Email marketing can be frustrating but understanding a buyer’s journey can be very helpful in creating content and also targeting the best recipients. Read on as we explain email marketing and a buyer’s journey and how it can bring your digital marketing to the next level.
What Do You Mean By “A Buyer’s Journey?”
A “buyer’s journey” is the steps taken by buyers during their awareness, consideration, and final decision-making process when making a purchase. Everyone goes through it whether it is choosing a restaurant for dinner or buying a house.
The Awareness Stage
My husband and I have been considering purchasing a new refrigerator. The one we have currently stayed with the house when we purchased it. It runs ok but it is older, the ice machine will only give us crushed ice, it freezes up during warmer weather, and some of the drawers are breaking. After seeing ads for all the amazing new refrigerator models available now, it got us thinking about upgrading ours.
We are in the awareness stage of “a buyer’s journey.” We are becoming more aware of a problem or the need for an improvement in our lives. This is the stage in which buyers identify a challenge they are facing and whether or not a solution is a priority for them. This means we decide if our current refrigerator is really bothering us enough to warrant the purchase of a new one or if the upgraded refrigerator would make our lives that much easier.
What kind of emails are most appropriate for those in the Awareness Stage?
Chances are that when someone first subscribes to your emails they are in the awareness stage. They are learning about what you do and what problem your business can solve for them. In your welcome email and any early emails be sure to explain exactly what your business offers and what benefits your products or services can provide, but be sure to educate them along the way. This overall education is building towards the details of your products or service that will really hit home in the next stage. Remember to keep the language fairly simple as they may not understand the nuances of your product or service just yet.
The Consideration Stage
My husband opened the door of the freezer to get a beloved ice cream sandwich and ice fell everywhere. It overflowed again. (we have the arm down that is supposed to stop it but it does not work all the time) “I really don’t like this refrigerator!” he said through clenched teeth. It looks like we have moved from the awareness stage to the consideration stage. We have clearly defined the challenge we are facing and a goal of how to remedy it. In this stage, customers are giving deep thought to the best course of action. They are weighing the pros and cons of their upcoming decision. For us, the question now is not “Should we get a new refrigerator?” but instead “How long before we should get a new refrigerator?” Do we want to wait until this one totally gives out? Or would the reduced stress and frustration and increased functionality be worth making a purchase sooner?
What kind of emails are most appropriate for those in the Consideration stage?
Since you have already shared general education emails then the next stage is to really educate your client on why your product or service is worthwhile now. Highlight how life is improved or more enjoyable because of your business. Give real-life examples of how your product or service solves a problem or reduces stress. Your customers already know what you do or what you sell, now is the time to show why they need what you do or sell.
The Decision Stage
“We could get the refrigerator that has the drawers at the bottom!” My husband was excited. (Yes we are to that point in life where we get really excited about new appliances!) He had been browsing manufacturers and prices and had the measuring tape out to know what size our current refrigerator was. This is the decision-making stage of a buyer’s journey. We know we want our problem solved but we have to decide exactly how we want it solved- or rather if your business is the one who can solve it.
What kind of emails are most appropriate for those in the Decision stage?
This is where you want to highlight the pros of your product or service. If you have any sales, ads, or discounts, make sure your customers are aware of them. Reinforce the quality of your product or service. Anything that displays why someone should choose your business over another is perfect for those in the decision-making stage. I have a bad habit of putting items in my cart when online shopping but then waiting to make sure it is not just an impulse buy. This is where an “abandoned cart” email would be perfect. It is just a reminder email that is sent usually the next day basically saying “Hey you forgot something! What can I do to help?” These emails jog my memory and then I decide if I really need that product or if that was me shopping while I was sleepy again!
But Those Emails Seem Like a Lot of Work!
I hear you! How do you keep up with what email to send to who and when? It may seem overwhelming at first but as most things go in the world of digital marketing, there is a faster, smarter, and simpler way to do what you need to be done. At Dogwood, we are huge Mailchimp fans for our email marketing. We believe in them so much we are agency partners. Mailchimp allows you to create what is called a drip campaign. This is where a series of emails all pre-written by you (with the buyer’s journey in mind) can be scheduled to send out once a day, or a week or whatever schedule you feel best fits your business style. So you can create a drip-email campaign with the stages discussed above. This will help you easily create quality content too! That abandoned cart email I mentioned? Those are a breeze to set up with Mailchimp also.
Keep in mind too that the content composed for your email marketing campaign could easily be converted to work for social media marketing, blog content, and google ads. Putting a little time into composing quality content for your email marketing with a buyer’s journey in mind would be very worthwhile in all of your digital marketing!
Dogwood Can Help
Perhaps in your own buyer’s journey of managing your digital marketing for your business, you have realized your need for help. (your Awareness stage!) The fact that you are reading this blog post means you are considering what to do about it. Let us help you decide. Our crew at Dogwood can set up your email marketing campaign, help you know what to write and when to send it, and then take that stress from your already busy schedule. We can even make suggestions on other areas to focus on so that your quality content can reach a larger audience.
Digital marketing is what we do and because it is the focus of what we do, we are very good at it! We would love to get a conversation started with you!
