Figuring out when someone actually buys something is like trying to predict the weather. It’s not an exact science. People become customers differently. Sometimes, people see an ad and purchase it right then and there. Other times, they need to see, hear, and read something lots of times before they’re ready to spend money. So, what makes this timeline work? There is no good guess. This can be frustrating to small business teams; when one marketing tactic seems to fail, then the next marketing tactic seems to do wonders.

Building Initial Awareness

The first step here is getting on people’s radar. This is when potential customers first see the product or service for the first time. Think of seeing an ad someone is just scrolling through on their phone. Most people won’t click or stop there; that’s just what will happen. Over time, people will recognize things and begin to engage with the product. Even if they don’t realize it, they are slowly building that trust.

First impressions are critical. Thus, it is important to curate yourself as a brand. For the website or an Instagram account, it should have an aesthetic, and the information on those sites must be clear. Over time, as customers see more of the business, they become familiar, and they can trust it more.

Growing Interest, Testing Water

People need to be “interested.” This isn’t exactly full trust, but at least these people aren’t immediately uninterested! Maybe they follow that brand on social media, sign up for email lists, or even read blog posts. Here, they are actively looking for more information. If they buy Instagram followers, these people will start to notice the community associated with that brand; the next step for these people is to engage with that community.

In this middle phase, businesses can show good value to grow relationships. Maybe someone is giving away freebies or engaging with customer feedback. Each engagement drives the trust phase forward by creating value for the potential customer.

The Trust Phase Accelerates

Actually, trusting a brand can be a tough thing. Customers can be worried about risks, whether it’s product quality or just bad customer service, if something goes wrong. This is where those things we talked about, like referrals, reviews, and testaments, can really build trust. Businesses that promote community engagement, transparency of the company’s inner workings, or engaging with long-term customers can benefit in keeping customers engaged. Trust allows potential customers to become long-term loyal customers.

Consistency is key here; it also helps to be very clear with a consumer on what the product offers. All of these steps may or may not build trust between the company and the customer.

Decision and Action

This is where the potential customer actually buys something. But really, it’s not just one thing making them purchase. It could require multiple actions done by the user and the company. For example, the customer may have a good conversation with a customer service rep who explains everything. This stage is one for the books because now the potential customer converted; the next stage is continued loyalty.

Delivering Continued Satisfaction

It doesn’t end until the customer actually buys! Businesses need to keep those customers happy. Businesses should keep engaging, keep giving value, keep communicating, and keep working hard to ensure their customers are satisfied. Businesses that have an infrastructure to keep people happy have a better product, and it leads to good reviews and references.

Conclusion

The “Trust Timeline” differs for everyone. There are different factors which may affect it. People engage differently, and companies act differently with each potential customer. There are key things that remain the same. Focus on being clear and consistent, building good relationships, and always thinking of satisfying a customer. That is ultimately the key to building trust, and once that happens, it makes it easier to have customers buy stuff.