While there are many models used by marketers to explain consumer behaviour, the Engel, Blackwell and Miniard (EBM) Model is a popular framework for understanding the problem-solving process that takes place during buying.
In the EBM model, the first stage of a consumer's buying process begins with recognising a need for a product or service. Need recognition can be triggered in many ways, such as running out of a product, seeing someone else with the product, or reading an article or advertisement that ignites a need to purchase.
If you're launching a new brand, product or service, you should consider spending a large part of your marketing activities at creating top-of-mind awareness within your target market. In this stage, you should be delivering information to your customers as they will not actively seek information about your business or its offering. In many cases, they may not even be aware that a need exists.
Examples of traditional methods are direct mail, telesales, in-store promotions and advertising (television, print, radio, and outdoor). Technology has included SMS, email, banner ads and a growing number of alternatives that you would need to explore before making a final decision.
Consumers first search their memory banks for information about the brand, product, or service they need. If you've successfully created top-of-mind awareness in the need recognition stage, the consumer may decide to skip all other steps and go straight for the purchase.
If there has been insufficient information in memory to make an informed decision, the external information search will begin.
Consumers who are brand loyal will search for information in a different manner to those who are not. Suppose two customers are buying cars. A customer loyal to the BMW brand, for example, may choose to visit the BMW website, read BMW brochures, speak to a BMW dealer, and test drive a variety of BMW models. A buyer less brand conscious may have other search criteria, such as price, features or benefits. A price-conscious customer may read a number of motoring magazines, visit various dealerships and websites, and test-drive a wide range of cars within the price range.
When building a website for information purposes, you should bear in mind that brand-loyal customers are likely to do an intensive information search on your site so the number of pages drilled down will be deep and the time spent on the site considerable. Visitors who are not brand loyal move between different web sites comparing features, benefits and prices amongst competitors. They are also more likely to use search engines to find your products and services.
Therefore, it is important to understand your customers' level of loyalty to your brand because it will affect the type and level of information you place on your website, and influence the use of SEO in your strategy. It unlikely that will you be able to reach all of your customers at all times, so the tactics you choose will depend on factors such as budget, business goals, and ROI.
Armed with enough information, the consumer would compare the different options before making a decision.
Finally, the purchase takes place. The purchase may lead to a satisfied customer or a dissatisfied customer.
Research has shown that consumers alternate between the physical store and the Internet depending on their buying contexts. When offering a combination of marketing channels, it is, therefore, important to thoroughly understand the specific conditions that would influence the search and purchase decisions of your specific target market.
