Knowing the 5 stages of awareness

On their customer journey, your audience will be at different stages of awareness about your offering.

?Consequently, you shouldn't take a one-size-fits-all approach to your copy. It needs to do different things depending on the reader's awareness stage.

?What are these stages? There are 5 of them:

1. Unaware

2. Problem aware

3. Solution aware

4. Product aware

5. Most aware.

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1. Unaware

Your reader has no idea about your product. They don't even know they have a problem that your product could solve. At this stage, your copy needs to highlight the problem and explain it. You should connect the problem with the reader's situation. Then you put forward the product as the solution and convince the reader to choose it.

2. Problem aware

The reader knows there’s a problem, but they don’t know how to solve it. Your copy needn’t dwell too much on the problem, but it should make the reader feel it’s clearly affecting them. Again, position the product as the solution and convince the reader they need it.

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3. Solution aware

At this stage, your reader is aware of their problem and that there's a way to fix it. Therefore, your copy must focus on positioning your product as a solution and the best choice for the reader.

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4. Product aware

The reader knows your product can fix their problem. Your job is to convince them to select it as their preferred option.

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5. Most aware

Here, the reader knows all they need to know about their problem, the solution and how your product can fix it. Now, you’ve got to create copy that will get them over the line, transforming them from a prospect into a customer.

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Your call to action (CTA)

The CTA is a critical component in your copy, whatever your reader’s stage of awareness. Like the copy itself, it can vary, depending on each part of the customer journey.

Earlier stages may require softer CTAs – "discover more", "download this information" etc – while later stages will focus on encouraging sales enquiries and orders. But at each awareness stage, you must convert your readers, preparing them to become customers.

Important note

In the middle three stages especially – problem-aware, solution-aware, product-aware – your copy shouldn't be too cautious. You can create opportunities to sell to your reader earlier rather than later. It’s not always about the reader progressing from one stage to the next before they're ready for you to sell to them.

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I’m a Manchester-based copywriter. I believe EVERYONE can benefit from well-written, purposeful content.

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