Tresnic Media
Share This Post

Consumer Decision Making Process

Consumer Decision Making ProcessUnderstanding your consumer decision making process is extremely valuable for all businesses. There are 5 important steps that a consumer makes before they decide upon purchasing a product or using a service. What goes on in their head? Understanding these processes will help with developing marketing strategies targeted to the consumer.

Problem Recognition

Okay, so why do people want to buy things? It’s because there is a problem, and they are looking for the solution to their problem. This is where the marketer can do several things to make their product or service more enticing to the consumer. If the problem is inactive, your job as a marketer is to make that problem active. Want an example of great marketing? Just look at how Steve Jobs came along with the iPhone. No one needed it, but he made sure that the iPhone was something that everyone needed to have. Think of this simple equation here:

Problem = Desired State – Current State

Information Search

This part of the consumer’s decision making process is where they are looking for more information. They search for this either internally or externally. What’s the difference between the two? Internal search is what someone already knows, such as pre-existing knowledge of the product or from the consumer’s memory. An external search is as simple as the consumer going on Google to look for a product review or perhaps even video demonstrations on YouTube.

Evaluation of Alternatives

Ah, the luxurious BMW 7 series.

Ah, the luxurious BMW 7 series.

What other options does the consumer have available to them? Some things they will consider are effectiveness and cost. When you’re buying a new car, don’t you look into other choices you have between other brands? The consumer can make their choice based on attributes or attitudes. For example: “Oh wow, this new Ford has so many great features! Hmm…but if I get this BMW, it will make me look rich and important to all my friends.”

Purchase and Outlet Selection

At this fourth step, this is where the purchase finally happens. However, where will the consumer be buying your product or ordering your services? Will they go online or visit a physical retailer?

Post Purchase Evaluation

This final step is somewhere a lot of marketers just completely forget about. Are you following up with the customer after their purchase? It’s important to build a healthy long lasting relationship with your customers. This is why you can’t leave this last step out! What are you doing right now to find out if your customers are satisfied with their buying experience?

What Should Your Strategy Be?

Each step requires a different kind of strategy to get your business ahead of the competition. There are two main factors that you should consider when developing a marketing strategy for the consumer decision making process. Your brand is either in the evoked set, or not in the evoked set. In other words, is your brand already on the consumer’s mind when they’re about to make a purchase, or have they never even heard of your brand at all?

Download Your Free Consumer Decision Making Process Template

Do you need help defining your consumer decision making process to help improve your sales cycle and close more leads? We’ve built a free template to help you do just that!

Get Your Free Template Here

Need Help?

Digital Marketing Is Hard. That's Why We Do It For You.

Let's Talk

Leave a Comment:

8 comments
4 Quick Steps To Write Your First Business Blog Post | Tresnic Media says September 21, 2013

[…] Want help figuring out your customers’ needs? Check out the Consumer Decision Making Process >> […]

Reply
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Marketing | Tresnic Media says September 30, 2013

[…] running marketing campaigns on social media platforms or trying to better understand the consumer decision making process, knowing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and a little bit of psychology definitely helps you get […]

Reply
3 Types Of Staff Photography For Your Website | Tresnic Media says October 17, 2013

[…] Another thing you want to consider is how these photos will benefit your company during the consumer’s decision making process. By portraying the right kind of image for your company, your customers will be able to better […]

Reply
How To Plan A Flow Chart For Your Website Redesign | Tresnic Media says October 22, 2013

[…] Practicing this method will help you envision what the new site will look like, and how the consumer will use it. This is a good way to structure your thoughts. A clear understanding of how the site should look and operate will assist in transforming those thoughts into a functioning website. Furthermore, with a flow chart mapped out, it will be easier to lead customers into your sales funnel, by designing each page to influence their decision making process. […]

Reply
Using Current Events For Marketing Success | Tresnic Media says November 5, 2013

[…] Buy our stuff!” They are making themselves known in the evaluation of alternatives step of the consumer decision making process. Maybe the consumer never even considered buying a Kindle before from […]

Reply
2.5 Ideas On How To Engage Facebook Fans | Tresnic Media says January 22, 2014

[…] A great way to interact and engage with your fans is to start allowing fan photo submissions. Depending on what kind of Facebook page that you’re managing, you’re always going to want to keep these photo submissions aligned with the interests of your buyer persona. Another helpful way to understand your buyer persona is by being familiar with the consumer decision making process. […]

Reply
Consumer Decision Making Process and Social Media says February 20, 2014

[…] Ultimately, consumers face decisions. Consumers are a bundle of needs and they have to determine which needs to satisfy and how to satisfy them. Enter, the consumer decision making process. […]

Reply
Kick Ass Content Marketing With Bryan Harris From VideoFruit | Tresnic Media says August 21, 2014

[…] help put you in the right mindset for content planning, as well as help you tie in a story for your consumer’s decision making process to reach them at varying stages of their purchasing journey or nurture them from the very beginning […]

Reply
Add Your Reply