Life seemed simpler before technology changed modern marketing, and we only had CBS, ABC, and NBC. The family had time to relax together in front of the one TV after dinner and were all entertained by the same show. Oh, those baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet-type commercials that we saw over and over. How many got stuck in your head?
How about this one?
Oh, I wish I was an Oscar Mayer Weiner,
that is what I'd truly like to be,
cause if I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner,
everyone would be in love with me!
Sojourn through those memorable family road trips visiting landmark sites in the US like Yellowstone, Disney Land, or maybe just a ball game. I remember the excitement as we saw the first of the group old Burma – Shave signs. We actually contemplated turning around to see the 1st and 2nd sign if we only noticed the 3rd, 4th and 5th sign. We sometimes just had to finish out the message.
How has technology changed marketing? Well, for one, traditional marketers had our attention through limited channels. Marketing had the power. Brands were king and the marketers built the brands. If you had the money to buy the TV commercials in the prime time slots, you controlled the market. We could simply pump out more product and make more money and buy more advertising.
The 60’s through the 90’s were a delightful time where marketing was king and buyers couldn’t wait to see more of our ads.
With the power of tectonic plates shifting, we moved from wooden road signs to the digital age where technology changed marketing. Buyers took advantage of the information revolution and shifted the power away from TV and print marketers. Buyers now hold all the power with modern marketing.
No longer is the brand manager the information gatekeeper, controlling what buyers are able to know about the product. Potential buyers with a problem are on a journey to determine the best solution for their very specific problem. Educational information and potential solutions are just a mere Google search away.
“The Buyers Journey is the active research process a potential buyer goes through leading us to a purchase.”
The stages that a buyer traverses from first realizing there is a problem to deciding on a solution is called the Buyers Journey. A digital marketing agency knows this journey is always evaluated from the perspective of the buyer. The marketer must tailor content to focus on the buyer at the proper stage in their journey. Here are the three stages of the Buyer's Journey:
In the AWARENESS stage, the buyer realizes there is a problem or an opportunity. As Google algorithms have become more sophisticated, searches tend to be more conversational. For example – buyers may search like this. “How can I reduce the cost of the earthmoving equipment I manufacture?"
Google responds with a blog post written by XYZ Manufacturing Inc. on concurrent design. The blog outlines the quality and cost improvement if product engineering collaborates early with vendors.
In the CONSIDERATION stage, the buyer has identified the problem as a lack of collaboration between his design team and vendors, and the solution is concurrent design. XYZ Manufacturing Inc. is an industry leader in concurrent design and has written several blogs on the subject.
In the DECISION stage, the buyer has been educated and is ready to buy. They have identified certain components of earthmoving equipment that could be made by XYZ Manufacturing. When he establishes contact with XYZ, he already knows the benefits of working with XYZ, sees XYZ as a leading authority and may even be emotionally connected because he sees the benefits of concurrent design. The buyer is ready to convert from a lead to a customer and is categorized as a sales-qualified lead (SQL), ready for sales to close the deal.
What is interesting, from a modern marketing services perspective, is that XYZ Manufacturing is utilizing a solid inbound marketing approach.
I hope you enjoyed this buyer’s journey from vintage Burma Shave signs and learning how technology has changed marketing. If you are ready to take your business from the past into the digital age, then we would love to connect with you.
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Chris Thornton
