In my experience consumers are more rationale than we give them credit for, especially as they get close to making a purchase decision, but the larger point is to tailor your message so it’s appropriate for where the consumer is in the purchase process regardless of how they got there. Even if some consumers skip steps, instead of putting toothpaste on their shopping list, Prospecting, they put Crest or Colgate, Consideration, their level of interest is now heightened and they are open to practical, benefit-oriented messages that will inform their decision. They are more likely to see a TV ad and are more likely to take note of Point of Sale (POS) information. Taking this approach rather than repeating the mass marketing message at POS or on the web site will be more efficient.

Cars excluded, few customer decisions truly fit into the purchase funnel process, moving linearly from awareness to preference. It assumes rationality, which people are surely not.

Matt Daniels´s last blog post..Is Design Thinking bullshit?