6 step process every user goes through before actually becoming your customer.
Every business needs customers to survive and grow. Purchasing is the last step performed by the user! At that step any user or visitor just transition to become the customer.
There is no company that don’t want customers. Every company directly depends on the customers.
Every activity they perform day in and day out is to bring in more and more customers into their loop and keep serving them.
But, Do you think the user is going to become your customer just like that?
No, actually the customer before actually becoming a customer or take out his credit card to make a purchase, he have to travel through multiple phases.
He actually had to go through many battles with different brands that tried to capture him. Finally, he surrendered to your brand.
Well, actually he decided you as his serving brand! As Jeff Bezos, the founder of amazon famously quoted; “A customer is the real king & he is his servant” which is absolutely true.
What are the stages a user actually goes through before becoming your customer?
There are actually 6 stages where user travel from Awareness — to — Purchasing. Let me list down all six stages for you and discuss what happens in each stage.
The Six Stages:
- Awareness
- Consideration
- Interest
- Likes
- Prefers
- Purchase
In the recent post on my Instagram, I have given a quick glimpse about all these 6 phases with in a beautiful carousel.
If you want to quick grab the knowledge just leave this long article and find my post on Instagram.
Well, let’s discuss what actually happens with your user in each phase.
1. Awareness
Awareness, is the first stage where users get a chance to see your brand. This is the first time where the user is meeting your brand — Glad to meet you! :)
Hence, it’s a great opportunity for any brand to create that first impressions in the minds of the user. so that they will stick on to the brand further down the line.
If you fail to attract him at this stage, he probably never gonna come back for a hell lot of time. Infact, according to the research — if once you lose the user, it takes many years to get him back. sometimes, it takes even a lifetime.
How does user get to know about your brand’s existence?
Well, that’s another topic. To put it simply, they will probably get in touch with your brand through multiple mediums such as Social Media, News Papers, Magazines, Blogs, Billboards etc.
How to choose the right medium that suits your brand? — I will answer this question in my coming articles! For now let’s continue.
2. Consideration
Consideration, is the second phase of the process. If the user entered in this phase, then you are successful in creating that first impression.
After getting to meet your brand multiple times, not everyone enters in this phase. some people may ignore & very few will put a step forward and consider your brand.
Say cheers to them! They probably find your brand impressive in the first introduction itself.
How to create winning first impressions for your brand?
Hence, they decided on your brand and show the willingness on your offering.
At this stage, the users are highly impressive about your brand and wanting to dig more information!
What are the channels you must choose to display your brand? — There will be a dedicated high value article published soon.
3. Interest
Interest, is the third step in the process. The users probably considered your brand and started learning about your offering whenever they gets time.
Eventually, you started making sense to few of your users.
Quick tip: Be consistent with your strategies and keep communicating your offering regularly.
When they keep interacting with your brand, they found it more interesting & eventually it paves way to the next step in the process.
4. Likes
In this phase, the user started to like your product / brand. He actually made up a positive perception about your offering.
This is just a beginning. Now, at this stage you gotta keep them engaged & share more positive vibes with the users at this phase.
You got to remember, not everyone who started at the first stage will travel this long.
If you are successful to bring them this long. It’s really awesome, isn’t it?
Our goal is not just to keep him as a liking user. We actually want him to make a purchase. right!
Let’s see what’s there in next step.
5. Prefers
This is the most important phase in the 6 step process. This phase actually paves the way to transition from a visitor — to — user — to — customer.
At this phase, as he already formed that positive perception in his mind, you got to convince him to take the action.
What action am I talking about?
Making him understand that your product / brand is the best solution for the particular problem your customer is suffering with.
Make it convincing for him to actually prefer your brand now & move to the next ultimate step.
Note: Every user don’t have an immediate need; You must keep them at this preferential step and keep engaging them until they actually need your product / brand.
Now, let’s say a few users prefered your brand and have an immediate need! What does they do?
What else, you are right! Let’s dive in to the next step.
6. Purchases
Firstly, cheers to you. You had successfully made your user transition into your amazing customer.
It’s not simple to bring him this far. Because, this is that ultimate stage where your user actually take out his credit card and transact with you.
Now, At this stage, make it as simple as possible for your customer to make that transaction with your business.
It must be speedy, accurate and with great user experience.
If everything is amazing, now you might see his order or transaction data in your dashboard :)
Conclusion
Try to consciously analyse and workout & plan strategies for the users at each stage. You will definitely end up building amazing audiences.
Hope this article helps you understand the 6 stages that any customer goes through before actually becoming a customer.
If you have any doubts, you can ask your questions in the comments below.
I would love to hear your thoughts & ideas that inspire other entrepreneurs! Share them in the comments below.
If you like the article — share it with your friends & applause for it!
Agency Website: https://keera.design
Ramesh’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/rameshreddyco
Ramesh’s email: ramesh.nagireddy@outlook.com
Ramesh’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rameshreddyco/
