Understanding the Buyers Journey

Buyers Buy when they are ready to buy - not when we expect it.... But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't have a plan in place.

A buyer's journey is just another way of thinking about a Marketing funnel.

We each have different types of people that buys from us "the Buyer Persona- or Avatar" as it is often called.... And it helps to know this. But don't get stuck here. This is just a way to think about how to communicate effectively.

For example you wouldn't talk to new leads and existing clients in the same way right? That is where your persona's come in - how do you want to talk to them.

So in this simple example - the large circles are the various goals that are good to track, and the small circles are the average number of times a contact would interact with your information before accomplishing the next goal.

THIS EXAMPLE IS BASED ON AVERAGES - the only metric you need to count is your own. Get better at reaching each of these GOALS every month....and your business will grow.

The TABLE below gives you some examples of what would happen in each of those goals.

Within creating AWARENESS for your product or service, you would list any activity that would create traffic. FaceBook Ads, Google Advertising, Speaking, etc. And you would complete each column in those steps and connect the lines to map your buyers journey.

For Example - if you Speak and offer the same Lead Magnet each time - that would be a direct line. Where does the lead magnet take them? To book a call with you, or to get a few emails, or join your Facebook Group? Wherever it leads is what you put into the next column "Consideration"

In Marketing everything you do needs to lead to the next step - to build on what you are doing. So think in terms of the next steps.

CRITICAL STEPS:

Start where you are - no lead magnet - try taking them to a quick call. Not a writer, record an MP3 on your phone and send them that. Keep it simple.
I don't have an email autoresponder yet. You can do this with your Google account if you must, but I don't advise it. There are free programs out there to start with and it is worth the work.
It doesn't have to be linear. People will buy when they are ready so if you have your product available you can link back to that. Starting where you are!
Be prepared to change it up. If contacts aren't moving the way you expected add something else and see if you get better results. Build on it constantly.

The most important thing is to start. You cannot perfect what you are not testing. So get it out there and keep iterating until you get the results.