Digital marketing offers the opportunity to reach your target customers based on their stage in the buy cycle. Based on that information, you can increase your closing rates dramatically.

1. BUY CYCLE
MARKETING

2. We talk at length about the importance making micro-decisions as to whether or not to
of relevancy within marketing strategies. proceed to the next stage of the funnel. Much of
In fact, we are firm believers that these micro-decisions will be a result of the
relevancy is more important than any information that you are providing to them.
other element or technology used to
execute your marketing plan. Simply 5 Stages
stated, relevancy in marketing is making
The five stages of the buying cycle:
sure that you have the right
communication in front of the right
Awareness
person at the right time. Simple to say This first stage of the buying cycle is where your
but implementation is much more
prospective customer becomes aware of your
complex. company, product, or services. During this first
Though different names are given to the stage of the buying cycle your marketing efforts
five stages of the buying cycle, all of must be focused on creating this awareness as
these names come down to the same opposed to trying to ‘close the sale’.
definitions. The buying cycle is shaped Think of this stage as your first introduction to a
like a funnel representing the levels of person. In the real world you would never try to
commitment on the part of the buyer to ‘sell’ someone without the initial getting to know
make a buying decision. At the top of each other, so don’t try to ‘sell’ too early in the
the funnel is the broadest level of interactive world either.
interest among the buyers. People
Interest
within this top, broadest stage of the
Once a potential customer has become aware of
funnel are in the earliest stage of their
your company, product, or services it is time to
buying decision and based on your
make them interested in you. Again you do this
industry could be as much as months
by providing them with the information that will
away from actually making a purchase
generate curiosity or information that is relevant
decision. As people pass through these
to their situation.
stages of the buying cycle they will be

3. Research During this final stage of the buying cycle your
This is where the potential customer is new customer will be re-evaluating their recent
doing their due diligence on your decision and reviewing the details that led them
company, product, and/or services. to do business with your company. If you stop
During this stage of the buying cycle the marketing to them now, there is a very good
customer is interested in specifications, chance that the longevity of this customer
options, and processes. This is the relationship will be very short.
earliest point in time when you can
begin to introduce jargon that is
common to your industry, to the
customer.
Comparison
As the name implies, at this stage of the
buying cycle the prospective customer
is comparing everything. They are
looking at your company against your
competitors, your products and services
against your competitors products and
services, and even comparing your line
of products or services against each
other. During this stage of the cycle the
Online Value
prospect is targeting in on the exact
product or service that will fit their Now that we’ve identified all of the five stages of
situation. the buying cycle, lets take a look at how this
information will help with your online marketing
Buy
Though this is the final stage of the efforts. Contrary to popular opinion, in well over
buying cycle, it isn’t the end of 99% of the cases, a person will not visit your
marketing to your new customer. website for the first time and make a buying

4. decision. Consequently, if you have no particular channel of search marketing will
content on your website to address the provide a higher degree of relevancy than
types of information that your visitor is another, relative to the buying cycle stage. As an
looking for in the earliest stages of this example, to attract potential customers that are in
buy cycle, then they will just leave. the earliest stages of the buying cycle -
Awareness and Interest - the use of the display
Conversely, if you do have the proper
networks are much more effective than, let’s say
information for your visitor at every stage
organic optimization.
of the buy cycle, you will successfully
move them through each stage of the As you work with these buying cycles in your
funnel resulting in a sale, lead, new marketing strategy you will begin to see the
member, or whatever business goal you importance of this core fundamental for all of your
are going after. marketing efforts, both online and offline. Once
perfected you will have the right communications
The importance of these buy cycle
in front of the right people, at the right time.
stages reaches further than just your
website content. Using the stages of
the buying cycle within the overall About 3Sixty Interactive
marketing strategy of your company will
3Sixty Interactive is a professional agency with
increase your marketing efficiencies as
over ten years of experience in the digital world.
you see a greater quality of customer
They offer a variety of digital marketing solutions
reaching you.
that include search engine optimization, digital
Online, this will be most noticeable in advertising, email marketing, social media,
your search marketing efforts. Because customized strategy reports, analytics and
search marketing is completely based maintenance of your marketing plan.
on words, you will find that words, or
Learn more about 3Sixty Interactive at www.
more importantly phrases, will develop
3sixtyinteractive.com or by calling us at
in your strategy that will be highly
1-877-43Sixty.
relevant for particular stages of the
buying cycle. You will also find that a