the buyer's journey

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What is the buyer journey? Definition, stages, and examples

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, just the essential roadmap to unravel the buyer journey and decode the patterns that drive purchasing decisions.

Ready to explore the journey that transforms curiosity into commerce? Let's unravel the layers together.

• 1.1 Why is the buyer journey important?
• 2 Buyer journey stages
• 3 Buyer journey optimization
• 4.1 Amazon and its seamless e-commerce experience
• 4.2 HubSpot and its inbound marketing excellence
• 4.3 Buyer journey templates
• 5.1 Key takeaways

What is the buyer journey? Why is it important?

The buyer journey represents the holistic path a buyer takes as they move through the various stages leading to a purchase. It’s a comprehensive process that encapsulates the entirety of a customer's experience, from the initial awareness of a product or service to the final decision-making and post-purchase evaluation. The depth and complexity of such a journey are heightened by the fact that it can be online, offline, or a mix of both. Here are the examples:

• Online journey: A customer discovers a digital product through a targeted social media ad, researches online reviews, and makes a purchase on an e-commerce website. Post-purchase, they use the online product and engage with the brand through email newsletters and online customer support.
• Offline journey: A customer learns about a product through a traditional print advertisement, visits a physical store to explore the item, consults with in-store staff, and makes the purchase. The post-purchase phase involves using the product and potentially providing feedback through physical channels.
• Mixed journey: A customer first encounters a product via an online influencer's review, then visits a brick-and-mortar store to examine it physically. They might purchase online using a mobile app, receiving post-purchase updates through both email and in-store promotions.

Why is the buyer journey important?

Understanding the buyer journey is of paramount importance for businesses for many reasons.

• Customer-centric approach

By comprehending the buyer journey, businesses can adopt a more customer-centric approach. It means aligning products, services, and digital marketing efforts with the needs and preferences of the customers at each journey stage . This customer-centricity fosters a positive and engaging experience, enhancing the likelihood of conversion.

• Tailored marketing strategies

The buyer journey provides businesses with insights into the specific touchpoints and channels that customers engage with during their decision-making process. Armed with this knowledge, organizations can tailor their marketing strategies to be more effective at each stage. For instance, deploy inbound marketing and educational materials to capture attention, especially during the awareness stage.

• Building trust and credibility

Trust is a crucial element in any purchase decision. Understanding a buying journey enables businesses to build trust by delivering consistent messaging, quality content, and positive interactions at each touchpoint. This trust-building process is vital for establishing credibility and driving long-term customer relationships.

• Optimizing user experience

A seamless and enjoyable user experience is critical to guiding potential buyers through the journey. With buyer journey analysis, businesses can identify pain points and areas of improvement in their processes. This could include optimizing website navigation, streamlining checkout processes, or enhancing customer support.

• Data-driven decision-making

The buyer journey map is a valuable source of data that businesses can use to inform their decision-making. Analyzing customer behavior, preferences, and feedback at each stage provides actionable insights. This data-driven approach enables companies to refine their strategies, allocate resources efficiently, and stay agile in a dynamic market.

• Maximizing customer lifetime value

Understanding the buyer journey goes beyond the point of purchase. Post-purchase stages of the journey, such as customer loyalty and advocacy, are crucial for maximizing customer lifetime value. Businesses that continue to engage and delight customers even after the sale are more likely to benefit from repeat business and positive word-of-mouth marketing.

In essence, the buyer journey serves as a roadmap for businesses to navigate the complex landscape of customer decision-making. It empowers companies to meet customer expectations, build lasting relationships, and ultimately drive sustainable business growth.

Buyer journey stages

The buyer journey consists of stages a potential customer goes through before making a purchase decision. All journeys are somewhat different, but it's possible to identify broad stages common to each. Let's explore these stages in detail:

• Awareness stage

This is the initial stage where the buyer becomes aware of a problem or need. They may not be aware of specific solutions yet.

Example: Someone realizes they need a new smartphone because their current one is outdated and struggles with performance.

• Research and discovery stage

At this stage, the buyer actively seeks information to understand and define their problem. They research potential solutions and gather relevant data.

Example: The individual might explore various smartphone brands, read reviews, and compare features to find the best fit for their needs.

• Consideration stage

At this point, the buyer narrows down their options and is evaluating specific products or services. They compare features, prices, and benefits.

Example: The person may be deciding between two or three smartphone models based on factors like camera quality, battery life, and overall performance.

• Decision stage

The buyer is now ready to make a decision and commit to a particular product or service. They might look for discounts, compare final prices, and explore additional incentives.

Example: The individual decides to purchase a specific smartphone model, adds it to the cart, and proceeds to check out.

• Purchase stage

This is the point of transaction where the buyer completes the purchase. It could happen online, in-store, or through various other channels.

Example: The person confirms the purchase, enters payment information, and receives confirmation of the order.

• Post-purchase stages

After the purchase, the buyer uses the product or service and forms their experience about it. This stage is crucial for customer satisfaction and potential loyalty.

Example: The individual starts using the new smartphone, and their experience is positive. They might leave a review, share their experience on social media, or consider the brand for future purchases.

• Loyalty and advocacy stage

There is an additional stage focusing on turning customers into loyal advocates. This involves fostering ongoing relationships, encouraging repeat business, and leveraging satisfied customers for viral marketing. This stage is often overlooked by businesses, and it's a mistake.

Example: The satisfied smartphone user recommends the brand to friends, engages with loyalty programs, and becomes an advocate for the product.

Read also: How to create a journey map step-by-step + examples

Understanding and visualizing these stages allows businesses to tailor their marketing, sales, and customer support strategies to address customers' specific needs and concerns at each step. It helps create a more personalized and effective approach, ultimately increasing the likelihood of conversion and building long-term customer relationships.

Buyer journey optimization

Buyer journey optimization involves refining and enhancing the various stages of the customer's path to purchase to improve overall efficiency, effectiveness, and customer satisfaction and experience. 

By strategically optimizing each stage of the journey, businesses can maximize conversion rates, build stronger customer relationships, and increase long-term loyalty. Here's a detailed exploration of buyer journey optimization with examples and potential outcomes:

• Data-driven analysis

Example: A company collects and analyzes data on customer behavior, interactions, and preferences at each stage of the buyer journey using analytics tools and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

Outcome: Insights gained from data analysis help businesses identify patterns, pain points, and opportunities for improvement in the buyer journey.

• Personalized content and messaging

Example: Leveraging data insights, a business tailors its content and messaging to match the preferences and needs of specific buyer personas at different stages of the journey.

Outcome: Personalized content increases engagement and resonates more effectively with potential customers, leading to a higher likelihood of conversion.

• Seamless multichannel experience

Example: An e-commerce platform ensures a consistent and seamless experience for customers across various channels, including online platforms, mobile apps, and physical stores.

Outcome: A unified multichannel experience reduces friction, enhances customer satisfaction, and provides a cohesive journey regardless of the chosen interaction channel.

• Optimized website and user experience

Example: A company invests in user experience design , making its website intuitive, easy to navigate, and optimized for both desktop and mobile users.

Outcome: Improved website usability enhances customer satisfaction, reduces bounce rates, and encourages visitors to move smoothly through the buyer journey.

• Marketing automation

Example: Implementing digital marketing automation tools to deliver targeted and timely messages, such as personalized emails, based on customer behavior and interactions.

Outcome: Marketing automation streamlines communication, helps to nurture leads, and ensures that potential customers receive relevant information at the right moment in time, increasing the chances of conversion.

• Streamlined checkout process

Example: An e-commerce platform simplifies its checkout process, minimizing the number of steps required and offering various payment options.

Outcome: A streamlined checkout process reduces cart abandonment rates and friction during the purchase stage, leading to higher conversion rates.

• Post-purchase engagement

Example: After a customer makes a purchase, a business engages in post-purchase communication, seeking feedback, offering support, and providing additional resources or exclusive offers.

Outcome: Positive post-purchase engagement contributes to customer satisfaction, encourages repeat business, and fosters brand loyalty.

• Continuous iteration and improvement:

Example: Regularly reviewing analytics, customer feedback, and market trends to identify areas for further optimization and adjustment in the buyer journey strategy.

Outcome: Continuous iteration ensures that the buyer journey remains responsive to changing customer needs and market dynamics, maintaining high levels of effectiveness over time.

In summary, journey optimization is an ongoing process that requires a combination of data analysis, personalization, technological integration, and a customer-centric mindset. By strategically implementing these optimizations, businesses can create a more seamless, engaging, and efficient journey for their customers, ultimately driving higher conversion rates and long-term customer loyalty.

Buyer journey examples

Let's consider a couple of examples of buyer journeys in well-known companies, what they do to improve it, and how it works in practice.

Amazon and its seamless e-commerce experience

Even if you don't use Amazon products, you've definitely heard about them. 

Amazon excels in creating awareness through targeted ads, personalized recommendations, and a vast product catalog. For example, if a user searches for a specific product, Amazon's algorithms provide relevant suggestions, increasing the chances of discovery.

The product pages on Amazon are rich in information, featuring detailed product descriptions, customer reviews, and frequently asked questions. This assists customers in making informed decisions during the research stage.

Amazon leverages personalized recommendations and targeted emails to remind users about products they viewed or added to their cart. Special promotions, such as lightning deals, create a sense of urgency, influencing the decision-making process.

The one-click purchase option streamlines the decision-making process, offering a frictionless checkout experience. Amazon's transparent shipping and return policies contribute to the customer's confidence in their decision.

• Post-purchase stage

Amazon invests in post-purchase engagement through order tracking, delivery notifications, and follow-up emails. Additionally, their customer service is readily available to address any issues, enhancing post-purchase satisfaction.

HubSpot and its inbound marketing excellence

HubSpot is a comprehensive inbound marketing, sales, and customer service platform designed to help businesses attract, engage, and delight customers. And they do delight. 

HubSpot built a robust online presence through inbound marketing. Their blog, webinars, and downloadable resources provide valuable information, attracting businesses looking for marketing and sales solutions.

HubSpot offers free tools, such as CRM and marketing analytics, allowing users to explore and understand the platform's capabilities before making a commitment. Their educational content assists businesses in the research stage.

HubSpot's sales team engages with potential customers through personalized email outreach, offering product demonstrations, and addressing specific pain points. This approach helps businesses evaluate HubSpot's fit for their needs.

HubSpot's pricing transparency and scalable solutions cater to businesses of different sizes. They provide flexible payment options and a clear onboarding process, making it easier for businesses to decide.

HubSpot focuses on customer success through continuous education, regular updates on new features, and a vibrant community. They encourage users to maximize the platform's potential, fostering long-term loyalty.

These examples showcase how companies like Amazon and HubSpot strategically engage with customers at each stage of the buyer journey, leading to successful conversions and sustained customer relationships.

Buyer journey templates

Visual aids can often speak louder than words. Therefore, here are some templates for various scenarios. They'll be a great asset to your initiative.

• Case 1: A bicycle buyer journey, where a potential buyer, filled with excitement and a quest for the perfect bicycle, navigates the online realm in search of their two-wheeled companion.
• Case 2: An offline grocery buyer journey, where our persona embarks on the classic journey to the neighborhood supermarket, weaving through aisles in search of sustenance and delights.
• Case 3: A sneakers' buyer journey, where a persona sets out to find the ideal pair of sneakers, exploring the vast world of online options and paving the way for stylish strides.

Wrapping up

In unraveling the complexities of the buyer journey, we've delved into its definition, stages, and real-world examples. This journey is not merely a linear path from awareness to purchase; it's an intricate process that demands a nuanced understanding of customer behavior.

Key takeaways

• Businesses must align products, services, and marketing efforts with customer needs at each stage, fostering positive and engaging experiences.
• Analyzing the buyer journey provides valuable data for refining strategies, optimizing user experiences, and staying agile in a dynamic market.
• Building trust through consistent messaging, quality content, and positive interactions is crucial for establishing credibility and fostering long-term relationships.
• The journey doesn't end with a purchase; positive post-purchase experiences contribute to customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy.
• Buyer journey optimization is an ongoing process involving data analysis, personalization, technological integration, and a customer-centric mindset.

As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of consumer decisions, understanding and effectively leveraging the buyer journey is not just a strategy; it's a fundamental approach that can drive sustainable business growth. So, let's continue to unravel the layers of this intricate journey, adapting and refining our strategies to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers.

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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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Erin Hueffner is a writer from Madison, Wisconsin. Her career spans two decades in tech, journalism, and content marketing. At Salesforce, Erin’s work focuses on sales fundamentals and best practice content for Salesblazers. Erin has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of ... Read More Wisconsin-Madison.

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Buyer’s Journey

Table of Contents

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.

People Also Ask

How do different industries tailor the buyer’s journey to their audience.

Different industries customize the buyer’s journey based on their specific audience’s needs, behaviors, and preferences. For instance, in the tech industry, there’s a focus on in-depth educational content during the Awareness stage due to the technical nature of products. In contrast, the fashion industry might emphasize visual content and influencer marketing to appeal to a style-conscious audience. B2B industries often have longer sales cycles, requiring more comprehensive content at each stage, while B2C industries might focus on creating more immediate and emotional connections.

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

• March 3, 2024

Your buyers don’t just turn up at your door with money in hand ready to buy your product. Instead, they go on a (sometimes complicated) journey that eventually leads to them making a purchase.

Understanding the buyer’s journey is a great way to make your sales process more efficient while also improving the customer experience. With a clear buyer’s journey, you can ensure your customers get what they’re looking for every step of the way.

What’s the Buyer’s Journey?

The buyer’s journey is simply the steps someone goes through before making a purchase.

How often do you discover a brand new product and buy it there or then? The chances are it’s not very often. In fact, in some industries, it’s suggested it takes an average of eight touchpoints to get an initial meeting.

The buyer’s journey tracks the steps your customers take to becoming a customer and even beyond. It’s split up into four stages: awareness, consideration, decision, and delight.

Understanding the buyer’s journey is important because it allows you to serve prospects with the information they need at each stage of the process. For example, when you’ve just learned about cold outreach, you want different information from when you’re comparing the best cold email platforms .

The buyer’s journey is a way to visualize the steps your customers take so you can help progress them through the journey.

What Are the Stages of the Buyer’s Journey?

A traditional buyer’s journey is split into four stages. At each stage in the journey, the buyer wants something slightly different from your business, and a clear picture of your buyer’s journey will help you provide the right content at the right time.

The four stages are awareness, consideration, decision, and delight, and each one requires a slightly different approach.

The more you can tailor your content, and communication to match the prospect’s position in the buyer’s journey, the more likely you are to build a relationship with the customer and progress them to the next stage.

Awareness Stage (TOFU – Top of the Funnel)

The awareness stage is when the lead becomes aware of a pain point . This is also known as the top of the funnel, where customers make their first interaction with your business.

Content at the awareness stage of the buyer’s journey is characterized by answering questions, troubleshooting confusion, and introducing your brand.

For example, if someone was looking at doing a cold email for the first time, they might look for articles like “What Is Cold Email?” or “Is Cold Email Right for My Business?” These are often big-picture questions, and they allow the lead to get a feel for whether your product is suitable for them.

It’s also a great chance to introduce your brand. Although you’re certainly not going to go for a hard sell at this stage, it’s an opportunity to put your name out there. In this case, it’s a chance to say “hey, we’re Mailshake, we’ve got tons of great info on cold email if you want to discover more.”

The customer has become aware of a problem (eg. they want a new phone, their current software is outdated, they need a new way to grow their business), and this is your chance to help them explore the problem while making them aware of your brand.

Content that works well at the awareness stage:

• Educational blog articles
• Ebooks, whitepapers, checklists, and guides
• Explainer videos
• Industry reports
• Infographics

Consideration Stage (MOFU – Middle of the Funnel)

As your leads move into the consideration stage their goals change. They’re no longer trying to familiarize themselves with the basics of your products – instead, they’re considering their options.

At this stage, people have looked at the merits of cold email and decided it’s the right option for their business. The question that remains is how they go about implementing it and what platform they use.

Now, unless you’ve got a monopoly on your market, then the chances are the customer is going to have a lot of choices at this point. You’ve done good work in the awareness stage by putting your brand in their mind and starting to build a relationship, but there’s still more to do.

This is where you need to build on your relationships, driving customers back to your website, capturing emails, and utilizing your social reach.

When people are considering their options, your brand becomes extremely powerful. It’s a chance to say “hey, remember me, I gave you that great info on cold email – see how you can use it with our platform.”

At the consideration stage, your content should change to reflect your leads’ goals, utilizing:

• More technical, specific article blogs
• Comparison whitepapers
• Product feature videos

This will link the knowledge your prospects already have to your products, explaining how the benefits fit into the bigger picture.

Decision Stage (BOFU – Bottom of the Funnel)

In the decision stage, your customer is ready to make a purchase.

In our example, they know they need sales automation software, but they’re still not sure which platform to use. After all, there are lots of different options out there, all with their own features and benefits.

This is where people weigh up their options, ultimately deciding which product or service offers them the most value.

All the work you have done throughout the customer journey will pay off here. People recognize the value you have given them by helping them learn about their subject and understand the features.

Now it’s time you drive things home by maximizing your funnel conversions. To do this, you’ve got to be extremely focused on the decision stage, and make sure you’re constantly optimizing your approach.

Test out your processes to make sure:

• You’re giving people the information they need to make the final decision
• The process of becoming a customer is as simple as possible
• You’re maximizing the value of each sale

Again, your content can play a key part and you should look to incorporate different content types at this stage:

• Documented success stories such as case studies and testimonials
• Free product trials
• Free consultations or live demonstrations
• Product comparison
• “About Us” website pages

Delight Stage (Post Purchase)

It’s easy to feel like the job’s done once a purchase has been made, but if this is the case, then you might be missing out.

The delight stage takes place post-purchase, and it’s an extremely important step for your business.

Repeat customers are great. You’ve already built a great relationship with them, they understand your products, and they’ve loved what they’ve received.

You don’t want to leave this to chance though. You want to delight people even after they’ve made a purchase, and turn them into brand ambassadors for your products.

To do this, you can use things like:

• Workshops to help people get the most out of your products
• Regular newsletter with tips and tricks
• Discounts on future purchases
• Behind the scenes look at your business

It’s simply a way of showing your customers that you’re still there for them, and you’re still invested in their experience.

The delight stage is an important part of the buyer’s journey and it can have a big impact on your revenue.

Tailoring Your Sales Process to the Buyer’s Journey

The buyer’s journey is a recognition that not every prospect is looking for the same thing.

While it’s difficult to completely tailor your sales process to each individual, it is possible to tailor your approach based on where they are in the buyer’s journey. When you have a clear picture of how people move through your journey and what they’re looking for at each stage, then it’s much easier to be there with the right answer.

Every customer is unique, but if you know where they are in the buyer’s journey, then you’ve got a much better idea of what content they’re looking for. Make the most of this by tailoring your sales process.

A Buyer’s Journey Should Serve as a Blueprint

It helps you to understand what information a customer is looking for at each stage in the process, maximizing your touchpoints , and building stronger relationships. Not only can this help you make more sales, but it can lead to higher-value sales and more repeat business.

It’s time to map out your buyer’s journey and understand what your customers are looking for.

Luiz Cent is the Head of Sales at Mailshake, in addition to SaaS sales coaching & marketing growth, Luiz is passionate about sustainability, yoga, travel & urban jungles.

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Optimizing the buyer’s journey.

16 min read What are the different buyer’s journey stages? And how can you optimize all your potential solutions, from the awareness stage through to the decision stage? Here’s everything you need to know…

What is the buyer’s journey?

Whenever you buy something – whether it’s a big lifestyle purchase like a car, something for your business like a software suite, or even a fast-moving, disposable consumer product like a coffee – you never do so without having gone on what we call the buyer’s journey .

That journey may or may not be a conscious one, but either way, the particular cup of coffee you end up with, from a particular store, is the result of a bunch of external and internal factors all working to move you along a route – a route that ends with your buying decision.

In other words? The various buyer’s journey stages describe the path along which people move towards making a purchase.

Buyer journey vs customer journey

Buyer’s journey and customer journey seem like incredibly similar terms, but there’s a big difference between the two, and they each require distinct focus:

The buyer’s journey describes the steps that lead up to a purchase decision but stops right there.

That means it’s all about persuasion and influence aimed at brand new customers. The customer journey, on the other hand, follows on from this, referring to the steps businesses can take to build relationships with existing customers.

In practice, that means adopting a focus on things like customer support and customer experience , as well as using existing customer data to create content marketing strategies that influence repeat decisions, recommendations, and customer loyalty.

In super simple terms, the buyer’s journey is all about saying “our product is great, you should give it a try,” while the customer journey is more about saying “remember that great experience you had with us? We’ve got more for you!”

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Buyer’s journey stages vs the sales funnel

Similarly, the buyer’s journey is a different concept from the sales funnel. That’s because the former is all about a customer’s intent to purchase generally, while the latter relates only to their intent to purchase from you. Because of this, the traditional funnel typically has more steps, since you can track things specific to your organization – like leads and negotiations.

Buyer’s journey stages: How many steps are there?

As with all good journeys, the buyer’s journey has a defined beginning, middle, and end. It’s universally broken out into three stages: the consideration stage, the awareness stage, and the decision stage.

Let’s explore how this works…

How does the buyer’s journey work?

So how do those buyer’s journey stages actually flow? While they’re all slightly different depending on things like industry, target audience, and product type, some commonalities run through every single buying process.

Here’s what every stage of the buyer’s journey looks like:

1. Awareness stage | Buyer’s journey

This is the first stage of the buyer’s journey, and it often gets mixed up. In the sales funnel, awareness refers to a customer becoming aware that your company exists. In the buyer’s journey, however, things are slightly different. Here, the awareness stage really means that they have become aware of a pain point.

In a B2B environment , that might be that they’ve discovered their business is losing precious time and resource on an internal sales process that they think could be streamlined. In a B2C environment, perhaps they realize that their home-office chair makes their back hurt.

At this point, they won’t be exploring clear solutions, but rather they’ll be doing general research or asking around about the issue, intending to understand its scope better.

In the awareness stage, the buyer is aware of a problem:

“I have an issue with [X], I wonder if there’s something I can do about it.”

2. Consideration stage | Buyer’s journey

The consideration stage sees the customer move from basic research toward building a list of possible solutions. So from your point of view as a business, this stage is about showing how you can help resolve consideration stage buyers’ pain points in a way that builds confidence in the quality and competitiveness of your offering.

Using the examples described above, the prospective B2B customer has determined that either a better internal sales process software suite, or a package of training is the answer they need, and will use this stage to compare and contrast different options. The B2C customer has determined that they need either a new office chair or a standing desk solution.

In the consideration stage, the buyer is aware of possible solutions:

“One of these options will fix my problem.”

3. Decision stage | Buyer’s journey

At the decision stage, your potential customers will be making decisions on which products or services will work best for them. So, while the consideration stage was about building out solutions, here they’ve picked a solution and are now narrowing down actual products or services.

Again, with the examples above, the decision stage will see the B2B customer comparing sales process software pricing and reviews, while the B2C customer has a shortlist of new chairs to choose from.

A host of things ultimately affect their final decision, from price, features, and competitiveness, to reviews from others and overall brand reputation.

In the decision stage, the buyer is aware of providers and products:

“I’m either going to purchase [X] or [Y], depending on which one seems better.”

B2B vs B2C buyer journey

It’s worth keeping in mind that the buyer’s journey relies on different factors depending on whether you’re in a B2B or B2C market.

In the B2C market, potential buyers are usually individuals or families, with specific needs particular to themselves. So they might be most concerned with convenience, or their financial ability to buy your products or services.

That means relationships might be formed over a shorter period, resulting in sales and outbound/inbound marketing targeted at a very broad customer base via market segments or through buyer persona work.

In the B2B market, we think of the concept of a customer a little differently. Often there are up to ten stakeholders – from the executive buyer to the end-user – with varying interests, concerns, and goals. A B2B purchase decision is often carefully considered and scrutinized, with long-term use in mind, so relationships are sometimes formed over a longer period.

As such, your relationship will be built with more than just the final decision maker – it’s the connection you foster with all stakeholders that will make or break a sale.

Why should businesses care about the buyer’s journey?

Understanding the buyer’s journey is how you can insert your business and products as the solution to your customer’s needs at every step of the process. It’s an opportunity to be an obvious solution, even when customers aren’t even sure they need one yet.

Seizing those opportunities relies on outbound/inbound marketing efforts that land your messaging in different ways, for different times. If you can track the buyer’s journey against audience personas, you’ll be able to uncover unique needs and meet them with information that isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Some 96% of website traffic occurs during the first couple of phases of the journey before decision-making begins, and in the B2B space especially, people spend up to 90% of the decision journey educating themselves.

So it stands to reason that businesses can massively benefit by broadening their marketing and outreach efforts to include material that caters to people not yet at the decision-making part of the process.

For instance, relevant content marketing can be more powerful than advertising, if it hits at the right part of the journey. 80% of B2B decision-makers , for instance, prefer to get their information from a series of articles than from an advert.

Being able to provide that collateral is what will edge your business out ahead of your competitors.

Buyer Journey optimization

Analyst firm IDC famously once described the buyer’s journey as follows:

“The buyer journey is nothing more than a series of questions that must be answered.”

And if the buyer is asking questions – consciously or subconsciously – it’s your job as a business to be able to provide answers at every step of the journey. In practice, that means optimizing your marketing and advertising and looking to create content so that everything together can tell a customer, in no uncertain terms, that you’re the best solution.

It might seem initially complicated and time-consuming to split your marketing, advertising, website, social, sales strategy, and content strategy up into three chunks like this, but your potential customers will be interacting with your brand at each stage of the buyer’s journey (whether they realize it or not), and don’t necessarily want to be put off by stumbling onto something that attempts to force them into a sale.

Understanding that it’s a journey – and that you can be there at each step with something useful and relevant – is the key to success. Here’s how:

Buyer’s journey: Optimizing the awareness stage

In the awareness stage, the last thing people want is a pitch from sales reps or advertisement-heavy content. Instead, they need information that answers broader questions around their issue.

If we take the B2C example above of someone suffering from back pain while working from home, they might Google ‘is sitting all day bad for you?’ or something similar. As marketers and business owners, we need to create content that answers that question, without it being overtly advertorial.

In that sense, the awareness stage can be optimized by providing rich, SEO-friendly, relevant content around the broad-strokes topics your category frequently deals in. In this example, that might be a series of articles around the evolution of the home office, a video on best practices when working from home, and/or a webinar on home working ergonomics.

In social, that might also mean performing social listening to find people Tweeting or posting about their issue, and responding with links to helpful information – not necessarily that your business owns. Why? Well, because simply being helped is enough to form a positive association with your brand in their minds.

When it comes to advertising and more traditional marketing here, you’ll want to be very top line. Buyers in the awareness stage are more receptive to brand messaging and brand identity content, than “here’s a product you’ll love” messaging.

Buyer’s journey: Optimizing the consideration stage

During the consideration stage, we need to get personal. That means conducting market research to develop personas and using historical operational data to find out how each buyer persona can best be served.

If, for instance, people are coming to your site with a specific problem during the consideration stage, you can design the information and resources across your site to better funnel them towards a specific solution, without it seeming like a race to the checkout basket. Think about the omnichannel steps each persona uses on their buying journey, and meet them there.

That might mean using paid search ads against specific keyword terms or designing information flows that educate on the way towards decision-making. The balance is in creating educational pages, posts, and resources that fully convey your solution as one of many, without it feeling like a pitch from a sales team.

When it comes to consideration stage content, case studies are a great way to tick that box, as they help put your prospective customer in the shoes of a real person who has had a similar problem to them.

Buyer’s journey: Optimizing the decision stage

In the optimization stage, we can get right to the point. Here, you need to be sure your product or service messaging is crystal clear in terms of benefit, features, and price – especially as to how it compares to your competitors.

This is a great stage to leverage third-party reviews; if you know your company has had praise on sites like TrustPilot, that should be integrated into your website. If you have customers that you know are loyal and satisfied, post testimonials from social media or CSAT or NPS surveys .

This is also where a B2B lead generation strategy comes in. If you provide gated assets or collect information from any other means, formalize a process by which your sales team can contact these leads and offer to show them how your product works and what it can do for them.

You need to be able to create content across every touchpoint – website, social media, in-store, on the phone – that creates a compelling package and leaves potential customers in no doubt that your product will solve all their problems and then some.

Buyer’s journey: Making customers feel understood

Whether you’re looking at the buying journey, the customer journey, or a funnel that generates leads, the most important thing is to ensure that prospective and existing customers feel listened to and understood.

With today’s customers preferring to interact with brands on a multitude of channels, as well as to self-teach and zig-zag around different information sources, the best way to make them feel understood is twofold:

1.    Perform a thorough journey mapping audit

2.    implement a comprehensive experience management suite.

It’s only when you can listen to everything customers say (online, in-app, or on the phone) alongside data that shows audience and persona behavior that you’ll be able to make meaningful actions that strengthen your brand’s offering.

How to map the B2B buyer journey

Get that right and you’ll be able to retain customers, foster brand loyalty, and decrease churn.

How Qualtrics can help

The Qualtrics Experience Management Platform™ is built to enable that powerful workflow, bringing real-time and historic data together to proactively suggest actions and changes that can help influence purchasing journeys on an individual basis, no matter the stage. Click here to learn more .

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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:

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.

‎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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The Buyer’s Journey: Everything You Need to Know

Casey O'Connor

What Is the Buyer’s Journey?

What are the buyer’s journey stages, why is it important to understand the buyer’s journey, how to align your inbound marketing strategy with the buyer’s journey.

In today’s increasingly buyer-driven sales landscape, a seller’s knowledge of their buyer’s journey is more important than ever.

Sales reps need to have an intimate understanding of how buyers make purchasing decisions in order to organically guide them through the process.

The buyer’s journey is a framework that represents the path a buyer takes in researching, understanding and naming their problem, and identifying the product that will provide their solution. 

In this article, we’ll go over the ins and outs of the buyer’s journey, including why it’s so important to understand and how to align your marketing campaigns with the three main stages. 

Here’s what we’ll cover: 

The buyer’s journey is a framework that outlines how buyers arrive at a purchasing decision.

The framework is broken down into stages. It starts from the moment a buyer starts to realize they have a problem that needs fixing and ends after they’ve decided on a vendor and made their purchase. 

The framework allows sellers and marketers to leverage the knowledge of how a buyer makes decisions in order to best align it with their outreach and nurture strategies.

Although specific customer needs and behaviors vary slightly from business to business, the buyer’s journey is almost always broken down into three main stages: awareness, consideration, and evaluation. 

Some sales and marketing professionals advocate for a longer buyer’s journey — one that captures the way a company continues to provide value to the client after they sign on. As seen below :

For the purposes of this article, we’ll stick with the three primary, well-known stages. That being said, it’s essential that sales, marketing, and customer success teams aspire to provide ongoing outstanding service to their existing clients; do not neglect the “Delight” stage just because it’s not commonly shown in the diagram. 

The better your marketing and sales teams understand the delineations between the three stages of the buyer’s journey, the better they can curate content that will guide each potential customer through the funnel authentically and efficiently. 

Awareness Stage

When buyers are in the awareness stage, they are likely only just discovering that they have a problem. They pursue further information about the symptoms they’re experiencing and seek to give their problem a name. Buyers in this stage are least likely to purchase in the immediate future.

Sales and marketing content for buyers in this stage should be informational and focused on answering questions or clearing up any confusion. Content might also be entertaining or inspiring. Whatever you do, though, avoid pushing your brand too heavily toward these buyers; over-zealous pitch attempts will turn them off.  

During this stage, the goals of marketing and sales should be to generate and segment new website visitors and establish a brand reputation of advisory and expertise. 

Sales and marketing teams can track how engaged leads are during this stage through metrics like the number of new visitors and total pixelated audience. They can also use data from this stage to create retargeting lists for further nurturing. 

Awareness Stage Example

Let’s look at this more carefully with an example:

A B2C customer wakes up and notices that their jaw is popping when they yawn for the third time that week. It’s an irritating problem, and one that the customer feels ready to tackle. In the awareness stage, they might search for a generic, symptom-based keyword like “Jaw pops when I wake up.” They are not yet looking for a solution; they are learning more about their problem so that they can consider the appropriate solutions.

Consideration Stage

In the consideration stage, buyers have identified their problem and are now researching ways to solve it. They are still not quite ready to buy, though. They are evaluating potential solutions, and they need further guidance in determining the best way to solve the problem.

The content available for buyers in this stage should still be informational in nature, but you may start branching out to more technical or comparative analysis. Just make sure it’s authentic and not too pushy — the focus should be on the ROI of choosing something like your product, not necessarily your brand itself. 

The goals of this stage are to continue nurturing relationships, gather email addresses , and build a steady following on social media. Sales and marketing can track returning visitors, banner CTA click-through rates, and visitor recency. 

Consideration Stage Example

Let’s go back to our jaw-popper example:

This person now knows that they have dysfunction of the joints in the jaw. In the awareness stage, they learned that TMJ could be caused by various things — chewing too much gum or trauma, for example. They know that neither of those causes applies to them; during the consideration stage, they might pursue options related to nighttime grinding of the teeth. They might Google, “How to stop grinding teeth at night,” which brings back a blog post from a mouthguard company detailing the pros and cons of a mouthguard versus Botox versus physical therapy.

Decision Stage

In the decision stage, buyers have identified their preferred solution and are now evaluating the final contenders for specific products to solve their problem.

Sales reps and marketers can steer prospects toward choosing their product with content like case studies, demos, and testimonials.

The goals here are to maximize funnel conversion by converting leads to customers.

Decision Stage Example

At this stage, our example buyer might Google, “Best mouth guards for mild TMJ.” They are now ready to start actively comparing and selecting brands from whom they plan to purchase.

On its face, the buyer’s journey framework seems surprisingly simple and straightforward. It’s also a huge buzzword in sales; it’s easy to write this concept off as “ Sales 101 ” without giving it too much deep thought. 

But sellers need to consider the buyer’s journey in the context of how the average buyer makes purchases today:

• 72% of buyers use Google to do their research on pain points and products
• 67% of a buyer’s decision is determined through independent research, long before they ever reach out to sales
• 99% of buyers report that they would be happy to buy products through a more self-service model and would be comfortable doing so with a budget of up to $50,000

Sellers can use what they know about the buyer’s journey to align their pipeline accordingly.

In other words, the buyer’s journey framework enables marketers and salespeople to leverage what they know about their personas’ buying habits and subsequently meet them where they are with the appropriate content to foster the buying process. 

Customized Content

The more you know about how a prospect behaves throughout their path to purchase, the better you can tee up content that answers the exact questions they have.

The buyer’s journey helps sellers create digital marketing strategies intended to guide prospects according to their own needs and timeline rather than force their hands.

Lead Qualification

A funnel designed alongside the buyer’s journey will make the process of lead qualification fast and easy.

Marketers and sellers can gauge how ready a prospect may be by analyzing how they interact with your content marketing along the buyer’s journey. Tailored content can also expedite the process of churning poor fits.

Mindset Shift

With buyers taking the lion’s share of product research nowadays, it’s imperative that salespeople not become pushy with over-the-top pitches. Instead, salespeople should adopt the mindset of a trusted advisor or industry expert.

The buyer’s journey allows salespeople to shift their mindset from one of selling to one of helping by providing them a framework for the kinds of questions customers will ask when looking for a solution to their problem. 

The following steps will help you use the buyer’s journey framework to enhance your marketing strategies.

1. Define Your Buyer Persona

In order to fully understand the path your buyer takes to purchase, you first need to understand the buyer themself.

2. Understand the Journey Your Buyers Take

Once you’ve mapped your various buyer personas , you can use current customer data to help you understand how your most successful customers came to be.

Where did they start within the funnel? How did they find your brand? What content or marketing efforts resonated with them most, which helped convert them to the subsequent stages? You can reverse engineer your best accounts to figure out how they ultimately landed on your brand. 

3. Map Content to the Buyer’s Journey

When you’ve nailed down the exact content and persuasions your buyers need at the various stages of the buyer’s journey, you can create content that’s specifically designed to fill those gaps.

You can then structure your funnel with readily available content and linked to specific keywords. The more automation you can bring to this process, the better.

Following this process will allow sellers the ability to nurture all good-fit leads toward conversion. A whopping 96% aren’t ready to buy when they first encounter your brand, so having the right content at the right time is imperative.

The following are some rules of thumb to consider when it comes to designing content for your buyer’s journey. Of course, there are exceptions to these depending on specific company goals and operations; always ensure that sales and marketing strategy and execution are aligned to hit your targets most efficiently.

Potential buyers in the awareness stage are at the top of the funnel. The goal of content in the awareness stages is to encourage buyers to view your brand as a trusted source of information.

Blog posts are a great way to deliver vendor-neutral educational content. Many companies rely on them, and for a good reason — Research shows companies that blog generate 55% more traffic than companies that don’t.

You might also consider informational content like how-to videos and infographics .

Consideration

In the consideration stage, marketers will want to offer highly valuable content. In fact, the content should be so high-quality that you could consider charging for it. 

Avoid the temptation of keeping your best content behind lock-and-key, and instead, think about how to make the transaction work for both parties. You could, for example, offer up a well-researched ebook in exchange for a prospect’s email address. Guides, tip sheets, and templates are also great content resources for buyers in the consideration stage.

When buyers reach the decision stage, they are looking for a reason to say yes. Give them the assurances they need through data-backed content like white papers and reports or social proof in the forms of testimonials and case studies. Webinars are another powerful tool in pushing buyers over those last hurdles. 

In the decision stage, it’s okay for content to be more on the persuasive side — but, as always, it should also be authentic and honest.

Here’s a more comprehensive list of the different types of content your team might use throughout the buyer’s journey:

Has your team mapped your buyer’s journey yet? What benefits have you reaped from the process?

If you haven’t, start by outlining your buyer persona and use that to begin forming your buyer’s journey framework.

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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.

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Buyer Journey Mapping in 7 Easy Steps [EXAMPLES + TEMPLATE]

Apr 15, '22 / by Beth Carter

Editor’s Note: This blog post was originally written by Christina Bockisch and published in 2018. We have refreshed and updated the post to include more helpful examples!

I had just moved to Boston. In November. My legs were freezing, cold air was whistling up the back of my jacket and I couldn’t stop shivering.

I recognized I had a problem, so I turned to Google to do some research. I read a couple of articles and browsed some different styles of jackets. Soon I realized the best solution for me was a parka, instead of the warm-but-too-short jacket I currently had. So, I braved the Boston cold, went to multiple stores all over the city, and found a thick The North Face parka that saved me from freezing.

In other words, I completed my buyer’s journey.

In the story above, my buyer’s journey began the moment I realized I had a problem: I’m cold. I then went on to define my problem: My short jacket doesn’t keep my legs warm enough. Next, I identified a solution: I need a parka. And finally, I chose the right brand to solve my problem: The North Face.

It’s a simple example, sure. But whether you’re selling something as straightforward as winter jackets or as complex as SAP cybersecurity software, it’s important to understand how your potential customers think about their pain points as they move through this buyer’s journey and make their buying decision. This enables you to create content that directly aligns to each stage in that journey, which in turn enables you to deliver a far superior customer experience. And yet, it’s surprising how many B2B marketers ignore the buyer’s journey in their content strategy process.

What is the buyer’s journey?

The buyer’s journey describes the process your buyers go through as they become aware of a problem, evaluate potential solutions to their problem, and ultimately decide on the specific solution that’s right for them.

In marketing terms, we think of these stages of the buyer’s journey as:

• Awareness stage
• Consideration stage
• Decision stage

Awareness Stage

In the awareness stage, a person is experiencing symptoms of their pain point, but they don’t quite understand exactly what their problem is. Their goal at this stage is to help your customer more clearly define the problem they’re experiencing.

• I have a sore throat. Am I getting sick?
• I’m not getting enough traffic to my website. Why?
• Our production machinery is getting old. Is it time to replace it?

To create content that helps buyers in the awareness stage, focus on addressing pain points, challenges and goals at a relatively high level. Make sure the content is informative and resist the urge to start selling the buyer on your particular solution to their problem. Keep it low pressure.

Useful content like guides, blog posts, infographics, and quizzes will help your buyers wrap their heads around their pain points, so they can figure out what their next step should be.

Consideration Stage

In the consideration stage, the person understands what the problem is and begins researching possible solutions.

• I have all the symptoms of strep throat. Should I see a doctor, or should I try a home remedy?
• My website is not properly optimized for search engines. Would it help to start a blog?
• We should begin planning now to replace our machinery next year. What features of a new model will be important for us?

Businesses often struggle with creating consideration stage content because it feels like the right time to start promoting your business as the best solution. Don’t! Instead, the consideration stage is the perfect opportunity to serve up in-depth content that acknowledges different approaches that could possibly work for the buyer. Among these options, you can still (subtly) position your company as the best solution.

Consideration-stage content is also a terrific way to identify potential good-fit leads – the buyers who are right for your business and can benefit from product or service you sell.

Decision Stage

In the decision stage, the person has settled on a specific approach and is putting together a short list of vendors to possibly buy from. Their goal here is to narrow down that list and ultimately make a final buying decision.

• I think I should go to urgent care. Here are the urgent care centers near me that also accept my insurance.
• I would like to blog, but I need help. Here is a list of three agencies that might be a good fit for me.
• We need better production automation capabilities. Here are the models on the market today that offer what we need.

With decision-stage content, you can finally openly promote your product or service. Show how you solve your buyer’s problems and explain why your option is the best approach. Be honest yet humble, and wherever possible back up any claims with data. For example, rather than unprovable statements like “We are the best in the market,” instead try to be more specific: “We have a 4.9 out of 5 rating on this industry site” or “We helped Company XYZ grow by 50% last year.”

Data sheets, comparison blog posts, case studies, ROI calculators, and buying guides are powerful content for the decision stage.

An important note about the buyer’s journey stages

In an ideal world, every person would move through the buyer’s journey exactly the way I described above – in a straight line from awareness to consideration to decision. And as they move through that journey, they’d have all the information they needed to make a purchase decision once they arrive at the decision stage.

Unfortunately, real life is rarely so neat and tidy.

People today don’t always move through this journey in a linear fashion. Buyers are human. They’ll jump around, skip stages, and sometimes go backwards rather than forward. They can even get all the way to the decision stage only to realize they misidentified their pain point, which means they have to start the whole buying journey process all over again.

Your job as a marketer is to plan for as many of these situations as possible. The best way to do this is to create a content strategy that covers all the stages of the buyer’s journey. This will ensure that no matter where someone is in their specific journey, when they find your brand, they’ll find all the information they need to make an informed buying decision.

Related Content: Content With Purpose: How to Align Content to the Buyer’s Journey

7 steps for mapping the buyer’s journey.

Now that you have a better understanding of what the buyer’s journey is, here is a helpful buyer journey framework for you to follow when building your content strategy.

1. Define your buyer personas.

I think I say this every time I write a blog, but if you haven’t already created your buyer personas, stop what you’re doing and create them now. Seriously.

If you don’t know who your buyers are – and specifically if you don’t know your buyer persona’s challenges, questions, and goals they’re trying to accomplish – you’ll have a hard time creating a buyer journey map and accurately aligning your content to that journey.

For guidance on getting started with buyer personas, check out this post that highlights specific questions to ask during buyer persona interviews.

These sample buyer persona templates may also be helpful.

Okay, so let’s assume you have your buyer personas fully identified and documented. Now you’re ready to start building your journey map.

2. What are your most important buyer persona challenges?

To map the awareness stage of the buyer’s journey, first, identify the obstacles and problems that prevent your buyer from accomplishing their goals.

Next, think about how your buyer first begins to realize this obstacle or problem even exists. What challenges begin to emerge? What concerns do they begin to have? What puts this on their radar?

There will be a lot to think about here, so write it all down. (Side note: Now would be a good time to download the Buyer’s Journey Toolkit we provided above. Trust me, it’ll help tremendously.)

3. What are all the possible solutions to these problems?

To map the consideration stage of the buying journey, think about the different approaches your buyer might consider as they try to figure out how to solve their problem. After all, there’s usually more than one way to skin a cat. Is there a do-it-yourself approach? Are there off-the-shelf solutions? Or does the problem require something more specialized or customized?

As the buyer explores these different solutions, what questions will be top of mind for them? What concerns will they likely have?

4. What other companies offer your type of solution?

To map the decision stage of the buying journey, list the other companies that offer a type of solution comparable to yours. (I’ll admit that thinking about your competitors is no fun, but it needs to be done.)

What questions will your buyer have when they vet each of these competitors? How will they evaluate these options? Which features will be most important to their decision?

For example: Your buyer might quickly cross “do nothing” off the list. But they’ll also probably look closely at all their software options, looking at things like cost, functionality, and ease of use. They might conduct a few demos to get a feel for how the different software options work.

Similarly, they might start building a short list of IT service providers. They might look for case studies to see how the different service providers work. And they might even contact you for a consultation to see if you’d be a good fit for them.

5. Identify points of friction along the buyer’s journey.

Whew – you’ve mapped out the awareness, consideration and decision stages of the buyer’s journey. Congratulations! But your work isn’t done quite yet.

What might prevent the buyer from moving smoothly from one stage to the next? What challenges do they encounter during their journey? What might cause them to move backward? What might prevent them from making a purchasing decision?

And what can you do to ensure this doesn’t happen and that you’re providing the smoothest customer experience possible?

This is going to require you to think hard about what your buyers are actually doing rather than what you hope they’re doing. But by identifying these possible points of friction that might prevent a buyer from becoming a customer, you’ll be able to create content that truly helps and sells.

6. How does your existing content fit into this buyer’s journey?

You likely already have some content on your website, like blogs, ebooks, guides, consultations and more. Audit your existing content , and think about where each piece falls in in this customer experience map. Which content addresses pain points and challenges at a high level? Which content is focused on specific solutions? Which content proactively sells your business as the right partner?

Don’t rush through this step.

Once you have a good handle on what role your content can play, map each piece of content to the corresponding stage of the buyer’s journey.

7. Create new content to fill in the gaps.

Now that you know where your existing content fits into the buyer’s journey, identify any gaps. Many B2B marketers find they have a lot of awareness-stage and decision-stage content but that they don’t have enough consideration-stage content. Don’t stress – this is totally normal.

As you strategize how to fill in these content gaps, we recommend starting at the end of the buyer’s journey and moving backward. In other words, first create your decision-stage content, then consideration, and then awareness. This accomplishes two things: First, it helps you keep your eye focused on converting buyers into customers . And second, it ensures that for every new content piece you create, you already have a “next step” to point to.

For example, if you first create a decision-stage vendor comparison checklist and then you create a consideration-stage ebook, when a buyer downloads the ebook you're able to share your vendor comparison checklist with the buyer as a natural next step. But if you start by creating the ebook, you won’t have any next-step content ready to share with those buyers.

As you’re creating all this new content, continually refer back to your buyer journey map. Make sure each piece of content addresses the specific questions, challenges, and goals your buyers have at each stage of the game.

When you do this, you’ll provide helpful, valuable and relevant information that provides your buyers with the information they need when they need it and reduces friction along the way – ultimately leading to happy, satisfied customers who will turn into promoters of your brand.

Now that you know what the buyer’s journey looks like for your customers, it’s time to create content for each stage of this journey. Download our free editorial calendar template and start planning your content today!

Topics: Content Marketing , Strategy

Written by Beth Carter

I love to write and I'm a total grammar freak. I also passionately believe that conversational, approachable and insightful content can help people solve real problems and can make a real difference in the world.

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Stages of the Buyer’s Journey: Content Guide

If you’re in marketing, e-commerce, or you own your own business, the term “buyer’s journey” may already be familiar to you. Yet, you may need an extra nudge to tear away from your busy schedule to develop a content strategy informed by the stages of the buyer’s journey. 

If this sounds like you, now is the time to reacquaint yourself with the importance of the buyer’s journey. With this in mind, you can create solid content for each stage and each customer.  

What Is the Buyer’s Journey?

The buyer’s journey is the process by which a potential buyer educates themselves on products or services and becomes a customer. Some formats of the buyer’s journey extend the process past the sale point to stress customer loyalty and repurchasing. 

Consider your own experiences with searching for services as you build your customers’ buyer journey. This alone will give you insight into what types of material your prospect needs to see before taking the plunge to become a customer. 

What Are the Stages of the Buyer’s Journey? 

There are three main stages to a buyer’s journey. You must create unique content, tailored to each stage to guide a prospect from discovery to purchase. These steps include 1) the awareness stage , 2) the consideration stage , and 3) the decision stage . 

The natural research process means the depth of the questions will grow with each stage. It’s your job to identify and deliver what information your prospects need for each stage. If they leave your site confused or uninformed, they might seek out your competition.

The prospective buyer should fit into your buyer personas, but that doesn’t mean they know you’re their ideal solution. You have to show them. If you haven’t identified your buyer personas, you’ll want to do that before creating content.

Learn more in our article Your Guide to Creating Buyer Personas for Your Business .

1. Awareness Stage

The first stage of the journey is the awareness stage . The buyer begins researching after knowing what they want or what problem they need to solve. 

For example, imagine your competitors are receiving a lot of press in industry trade magazines. You may start your search with “How to promote my business in print magazines.” Alternatively, if you’re aware of the industry, you may search “PR services.” 

During the awareness stage, your buyers may look for a specific service. But, often, they have a problem and look to you (via Google) to provide an answer. 

With this in mind, you must provide content that meets the buyer where they are. For many, that means you must explain the answer to their problem or question and how your solution can help.  

Types of Content: 

In this stage, certain types of content can be effective in getting the attention of potential customers. Effective content will encourage them to continue their journey to the second stage.

• Paid Ads: When you bid on relevant terms, paid ads may increase your exposure with your audience. . However, this method is often pricey, especially if your terms are competitive.  Consider using paid ads in a supplementary role, instead of relying on it as your primary source to attract leads. 
• Blog Posts : Blogging is effective throughout the buyer’s journey to answer questions pertinent to each stage. Keep in mind your audience and their familiarity with industry terms and concepts. This stage should start from the very beginning and answer common questions relevant to your product or service. Consider what questions a customer may have as they browse solutions and competitors. 
• Videos: Videos offer a visual platform for answering questions and explaining concepts. Posting videos on your website or YouTube can increase traffic and raise awareness of your business and services.

2. Consideration Stage

Next, the buyer moves to the consideration stage. At this stage, the buyer has conducted initial r esearch, understands their problem and has a basic idea of what solutions exist. During this stage, the buyer conducts greater research into potential solutions.

Your goal is to cater to the customer’s needs by describing your solution and why your solution is the best for them. To do this, you must understand the competitor landscape and how your business differs.

What makes you different should be what sets you apart. It should give you momentum to write compelling content that persuades your audience. It’s essential to consider your customer’s needs, and likely emotions, during this stage.

A potential buyer may have fears stemming from emotion, fears of financial loss, poor service, time management. For example, an investment agency may have clients who fear involvement in the market. It’s important to address these fears in your content and fight fear with facts.

Positive emotion is another consideration to play off of in your content strategy. There may be positive emotions associated with a potential purchase. They may wonder if your service will build their name recognition, enhance their wealth, or other positive factors. Your content should understand the motivation of a client and how to address both positive and negative emotions.

This stage should highlight your solution, how it meets their needs, and why it’s better than your competition. Beware of overselling your product and turning your content into an advertisement. 

Buyers are perceptive and trained to spot an advertisement. Instead, provide facts and seek above all to be informative and helpful. This tone will help you create content buyers want while earning their trust.

• Email drip campaigns: Drip campaigns can be tremendously helpful in educating potential buyers. If they were interested enough to provide their email address, they’re likely interested in learning more about your services. Target your email content to potential buyers and offer them relevant product information and education.
• Case studies: Facts and figures go a long way in a data-driven world. Case studies offer practical examples of success and instill confidence in your company’s abilities. 
• Comparison charts: No matter what industry you are in, competitor information is easy to discover. Your potential customers are likely searching for the best deal and the service that best fits their needs. Streamline their search and provide the information for them. Inform them on the different solutions, their pros and cons, and allow the customer to make an educated choice.
• Whitepapers: Develop Whitepapers to help your clients understand your area of expertise, your services, and how you can help them. 

3. Decision Stage

Congratulations! Your prospective buyer is informed and ready to decide. Now, you need to provide an incentive for them to make the right choice—your company.

This last stage must convince the buyer that your company is the best. This could include an in-depth guide or an incentive, like a discount or free consultation.

Types of Content:

Offers: Include copy with exclusive offers inside. Incorporate offers into your email strategy or include them on a landing page on your website. Downloadable guides: If your informed prospective buyer isn’t quite ready to commit, consider sending them a downloadable guide or other useful resource that highlights your company’s specific services. Demo: A B2B or SaaS company can offer live demos to confirm the service’s usefulness and motivate the customer to purchase.

3 Stages vs. 5 Stages of the Buyer’s Journey

Some identify the buyer’s journey with five stages instead of the three mentioned above. In the five stage version, the first three stages remain the same with retention and loyalty added as steps four and five, as seen below. 

• Consideration

For the sake of clarity, the five stage version may help you think through customer decisions post-purchase. Your existing client base is the best place to increase your revenue, as they’ve already determined your worth in the past. 

Keeping retention and loyalty in mind throughout your content strategy is essential to long-term success and growth as a company. Even if they don’t repeat buy, delighted customers can become advocates for your brand and a resource for referrals. 

With that in mind, let’s review these two final stages of the process.

4. Customer Retention

The unofficial fourth stage of the buyer’s journey is customer retention. Don’t assume that all customers are brand advocates. By following up with your customers post-purchase, you can offer satisfactory customer service and support for questions they may have. 

From the content perspective, there are several methods for supporting this stage:

• Troubleshooting articles: While this can directly apply to SaaS or IoT (Internet of Things) services, troubleshooting stretches beyond these industries. Your customer may have trouble understanding what they purchased, how to use it, or other various questions. By creating articles for existing customers, you offer support and can increase a customer’s experience.
• Recommendations: Perhaps one product or service is best used in conjunction with another. Make recommendations for how to get the most out of a buy.

For more information on this topic, read our blog, How To Improve Customer Retention and Boost Brand Advocacy .

5. Customer Loyalty

Make the most out of your customer relationships with this final stage in the process: customer loyalty. If you’re doing it right, there is no end to this stage. Happy customers should result in renewed contracts, strengthening your business. 

Your loyal customers should also be a source of new business. Tap into your existing resource of customer relationships to encourage referrals, and be sure to say a hearty “thank you” when they do. 

Consider these forms of content to incite customer loyalty:

• Announcements: Are you offering a new service or product? Is there a leadership change or a shift in your business method? Make sure your loyal customer base is aware. Segment your emails so your returning customers are up-to-date on any changes. 
• First access: Give your returning customers first access to new products, or allow them to test your products during the Beta stage. 
• Social media pages: Depending on your business, it may be appropriate to offer customer-only social media groups, such as a Facebook group. This can encourage loyalty, provide quick customer service for questions, and a community of motivated and engaged customers. 

Create Your Content Strategy

Understanding the buyer’s journey is the first step to creating informative, effective content. Brainstorm who your target customers are, what questions they have, what motivates them, and how you compare to leading competitors.

Your answers will fuel your content and help you nurture a prospective buyer through the buyer’s journey—developing an engaged and loyal customer base.

Lissie Kidd

Sr. marketing copywriter.

Lissie Kidd is a Sr. Copywriter with several hundred articles in her portfolio and even more edited and published under her supervision. Lissie holds a MA in Communications from Grand…

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Customer Journey Maps: How to Create Really Good Ones [Examples + Template]

Updated: April 17, 2024

Published: May 04, 2023

Did you know 70% of online shoppers abandoned their carts in 2022? Why would someone spend time adding products to their cart just to fall off the customer journey map at the last second?

The thing is — understanding your customer base can be very challenging. Even when you think you’ve got a good read on them, the journey from awareness to purchase for each customer will always be unpredictable, at least to some level.

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While it isn’t possible to predict every experience with 100% accuracy, customer journey mapping is a convenient tool for keeping track of critical milestones that every customer hits. In this post, I’ll explain everything you need to know about customer journey mapping — what it is, how to create one, and best practices.

Table of Contents

What is the customer journey?

What is a customer journey map, benefits of customer journey mapping, customer journey stages.

• What’s included in a customer journey map?

The Customer Journey Mapping Process

Steps for creating a customer journey map.

• Types of Customer Journey Maps

Customer Journey Mapping Best Practices

• Customer Journey Design
• Customer Journey Map Examples

Free Customer Journey Map Templates

Free Customer Journey Template

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• Buyer's Journey Template
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The customer journey is the series of interactions a customer has with a brand, product, or business as they become aware of a pain point and make a purchase decision. While the buyer’s journey refers to the general process of arriving at a purchase, the customer journey refers to a buyer's purchasing experience with a specific company or service.

Customer Journey vs. Buyer Journey

Many businesses that I’ve worked with were confused about the differences between the customer’s journey and the buyer’s journey. The buyer’s journey is the entire buying experience from pre-purchase to post-purchase. It covers the path from customer awareness to becoming a product or service user.

In other words, buyers don’t wake up and decide to buy on a whim. They go through a process of considering, evaluating, and purchasing a new product or service.

The customer journey refers to your brand’s place within the buyer’s journey. These are the customer touchpoints where you will meet your customers as they go through the stages of the buyer’s journey. When you create a customer journey map, you’re taking control of every touchpoint at every stage of the journey instead of leaving it up to chance.

For example, at HubSpot, our customer’s journey is divided into three stages — pre-purchase/sales, onboarding/migration, and normal use/renewal.

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Outline your company's customer journey and experience with these 7 free customer journey map templates.

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How To Buy a House: Steps To Buying a House for the First Time

The steps to buying a house for the first time might seem complicated—particularly if you’re a homebuyer trying to purchase real estate with no prior experience. Between down payments , credit scores, mortgage rates (both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate), property taxes, interest rates, and closing the deal, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. There’s so much at stake with a first home!

Still, if you familiarize yourself with how to buy a house beforehand, it can help you navigate the real estate market with ease. So let’s get started with what to know about buying a house for the first time!

How to buy a house? Follow these steps to buying a house for the first time

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn what it takes to buy a house for the first time, from beginning to end. Whether it’s your first time in the real estate market or you’re an experienced homeowner who wants to brush up on your skills, this is everything you need to know about how to buy a house.

Step 1: Start saving a down payment

One of the most important steps to buying a house for the first time? Figure out your finances. Buying a new home (particularly for the first time) requires a mortgage, where a lender fronts you the money and you pay it back over time. However, in order to get a mortgage, you’ll need some sort of down payment.

So how much do you need?

Ideally a down payment on a mortgage should be 20% of the home’s price to avoid added fees, but if you don’t have that much of a down payment, don’t worry. A mortgage down payment can be as low as 10%, 5%, or even 0% for certain types of mortgages (e.g., VA loans or a USDA loan ).

If saving up a downpayment is a real challenge, find out everything you can about government programs. A HUD home is a property owned by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. They require lower down payments for eligible participants and often sell at below-market prices.

Step 2: Check your credit score

Did you forget to pay off a couple of credit cards? Unfortunately, it’ll affect your credit score .

In addition to having a down payment, a first-time home buyer will need a decent credit score. This three-digit number is a numerical summary of your credit report, a detailed document outlining how well you’ve paid off past debts, such as credit card and college student loans.

A lender will check your score and report in order to estimate the odds that you will deliver your monthly payment, too.

In turn, the lender will use this info to decide whether or not to loan you money, as well as how much and at what interest rate . If a lender sees some late payments on your credit cards or other blemishes in your credit report, this can lower your odds of getting a loan with a great interest rate, or perhaps even jeopardize your chances of getting any loan at all.

So , it’s essential to know your credit score and take steps to bring it up to snuff with those overextended credit cards and high-interest debts. Here’s more on  how to check your credit score and what number is best for buying  a first home.

Step 3: Get pre-approved for a mortgage

Another one of the most important first-time home buyer steps? Seeking pre-approval from a lender for a home loan. This is where you meet with a loan officer, ideally a few at various mortgage companies.

Each mortgage lender will scrutinize your financial background—such as your debt-to-income ratio and assets—and use this info to determine whether to loan you money, and what size monthly payment you can realistically afford. This will help you target homes in your price range. And that’s good because a purchase price that’s beyond your financial reach will make you sweat your mortgage payment and put you at risk of defaulting on your loan.

As a buyer, just keep in mind that mortgage pre-approval is different from mortgage pre-qualification. Pre-qualify and you’re undergoing a much simpler process that can give you a ballpark figure of what you can afford to borrow, but with no promise from the lender. Getting pre-approved is more of a pain since you’ll have to provide tons of paperwork, but it’s worth the trouble since it guarantees you’re creditworthy and can truly buy a home.

Before they even meet with a lender, one step homebuyers can take to begin understanding what they can afford as a monthly mortgage payment is to plug their info into an online home affordability calculator . This will calculate the maximum amount you can afford as a monthly payment.

Step 4: Find a real estate agent

Want a trusty home-buying guide by your side? Most first-timers will want a great real estate agent—specifically a buyer’s agent , who will help them find the right houses, negotiate a great real estate deal, and explain all of the nuances of home buying along the way.

Here’s how to find a real estate agent in your area. Note: There is a difference between a real estate agent and a Realtor ® ; the latter is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and adheres to a code of ethics. Consider having a Realtor additional insurance so that you’ll get the help you need to ace the process.

Step 5: Go shop for a home!

This is the fun part! As a homebuyer, you can peruse thousands of real estate listings on sites such as Realtor.com , then ask your agent to set up appointments to see your favorites in person.

Since the sheer number of homes can become overwhelming, it’s best to separate your must-haves from those features you’d like but don’t really need. Do you really want a new home, or do you prefer a fixer-upper ? Make a list of your wants and needs to get started, and whittle down your options.

Step 6: Make an offer

Have you found your dream home? Then it’s time to make an offer to the seller. Be prepared to write a check to the seller—it’s called “ earnest money ,” and it’s different from the deposit.

Here’s more on how to make an offer on a house  that a seller can’t refuse.

Step 7: Get a home inspection

A home inspection is where you hire a home inspector to check out the house from top to bottom to determine if there are any problems with it that might make you think twice about moving forward. Think: termites , faulty foundation, mold , asbestos, etc. Sure, a lot can go wrong, but rest assured that most problems are fixable.

Step 8: Get a home appraisal

Even if you got pre-approved for your home loan, your lender will want to conduct a home appraisal. This is where the lender checks out the house to make sure it’s a good investment. It’s similar to a home inspection, but for your lender.

Here’s more about how to buy a house and the home appraisal process  and what to expect as a buyer.

Step 9: Head to closing

Closing, which in different parts of the country is also known as settlement or escrow , brings together a variety of parties who are part of the real estate transaction, including the buyer, seller, mortgage representative, and others.

Closing is the day you officially get the keys to your new home—and pay all the various parties involved. That will include your down payment for your loan, plus closing costs, the extra fees you pay to process your loan.

Closing costs can be sizable, averaging anywhere from 2% to 7% of the home price.

Here’s more on closing costs for homebuyers .

Step 10: Move in!

Done with closing? Got your loan? Congratulations, you’ve officially graduated from a homebuyer to a homeowner! See, the long-term process of buying a first home wasn’t so scary after all, right? Now, it’s time to kick back and enjoy the many benefits of becoming a homeowner.

Judy Dutton is executive editor at Realtor.com covering news and advice about personal finance, homebuying, selling, decorating, and all things real estate. You can reach her at [email protected].

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First Time Home Buyer Loans with Bad Credit and Zero Down

August 24, 2024 by Marco Santarelli

Imagine standing in your own home, feeling the excitement and pride of ownership wash over you. For many, this picture represents a significant milestone, symbolizing investment in both stability and the future. However, the journey toward homeownership can seem daunting, especially for those exploring  first-time home buyer loans with bad credit and zero down .

If you find yourself in a challenging financial situation, you may believe that owning a home is an unreachable dream. But the reality is, there are options available that can help transform that dream into a tangible reality—even if your credit history isn’t perfect and your savings are minimal.

Key Takeaways

• Zero Down Payment Options:  Some programs exist that allow buyers to purchase a home with no down payment required.
• Bad Credit Doesn’t Mean No Home:  Many lenders cater to buyers with less than perfect credit scores.
• Government-Backed Loans:  Options like FHA, VA, and USDA loans can assist first-time buyers with lower credit scores.
• Importance of Credit Repair:  Improving your credit score can significantly expand your borrowing options and potential interest rates.
• Pre-Approval is Crucial:  Understanding your budget helps streamline your home search and secures competitive offers.

Navigating the path to homeownership can be achieved with the right knowledge, strategies, and support. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore various  first-time home buyer loans with bad credit and zero down  options. We will discuss government-backed programs, how lenders assess applications with bad credit, and what you can do to improve your chances of qualifying for a loan.

Understanding the Challenges of Bad Credit

Bad credit can generally be defined as having a credit score below 650 , although different lenders may have varying thresholds. This situation can result from multiple factors, such as late payments, high debt-to-income ratios, or even prior bankruptcy or foreclosure. When seeking a mortgage, many lenders view bad credit as high risk, often leading to denials or unfavorable terms.

However, dismissing the possibility of homeownership just because of bad credit is a mistake. It’s essential to recognize that numerous financial institutions and programs cater specifically to buyers with imperfect credit histories. Understanding what constitutes bad credit and how it impacts lending decisions can significantly empower you to make informed choices on your journey to owning a home.

Zero Down Payment Home Buyer Programs

One of the compelling aspects of purchasing a home is the potential to do so without a large initial investment. Numerous programs exist that allow buyers to purchase homes with  no down payment  required, especially aimed at first-time home buyers. Here are a few noteworthy options:

• VA Loans : Available for veterans and active members of the military, VA loans are among the most advantageous home financing options. These loans enable eligible borrowers to purchase homes without a down payment and do not require private mortgage insurance (PMI). VA loans benefit not only from favorable terms but also from competitive interest rates , making them a robust choice for service members.
• USDA Loans : If you're considering purchasing in rural or suburban areas, USDA loans may be your gateway to affordable homeownership. These loans offer zero down payment financing to eligible low to moderate-income buyers who meet specific requirements. The USDA loan program aims to promote homeownership in less populated areas, making it a fitting choice for many.
• FHA Loans : Although FHA loans typically require a down payment (as low as 3.5%), they are generally available to borrowers with lower credit scores. FHA loans can help individuals with bad credit gain access to financing that might otherwise be unavailable through conventional means. It is important to note that the FHA insures loans, which allows lenders to offer more lenient terms, including those for buyers with poor credit.

How Do Lenders Evaluate Bad Credit?

When considering a mortgage application , lenders analyze a comprehensive view of your financial state, rather than simply focusing on your credit score. The components that contribute to a successful mortgage application include:

• Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI) : This crucial measurement evaluates the proportion of your monthly income allocated to debt payments, including loans and proposed mortgage payments. A lower DTI indicates that you are less risky to lenders, thereby improving your chances of securing a loan.
• Employment History : A stable employment record showcases reliability when applying for a mortgage. Most lenders prefer candidates who have maintained consistent employment for at least two years.
• Down Payment : Providing a larger down payment can positively impact your application, even with bad credit. A bigger down payment reduces the lender’s risk and demonstrates your commitment and financial responsibility.
• Credit Repair Efforts : Prior to applying for a mortgage, many buyers take proactive measures to enhance their credit scores. This may involve paying down debts, ensuring bills are paid on time, and disputing any inaccuracies on their credit reports.

The Importance of Pre-Approval

Before embarking on your house-hunting journey, securing a  pre-approval  for a mortgage is paramount. Pre-approval signifies that a lender has assessed your financial situation and is willing to provide a specified loan amount. The benefits of being pre-approved include:

• Understanding Your Budget : Knowing you have a pre-approval helps clarify your budget, ensuring you do not fall in love with homes that are financially out of reach.
• Competitive Offer : When sellers see that you have been pre-approved, it signifies that you are a serious buyer who is financially capable. This can make your offer more appealing compared to those of non-pre-approved buyers.
• Streamlined Process : With financing already arranged, you can save considerable time during negotiations, allowing you to move quickly when you discover the perfect home.

Navigating the Home Loans Market with Bad Credit

Engaging with  real estate agents  who specialize in assisting first-time home buyers can greatly ease the process. These professionals often possess invaluable knowledge about local housing markets , properties suited to your needs, and neighborhoods that align with your budget.

Additionally, it’s important to be aware of local programs designed to help buyers facing challenges due to bad credit. Many states have initiatives aimed at first-time homebuyers, offering mortgage assistance, grants, and even educational programs to guide individuals through the purchasing process.

Potential Pitfalls to Consider

While the opportunities abound for homebuyers with bad credit, it's critical to remain aware of potential pitfalls associated with these financing options:

• Higher Interest Rates : Individuals with bad credit may face higher interest rates, resulting in more significant monthly payments and inflated overall home costs.
• Fewer Loan Choices : With a lower credit score, mortgage options can be more limited. This limitation may restrict your flexibility regarding loan terms and conditions.
• Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) : Loans like FHA often require PMI, which can considerably raise your monthly expenses. It’s essential to factor this additional cost into your home-buying budget.

A Journey of Hope and Possibility

Finding  first-time home buyer loans with bad credit and zero down  might appear to be a daunting task filled with obstacles, yet with the right preparation and knowledge, it is absolutely achievable. Understanding the available options, working alongside reputable professionals, and being cognizant of your financial status are vital steps in navigating the buying process smoothly.

In a marketplace where many buyers remain hesitant due to the fear of bad credit, it’s crucial to recognize that several pathways exist for first-time buyers , especially those who may feel cornered by their financial history.

A journey toward homeownership extends beyond merely financial considerations; it encapsulates the aspiration to create a place called home—a unique endeavor that countless individuals yearn for.

In this landscape of possibilities, it is vital to remain optimistic and proactive. Equip yourself with knowledge, remain open to various funding options, and approach the experience with enthusiasm and preparedness. Soon enough, you could be enjoying the many rewards of homeownership that come from diligence and determination.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Are there specific lenders that focus on first time home buyer loans with bad credit and zero down?

Yes, several lenders specialize in programs for first-time homebuyers with bad credit. It’s wise to research various lenders and inquire about their willingness to work with lower credit scores and recommend the best loan options tailored to your situation.

2. What credit score do I need to qualify for a zero down payment loan?

While specific requirements vary, most agencies and lenders prefer a minimum credit score of at least 580 to qualify for FHA loans with a low down payment. VA loans typically do not have a minimum credit score requirement, making them a strong option for veterans.

3. Can I still get a mortgage if I have collections on my credit report?

Yes, you can still qualify for a mortgage with collections on your credit report. However, lenders may consider the age of the collections and how recent they are when making their decision. Some lenders may require a certain period has passed since resolving collections or may ask for higher down payments.

4. How can I improve my chances of getting a loan with bad credit?

To improve your chances, try working on your credit score before applying. Ensure timely payments, reduce credit card balances, and dispute any inaccuracies on your credit report. Additionally, saving for a down payment—even a small one—can significantly enhance your application.

5. What documents do I need to apply for a first-time home buyer loan?

Typically, you’ll need several documents, including proof of income, tax returns for previous years, bank statements, and documentation verifying your identity. Specific requirements can vary by lender, so it’s beneficial to check with your chosen bank or mortgage company for their unique requirements.

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About Marco Santarelli

Marco Santarelli is an investor, author, Inc. 5000 entrepreneur, and the founder of Norada Real Estate Investments – a nationwide provider of turnkey cash-flow investment property.  His mission is to help 1 million people create wealth and passive income and put them on the path to financial freedom with real estate.  He’s also the host of the top-rated podcast – Passive Real Estate Investing.

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Four key themes emerged from the latest EY Mobility Consumer Index.  

Even digital savvy EV buyers seek in-person reassurance when making a large financial commitment.

Dealers have an important role to play across the five groups of customer personas.

• Dealers and OEMs need to adapt existing skills and assets to exploit adjacencies to emerging products and services.

I t’s no secret that major shifts are underway in automotive retail — from the product-centric and dealership-driven physical sales models of the past to the customer-centric, digitally enabled models of the future. But what are the consumer behaviors and expectations underpinning these changes, and have OEMs and dealers got their priorities right when it comes to addressing them?

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The findings of the latest EY Mobility Consumer Index (MCI) survey suggest that becoming customer centric is only partly about providing an enhanced digital experience. The physical dealership remains a powerful draw for consumers, who continue to place a high priority on the human factor when buying a car. This heightened focus on customer centricity is also an important factor in identifying and accessing emerging value pools in the automotive ecosystem. These value pools represent emerging and adjacent avenues for revenue and profitability growth. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and dealers need to align their customer-centric strategies to maintain sustained growth in the long term.  

Now in its fourth year, the EY MCI report has become known for its detailed analysis of the mobility patterns and car-buying intentions of 14,500 consumers in 20 countries across the globe. Our results show that the dealership retains a crucial role for buyers of both electric vehicles (EVs) and internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, particularly in terms of experiencing a new car physically and for assurance that they have made the right vehicle choice. The relationships that consumers develop with dealer staff are important to them and drive loyalty. Even the more digitally savvy cohorts of EV buyers still like to have dealership staff on hand to answer questions about what remain relatively novel and fast-changing products in the minds of consumers, especially compared with the familiarity many feel toward ICE vehicles.  

At the same time, the use of digital channels for some parts of the buying journey is on the rise, particularly for stages such as pre-sales research and information gathering, and aftersales support.  

Consequently, the overall picture is more complicated and nuanced than the prevailing narrative suggests — beneath the overarching digital transition trend lie many different groups of automotive customers whose preference is for a varying combination of digital and physical channels.  

The challenge for both OEMs and dealers alike is how to become more truly customer centric through providing the omnichannel buying experiences that consumers actually want, while simultaneously maximizing long-term value for their own businesses by accessing novel as well as existing value pools.  

This article will look at four key themes inherent to that challenge, as revealed by the MCI report:  

1.       Navigating the EV vs. ICE buyer divide

2.       Reassure the enthusiasts, convince the skeptics

3.       Shifting gears: OEMs transform sales models

4.       Finding your place in the emerging value pools

Navigating the EV vs. ICE buyer divide

Our study suggests that for all buyers, whether ICE or EV, the purchasing journey increasingly starts online. While the buyers initiate their car buying journey online, they swiftly transition to dealerships for subsequent stages. When it comes to initial research and information gathering about a new vehicle, 83% of ICE buyers and 90% of EV buyers prefer to use online channels (including social media, third-party apps and dealership or OEM websites). Buyers also show a preference for digital channels in presales activities, such as using online car configurators, virtual reality car viewers and booking test drives.

However, digital first does not mean digital only. As the buying journey progresses, consumer preference shifts to include dealer visits to interact with real salespeople, to experience cars in the metal and to obtain in-person quotes. And when it comes to the actual purchase, the preference among all buyers for dealerships over online channels has actually seen a steady increase, up from 54% in 2021 to 61% in 2023.

Perhaps most strikingly of all, more EV than ICE buyers prefer a dealership sale, despite EV buyers being ostensibly more digitally “savvy”: 64% of EV buyers prefer to make a purchase at a dealership rather than online, compared to 58% of ICE buyers. Cars are not mobile phones, and even digital natives seek in-person product information and reassurance when making what is still the second largest financial commitment for most, after their homes.

Our findings suggest that consumers look to dealers to bolster three key elements of the experience that they are not comfortable getting entirely online:

1. Education and assurance

EVs in particular are still relatively novel in the minds of consumers; many will be considering their first EV after many previous ICE purchases. They arm themselves with information gleaned online but look at knowledgeable dealer staff for a richer level of interaction and for assurance that they are making a suitable choice of vehicle for their needs.

2. Product experience

While virtual tours are a valuable hook for dealers and OEMs alike, consumers still prefer to physically experience a car before they commit to buying it. The proportion of all car buyers visiting dealers to experience a car is slightly up 3% from 2022 at 66%. We still believe there is a gap in sharing the EV experience i.e. what it’s like owning and operating an EV at home that can help the buying experience. 

3. Price discovery

Despite the growing popularity of fixed-price retail with OEMs, the majority of consumers polled in the survey (over 60% of both EV and ICE buyers) prefer to visit multiple dealers to secure the best quote for a particular vehicle. The proportion of all car buyers visiting dealers to get quotes is up 6% on 2022 at 61%.

Customer persona analysis: reassure enthusiasts, convince skeptics

This year’s MCI survey includes a segmentation analysis of all respondents, based on attitudinal questions to establish their level of EV mindedness. This revealed five groups of customer personas ranging from EV Skeptics — the least EV-minded cohort — at the left-hand end of the scale to EV Enthusiasts — the most EV minded — at the right-hand end. Our findings suggest that dealers have an important role to play across this spectrum, from reassuring the Enthusiasts to persuading skeptics to consider an EV. 1

EV Enthusiasts (13% of all buyers)

EV Enthusiasts are notable for the commitment to sustainability, they are risk seekers, and they prioritize performance over cost. They show the greatest preference for digital channels for initial research and information gathering and are the most likely group to use digitally advanced experience centers for product testing.

But despite being the most digitally forward of buyers in the survey, EV Enthusiasts still seek reassurance that they are making the best choice and show a marked preference for visiting a dealer for the later stages of the journey. Around two-thirds of EV Enthusiasts choose to visit multiple dealers for quotes and to experience the car, while 64% prefer a dealer to make their final purchase (compared with only 12% and 9% who prefer a manufacturer or dealer website, respectively). By engaging actively with EV Enthusiasts through events and on social media platforms, dealers can make powerful allies out of this group, converting them to ambassadors not only for EVs but also for the dealers themselves.

EV Skeptics (11% of all buyers)

EV Skeptics by contrast are eco-doubters, naturally conservative and risk averse, and seek affordability above all. They show a marked preference for using dealerships at all stages of the buying process — 67% use dealers for information gathering, 65% to experience the car and 69% to complete the purchase. Educating this group is crucial for achieving the transition to EV powertrains, and it will be dealers who get this job done, via personal interactions tailored to individual concerns. Skeptics can’t be recruited to the EV cause via digital channels because they either aren’t in those channels as much as other cohorts, or they don’t trust them enough.

Shifting gears: OEMs transform sales models

A more customer-centric approach is the key to unlocking future growth.

In response to changing customer behavior and the need to accelerate the EV transition, OEMS are in the midst of transforming their sales models from product centric to customer centric. They are doing so because they recognize that a more customer-centric approach is the key to unlocking future growth, allowing them to better fulfill customer needs at the same time as reducing costs. The traditional dealership is being challenged by two alternative sales and distribution models in an effort to make this shift: the agency retail model and the direct-to-consumer model.

• The direct-to-consumer model. This model is favored by new entrant OEMs who do not have a legacy distribution network. The direct-to-consumer model promises a high degree of control around pricing and the customer journey. But building reach and scale requires substantial investment from the OEM, and being close to the customer is only of value if the business can identify changing customer needs and agile enough to respond to them quickly.
• The agency retail model. For incumbent OEMs looking to transition their legacy dealer networks, the agency retail model is increasingly becoming the favored option. This model offers more exposure to the customer and greater control of pricing and experience to the OEM while also making best use of their legacy dealership distribution networks. 

It’s still early days for the transition from traditional to agency retail models and many OEMs are experimenting with how — and how fast — to make the change. Trials include making new outlets in some geographies agency only, and splitting sales models between powertrains, with EV sold via the agency route and ICEs by traditional dealerships. OEMs also need to look at the scale and scope of their existing networks with a view to rightsizing them for the needs of new sales models.

Too far, too fast?

Whatever strategies OEMs are employing and whatever stage they are at in understanding and implementing these new models, they are all based on a few assumptions around consumer behavior:

• Buyers prefer fixed prices to haggling for the best deal.
• Virtual channels can replace physical ones for product experience and test drives.
• Online channels will naturally become the predominant way of buying cars.

But these assumptions are not entirely borne out by the findings around real-world customer behavior and preferences. As the segmentation analysis shows, there are many different types of car buyers, each at a different stage on their journey toward buying an EV. OEMs need to meet all these potential customers on their own distinct terms and at whatever stage they have reached, rather than expecting those customers to conform to predefined expectations.

In their eagerness to embrace digital channels and cut costs associated with dealerships, OEMs risk not only damaging their established relationships with dealers, but also missing out on long-term value by becoming less customer focused rather than more and detracting from rather than enhancing the buying experience. A blended approach is key in the mid-term.  Continued focus on more model choices, range improvements, infrastructure and charging times, and cost still need to be on the forefront for making EV’s as the desired choice for consumers. 

Finding your place in the emerging value pools

Adapt existing skills and assets to exploit adjacencies to emerging products and services.

If customer centricity is about giving customers what they want rather than making assumptions, the MCI data indicates their preference is for an engaging and essentially physical experience that is enhanced by digital. The person-to-person interaction of a dealer visit is still highly valued and forms the heart of the purchase journey.

But to really unlock sustainable long-term value, dealers and OEMs also need to find their place in the emerging landscape of new value pools. Where are your adjacencies — the emerging customer-led products and services that are nearest to those you already provide? How can your existing skills and assets best be adapted to exploit them?

The EY Mobility Value Pools framework offers an understanding of the new revenue opportunities emerging in passenger mobility to help equip dealers and OEMs to make informed, long-term strategic decisions about their own place in the value pool ecosystem of the future. As they explore opportunities in the emerging value pools specifically within the sales and distribution of vehicles, it is imperative for them to make the following key considerations:

• Customer data: While OEMs aim to gain greater control of customer data, they also need to identify the best way to leverage that data for better product, service and aftersales offerings while managing data confidentiality (this can be enabled by two-way data sharing between dealers and OEMs, and enhanced data analysis and insight). OEMs can also explore new ways to monetize the resulting closer relationships with customers.
• Retail footprint: OEMs need to implement rightsizing initiatives in dealer network (e.g., store formats, terminations) while fostering deeper online engagement with customers. OEMs and dealers also need to revise their current operating model (back and front office) by integrating new technologies that enable leaner operations and an improved customer experience.
• Pricing: As OEMs gain greater price control, they can look to adopt dynamic and customer-centric pricing strategies. These can include bundling prices with service offerings to drive customer loyalty and using artificial intelligence to provide predicted discounts and personalized prices.

So the sweet spot for dealers and OEMs lies at the point where customer insight meets digital and physical channels and where existing assets and skills meet emerging value pools. Find that sweet spot and you will earn not only the right to play in the auto retail market of the future, but also the right to win.

A special thank you to Jan Sieper, Partner Strategy & Transactions, Automotive Hub and Angsuman Sharma, EY Global Advanced Manufacturing & Mobility Analyst for his contributions to this article.

• How mapping the evolving consumer mindset is key to EV mass market appeal.

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EV demand has reached a tipping point. Learn how mobility sector players can keep up with evolving consumer expectations.

For all buyers, the purchasing journey increasingly starts online. As the process progresses, consumer preference shifts to include dealer visits. OEMs and dealers have the challenge of becoming more customer centric by providing omnichannel buying experiences while enhancing long-term value for their businesses by accessing new and existing value pools.

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