What a Marketer Must Continually Ask

The first activity I generally do when giving a marketing workshop—particularly if the emphasis is on sales—is to review the Buyer Decision-Making Model.

It’s crucial that business owners and salespeople clearly grasp the consumer thought process during purchase decisions. Getting into the brain of the consumer is the key to successful selling.

In order to do that, a marketer or a salesperson must understand the six steps every consumer takes when deciding to buy. Here is a brief summary of the Buyer Decision-Making Model and the six steps:

1) Awareness: the consumer must have some awareness of your product or service. Without awareness, nothing more will happen.
2) Interest: awareness is the first step, but the real push towards a purchase comes when there is interest.
3) Understanding: the consumer must clearly comprehend how the product or service can fulfill needs.
4) Attitude: after understanding the product or service, the consumer will develop a positive or a negative attitude towards the offering.
5) Purchase: purchasing is predicated on the previous four steps. Note that the first four steps may take seconds to complete, but a purchase decision may take more time.
6) Repeat Purchase: create so much satisfaction that the consumer returns to buy again, or they recommend your product or service to others (which in turn creates awareness, interest, etc.)

In which step does a marketer most influence the buyer?

Each and every step.

Thus, the most important question a marketer should continually ask is if their marketing message, copy and collateral drive the target audience towards purchase and repeat purchase.

Strategically, this means that a marketer must understand in which step their target currently resides. Without awareness, a marketer must get the word out. If there is interest, the marketer must create understanding and shape attitudes. Each message must target the audience appropriately to move buyers to the next level.

Understand how to move buyers through their decision-making process and you will understand how to best market your product or service. This understanding alone will move your business to the next level.