The buying process is defined as, "The set of procedures used to identify products for purchase, verify quality and compliance of products and vendors, carry out purchasing transactions, and verify that operations associated with purchasing have been executed appropriately." If you're business isn't treating its buying process as complex as that definition, then it's likely you're not moving leads through the process, that you're not fulfilling certain parts of it as well as you should. One of the best ways to fill in gaps in your buying process is through business blogging. Here's how business blogging can affect your buying process:
Provide Information to Buyers
Last year, 88.1% of US internet users ages 14+ browsed or researched products online, according to HubSpot. Do you have solid, valuable information for your potential customers to browse and research online? Or, do you just have product and service pages that are designed to make a sale? Considering that nearly everyone is browsing and researching, you better have something valuable for potential customers. If not, business blogging is a great way to start.
Answer Customer Questions
Don't forget that the buying process is more than browsing and researching, but also comparing vendors, verifying brand trust and quality, and of course, the actual purchase. If you're not sure how to use business blogging to affect and to improve the buying process, then the best place to start is to answer customer questions. Customer questions come from all parts of the buying process, not just the researching and browsing part. Therefore, starting with these questions fills in those gaps while ensuring that your corporate blog has valuable content for potential customers. Plus, it also build brand trust, awareness, and transparency, all good things when reaching out to customers as your competitors are trying to do the same.
Add Extra Entryways to Your Business
How are customers currently learning about your business? Social media? Search engines? Referrals? Advertising? Even if it were any or all of the above, business blogging is a great way to add an entryway as well as compliment those entryways. Business blogging makes it easier to get found online, while also providing you great content to share on social media. On top of that, if gives your current customers and fans something to share with their network. Business blogging affects the buying process by adding more people to it, and moving others through it.
Quick Tips with Business Blogging and the Buying Process
Tip 1: With some blog posts, it would be good to also include a link to one of your product/service pages. This way you're not just showing them how you use a generic product or service, but to your branded product or service.
Tip 2: Add a call to action at the end of every blog post. In regards to the buying process, use lead generation content that gets leads to convert and to move to the next step. For example, this blog post is designed to address a problem or a need. A good call to action is one that helps the reader conduct research, or learn more about the solutions to solve that problem and who offers those types of solutions.
Tip 3: Don't forget to highlight your customers from time to time! What better way to move others through to buying process then to show a real life example of what a purchase of your product or service can do!
Related Links:
How the Buying Process Affects Your Content Marketing
Content is King, and There's Never Too Much of It
How Business Blogging Gets You More Customers (Eventually)
