Similar to the software development process, your potential customer also goes through a path, divided into phases, until it is time to purchase a certain product or service. This path is called the purchasing journey and is, for the most part, completed independently.
The Marketing strategy must be aligned with the entire strategy and include Inbound and Outbound Marketing initiatives that aim to attract those who are interested in the website, transform these visitors into leads and nurture them over time.
The importance of the purchasing journey
Understanding the purchasing journey is very important, as it is through this that you can provide an excellent experience to the potential customer with the right content, at the right time.
The purchasing journey is divided into 4 phases – Learning and Discovery, Problem Recognition, Solution Consideration and Purchase Decision. Throughout these 4 phases, the marketing team demonstrates to the potential customer (or buyer persona ) through the most appropriate content what is behind the importance of purchasing a particular IT product/service.
The steps that are part of the purchasing journey
Companies that provide technology products and services and work based on the purchasing journey, present better results, because through it the marketing team can develop their marketing initiatives appropriate to the stage in which the potential customer may be.
1. Learning and Discovery
At this stage, the potential client does not yet know that they have a problem. They are learning more about the subjects that interest them and as they gain more uk number list knowledge they discover that there may be better, more efficient and simpler ways to perform their tasks. At this point, it is up to the IT company to present itself as an authority in the field, sharing educational and more general content in the form of blog articles, infographics or ebooks. For example, simplifying concepts and presenting the advantages of a certain approach.
2. Problem Recognition
At this stage, the potential customer has already identified that they have a problem or opportunity for improvement and is looking for ways to solve it. The IT company continues to provide educational content, but with an emphasis on responding to these challenges. For example, with tips, best practices, recommendations and steps to achieve a certain goal.
3. Consideration of the solution
After learning more about a given topic, recognizing that it is relevant to them and gaining insights that will help them along the way, the potential client looks for concrete solutions – that is, what is available on the market to solve the problem/objective. At this stage, the content should show how your company solves it. Datasheets, pages about the product/service on the website, events/webinars and success stories work very well here (the latter show how clients with similar challenges achieved results by choosing your solution).