Analyzing the buying process

- Customers follow a distinct set of steps…when buying anything.…That process may take a matter of seconds,…such as an impulse purchase at a store,…or it may take a matter of months,…such as the purchase of a new home or a car.…Typically though these steps are as follows:…First is the Need Recognition phase.…This is where customers realize…that they want something.…That can be triggered internally,…for example if a customer is thirsty…that will trigger a need for some type of beverage.…

But it can also be triggered externally…through advertising or other stimuli.…If a customer sees a TV commercial for a…cold soft drink or perhaps sees a group of…people drinking it,…those could stimulate the customer…to want that same drink.…The Need Recognition step is very important…because without it there won't be a sale.…The next step is Information Search.…Once customers feel a need to have something,…they start gathering information about…solutions for that need.…

They get information from a wide variety…of sources including commercial advertising,…