Have you ever launched a new offer, only to be met by crickets from your audience.
No engagement.
No booked services.
No course enrollment.
When this happens, it’s easy for us business owners to take the failure personally. We start to think that our offers are garbage. We wonder if our sales copy is too sales-y sounding. We fear that we’ll never get anyone to buy from us or work with us again.
Getting no sales after spending weeks/months marketing your business stings a little.
And if this is happening to you, it could be that you’re promoting to an audience who isn’t ready to take action and buy. At least not yet. They might need a little more coaxing and information that will get them to a place where they feel confident in their ability to solve a problem, and your ability to help them do that.
This is a process called the buyer’s journey. It could take weeks/months/years for the people in your audience to successfully complete their journey (everyone is different and moves at their own pace), but one thing that can help your audience journey a little faster is by understanding the different stages they must pass through and the content you need to create to support them on their way.
So, let’s take a look at the stages of the buyer’s journey…
Problem Aware.
A person at this stage of the journey is aware that they have a problem, but they’re not really sure what’s causing it. And it might take them some time to figure this out. The majority of their time will be spent searching Google for answers, sending random DMs with tons of questions, and hoping that one day their suffering will come to an end.
For example:
Say someone is dealing with a massive insect infestation in their container vegetable garden. Plants are dying. They're not really sure what the bugs are, or what to do to get rid of them, but they know if they don’t do anything, they risk losing all of the produce that’s meant to feed their family throughout the summer months.
To help someone move out of this stage…
You need your audience to understand the root cause/s of their problem so that they’ll actively seek out a solution. Create blog posts, YouTube videos, and even social media posts that speak about the problems your audience is experiencing, making sure to bring up why they’re suffering and possible ways they can fix it.
Examples of content you could create during this stage:
“5 garden pests that will ruin your crops, and how to keep them out of your garden.”
“Why your container vegetables keep dying, and how to keep them alive.”
“Weird bugs on your tomato plants? The definitive guide to garden pests.”
Solution Aware.
A person at this stage understands their problem fully and is now seeking a way to solve it. There can be more than one way to solve this problem, so it’s important to know what your audience considers important and what aligns with their values. That way when you present solution options to your audience that support their desired goal.
For example:
When the gardener starts researching more about bug infestations, they correctly identify aphids as the cause of the destruction. They also find a variety of methods to remove the aphids from their plants. Some require pesticides. Others follow more “organic” removal techniques.
This particular gardener prefers an organic solution, so now they start Googling things like, “Organic pest control for container vegetable plants.”
To help someone move out of this stage…
You want to present all of the different ways your audience can solve their problem. Things like “how to” blog posts, workshops, and even webinars can be great ways to quickly solve a problem (and grow your email list in the process).
But, it’s important to remember that any solution you bring up needs to have elements that align with the “big picture goals” of your audience so they can move to the next stage with you. If things aren’t aligned, then they aren’t the best fit customer/client for you. Most people will figure this out and end their journey with you. You’ll see this as unfollows or unsubscribes.
Examples of content you can create for this stage:
“Aphid control using organic ingredients.”
“How to rid your garden of pests without using harsh pesticides.”
“Got aphids? Here’s three ways to get them out of your garden - organically!”
Considering.
A person at this stage of the buyer’s journey has now been presented with many different ways to solve their problem. And, they’ve narrowed down their options to the one that’s best suited for their needs. The only issue now, where will they go for help and who will they choose to help them?
For example:
Our gardener has decided to simply remove the aphids by hand and spray the plants down with water for now. But, while researching aphid removal tips, they came across the concept of permaculture gardening. It mentions planting crops together so your garden naturally repels insects (or brings in the good insects that eat the bad kind).
This sounds interesting to the gardener because it would mean their gardening efforts are more sustainable and take up less of their time. Something they’d really love…because they’re also a busy mom who runs her own business. They need to learn more about the permaculture concept so they can apply it to their garden in the next growing season. So they decide to look for an expert in this area who can help.
To help someone move out of this stage…
They need options. In this stage, people are searching for specific service providers, courses, digital products, or programs that can help them overcome their problems and reach their “big picture” goals.
This is when you might create content that’s more promotional in nature. You can create emails and social media posts that send people to a sales page for a particular service or offer. You can also host webinars, live events, or challenges that pitch these offers, too.
This is also the perfect time to showcase your expertise, experience, and personality. All of these combined give people a feel for what it would be like to work with you in a 1:1 or 1:many capacity.
Examples of content you can create for this stage:
“What is permaculture and how can it help you save more time in the garden?”
“When to hire a permaculture specialist to help in your garden.”
“Is permaculture gardening right for you? Take this quiz to find out.”
“Beginners guide to permaculture gardening.”
“Permaculture for beginners - the course.”
Buying.
A person at this stage of the journey has made their decision and is ready to buy. But, they might still need a bit of convincing that you and your offer are the right choice for them.
To help someone move out of this stage…
Showcase testimonials and positive praise that your current clients/students have shared with you. Get yourself visible (like interviewing on a podcast) so that people realize what a big deal you really are. If someone asks a question before buying, answer it and give them as much info as possible.
You might think the journey is over at this point, but it’s only just beginning.
Now that you have a new client/student, you have to follow through on your promise. You have to provide *something* that actually solves the problem your audience is struggling with. If it doesn’t, that’s when you’ll have unhappy clients and students who request refunds.
Which is why it’s important to focus on the…
Experience.
The best customers are repeat customers. Those people who turn into raving fans and want to buy up anything and everything you create (if they can, of course). Those people who leave 5-star reviews all over the internet and refer you to everyone they know.
To help someone move through this stage…
You’ll want to create something called an onboarding sequence. This is simply a series of emails that you send out – starting from the moment a purchase is made. Your communication in these emails should be consistent and full of support, expectations, and resources that push your buyers further toward their goals.
This sequence follows its own journey, which I plan to share more about in a separate blog post.
At this point, the buyer’s journey is officially over!
There’s no way to know how long it will take for someone to reach the end. Sometimes it’s quick and they’ll go from problem aware to new student in a matter of days. Other times it could take months/years for someone to feel ready to buy from you.
So, don’t give up.
Just keep showing up the best you can, creating content for each stage of the journey, and loving on your audience every step of the way.
If you found this post helpful…
Let me know in the comments below!