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03/22/2010

 

(P-O-P-S)   It is a well-documented fact that most people planning a purchase whether business to business (B2B) or business to consumer (B2C) begin their research on what to buy on the Internet. Still, we thought it might be equally informational to understand what ultimately leads them to make a decision on one company or product versus their competition. Of course links from other websites to the company or product site usually accounts for why a company ranks organically high on the page for a particular keyword – so we know that syndicated articles publicity played a part in generating those links and ranking.
But what are the other stages of the purchasing decision and how does one ultimately decide on consummating the purchase – and does article publicity matter after that – or what does? In a slow economy, we assume that each one of us has become a penny-pincher of sorts, trying to ring the most out of every dime we spend to make it reach farther, especially the startup business guy.   Of course, we are trying to convince you that articles publicity is one of the most basic, cost-efficient marketing tools any small business or startup can employ to launch and grow.
So we asked Google the title question, and this is what they came up with. In a blog, Conversation Agent Writing Content for the Buyer’s Decision, Valeria Maltoni shows us four stages as graphed by McKinsey along the way to making a purchase. The stages include:
·         Consumer considers an official set of brands
·         Consumers add or subtract brands as they evaluate what they want
·         Consumer selects a brand at the moment of purchase,
·         After purchasing, the consumer builds expectations to inform the next decision journey; and if he is pleased, a loyalty is formed that leads to the next purchase.
 
 So we know that syndicated articles publicity played a role in what brands the purchaser considers. In stage 2, product or service reviews are extremely relevant…another role for syndicated publicity articles. Additionally, comments on blogs about products or services become influential. At this stage, Ms.Maltoni suggests “The more interaction you build into your content, the more you stimulate offline word of mouth where decisions are made,” often with a team.
 
At the moment of purchase, the customer has absorbed and evaluated all information, so he is ready to make a decision – the one time, content is not necessary. After purchasing, however, keeping the customer aware of how to use the service or product to make it do what he wants requires more instruction, so how-to features are significant in developing a loyalty loop of satisfaction to lead the customer back to repurchase.
 
 Conclusion: At every step of the customer purchase journey, except the actual moment of purchase, articles publicity can help you get their attention, curate their reaction and influence their loyalty toward your product or service. While very few people convert to a complex purchase online, you must have a presence online to be considered and to help potential customers come up with the necessary conclusions they need to reach each time they make a purchase of consequence.
 
Clearly having a content strategy for the creation of a series of articles publicity online can manifest itself not only in bringing potential customers to your website but in ultimately recording a purchase. Using a service that helps you strategize about content, create original articles that capture the attention of your potential customer and places them in high visibility websites like Points of Persuasion Syndicate can give you the leg up that lands YOU the sale.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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