Market to Customers at the Right Stage of Awareness [Problem Aware vs Solution Aware]
Creating successful content is a lot more nuanced than it seems. Targeting the right customer persona at the right stage of awareness is the key to a successful content strategy.
What are the stages of marketing awareness?
I'm sitting in a juice bar in South Beach as I write this, so I think it’s only fitting that I use a juice bar as an example. So, let’s say Joe is looking for juice. What are the stages of awareness for Joe on his journey to buying juice in Miami Beach?
Problem Unaware
Uninterested in healthy living at the moment, Joe searches for coffee shops in South Beach and visits one that serves his favorite donuts during a coffee break.
Problem Aware
After getting his yearly physical, Joe learns that he needs to cut calories and cholesterol from his diet. So, he begins to do research on nutrition when he returns to his office.
Solution Aware
After stumbling upon a blog article about juice cleanses, Joe begins to research which cleanse will help him improve his health before his follow-up appointment.
Product Aware
Now that he knows what he’s looking for, Joe begins to look up all of the juice places that are walking distance from his office.
Most Aware
Joe is officially woke. He knows every juice bar in South Beach and is ready to make his first juice purchase.
customers holding juices
Joe seems to have figured things out, but how does each juice place in the area vie for his attention and ultimately make him a loyal customer?
The trick is to be at the right place at the right time during Joe’s various stages of awareness. If you’re waiting for him to become product aware in order to convert him, you may find it difficult if you haven’t offered him any assistance during the earlier stages.
When to Target Problem Aware Customers
Have you ever wondered why your favorite juice place offers a variety of juice cleanses and nutritional information on their blogs? It’s because they are targeting people like Joe when they become problem aware.
This might be the first interaction Joe has with these brands, making it the perfect time to focus on brand awareness. This is not the time, however, to try to make a sale with Joe. He’s not looking to buy a juice at this stage. He’s trying to learn more about juice cleanses, so you should focus your content on that.
Brand Pro Tip: Informational content is a great way to get people to opt in to your email newsletter and warm them up for a sale in the future.
When your goal is brand awareness, go after users who are problem aware. Let them get to know your brand so that when they are ready to look for a solution, your brand comes to mind.
These aren’t people who are going to purchase yet, but it helps to cast a wide net with your content. People appreciate help and will appreciate your brand if you help them solve a problem while asking for nothing in return.
When to Target Solution-Aware Customers
Once you’ve made some headway with brand awareness campaigns, you can begin to target solution-aware customers. Here, you are offering more than just information about their problem. You are telling them exactly how your solution is the best on the market. This is where brand positioning is key.
It’s essential to go after customers in both of these stages of awareness, especially if you’re trying to build a brand with a loyal following. Everyone loves a discount, but a company that focuses too much on selling risks losing customers if they are undercut by a competitor.
Why It’s Important to Target the Right Customer at the Right Stage of Awareness
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a salesperson in a store while shopping? Or maybe you’ve been annoyed by a hostess shoving a menu in your face while you walk past a restaurant on Lincoln Road.
Whether in person or online, sending people the wrong messages at the wrong time can give them a bad taste in their mouths when it comes to your brand. That’s why it’s so important to base your content on the stages of awareness.
Determining their level of awareness will not only help you find more customers, it will help you find the right customers at the right time.
