Helen Savage, copywriter to the glazing industry, highlights the importance of getting in front of prospects early with the right information.
Did you know 85% of people research the products they want to buy online before they make their decision?
When prospects land on a website they want information about the product on offer, but they are also looking for a lot more at this early stage of the buying journey. They want to know what options are available, what the pros and cons of different products are, whether there are any related sustainability concerns and the general ethos of suppliers. In short, they want to feel well informed before they make their decision.
This is step one in the customer journey and yet it often gets overlooked.
Increase your influence
The most basic customer journey is the customer experience from finding out about a product, to deciding on a supplier and placing an order, to after-sales service. Breaking the process down in this way helps businesses to better understand each milestone in the journey and what impact they have on influencing the outcome at each stage. The more influence you can have during the research stages, the more likely prospects are to come back to you when they’re ready to buy.
Blog to build trust
A business blog is useful throughout the whole customer journey but really comes into its own in the early stages. The rest of a website will be front and centre for the second step in the process, when prospects have narrowed down their options and want to see what different competitors have to offer, but during this first step, more generic authoritative market information is a must have.
For example, if a homeowner is looking to buy a new conservatory, they will want to know about the pros and cons of conservatories vs extensions. They will want to know about the different styles of conservatory available, different types of materials used to manufacture conservatories and the pros and cons of glass vs solid conservatory roofing options.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t offer all these products or services, by talking knowledgably about them you position yourself as an expert in the field. It is this expertise that warms a prospect to you and builds trust.
So, when mapping out your online presence, don’t forget step one in your customer’s journey. Be helpful in the early stages and the trust and goodwill you build in the beginning, will come to fruition later, when those prospects are ready to buy.
Visit blogwrite.co.uk/blog for more information on copywriting for business.
