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Our 4 Steps STRATEGY

People today shop differently than earlier generations. Or even than the way they did just a few years ago.

The internet, social media, and portable devices such as smartphones and tablets have caused fundamental change in shopper behavior. So if you are still using old-fashioned ways to market and promote your business, its products, and its services, you are missing out on a huge percentage of prospective customers or clients.

Today’s shoppers take three major steps into the  journey of making purchase decisions.

Awareness Stage

During the first stage, the customer realizes a want or desire. This could be a problem they are experiencing that they would like to resolve, a need they have that they would like to satiate, or an opportunity they have encountered that they might want to exploit.

Their first response is typically researching information that will help them resolve this want or desire. It can include such things as going online to look for relevant articles or websites, reading eBooks or educational content to gather information, or taking other steps to prepare for decision-making.

Consideration Stage

Stage two is comparing the information they have and considering their different options or solutions. Armed with insight into a number of resolutions to their want or desire, they are weighing their options in order to make an informed decision.

From your business’s perspective, this is the most important stage. Your goal is to present a solution that is superior to all of your competitors — and to do it in a manner that is compelling, informative, and even entertaining. Simultaneously, you want to promote your brand as well as its individual products and/or services so that you can gain a customer for life.

Decision Stage

In this final stage, your prospective customer has identified the best solution and acted on obtaining the desired result. This could be purchasing a product or service and, hopefully, building loyalty to a brand that can continue to enrich their lives.

Understanding this three-stage process is the first step in transforming your business and brand in order to appeal to 21st Century customers.