8 keys to better understanding your customers' buying journey

1. Focus on presence and content during the discovery phase

This phase can be broken down into three stages: 

• Awareness of a problem: The consumer realises they have a problem. They’re still questioning whether they can live with it or if they need to find a solution. They begin searching for information on the issue.
   

• Awareness of a need: The consumer has identified their need and is now looking for ways to address it.

   

• Information search and discovering your brand: In order to meet their need, the consumer begins researching various solutions available to them. 

Our tips for optimising this stage:  
 

• Optimise your online presence (e-commerce and social media).
   
• Develop a content strategy to attract qualified traffic.
   
• Make your content easily accessible.
   
• Use inbound marketing1 techniques. Nos conseils d’optimisation de cette étape :  

2. Stand out during the consideration phase

At this stage, the consumer has gathered a wealth of information and is now sorting through it. They compare products and services to identify the one that best meets their needs.

The goal is to steer the customer’s choice towards your brand.

Our tips for optimising this stage:  

• Highlight your competitive advantages.
   
• Boost your credibility by showcasing customer testimonials or case studies.
   
• Vary your content to meet the expectations of your audience.
   
• Work on your online reputation.
   
• Combine CRO² and SEO³ techniques to drive up your conversion rate.
   
• Personalise the buying journey, making the customer feel like you’re speaking directly to them.
   
• Analyse your competitors’ behaviour.
   
• Create a customer journey map to pinpoint your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

3. Simplify the purchase decision

After comparing options, the consumer has chosen a brand and is entering the conversion phase. However, they could still change their mind up until the last moment! Your goal is to prevent them from backing out.

Our tips for optimising this stage:  

• Simplify the purchasing process as much as possible. Customers are often impatient; if each step in the funnel takes too long, they may lose interest, abandon the process, and turn to the competition.
   
• Offer multiple payment options, including split payment solutions5, to cater to customer preferences.
   
• Provide flexible delivery options.
   
• Re-engage hesitant customers with retargeting strategies.
   
• Reassure customers by highlighting guarantees, as well as a responsive and accessible customer service.

Focus on making the customer journey seamless to avoid any friction. 

4. Be present during delivery and use

In marketing, the purchase is far from the final step of the buying journey! The delivery and use of the product are just as crucial as the earlier stages.  

The aim is to show the customer they made the right choice in trusting your brand. Provide them with a unique customer experience.

Our tips for optimising this stage:  

• Keep customers informed with order tracking updates.
   
• Focus on the aesthetics and quality of your product packaging.
   
• Personalise the delivery by including a small gift or a thank-you note.
   
• Provide product usage guides.
   
• Share tutorial videos.
   
• Offer technical support through an efficient customer service team.