Recognizing the need and seeking information

Identifying problems and the gap between current and desired state.

The buying process does not begin at the cash register, but in the consumer's mind when he or she perceives a significant difference between his or her current situation and an ideal or desired situation.

This recognition of the problem can be triggered by internal stimuli, such as thirst or tiredness, or by external stimuli, such as an advertisement or the smell of freshly baked bread when passing a bakery.

The magnitude of the gap between the "actual state" and the "desired state" determines the strength of the motivation.

For example, a professional may realize that his current computer is slow; if the slowness only slows him down for a few seconds, motivation is low, but if it prevents him from completing a vital project, the gap is huge and the need to act becomes urgent.

Effective marketing helps consumers recognize this gap by showing how a product can transport them to that ideal scenario.

Sources of information: personal, commercial, public, experiential

Once the need has been activated, the individual begins the search for information to solve his or her problem.

This search can be passive, simply by being more attentive, or active, by deliberately researching.

Sources of information fall into four categories: personal (family, neighbors, colleagues), which are the most influential because of their credibility; commercial (advertising, salespeople, websites), which inform but generate less trust; public (media, consumer organizations); and experiential (product manipulation, free trials).

A buyer of an appliance, for example, will consult the manufacturer's website for technical data (commercial source), but will rely more on the opinion of his brother who already owns the appliance (personal source) to validate the decision.

The role of perception in data collection

During the search phase, the consumer does not absorb all available information, but filters it through his selective perception.

He retains only that which supports his prior beliefs or resonates with his current needs.

If a customer is concerned about the durability of a piece of furniture, he will selectively pay attention to reviews that talk about the robustness of the materials and ignore those that talk about aesthetics.

In addition, perceived social information carries more weight than corporate information.

If a software brand promises "ease of use" but user forums say it is complex, market perception will lean toward difficulty, regardless of the technical reality of the product.

Summary

The process starts mentally by perceiving a gap between the current situation and the ideal one. Internal stimuli or advertisements trigger this motivation to seek urgent solutions.

The individual investigates personal, commercial or experiential sources to solve the problem. Close sources generate more trust than corporate advertising during this active phase.

Selective perception filters the data collected during the search. The consumer retains only what supports his or her prior beliefs, valuing more the social opinion of others.