Your Customers and Prospects Need Information, Become the Provider

TweetDo you know what the sales funnel is?

The three red arrows are pointing at an ENORMOUS AREA OF LOST OPPORTUNITY for micro business owners.

Most business owners are not concerned with a prospect until they reach Stage 4 — which is when they actually make a purchase.

What Are Buyers Doing in Stages 1, 2 and 3?

The short answer — looking for INFORMATION.

When buyers are becoming aware (Stage 1) of a product or service, they are certainly not in buying mode.  They don’t yet know that they want or need this product or service.  They need more information.

When buyers are becoming interested (Stage 2) in a product or service, they are not ready to buy either.  This stage could last for days, weeks, months and even years as their interest in a particular area “ramps up.”  They need more information.

When buyers are evaluating (Stage 3) their options (i.e.  Should I buy this? , What companies provide this product or service?) they are not yet ready to buy.  They are weighing the pros and cons of the different courses of action that they could take.  They need more information.

In all three stages — it pays big bucks to be the provider of that information.

As a micro business owner you are responsible for getting all of the below done in the sales and marketing department:

1. Raising Awareness for your product or service.
2. Generating Interest for your product or service.
3. Providing the ability to Evaluate your product or service versus other options.

Does this sound like a daunting task?  An expensive task?

It isn’t.

Where Are People Searching For This Information?

The short answer — the Internet.

This is great news for micro business owners.  The Internet is a VERY low cost channel for broadcasting information to your target market through the use of:

• Text
• Images
• Audio
• Video

A blog is the most low cost and efficient way to distribute this content.  In my e-book, Tiny Business, Mighty Profits I show you exactly how to set up your blog to become the provider of information to the prospects in your target market.

Commit yourself to meeting your customer at the lip of the funnel instead of trying to find those that are at Stage 4 (Commitment) already.  Chances are they already know where they are going to buy the product or service when they reach Stage 4.

How do they know?

Someone provided them with the information to make their decision.  It could be you.