head), and the heads of each of Sales, Marketing, Pre-sales and a half a dozen of their reports.
Have that same team identify the tactics you’ll use to help buyers to navigate each stage of the buyer’s journey
Build reports in your CRM to track lag (time) and leakage (failure to progress) for each stage in your buyer’s journey, and use those measures to inform changes to your strategy and your tactics.

…oh, and if you need a little help from someone who’s led this initiative before, do let us know.

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

About the author: hugh macfarlane.

What is a Buyer's Journey, and Why is it So Important?

By Danielle Best
Sep 26, 2016

Over the past few weeks, our Project Managers here at ClearPivot have taken a deep dive into buyer’s journey mapping for each of our respective clients.Taking a critical look at how their prospects move through the sales funnel became so glaringly crucial from these weeks of study, that we thought it was time to share with you what it is about mapping the buyer’s journey for your business that is so important.

What is a Buyer’s Journey?

A buyer’s journey is essentially the active research pathway or steps a potential customer takes towards your desired final outcome — ie: a sale or perhaps a booked appointment or reservation. A typical buyer’s journey follows a three-step pathway through awareness, to consideration, and finally to decision.

The awareness stage is the fundamental first step in a buyer’s journey. Many buyers at this stage in the process are more than likely unaware of your company and unaware that they even have a need that could be fulfilled by your company. What they do realize is that they are beginning to feel the effects of a problem or they are becoming more aware of an issue that they would like to resolve.

Once that problem comes to light, the awareness stage becomes one of initial research for the buyer. This might include broad and surface-level Internet searches and peer questioning to help them gain a more clear understanding of their problem, or perhaps to define it more.

Consideration

Once the buyer has defined their problem, they have moved from the awareness stage to the consideration stage. During the consideration phase, the buyer begins to shift their research from high-level understanding to a more deeper look into available solutions.

During the consideration phase, the buyer begins to narrow down possible solutions to their now defined problem or question. It is at this time that 70% of buyers return to Google at least 2-3 times to deepen their research by looking at specific offerings that match their search inquiry and narrow down the list of companies who offer them.

Once at the decision stage, a buyer has conducted thorough enough research, evaluating all possible solutions for their problem, and are now ready to select a company or vendor to remedy their problem.

While you may find yourself as the top candidate for their selection, the purchase, reservation, or appointment isn’t necessarily yours yet. This is the stage where your interaction with them, your offerings, and your proof of leadership in the industry will help them make that final decision.

So Why is a Buyer’s Journey Important?

Now that you know a little more about the three stages of the buyer’s journey, why exactly is this buyer’s journey important?

By 2020, the not-so-distant future, it is predicted that over 80% of the buying process will happen without any human interaction even taking place. Our Principal Chris even observed this in his own personal buying behavior when he bought a pair of shoes online. That means that the content you put out there at each stage is absolutely essential to making sure that the buyer ends their decision stage with you. Therefore, it is important to accurately and actively understand and leverage your particular buyer’s journey so that by the time the buyer hits the human interaction part of their journey, it is easier for you to close a sale or deal. Without doing this, you may be losing customers before you even knew their potential.

So how do you meet the buyer during the first 80% of their journey when you can not actively engage with them?

By understanding what questions they have in each stage and meeting them where they are finding the information and answers for their questions. Valuable content strategically geared towards their journey will move you closer and closer towards the decision stage and increases the likelihood of them ending their journey with you.

Why You Need to Map Your Buyer’s Journey

There are many companies out there who know what a buyer’s journey is and believe they have a good handle on their particular buyer’s journey, but do not have it mapped out. The problem with this that we noticed in our research here at ClearPivot, is that it is hard to make sure that you have viable content at each stage when the questions they are asking and the resources they are using at each stage are not captured by you. We noticed that oftentimes our clients had content overload in one stage, like the awareness stage for instance, but another stage was severely lacking in content that would match their buyer’s research.

What You Can Do to Meet Your Buyer at Every Stage

So, how do you meet your buyer where they are in each stage? Here are a few content type ideas to work with that can help you from initial awareness, all the way to final decision.

Awareness Stage Meets “ToFu” Content

During the awareness stage, your buyer is asking questions to help them better define

their problem and get closer to ways that problem can be remedied. Here are some great content types for this top of the funnel (ToFu) stage.

Blog Articles
eBooks/Whitepapers
Infographics
Industry Reports
Introduction Videos

Consideration Stage Meets “MoFu” Content

After sifting through ToFu content in the awareness stage, the buyer will have a better understanding of their challenge as well as the opportunities available to solve it. The consideration stage includes middle of the funnel (MoFu) content that will help them review the different solutions available.

Successful case studies
Checklists/Guides
More educational/technical blog articles
Comparison Whitepapers or eBooks
Product Feature Videos

Decision Stage Meets “BoFu” Content

Getting closer to the decision moment, the buyer now has consumed several ToFu and MoFu content pieces that has helped them hone in on their problem and the particular solution they would like to pursue. The decision stage introduces bottom of the funnel (BoFu) content that will get the buyer more comfortable with your company or organization as the one who will deliver this solution. Here are a few content types that can help achieve this.

Case Studies, or Testimonials
Live demonstrations or consultations
Product promotions or free product trials
“About” or “Our Story” website pages and social media content

This brings the buyer to the end of their journey, where they have not only done enough research on their problem and the desired solution, but they have also hopefully grown to trust your particular solution as the one for their final buying decision. When they reach their purchase/decision-making point, if your company has tactfully and empathetically engaged with them along the process, they will probably choose to purchase from you!

An Example Buyer’s Journey Walkthrough

Are you ready to map our your buyer’s journey? We want to help you make this a priority for your company, but also a priority that is easy to understand and do. That is why you can download our free buyer’s journey template, right now! Just click the button below to access it now.

Buyer Journey

The buyer journey is the process a customer goes through, from becoming aware of a problem or need to ultimately making a purchase decision. Understanding the buyer’s journey is vital for businesses to develop effective marketing campaigns, tailor their sales strategies, and optimize their customer acquisition funnel. It’s a fundamental concept in marketing and sales.

Stages of the Buyer’s Journey

The buyer’s journey can be broken down into three main stages.

Awareness Stage

This is where the customer first realizes they have a problem or need. They might be experiencing pain points or searching for ways to improve their situation. At this stage, customers are likely conducting broad online searches or consuming informative content to gather general knowledge.

Consideration Stage

Once the customer understands their need, they enter the consideration stage. Here, they actively research potential solutions and compare different options available in the market. This might involve reading reviews, comparing product features, or downloading whitepapers and case studies.

Decision Stage

In the final stage, the customer has identified a shortlist of potential solutions and is ready to make a purchase decision. They will closely evaluate each option based on factors like price, features, brand reputation, and customer service. This stage might involve requesting demos, negotiating prices, or seeking final confirmation before closing the deal.

Buyer Journey Mapping

Buyer journey mapping is a strategic tool used to visualize the customer’s experience throughout the buyer’s journey. It involves creating a flowchart or diagram that outlines the different stages (awareness, consideration, decision), customer actions and touchpoints at each stage, and their thoughts and feelings throughout the process.

Some benefits of buyer journey mapping include:

Identify customer needs and pain points at each stage.
Pinpoint gaps or obstacles in the customer experience.
Align marketing, sales, and content efforts with each stage of the journey.
Develop targeted campaigns and messaging that resonate with potential customers.
Optimize the customer acquisition funnel for improved conversion rates.

Benefits of Understanding the Buyer’s Journey

By understanding the buyer’s journey, businesses can gain a significant advantage in today’s competitive marketplace. Here are some key benefits.

Targeted Marketing Campaigns: Tailoring marketing messages to each stage of the buyer’s journey allows businesses to reach potential customers with the right information at the right time. This increases campaign effectiveness and maximizes return on investment.
Tailored Sales Pitches: Sales teams equipped with knowledge of the buyer’s journey can adapt their approach to better address customer needs and objections at each stage. This leads to more qualified leads, improved conversion rates, and stronger customer relationships.
Effective Content Strategies: Creating content that aligns with the buyer’s journey stages ensures it resonates with the target audience. Businesses can develop informative content for the awareness stage, solution-oriented content for the consideration stage, and comparison guides or case studies for the decision stage. This approach fosters trust and positions the business as a valuable resource throughout the buying process.
Optimized Customer Acquisition Funnel: Understanding the buyer’s journey allows businesses to identify and remove any friction points within their sales funnel. This optimization ensures a smoother customer experience, leading to higher conversion rates and improved customer lifetime value.

Buyer’s Journey Example

Let’s imagine a company that sells marketing automation software.

Awareness Stage: In this stage, potential customers might be experiencing challenges like managing multiple marketing channels or struggling to measure campaign effectiveness. They might search online for terms like “marketing automation benefits” or “solutions for marketing campaign management.” The software company can target them with informative blog posts or ebooks that explain the pain points of manual marketing and introduce marketing automation as a potential solution.

Consideration Stage: Once aware of marketing automation, potential customers will research different software options. They might compare features, pricing plans, and user reviews. The software company can provide detailed product information, whitepapers that showcase the software’s capabilities, and customer case studies that demonstrate successful implementations.

Decision Stage: In the final stage, potential customers might shortlist a few marketing automation solutions. They might request product demos, compare pricing quotes, or reach out to the sales team with specific questions. The software company can offer personalized demos tailored to the customer’s needs, address any concerns directly, and provide clear value propositions to help them make an informed decision.

Related Terms

Buyer persona
Inbound marketing
Content marketing

Learn More About the Buyer Journey

5 Steps to Finding Content Gaps in the Buyer Journey
Customer Journey Planning: How to Save time and Publish Better Content
6 Different Types of Buyer Journey Maps – Kapost

What’s the Buyer’s Journey? And How It’s Changed Over Time

Let’s say you need to buy a sales automation tool. You’ll probably start with a quick Google search, right?

From there, you’ll click a few links, read articles, and watch videos. You might even talk to a friend before finally settling on the right product to try out or purchase.

See what's going on?

You, the buyer, are already on a journey to make a purchase or decide not to for reasons you’ll discover along your research process. This entire journey is what marketers and salespeople call the buyer’s journey .

Before we go too deep into this topic, let's start with a proper definition…

What is the Buyer's Journey?

It applies to purchase decisions of all sizes; whether you’re looking for the perfect pillow or want to replace the CRM with a global company, you’ll navigate the buyer’s journey.

Some people call it "the sales funnel" because it often starts with many potential buyers at the top (awareness), narrows down to fewer people who are considering your product or service (interest), and finally reaches the bottom of the funnel with those who are ready to buy (decision).

To better understand how your sales process fits into this funnel and optimize your strategy accordingly, you can use tools like Close's Sales Funnel Calculator . It can help you visualize and plan your sales strategy more effectively.

Understanding this journey is important because it helps you create relevant content that speaks to your buyer at each stage of the buying process.

But, of course, the buyer's journey doesn't always look like a perfectly neat sales funnel. In reality, it's often more like a winding road with lots of detours, U-turns, and sometimes dead ends.

Now that we've gained a general understanding of the buyer's journey let's examine it more in-depth to see how it has changed over time.

How the Buyer's Journey Has Changed in Recent Years

Here are three of the biggest changes we've seen in the buyer's journey over the last few years—starting with the most important change of all...

1. The Internet Has Given Buyers More Control Than Ever

Thanks to technology and the internet, buyers have more power than ever before.

A recent survey by Demand Gen Report found buyers rank (1) conducting anonymous research on potential solutions and (2) developing an informal list of potential vendors as their top two priorities after identifying a business need.

So customers can easily find information on products and services without speaking to a salesperson. Sometimes, they even make their final decision before making that first contact.

This means you can no longer rely on traditional marketing and selling techniques to attract customers. You'll have to work harder to reach them and earn their trust.

For instance, you must be active on social media, regularly providing valuable content that helps potential buyers make informed buying decisions. You should create educational resources on your website and optimize them using SEO (search engine optimization) so buyers can find those when they search on Google, Bing, and other search engines.

You'll need to do all that for free; that's the cost of earning their trust (remember: they're in control now, and they'll only do business with businesses and people they trust).

2. Nearly Every Sale Requires Multiple Touchpoints

The average buyer interacts with a company multiple times before they make a purchase decision.

These touchpoints include online ads, social media posts, search engine results, blog articles, and even company reviews. Each of those points allows you to build trust with potential buyers and guide them further down their purchase journey.

For example, if you send cold emails to fifty people, you might get one or two responses—which may be good enough for you.

But ‌there's an opportunity to get better results; if you're sending those emails to people who have already visited your website, read or viewed your content, and built some level of familiarity or trust with your business, you're likely to get more responses and conversions (sales).

Side note: if you're doing cold calling, here's a sales cadence you can use to create multiple touchpoints with potential customers:

buyers journey sales cadence image in Close CRM

It's all about providing value at each stage of the buyer's journey and building trust so they'll eventually do business with you.

It's also important to ensure each touchpoint is consistent with your brand, using the same colors, fonts, logos, and messaging across all channels. Buyers will instantly recognize your brand no matter where they interact with you, and they'll be more likely to do business with you.

3. Social Media Now Allow Buyers to Interact with Each Other

Another big change we've seen in the buyer's journey is how social media has changed buyer-to-buyer interactions.

Potential buyers often ask their network of friends and followers for recommendations on products and services. In fact, social media is the third most-used channel for product discovery among 18-—to 54-year-old buyers.

Think of the last time you made a purchase—whether it was a new house/apartment, a piece of furniture, or even a new pair of shoes.

Your first research point may have been Google (or another search engine), but chances are good that you asked your friends, family, or social media followers for input before making your final buying decision.

4. Buyers are Big On Mobile Now

More than half (54.67 percent) of all web traffic worldwide comes from mobile devices.

That number will only increase in the years to come as more people acquire smartphones and mobile internet access.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/277125/share-of-website-traffic-coming-from-mobile-devices/

‎For businesses and sales reps, this means that if you don't design your website and the customer journey for mobile users, you'll likely lose out on a lot of business.

For instance, if your website takes too long to load on a mobile device, potential buyers will likely click away and go to a competitor's site. Or if they're unable to easily navigate your website on a smaller screen, they’ll have a hard time finding the information they need—and again, they'll likely go to a competitor.

So, if you want to stay ahead of the curve, you must make "mobile-friendliness" a top priority for your business.

3 Stages of the Buyer Journey

Here are the three stages of the buyer's journey and what they look like today:

1. Awareness Stage

When buyers are aware, they recognize they have a problem or need to take action on something, but they don't know how to solve it yet.

So, they’re doing research on potential solutions to help them solve their challenge or seize the opportunity they've identified. They want to learn as much as possible about their options, but they’re not ready to buy anything yet.

A good example is someone who’s just realized they need to increase sales for their business. They know they need to do something, but they know little about their options. So, they do research using a Google search, such as “best ways to increase sales."

They’ll get search results with different options (like cold emails, content marketing, ads, etc) and eventually narrow their choices to a few that look promising.

Challenges Buyers Face in the Awareness Stage

Here are three significant challenges buyers face during the awareness stage:

They don’t know what they need: They're just trying to figure out how to solve their problem or take advantage of their opportunity. They haven’t settled on a specific solution yet, so they don’t know what to buy.
They don’t know who to trust: Buyers are also trying to figure out who they can trust. They’re looking for information from credible sources, but they may not have found those sources yet.
They don’t know what end results look like: Buyers in the awareness stage also don’t know what successful results look like for their specific situation. They might have a general idea but need more information to paint a clearer picture.

What Sellers Can Do During the Awareness Stage

Here are three important things sellers can do to help buyers during the awareness stage:

Help them understand their problem or opportunity and be detailed when providing information about potential solutions.
Prove your authority and credibility by sharing your experience and case studies.
Help them identify the right products to use and why they should use them.

2. Consideration Stage

At this stage, buyers have a pretty good understanding of their problem or opportunity, and they’re considering potential solutions.

For instance, someone who wants a better way to manage their sales contacts and customer data knows they need CRM software. They’re now considering whether they need software for it or if they can use a spreadsheet.

They may also be considering whether to buy a CRM system that’s specific to their industry or one that’s more general.

Challenges Buyers Face in the Consideration Stage

Major challenges they face here include:

Comparing options: There are a lot of potential solutions out there, so buyers can have a hard time comparing them side-by-side. They may not be sure what factors to compare, or they might get bogged down in the details.
Making the right choice: Buyers also want to be sure they’re making the right choice. They don’t want to regret their decision later, so they’re being cautious and researching.

What Sellers Can Do During the Consideration Stage

Here are a couple of ways to help buyers during the consideration stage:

Help them compare different options by providing detailed information about each option, like different strategies they could use to solve their problem.
Share insights from your personal experience and expertise on the topic to help them see you as a credible information provider on their situation.

3. Decision Stage

At this point, buyers have decided which solution they want to use, and they’re ready to buy.

Now, they must decide which product or service they want and how to complete the purchase.

For example, someone may decide to buy a CRM tool and decide which brand to buy from. They may compare pricing, features, and reviews before making their final purchase decision.

Challenges Buyers Face in the Decision Stage

The challenges buyers face at this stage include:

Finding the right product: With so many options, buyers can have difficulty finding the right product. They already know what they need but need help zeroing in on the right option.
Comparing many products and brands: Once buyers have narrowed their options, they must compare them to find the best one. This can be overwhelming because they must consider many factors, like price, quality, and features.
Knowing which brand to trust: Buyers must also be careful about which brand they trust. They want to make sure they’re working with a reputable company that will provide a great product and customer service.

What Sellers Can Do During the Decision Stage

There are a few things sellers can do to help buyers during the decision stage:

1) Provide detailed info about your product and how it stacks up against the competition. Ensure you’re providing unbiased information and let buyers know what factors they should consider when deciding. For example, Close creates pieces of content that compare different CRMs :

2) Help them understand the features and benefits of your product and how it can solve their specific problem or help them take advantage of their opportunity. Also, use case studies and customer testimonials to build trust and show you’re a credible source.

3) Provide easy sales support, be available to answer questions, and help them make the best decision for their needs.

How to Map Your Buyer Journey in 5 Steps

Now that we’ve gone over the buyer journey, let’s take a look at how to map it out for your business. Here's a quick overview of the steps you need to take:

1. Create Clear Buyer Personas

The first step is to create a buyer persona.

A buyer persona or ideal customer profile is a semi-fictional character that represents your ideal buyer. This persona is based on market research and real data about your existing customers.

It looks something like this:

Creating this buyer persona will help you understand your buyer’s needs, wants, and pain points. Once you have a clear buyer persona, you can start mapping out their buyer journey.

If you’re unsure how to create a buyer persona, we’ve written a helpful guide: How to Create an Ideal Customer Profile for B2B Leads (ICP Guide) .

Once you have a clear buyer persona, you can start mapping out their buyer journey for each of the three stages we covered earlier: awareness, consideration, and decision.

GET YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER PROFILE TEMPLATES

2. Align Your Marketing Strategy for Better Inbound Leads

The next step is to align your marketing and sales strategies with the buyer’s journey. This means using inbound marketing strategies to create content for each stage of the buyer's journey.

For example, if you want to generate awareness for your product, you would develop a content marketing strategy that includes creating blog content, social media posts, or even podcasts and webinars that speak deeply to the challenges your target customers face with your product or service to solve.

While you're in it, you can position your product or service as the solution to their problem.

Want to know how AI can revolutionize content marketing ? Read our article.

3. Identify Roadblocks at Each Stage of their Journey

The buyer’s journey can be long and complicated. Along the way, there will be roadblocks. It’s important to identify these roadblocks so you can address them and help your target audience move past them to the next stage.

Some common roadblocks include:

Lack of awareness
Lack of information
Too many options
Trust issues
Decision paralysis

Once you’ve identified these roadblocks, create relevant content or buyer journeys that help your buyer overcome them.

4. Build a Sales Funnel that Adapts to the Buyer Journey

Your sales funnel should be adapted to the buyer’s journey.

This means creating a logical sales process for each stage of the buyer’s journey and providing the types of content or support your buyer needs at each stage.

For example, someone in the awareness stage might need top-of-the-funnel educational content like informational blog posts, whitepapers, or eBooks. If they’re in the decision stage, they might need product demos or free trials.

By having a sales funnel adapted to the buyer’s journey, you can ensure your buyer is getting the right information at the right time, which will help them move smoothly through each stage until they’re ready to buy.

5. Create a Well-Rounded Customer Experience

The buyer’s journey doesn’t end when they make a purchase. The real journey begins when they make a purchase.

It’s important to create a well-rounded customer experience that keeps your buyers happy and engaged even after purchasing. This could include things like the following:

Providing a solid customer support experience.
To keep them coming back, send follow-up emails or even just a thank-you note when they make a purchase or join a loyalty program.
In B2B marketing, especially SaaS, onboarding and implementation must be ensured to go smoothly.

Creating a positive customer experience can increase customer retention rates, turn your buyer into a lifelong customer, and advocate for your business.

Know Your Buyer's Journey And Align With It

In the modern era, buyers are no longer passive consumers.

They’re active participants in their buying journey, doing extensive research at each stage to find the best possible solution to their problem.

As a seller, it’s important to understand the buyer’s journey and what it looks like today. By understanding the buyer’s journey, you can better align your sales and marketing efforts to address your buyer's needs and their buying process.

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What is the Buyer’s Journey? Definition, Stages, and Examples

June 28, 2024 | By Hitesh Bhasin | Filed Under: Marketing

The Buyer’s Journey is a term used to describe the cycle of events customers go through when considering purchasing. The journey typically begins with a customer recognizing their need for a product or service, researching various options, and eventually deciding to purchase.

At each stage of the Buyer’s journey, companies must know how their brand is presented to potential customers . Businesses must craft a unique and memorable brand voice that speaks to existing customers and prospects at different stages of the Buyer’s journey.

Table of Contents

What is the Buyer’s Journey?

The Buyer’s Journey can be defined as the process or stages a potential customer goes through, from discovering a brand to making the final purchase. It’s a path guided by the brand’s unique voice and identity that resonates with customers at each stage. Buyer’s journey stages are often categorized into three primary types – Awareness , Consideration, and Decision.

An example of the Buyer’s journey would be someone who discovers a new brand on social media, researches the product , and then compares prices before making a purchase decision. At each stage, they come into contact with the brand’s message, which should feel consistent no matter what platform it appears on.

It is also sometimes called the purchase journey. Simply put, a buyer’s journey describes what a customer has to go through to purchase a product or a service. Creating a buyer’s journey would involve mapping out all the interactions, decisions, and actions the prospect takes, from defining his problem to identifying the solution.

The key to creating a journey map is to watch how the prospect behaves at each stage of the buying process. This is comparable to how playtesting works in games. Game developers watch how people play, identify their pain areas, and design the game appropriately. Mapping the customer’s journey assists the organization in identifying buyer pain points. Then, you may control the purchasing process so that no gaps cause buyers to slip out of the sales funnel .

Key Takeaways

The Buyer’s Journey is divided into three stages: awareness , consideration, and decision, which outline the customer’s path from discovery to purchase.
A consistent brand voice across all platforms is critical for connecting with customers at every step of their journey.
Mapping the Buyer’s Journey is similar to playtesting in gaming, where businesses discover and fix customer pain spots to improve the purchasing experience.
Effective path mapping assists businesses in avoiding potential drop-offs by addressing gaps in the sales funnel.
The journey includes encounters with the brand and the customer’s decisions and actions, from problem identification to solution purchasing.

Why is Studying a Buyer’s Journey Important for your Sales Strategy?

Studying the Buyer’s journey is vital because it allows businesses to understand the customer’s thought processes, behaviors, and decision-making patterns. This further helps the company decide whether there is a need or a problem that the company is not fulfilling. Thus, this allows the company to research the necessary solutions so their buyers can make chase .

Some of the reasons that understanding the Buyer’s journey is essential for your sales team are-

1. Focus on Customers: Businesses can lose focus on their customers and match their needs in each stage of the purchase process. This, therefore, makes their marketing more efficient and effective.

2. Product Development : Studying the Buyer’s journey helps the business determine features or elements missing in its current product line. This can lead to better product development . Example: Lego conducts mindstorms where initially they just observed kids playing with toys.

3. Sales Strategies : Companies can realign their sales strategies based on the Buyer’s journey and customers’ needs.

4. Customer Experience : Better customer experience during the buying journey helps improve the overall purchase experience, fosters repeat purchases, and leads to better word-of-mouth referrals.

5. Competitive Advantage : A company that is studying the journey of its customers will always be able to design superior products and service solutions that will give them a competitive advantage .

6. Pull Strategies : Based on what the Buyer is looking for, companies can design their pull strategies so that customers themselves approach the company. Example: Apple iPods were designed by observing the pain points of Walkman or CD players.

7. Retaining Customers: Finally, once the company is attuned to observing its customers, it fills all the gaps, leaving the customer happy at the end of his buying journey. This results in customer loyalty and retention and turns customers into brand advocates . Example: Ikea always keeps observing the movement of customers around the store and rearranging its display accordingly.

What are the Three Stages of the Buyer’s Journey?

The Buyer’s journey has three stages: awareness, consideration, and decision. When studying the Buyer’s journey, these three stages evaluate the prospect’s decision-making process.

Each stage in the Buyer’s journey may have challenges. It is your job as a marketer to resolve the challenges and ensure a smooth process for the customer. As a business owner, you must remove as many obstacles from a buyer’s journey as possible. Let’s now go through the three stages of the Buyer’s journey that are crucial for any successful sales process –

1. The Awareness Stage

The Buyer’s journey begins at this stage. The awareness stage in the Buyer’s journey is when the customer becomes aware that he has a problem or a pain point. They have just started to look for a solution.

For example, I realize I have gained some weight and need to exercise a bit. However, I need to figure out where to begin. I have to start exercising.

I am still deciding what I want to do at this stage. I will start learning and understanding the different options for exercising. I could go to YouTube , buy a book from Amazon , or subscribe to a health magazine. There are many solutions available to my problem.

Once a customer is in the awareness stage, they might have several options. They are just aware of their problem and have resolved that they want to solve it. That’s the awareness stage. Once the customer is aware, he moves on to the next step.

2. The Consideration Stage

The consideration stage is when the prospects consider different solutions to their problems. They seek more information on their situation and try to find solutions.

The information may be found by googling, asking people they know, using social media or even forums. They may get information like quick fixes, suggested products, recommendations from someone personally, and potential solutions.

Prospects generally weigh their pros and cons in the consideration stage before reaching their buying decision. This is the stage where most companies can persuade customers to buy their products, and prospects can be influenced with correct information.

For example, now that I know I need to get active, I use YouTube and Google to seek relevant material. This brings me to a content influencer suggesting I join a gym or buy an exercise bike for home. I could take up some sports or start trekking as a pastime.

I am considering several options. In addition, I am assessing my advantages and disadvantages. For example, as a writer, I prefer the exercise bike option since it allows me to work whenever I have a 15-minute break. So now I have considered all of my options. This helps me get to the decision stage.

3. The Decision Stage

The decision stage is the final stage of the Buyer’s journey, where he chooses a product or a service that will solve his pain points and appears to be the correct choice for the customer.

This is the stage at which the prospect is most interested in learning more about the chosen product, and the salesperson must always be watchful in case the customer changes his mind.

Highlighting the product’s qualities and understanding the customer’s pain points are crucial for sales conversion . Even at this level, the consumer is likely looking for answers to his questions about the chosen product. These queries could be about warranty, maintenance, EMI, paperwork, customer service hierarchy, or any other issue that a customer may have.

I am continuing my example. I need an exercise bike. I go to Decathlon and look at all the options available. I am looking for something compact that is durable and can fit easily in my chosen space. Based on this, I found the right exercise bike at Decathlon and checked out with it.

In the internet age, many considerations are driven via the internet itself. Businesses need a strong internet presence to win in the Buyer’s journey.

Creating Content for Each Stage of the Buyer’s Journey

Content is crucial to the Buyer’s journey and helps build trust with your potential customers. To ensure you create content for each stage, start by identifying your target audience and developing effective buyer personas.

Then, create content that speaks to their needs at every stage, help them make an informed decision, and build brand loyalty . Sales reps have a huge role in creating content that resonates with the target audience. They can use customer feedback and develop blog posts, articles, case studies, and other forms of content that address their customers’ questions or problems.

These pieces should be written using your company’s brand voice and tone to ensure a consistent message is delivered each time. Additionally, content should be tailored to meet the needs of each stage in the Buyer’s journey. Remember that all pieces should be engaging and informative and include calls-to-action (CTAs) when appropriate.

Content Ideas for Each Stage

1. Awareness stage – Create a blog post that compares different models, generates buyer personas to identify potential customers, and develops a solution strategy for your sales reps to utilize. You may also create social media posts, whitepaper, how-to videos, checklists, Ebook, educational webinars, etc

2. Consideration stage – Focus on providing relevant product information, highlighting customer reviews and testimonials, offering informative case studies, and developing an FAQ section. Additionally, you can create content such as product comparison guides, free samples, etc.

3. Decision stage – Aim to create content that will entice buyers to make a final purchase decision. Examples include product demos, free trials, discounts/promotions, consultation offers, etc. You should also ensure that your brand’s voice is consistent throughout the Buyer’s journey to build trust and loyalty with potential customers.

How can the Companies use the Buyer’s Journey for their Benefit?

Now that we understand what the buyers’ journey is made of, it becomes essential for the companies to use it in the best possible way to enhance the growth of their own companies. Now, for companies to tackle buyers’ journeys and find the best solution to make the best out of them, they should approach it stepwise.

1. The companies need to define their buying persona

The companies first need to understand the journey their targeted customers, i.e., their buyers, take. And for this, they need to understand their customers, needs, demands, income, and how much they are willing to pay.

2. The companies need to understand the journey that their buyers take

Once the companies can figure out who their potential buyers they must determine the different processes through which they will approach their customers.

3. Mapping the content to the Buyer’s Journey

Once the customers are known and their journey is understood, the last and final step for the company is to map the journey in which they will be tracking down every single step of their customers and address the various solutions and challenges they may come across through this journey.

In this way, the buyers’ journey plays a vital role in the companies selling their products to marketers. By analyzing the Buyer’s journey, one can develop potential solutions to help them overcome the challenges and increase their sales revenue.

Buyer’s Journey vs. Customer Journey

Customers have a unique path they take when it comes to researching, purchasing, and using products or services. This is known as the Buyer’s journey.

However, businesses should also know that customer journeys encompass every step beyond the purchase, from initial discovery to ongoing support after the sale. Companies can build intense client retention levels by understanding and improving each touchpoint along this customer journey, leading to long-term loyalty and success.

Monitoring both journeys is essential to guarantee that they cohesively integrate. Any customer who purchases your business may observe any disparity between how you cater to potential customers and existing ones, so it is crucial to maintain consistency in the quality of service provided regardless of where a particular individual sits along their buying journey.

Steps of Applying Buyer’s Journey to the Sales Cycle

Having learned the critical aspects of the customer journey, it’s time to look into how you can incorporate them into your sales operations –

1. Evaluate your buyer personas

To completely understand our target audience and customers, we must analyze buyer personas – a thorough account of customer experience that includes Age, Gender, Location, and other pertinent details such as Likes and dislikes, Profession, Education level, Income Level, and Values.

2. Define your Buyer’s journey

When pinpointing your target customer, it is time to construct a journey that suits your sales funnel and pipeline.

3. Align your content with your sales strategies

Having determined the type of content your buyers require at each stage, you must ensure that your sales teams and reps are adequately prepared to maximize every opportunity.

4. Perfecting your Buyer’s journey

Crafting content tailored to the user’s needs and organized for easy comprehension should always be a priority. Additionally, including a strong call-to-action at the end of your writing will encourage customers along their purchasing decision journey.

Buyer’s Journey Examples

1. Awareness stage – Suppose you have an older Smartphone model and want to upgrade. Your buyers’ journey could begin with some investigation – examining various models, specifications, costs, etc.

2. Consideration stage – As buyers move further down the Buyers’ Journey, they must decide between their top choices and compare different models. Once they have settled on a specific model, it is essential to ensure that reputable sellers with positive customer reviews are located to make an informed decision.

3. Decision stage – If a Smartphone user completes the Buyer’s Journey, they should examine all the details and consider any warranties or services that may accompany their purchase. By doing this, they can make an informed decision that best fits their needs.

How do you track the Buyer’s Journey Stages?

When tracking the Buyer’s journey stages, it is essential to understand your target customer and the various touchpoints contributing to their decision-making process.

Tracking customer data, such as clicks, page visits, lead forms, call times, etc., can help you better understand the most effective channels and where improvements can be made for increased sales. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools are integral to managing and understanding the Buyer’s Journey.

Salesforce : Salesforce is a globally recognized CRM tool that offers a comprehensive view of the Buyer’s journey. Its advanced analytics capabilities enable sales reps to better understand buyer persona behaviors and preferences.
HubSpot: Another key player in the CRM tool sector is HubSpot. It provides a seamless interface for tracking customer engagement and behavior, helping sales reps engage effectively with different buyer personas.
Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM offers a range of features supporting sales rep interactions with customers. It provides deep insights into the buyer persona , helping businesses tailor their communication and marketing strategies .

Conclusion!

Ultimately, the Buyer’s Journey is a crucial element of sales. With this method, marketers can gain an understanding of their prospects’ motivations and desires to create tailored experiences that will move them closer to making a buying decision.

By leveraging the power of a Buyers Journey approach, companies can gain valuable insights into their target audiences and craft personalized experiences to drive conversions.

Liked this post? Check out the complete series on Marketing

Buyer Readiness State – Different Stages Of Buyer Readiness
What is Buyer’s Market? Definition, Examples & Buyer vs Seller’s Markets
Who is Media Buyer? Role of Media Buyer Explained
Brand Journey: Definition, Stages and Tips
Customer Journey Mapping – Overview, Utility and Tools with Examples
Buyer’s Remorse: Definition, Meaning, Reasons and Prevention
Buyer Persona – Definition, Importance and Tips
Buyer Seller Dyads
What is Product Life Cycle? Definition, Stages & Examples
What is Commercialization? A Comprehensive Guide with Definition, Stages, & Examples

About Hitesh Bhasin

Hitesh Bhasin is the CEO of Marketing91 and has over a decade of experience in the marketing field. He is an accomplished author of thousands of insightful articles, including in-depth analyses of brands and companies. Holding an MBA in Marketing, Hitesh manages several offline ventures, where he applies all the concepts of Marketing that he writes about.

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Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

Moscow B2 interview - some q's

By BigRedCat October 22, 2019 in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

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Share on other sites, millefleur 5,043.

No required docs. Marriage certificate is not necessary at all. You can bring things like job related docs, property ownership, etc but most likely they will not ask to even look at it. They will ask about purpose of visit, how long the planned trip is, when does she plan to return, maybe they'll ask if she has travelled abroad to any other countries, possibly they may ask what she plans to do in the US and if she has family there, they might ask details about the family member in the US.

geowrian , Unlockable and designguy

🇷🇺 CR-1 via DCF (Dec 2016-Jun 2017) & I-751 ROC (Apr 2019-Oct 2019) 🌹

Info about my DCF Moscow* experience here and here

26-Jul-2016: Married abroad in Russia 👩‍❤️‍👨 See guide here 21-Dec-2016: I-130 filed at Moscow USCIS field office* 29-Dec-2016: I-130 approved! Yay! 🎊

17-Jan-2017: Case number received

21-Mar-2017: Medical Exam completed

24-Mar-2017: Interview at Embassy - approved! 🎉

29-Mar-2017: CR-1 Visa received (via mail)

02-Apr-2017: USCIS Immigrant (GC) Fee paid

28-Jun-2017: Port of Entry @ PDX 🛩️

21-Jul-2017: No SSN after three weeks; applied in person at the SSA

22-Jul-2017: GC arrived in the mail 📬

31-Jul-2017: SSN arrived via mail, hurrah!

*NOTE: The USCIS Field Office in Moscow is now CLOSED as of February 28th, 2019.

Removal of Conditions - MSC Service Center

28-Jun-2019: Conditional GC expires

30-Mar-2019: Eligible to apply for ROC

01-Apr-2019: ROC in the mail to Phoenix AZ lockbox! 📫

03-Apr-2019: ROC packet delivered to lockbox

09-Apr-2019: USCIS cashed check

09-Apr-2019: Case number received via text - MSC 📲

12-Apr-2019: Extension letter arrives via mail

19-Apr-2019: Biometrics letter arrives via mail

30-Apr-2019: Biometrics appointment at local office

26-Jun-2019: Case ready to be scheduled for interview ⌛

04-Sep-2019: Interview was scheduled - letter to arrive in mail

09-Sep-2019: Interview letter arrived in the mail! ✉️

17-Oct-2019: Interview scheduled @ local USCIS

18-Oct-2019: Interview cancelled & notice ordered*

18-Oct-2019: Case was approved! 🎉

22-Oct-2019: Card was mailed to me 📨

23-Oct-2019: Card was picked by USPS

25-Oct-2019: 10 year GC Card received in mail 📬

*I don't understand this status because we DID have an interview!

🇺🇸 N-400 Application for Naturalization (Apr 2020-Jun 2021) 🛂

Filed during Covid-19 & moved states 1 month after filing

30-Mar-2020: N-400 early filing window opens!

01-Apr-2020: Filed N-400 online 💻

02-Apr-2020: NOA 1 - Receipt No. received online 📃

07-Apr-2020: NOA 1 - Receipt No. received via mail

05-May-2020: Moved to another state, filed AR-11 online

05-May-2020: Application transferred to another USCIS field office for review ➡️

15-May-2020: AR-11 request to change address completed

16-Jul-2020: Filed non-receipt inquiry due to never getting confirmation that case was transferred to new field office

15-Oct-2020: Received generic response to non-receipt inquiry, see full response here

10-Feb-2021: Contacted senator's office for help with USCIS

12-Feb-2021: Received canned response from senator's office that case is within processing time 😡

16-Feb-2021: Contacted other senator's office for help with USCIS - still no biometrics

19-Feb-2021: Biometrics reuse notice - canned response from other senator's office 🌐

23-Feb-2021: Interview scheduled - notice to come in the mail

25-Feb-2021: Biometrics reuse notice arrives via mail

01-Mar-2021: Interview notice letter arrives via mail ✉️

29-Mar-2021: Passed interview at local office! Oath Ceremony to be scheduled

13-Apr-2021: Oath Ceremony notice was mailed

04-May-2021: Oath Ceremony scheduled 🎆 Unable to attend due to illness

04-May-2021: Mailed request to reschedule Oath to local office

05-May-2021: "You did not attend your Oath Ceremony" - notice to come in the mail

06-May-2021: Oath Ceremony will be scheduled, date TBA

12-May-2021: Oath Ceremony re-scheduled for June 3rd, then de-scheduled same day 😡

25-May-2021: New Oath Ceremony notice was mailed

16-Jun-2021: Oath Ceremony scheduled 🎆 - DONE!!

17-Jun-2021: Certificate of Naturalization issued

🎆 Members new and old: don't forget to fill in your VJ timeline! 🎇 https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/

Unlockable 7,314

8 hours ago, BigRedCat said: Hey guys, after almost a 2 year wait I finally got a B2 interview scheduled for my mother in law in Moscow. I just wanted to ask if she needs to bring a copy of my wife and I's marriage certificate or if they even ask about that at all. She wants to come to the US to visit her daughter obviously so do they require any sort of documentation above and beyond marriage cert? She has a job in Moscow and owns property so I would think the interview should be a simple process however the interview is in a few days so just want to make sure I advise her on what to expect.

Your marriage has nothing to do with your MIL visitor visa process. This is a big mistake many immigrants make, they tie a relative to the US to their visitor visa. Your marriage certificate is useless and won't help your MIL. The CO's biggest concern is why your MIL must return to her home country, NOT why she wants to come to the US. Have her focus on her job and property back home instead.

millefleur and geowrian

“When starting an immigration journey, the best advice is to understand that sacrifices have to be made... whether it is time, money, or separation; or a combination of all.” - Unlockable

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Buyer journey
De buyer journey is het proces dat een potentiële klant doorloopt op weg naar een aankoop. Het belangrijkste uitgangspunt hierbij is dat de behoeften en vragen van de koper veranderen tijdens de verschillende fasen van dit koopproces. Het buyer journey model komt voort uit de content marketing en is later ook geadopteerd in de inbound ...
What Is the Buyer's Journey?
The buyer's journey describes a buyer's path to purchase. In other words, buyers don't wake up and decide to buy on a whim. They go through a process to become aware of, consider and evaluate, and decide to purchase a new product or service. By understanding the buyer's journey, the pains and problems they experience along that journey, and the ...
What Is the Buyer's Journey? A Comprehensive Guide
This journey is typically segmented into three stages: awareness, consideration, and decision. Don't assume, however, that every buyer steps through those three stages in 1-2-3 order every time. Buyers' journeys often wind up taking very non-linear paths. We'll get into that below.
Buyer Journey Definition, Stages, Examples, Templates
Definition, stages, and examples. January 4, 2024. 5. ( 1) Step into the realm where choices weave the intricate fabric of consumer decisions — the buyer journey. As we navigate this landscape, we'll uncover the definition, stages of such a journey, and real-world examples that demystify the process. Join us on this expedition — no fluff ...
Buyer journey
The buyer journey is the process during which a buyer progresses from being aware they have a problem, through purchasing a product to solve that problem. Why is the buyer journey so important today? In years past, shoppers had limited options if they wanted to purchase a product.
What is the Buyer's Journey?
The buyer's journey is a process customers go through to become aware of, consider, and decide to purchase a new product or service. It's a framework that guides sales strategies by mapping the customer's path from recognizing a need to the final purchase decision. In sales, this journey encompasses three stages: Awareness, where ...
The Buyer's Journey Stages: A How-To Guide
The Buyer's Journey is the process that potential buyers (i.e. clients) go through on their way to purchasing a product or service. This encompasses everything from the first experience of a pain point to researching solutions to determining a vendor. Most companies loosely define the Buyer's Journey in three main stages: awareness ...
Buyer's Journey: Definition, Stages, and Examples
The buyer's journey is the process a potential customer goes through, including awareness, consideration, and decision stages. On the other hand, the sales funnel represents the steps a business takes to convert leads into customers, typically involving stages like lead generation, qualification, nurturing, and closing the sale.
What is the Buyer's Journey? (Explained With Examples)
1.1 - Definition of the Buyer's Journey. At its core, the buyer's journey is a framework that helps businesses understand the psychology and behavior of their target audience. It allows them to map out the various stages a typical buyer goes through and tailor their marketing efforts accordingly. By understanding the buyer's journey, businesses ...
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The buyer's journey is a framework for thinking about the stages that a buyer goes through in the complex purchase typical in B2B. It allows sellers to arrange their tactics to best help their buyers navigate each of those stages and to measure their effectiveness at creating advantage as they do. Summarised as awareness, consideration, and ...
Buyers Journey
The buyer's journey refers to the process a potential customer goes through when purchasing. It is a well-known marketing and sales strategy widely used to nurture and convert prospects into customers. It typically consists of three stages: awareness, consideration, and decision. During the awareness stage, the buyer identifies a problem or need.
What is a Buyer's Journey, and Why is it So Important?
A buyer's journey is essentially the active research pathway or steps a potential customer takes towards your desired final outcome — ie: a sale or perhaps a booked appointment or reservation. A typical buyer's journey follows a three-step pathway through awareness, to consideration, and finally to decision.
What is a Buyer Journey
Buyer journey mapping is a strategic tool used to visualize the customer's experience throughout the buyer's journey. It involves creating a flowchart or diagram that outlines the different stages (awareness, consideration, decision), customer actions and touchpoints at each stage, and their thoughts and feelings throughout the process. ...
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The buyer's journey is the decision-making process prospects navigate when they decide to make a purchase. It applies to purchase decisions of all sizes; whether you're looking for the perfect pillow or want to replace the CRM with a global company, you'll navigate the buyer's journey. Some people call it "the sales funnel" because it ...
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The Buyer's Journey is a term used to describe the cycle of events customers go through when considering purchasing. The journey typically begins with a customer recognizing their need for a product or service, researching various options, and eventually deciding to purchase.. At each stage of the Buyer's journey, companies must know how their brand is presented to potential customers.
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The journey consists of three various stages, each of which takes the buyer closer to the sale. These are awareness, consideration, and decision. What each stage is called easily summarizes the general decision-making state of the buyer. But to give you a deeper understanding of these stages, we'll talk about them in detail in the following ...
Professional Estate Sales Services
Estate sales are a great way to get the most out of the items in a home, and we help ensure that the sale is successful. We have conducted estate sales all over the Palouse and LC Valley including, Moscow, Pullman, Lewiston, Clarkston, and several other surrounding communities. If you need estate sale help, we have got you covered.
Moscow Interview Wait Times
What is the current wait time for scheduling a consulate interview for a K1 visa in Moscow?
some q's
Hey guys, after almost a 2 year wait I finally got a B2 interview scheduled for my mother in law in Moscow. I just wanted to ask if she needs to bring a copy of my wife and I's marriage certificate or if they even ask about that at all. She wants to come to the US to visit her daughter obviously ...
Buyers Programme
17−20 September 2024. Moscow, Crocus Expo, Pavillion 3. Book your Stand. Book your Stand. ExhibitAttendConnect. BuyersProgramme. Welcome to the Purchasing Center, where buyers and suppliers engage in personal bilateral negotiations, all in one place and at one time. Register Today. 140+.

What Is the Buyer's Journey?

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What are the three stages of the buyer's journey?

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What is the buyer doing during the awareness stage?

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Buyer journey

Key Takeaways:

Table of Contents

Why is the buyer journey so important today?

What are the stages of the buyer journey?

Awareness stage

Consideration stage

Decision stage

Why is it important to understand the buyer journey?

Why data specialists need to know about the buyer's journey

What's the difference between the buyer journey and the customer journey?

What is buyer journey mapping?

Buyer journey examples

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Buyer’s Journey

Table of Contents

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