Unlocking the Secret to Buyer Readiness: Enhance Your Marketing Strategy with a Customer-Centric Approach

Are you struggling to understand why people aren't purchasing your offer? Discover the secret behind buyer readiness and enhance your marketing strategy! In this episode, we break down the four stages of buyer readiness - problem awareness, solution awareness, product awareness, and purchase readiness - and discuss how to create content that speaks to each stage. We'll reveal why focusing on problem awareness is crucial and how to identify the gaps and problems your potential buyers have.

Join us as we explore the customer journey through different stages of buyer readiness. Learn how to attract those who are interested in a problem but not yet ready to purchase, create educational content for solution awareness, and generate content for people who are looking to solve their problem and make a purchasing decision soon. Don't miss this opportunity to better understand your audience and refine your content strategy! Plus, find out how to build a compounding content system and join our free on demand workshop, "Launch Once Makes Sales All Year.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Want to know why people might not be buying your offer. It's possible that you are speaking to somebody at the wrong stage of buyer readiness. In today's episode, i'm going to break down four different stages of buyer readiness and which one to speak to in your content and in your marketing so that you're attracting the right people who are ready to buy. So stay tuned. What change becomes possible when 100,000 people are impacted by your work? This question came to me one day and I have been working to find the answer ever since. Hi, i'm Jess and I help online course creators amplify their influence and create a movement with their message, and on this podcast, i am sharing the simple strategies and systems to help you impact more people with your programs so you can create quantum growth in your industry. You are listening to the Quantum Course Creator podcast. Hey there, and welcome back to the Quantum Course Creator podcast, jess. Here And today, i am talking about the four stages of buyer readiness. This is such an interesting topic of conversation because I think there's a lot of different spins on this and a lot of different ways that you can look at it, but at the end of the day, i think that being as clear and simple as possible is the best way to go, which is why I'm recording this episode. So there are actually multiple different stages of buyer readiness. On today's episode, i'm going to break down the four big ones. And the way that we talk to people in our content really has to do with who we are attracting in the stage of buyer readiness. So what the heck do I mean by buyer readiness? I mean the mindset and the position that your potential buyer is in when they come across your company, around your products and your programs, and where they are in that decision making process of potentially purchasing a solution to a problem. And people look for content in so many different ways and three reasons. Oftentimes, when somebody comes across your content, it's because they are looking for content around that specific thing, right? Or somebody shared something around that thing, or the algorithm showed them your content because it was similar to other things that they were looking at. And so when you imagine the acquisition journey right, like how somebody came to you that's a really important thing to think about when you are speaking to them in your content, because the content and the way that you're speaking to them will dictate where they are in the readiness scale when it comes to purchasing your program, and one of the biggest mistakes that I see people make is creating content that speaks to the wrong stage of readiness, which is why people aren't buying your programs. Right, if you're attracting people who are not yet ready to purchase a solution to the problem that they have, then they're not going to buy a solution right Because they're not at that stage of readiness And you really get to dictate what stage of readiness your potential buyers are at when you attract them with your content.

Speaker 1: 3:10

The algorithm picks up a lot of the heavy lifting here, but it starts with your content and how it relates to your buyer in the different stages that they may be in. So we all go through various stages when we have realized that we have a problem And when I say problem, i don't necessarily mean like a big problem, right, it could be just a question or something that we are interested in. It doesn't necessarily have to be like this life changing huge problem. People are seeking content around a multitude of different things, and when it comes to educational content or content, that is, for content creators and course creators, your content typically has a specific topic around a offer that you solve a problem or answer a question or teach a skill or something like that, right? And so the first piece of this is obviously being aware of the problem that you solve and being crystal clear on the problem or the question that you are answering, or whatever it is the desired outcome that they will get after interacting with your platform. When you are crystal clear on the problem that you solve or the question that you answer, then it's time to start thinking about the journey that your potential buyer is going through as they are interacting with that content and with that problem. We all go through various stages of problem and buyer readiness and problem awareness, and that's what I'm going to talk about is how it looks through their lens so that you know who you're attracting and why.

Speaker 1: 4:50

So, when somebody discovers that they have a problem or identifies a question that they need an answer to, that stage of awareness is the very first one, and it's called problem awareness. Somebody is saying, like I have discovered that I have this problem Now. This could come in many different ways, right, it could come due to a life change. It could come due to a new passion or a new interest. It could come because they saw a piece of content that made them interested in this or made them realize that they have a problem or have a gap that they are looking to fill. But the first stage of this is awareness that there is, in fact, a gap or a problem or a question that they are seeking an answer to or will potentially be seeking an answer to.

Speaker 1: 5:38

This is where a lot of people get caught up in creating content is creating content that creates problem awareness, and I see this so much that people are like well, i have to educate people on the problem that they have so that I can solve it. And if you've ever thought this like, oh, i need to educate them that they have this problem, then you are likely stuck in this section, and people who are only problem aware are not yet ready to purchase a solution to that problem. Right, it is so much easier to speak to somebody who already knows they have a problem than to try to convince somebody that they have a problem and then sell them a solution to that problem. And so this is really where you don't necessarily want to hang out in terms of, like, creating high value content. Sure, it can be easy to create content around this, and I'm sure you have a lot of expertise and content around this but you're going to attract people who are only just now awakening to the idea that they have a problem. They are nowhere near the place where they are ready to purchase a solution to that problem, and so problem awareness is the very first stage of buyer readiness, and they are not ready to buy when they are only problem aware. So once they've discovered that they have a problem or that there is a gap or they have a question that needs to be answered, then they go into problem research, and this is where they are digging deeper and learning more about this problem and starting to understand the problem, starting to look into free information around the problem. They're maybe not even ready to seek a solution to the problem yet, but they're researching the problem, And so here's a good example of this that I'm going to use as a thorough line, because I think it'll be easier to understand with like an actual problem.

Speaker 1: 7:22

So let's talk about sourdough. If you've been around here a minute, you know that about a year ago I was baking sourdough. All the time I have since gotten off my sourdough game, but I really want to get back on it, but this is something that is not like a pressing problem. It's not a problem that was like changing my life to solve. However, i developed an interest in learning how to bake sourdough, so when I first became aware of this gap, i was in the place of like, ooh, i want to learn more about baking sourdough. And so I discovered that I had a gap, that I had a problem, and so the first piece of that was the awareness of that problem. I was watching sourdough baking videos. I was getting curious about sourdough. I was learning like really kind of like becoming aware of the sourdough industry, i guess And so the second stage from that was when I went into research, and that's when I started looking at blogs and getting on Pinterest and watching YouTube videos.

Speaker 1: 8:22

I wanted to learn more about sourdough. I was not anywhere close to being ready to purchase a program to teach me how to bake sourdough, and I wasn't even really at the place where I was ready to bake sourdough. I was just researching. And so this is where your ideal client is like I know I have this gap. I'm gonna do some research right Before they really get into a place of I'm ready to figure this out. So if you have content that speaks to this, i would recommend it being like long form educational content, like blogs or YouTubes or podcasts, but not necessarily spending a ton of time in this kind of content, because, again, it's going to attract somebody who is interested but not yet ready to purchase anything at all. But this is a good place to create educational content and create content that helps them understand more about the topic that you solve or more about the gap that you help people fill.

Speaker 1: 9:24

So first they become aware of the problem, then they become a researcher of the problem And through that research is where they discover that there is a solution. And this is a really important phase, right Is solution awareness. This is where they go from saying like okay, i have this problem, to I wanna learn more about this problem, to I could actually fix this problem. And that's a really powerful place to be, because this creates buyer empowerment. This is where they are realizing that there are solutions to this problem and they are becoming empowered by that idea, by the idea that they could solve this problem by purchasing something. So this is really where they are starting to understand the variety of solutions to this problem. Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that they're looking to buy a solution, but they are looking through the variety of ways that they could solve this problem, and this is an area of market research that I think a lot of people skip when they are doing competition research and market research is they don't really think about this awareness phase, because your ideal client isn't necessarily looking for a specific solution. they are looking at all of the options And some of those options are not purchasing something.

Speaker 1: 10:45

One of them could be DIYing it going to YouTube, university, watching all the videos and getting on Pinterest and trying to figure it out themselves, and that's actually probably the first place that they're gonna start is they're gonna go into oh, i can solve this problem. I'm gonna look for all of the free ways that I can solve this problem, because that's just how we are as people, and so that's really where they're gonna start is trying to DIY it. That is a potential solution to their problem. Another potential solution could be an outside way of doing it Speaking to a friend or a mentor, looking to somebody that they know who's also solved that problem. It doesn't necessarily mean that they are ready to buy a program that is gonna teach them how to solve that problem. Another thing could be purchasing a course, right, looking for content that helps them solve that problem, purchasing a course like yours. Another could be working with a mentor online, like an online coach or strategist.

Speaker 1: 11:44

There are a variety of different alternatives to solving the problem. So where they are solution aware is that they are aware that there is a solution to the problem, but they are not yet in the place of ready to find a solution. They're just like, huh, okay, there is a way to solve this, and I'm gonna start looking into that Again. This is where people tend to get caught up in their content. Right Is speaking to people who are aware of a solution, but not necessarily people who are ready to buy a solution, and this is a really like Tight thing, right, there's a very thin line between these two things and it really comes down to the language that you're using in your content About your solution. So this is really speaking to the solution in general, not your solution specifically, and that's really the designation between these two. So the first one, like I said, was problem awareness. Then the second is problem research, the third is solution awareness and the final, which is where you should be focusing 99% of your marketing energy is in solution seeking.

Speaker 1: 12:51

So here's the nuance difference between solution awareness and solution seeking. The person who is in solution awareness is saying there is a way to solve this problem. The person who is in solution seeking is I am ready to solve this problem now, and they are actively seeking a solution to the problem. And the way that you speak about your Solution to the problem is how you are going to attract people who are ready to purchase a Solution to the problem now. Right, and so that's really what you want to be focusing on, especially in your like.

Speaker 1: 13:25

Bottom of funnel marketing content is the kind of like messaging and content that speaks to the person Who is seeking a solution now. Oftentimes, people who are in the solution seeking section are looking to make a purchasing decision in the next six weeks. Right, they are actively seeking a solution to their problem. They are just looking to see what's out there and then picking one, and so this is a really important place to to like to really dial in your messaging, because those people are the people who are going to buy from you, especially if you are a content marketer. They're the people who are going to see your content. They are going to see your expertise, they're going to trust that you have the right solution for them, and then they are going to purchase that solution based on that information. And so you should be creating your content Speaking to the person who is solution seeking, the person who is actively looking for The solution that you are offering right, or actively seeking the outcome that they want.

Speaker 1: 14:25

That is the promise of your program, and so how do you do this Right? How do you start marketing and speaking to the people who are actually seeking a solution, not just aware of their problem? And so there's four things that I like to think about when I'm creating content Around this solution seeking area, and how you can start to see your content and what you're saying through this lens To start to attract people who are ready to buy. So I like to ask what do they need to know Here? see and believe to choose you, not to buy, not to solve the problem, but to choose your solution to the problem. So I'm going to break down each of these and what that looks like practically in like terms of content. So what do they need to know? The first thing is what do they need to know? They need to know what your framework is, what makes you unique. They need to know that you know how to solve the problem, right. They need to know that you have a proven process. They need to know that you have a system that they can plug into. So how do you create content around this?

Speaker 1: 15:35

This is where you're going to position your unique framework, your unique solution, as the best solution to solve this problem, and part of this is juxtaposing your position against alternatives, right, i think that we're oftentimes afraid to talk about the alternatives because, for some reason, if we say them out loud, then people will be like, oh, i'll just do the alternative, and if that's the case, then those people are not ready to purchase with you anyway, right, and so, rather than being afraid to mention the alternatives, call them out. Talk about why your way is the best way, what makes your way different, what makes your expertise different, what makes what you teach and how you teach it different, and so really being clear in what is your process and what do they need to know about your process and how you do it in order to feel confident that they will learn and solve this problem with your process. Specifically, the second type of content is here. What do they need to hear in order to choose you? So this is really where you can take a stand for your unique beliefs, your unique angle, your polarizing beliefs about solving this problem right. There's a good chance that you disagree with a lot of other conventional advice or wisdom around this problem, and this is where you're going to take a stand against the norms and really for the way that you do it and the way that you believe it should be done, and this kind of content is going to shift the way that they think because they're going to take a stand right. If you've ever taken a program with me, you know I talk about the content gold mine. These are the grizzly bars, if you're aware of that. This is the filter that people are going to say, oh yes, i agree. Or like, nah, this girl's got it wrong, right. And so be willing to be polarizing, not like controversial, but like just be willing to take a stand for something strongly that you agree with or disagree with in the conventional wisdom. And if somebody agrees with you or can see your side, then you know that they're going to be the right fit for your solution, because you are going to show them why you believe the way that you do So. The first is the no, which is your framework steps and understanding your unique process. The second is the here content, which is your polarizing beliefs or your unique angle on the solution.

Speaker 1: 18:01

The third is what do they need to see? And this is the proof in the pudding right. This is the part of their brain that needs to see, to believe, right, and so they need to see the proof. They need to see testimonials, they need to see case studies. They need to hear your story of how you solve the problem. They need to see data, they need to see numbers, and these are all things that you'll take as you grow your program. You can get all of this information out of it so that you can use that to create content that shows them what's possible, and so They need to see that they can do it. They need to see that other people are getting results with it, too. That content is an important piece because it shows them that it is possible for them to. It gives them the story of if they could do it, i could do it too. That's really going to speak to the person who's seeking a solution, because it creates credibility and it creates that third-party validation that. Somebody else said that this is great, so I can trust that this is great.

Speaker 1: 19:04

The last content is the belief. What do they need to believe about you and about your offer and about themselves in general? What do they need to believe in order to choose your specific solution? This is really where I lean into myths, misconceptions and mistakes that people are making and really helping them shift those beliefs and the things around that that are keeping them stuck in those M's It's a lot to say Myths, mistakes and misconceptions. When you can start to address those things and when you can start to call those things out and help them see a different side of things, that is where you are going to help them believe that not only are you the right solution for them, but also that they are ready to take the next step and purchase your program.

Speaker 1: 19:55

I hope that this was helpful.

Speaker 1: 19:56

I think that this is one of those really nuanced things that we don't necessarily have conscious awareness of sometimes and we can get stuck creating like, oh, what's easy content to create.

Speaker 1: 20:06

I'll just create content that talks about the problem that I solve, great. But unless you're doing it in a way that really speaks to the person who's in the solution seeking buyer readiness zone, then you're just going to keep attracting people who are not ready to buy, and so if you want to learn more about this process and how to build a compounding content system that drives traffic into your business and into your funnel whether you're live launching, evergreen or doing what I call both with quantum launching then you should definitely check out my new workshop called Launch Once Makes Sales All Year. It's a free on demand workshop that I teach you this exact process and why you should be not just live launching and evergreen, but doing both plus some. So if you have any questions, hit me up on Instagram at quantum course creator and check out the workshop, and I will see you in my next podcast. Bye.