How Do Your Customers Make Buying Decisions Aaron Abbott

Aaron
Abbott—www.BrandLessBox.com
1

How
Do
Your
Customers
Make
Buying
Decisions?

Aaron
M.
Abbott

www.BrandLessBox.com

January
10,
2010

The
following
flow-‐chart
uncovers
the
buying
process
of
the
consumer
and

how
to
effectively
implement
existing
insights
and
future
developments
to
assist
the

consumer
to
a
successful
conversion
determined
by
the
company—The
Institute
for

Forensic
Education
(IFFE).

Stage
1

Consumer:
unaware

Company:
generates
awareness
(of
need,
product
or
service)

Existing
Tactics:

PPC
ads,
Social
Networks,
New
site
development

The
current
efforts
of
IFFE
have
built
a
recognizable
and
respected
brand

amongst
the
primary
target
market
(the
teachers
and
schools)
within
the
Criminal

Justice
System.

However,
the
secondary
market,
the
actual
primary
users
of
the

training
resources
(the
students),
has
had
little
to
no
exposure
to
the
training

resources.

IFFE
relies
on
word
of
mouth
from
the
existing
primary
target
market.

IFFE
has
recognized
that
the
students
are
unaware
of
the
training
resources
and
the

very
purpose
of
the
development
of
www.CJexchange.com
is
to
expose
the
students

to
these
resources,
and
provide
them
with
access
to
the
entire
video
library
at
very

affordable
rates,
for
the
duration
of
their
semester—in
tandem
with
a
slew
of
Web

2.0
tools
and
solutions.

Using
varied
social
networks
and
viral
marketing
efforts

Aaron
2

will
stimulate
word-‐of-‐mouse
campaigns
that
will
be
supported
with
strategic
PPC

and
display
ad
campaigns
that
will
uncover
the
brand
that
IFFE
has
built
amongst

the
student’s
instructors—the
existing
primary
target
market.

The
students
have

not
been
ignored.

IFFE
has
attempted
to
provide
distribution
opportunities
to
the

schools
using
existing
resources,
but
the
process
is
too
involved
and
the
aching

economy
has
not
helped
in
any
way.

IFFE
will
now
go
directly
to
the
students
in
an

effort
to
engage
these
consumers
in
a
way
that
will
make
them
aware
of
the

resources
and
aware
that
they
can
afford
them,
and
that
the
use
will
benefit
their

educational
goals.

Stage
2

Consumer:
aware
of
need,
develops
speciﬁcaBon

Company:
posiBon
features,
beneﬁts
and
brand

Existing
Tactics:

SEO,
Focus
groups

IFFE
has
conducted
focus
group
studies
that
have
provided
feedback
to
the

fact
that
the
students
love
the
resources
and
that
they
are
willing
to
spend
up
to

$60.00
dollars
for
the
program.

While
students
in
general
are
unaware
of
the

existence
of
the
training
videos
and
resources
that
currently
exist—unless
they
have

been
exposed
to
it
by
a
purchasing
institution,
or
via
search
engine
research—those

that
have
seen
the
product
have
commented
on
the
value
they
see
and
how
much

they
can
benefit
from
the
exposure
to
the
content.

The
students
are
aware
they

have
limited
exposure
to
footage
of
crime
scenes
resulting
in
death
and
autopsies.

With
this
knowledge,
IFFE
is
able
to
confidently
step
forward
in
knowing,
as
more

specific
needs
surface,
implementation
will
lead
to
conversions
as
long
as
the

Aaron
3

market
can
understand
that
IFFE
provides
what
they
need.

Specifications
of
the

potential
market
implemented
by
IFFE
will
allow
the
company
to
corner
the
market

that
already
has
no
true
competitor
in
relation
to
the
substance
of
the
product.

The

brand
will
become
recognized
as
an
innovator
and
leader
in
providing
training

solutions
and
tools
via
the
Internet
for
the
Criminal
Justice
System
as
students

purchase,
use,
and
communicate.

Providing
access
to
message
boards,
blogs,
and

even
opt-‐in
e-‐mails
will
provide
stronger
branding
and
an
ability
to
hold
the

position
as
the
leader
in
the
market
for
providing
the
specified
benefits
of
these

resources—as
dictated
by
the
users
themselves.

Stage
3

Consumer:
supplier
search

Company:
generate
leads
(engage
and
capture
interest)

Existing
Tactics:

Partnerships,
PPC
ads,
Search
Engines

As
the
consumer
begins
to
actively
seek
solutions
to
their
perceived
needs,
it

is
the
responsibility
of
the
company
to
position
itself
in
such
a
way
that
they
can

easily
be
found.

Whether
this
be
through
strategic
PPC
campaigning,
or
through

viral
campaign
efforts,
the
customer
must
be
able
to
find
the
resources,
and
know

that
these
are
the
resources
they
must
utilize
to
satisfy
their
need.

Currently,
IFFE
is

ranked
1st
on
many
related
keyword
searches—which
direct
the
Internet
user
to
the

current
solutions
at
www.ForensicDeathInvestigation.com.

Once
the
new
resources

are
ready
for
launch,
implementation
of
links
and
information
to
the
new
site
from

the
existing
site
will
prove
to
be
a
great
gateway
to
generate
qualified
leads;
while

being
supported
by
the
existing
network
of
content
users
that
has
been
built
over

Aaron
4

the
past
5
years.

IFFE
is
also
involved
with
link
and
banner
exchanges
with
3

different
Criminal
Justice
System
Web
sites.

Additionally,
these
will
prove
to

valuable
lead
generation
vehicles.

With
products
that
are
made
with
these
users
in

mind,
when
they
find
the
resources,
their
decision
making
process
will
be
supported

and
nurtured.

This
will
be
implemented
once
they
catch
the
IFFE
scent,
and
are
led

down
the
conversion
path.

Further,
previews
are
in
place
to
engage
the
interest
of

the
customer
at
this
stage
of
the
decision
making
process.

Stage
4

Consumer:
evaluate
and
select

Supplier:
assist
purchase
decision

Existing
Tactics:

SEO,
Organic
searches,
Current
branding,
Previews

With
strongholds
on
keywords
as
CSI
training,
Forensic
training,
and
others,

it
will
be
very
hard
for
any
would
be
competitors
to
rise
above
the
current
organic

search
engine
rankings
IFFE
has
earned.

It
is
the
responsibility
of
IFFE
to
use
this

opportunity
to
allow
future
users
to
be
able
to
get
the
necessary
information
in
their

evaluation
and
selection
of
these
training
resources
they
are
in
need
of
to
support

their
education.

They
are
wondering
how
much
they
have
to
spend,
what
they
are

going
to
get
from
the
purchase,
and
what
value
the
product
has
for
them,
as
well
as

for
peers
in
their
associated
market.

With
such
institutions
as
the
FBI
Training

Academy,
and
other
international
agencies
utilizing
the
existing
resources,
brand

value
is
supported
and
will
assist
in
this
phase
of
the
decision
making
process.

Showing
the
students
that
the
schools
pay
nearly
$800.00
dollars
for
these

resources,
and
that
they
are
being
provided
with
the
same
solutions
under
$60.00

Aaron
5

dollars
should
assist
further
in
the
value
they
are
receiving
directly
from
the

producer.

With
reputation
in
place,
and
more
than
100
Universities,
Institutions,

and
Agencies
already
having
implemented
the
resources
into
their
curriculum,
the

consumer
will
have
confidence
in
the
purchase
they
are
going
to
make.

Further,

they
will
understand
why
they
are
making
the
decision
to
purchase.

They
need
to

be
exposed
to
this
content,
and
this
content
is
found
nowhere
else.

Stage
5

Consumer:
purchase

Company:
facilitate
purchase

Existing
Tactics:

Security
Certificates,
PayPal

Once
the
consumer’s
mind
is
made
up
and
they
are
ready
to
make
the

purchase,
IFFE
must
facilitate
this
action
with
as
simplified
a
process
as
possible.

Studies
and
direct
experience
have
proven
how
frustrated
the
consumer
can
get
in

this
process,
ultimately
leading
to
abandonment
and
a
failed
conversion.

Alternative
payment
options
should
be
in
place—such
as
PayPal,
Google
Checkout,

and
even
an
internal
processing
feature
supported
with
SSL
certificates.

Security

verification,
such
as
Hacker
Safe
and/or
McAfee
Secure
will
facilitate
this
confidence

that
their
transactions/data
are
safe
and
secure.

When
the
consumer
chooses
to

utilize
PayPal,
or
the
like,
they
are
comfortable
with
the
process
those
services

institute.

However,
for
those
who
choose
to
make
the
purchase
within
the

architecture
of
IFFE’s
site,
the
process
must
be
as
minimal
as
possible.

Ask
the
least

amount
of
information
while
reinforcing
the
time
necessary
to
complete
the

Aaron
6

transaction.

The
process
is
facilitated
with
a
user
conscious
and
willingness
to

convert.

IFFE
has
some
of
these
features
in
place,
and
all
have
proven
to
be
valuable

in
the
course
of
the
growth
of
the
company
and
the
brand.

One
feature
IFFE
must

implement
is
the
ability
for
the
consumer
to
call
in
via
telephone
to
place
their

orders
directly.

Consumers
have
called
in
the
past
with
this
very
need
in
mind.

Another
consideration
is
to
have
those
users
who
registered
to
preview
training

samples,
have
their
account
information
automatically
filled
in
when
they
arrive
on

the
purchase
page.

Stage
6

Consumer:
post-‐purchase
evaluaBon
and
feedback

Company:
support
product
use
and
retain
business

Existing
Tactics:

Lifetime
guarantee,
Unlimited
access,
Direct
contact

Some
users
will
decide
to
purchase
the
physical
DVD
training
set.

While

other
users
will
choose
to
purchase
Online-‐only
access
to
the
training
resources.

When
a
consumer
purchases
the
physical
DVD
training
set,
they
are
given
lifetime

access
to
the
Internet
resources.

They
are
required
to
register
their
product
and

complete
their
user
profile
(including
current
e-‐mail
and
contact
information).

In

either
case,
IFFE
is
guaranteeing
some
form
of
direct
contact
to
each
and
every
one

of
the
users.

Surveys
will
be
implemented
in
the
post-‐purchase
time
period.

Conversion
of
surveys
will
be
supported
with
promotions
that
will
provide
the

consumer
with
access
to
free
downloads
otherwise
unavailable.

Auto-‐responders

will
be
implemented
in
the
post-‐purchase
process
that
will
provide
the
consumer

with
opportunities
for
feedback
and
input.

Users
will
also
be
made
aware
to
look

Aaron
7

out
for
future
updates
and
product
releases.

Lifetime
guarantees
are
provided
on

the
physical
DVD
set’s
and
it
will
be
advantageous
to
the
company
to
create
a

feedback
forum
that
will
allow
those
in
the
post-‐purchase
phase
to
post
their

comments
of
the
value
they
find
in
the
resources.

Contact
numbers
are
prominently

displayed
and
operators
can
be
reached
24-‐hours
a
day.

IFFE
will
always
ask
for

input
on
what
the
market
needs
and
do
all
it
can
to
provide
them
with
these

solutions
as
soon
as
realistically
possible
with
the
existing
resources
of
the

company.

Conclusion

The
preceding
flow-‐chart
surmises
the
six
stages
of
consumer
decision-‐

making/buying
process
for
www.CJexchange.com.

Please
be
aware
that
the
site
is

still
under
construction
and
IFFE
will
use
insights
based
off
user
experiences,

feedback,
and
comments
from
their
primary
Web
site,

www.ForensicDeathInvestigation.com.

The
goals
include
determining
decisions

that
current
users
of
the
product
have
made
in
their
processes
and
how
the

company
can
apply
this
feedback
to
ensure
future
conversions
via

www.CJexchange.com.

The
goal
of
the
new
site
is
to
expand
the
current
market

reach
in
the
Criminal
Justice
Systems’
refined
niche.

While
providing
modified

formats
of
the
current
training
program
for
much
less
to
students
of
the
Criminal

Justice
System,
and
those
who
are
just
genuinely
interested
in
the
content—
www.ForensicDeathInvestigation.com
will
remain
to
ultimately
support
the

traditional
aspects
of
the
4
P’s
of
marketing
(product,
price,
placement,
promotion).

Understanding
the
current
decision-‐making
behaviors
of
the
current
market
will

lead
to
increased
conversion
rates
with
experiences
that
have
been
dictated
by
the

user’s
very
experiences
and
needs.

Through
the
evaluation
of
this
chart,
it
is
safe
to

say
that
IFFE
has
valuable
insights
in
place
that
will
lead
to
effective
development

and
successful
launch
of
the
new
resources
that
are
being
developed
to
target
the

very
users
who
have
inadvertently
been
ignored
by
the
company.

Internet

developments
and
marketing
opportunities
are
opening
doors
that
allow
IFFE
to
see

Aaron
8

where
the
business
model
must
and
can
shift
in
order
to
stimulate
more
users,

based
on
their
behaviors
and
decisions.

How Do Your Customers Make Buying Decisions Aaron Abbott

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