From 4 As to 5 As, How do people buy?

In recent decades, mobility and connectivity between people has increased. This change in scenario has made it possible for consumers to examine and evaluate the brands . However, the increase in internet usage decreased attention and concentration during these processes.

 Consumers are exposed to an excess of online marketing e offline , which bring product characteristics, brand promises and sales arguments. Because they are saturated, these people are afraid of being deceived by advertising and prefer to rely on information from their social circle. 

Therefore, it is necessary to highlight your company.

In this process it is recommended: 

1. Map the consumer's path to purchase
2. Understand the customer's contact points with the brand along the way and intervene when necessary.
3. Focus efforts by intensifying communication, strengthening the presence on the channel and improving the interface with the customer.
4. Introduce strong differentiation.
5. Leverage the power of connectivity and brand advocacy by the customer.
6. Convert customers into faithful lawyers.

This text will help you to map the consumer's path, not only until the purchase, but throughout its journey. According to Kopler, this path can be described by a Checklist known as AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action). The advertising text must attract attention, generate interest, strengthen desire and ultimately promote action.

However, in the same way that Ps changed, the AIDA model has undergone several modifications. 

Initially the model was composed of the 4 As:

From the same point of view, it should be noted that this model works as a funnel. The number of brands recommended by people is less than the number of brands they buy, which in turn is less than the number of brands they know. 

However, with connectivity the decisions that were individual became social decisions, therefore, customer loyalty is not measured by the act of buying the product again, but in its defense and brand indication. For example, netizens have very active connections in social networks and that is why they are very important to the image of companies, even if they do not buy the products. 

 For this need to connect, the consumer's path must be rewritten as the 5 As:

These steps are configured as follows, according to the actions of consumers: 

• Assimilation: they are passively exposed to a long list of brands, past experiences, marketing and advocacy by other consumers.
• Attraction: are attracted by a short list of brands. Memorable and differentiated brands are more likely to stay on that list longer and even occupy the top of it. 
• Argument: they actively research the brands they were attracted to. They ask for opinions from their contact network, compare prices, test products. Today, the challenge has been made even more complex by the integration of the digital and physical world. If the argument is small, it means that the attraction was not done well.
• Action: Convinced by the complaint, consumers will take action. In addition to involving customers, brands need to make sure that their experience is totally positive and memorable, solving any problems and complaints. 
• Apology: After a while, customers can develop a feeling of strong brand loyalty, reflected in retention, repurchase, and ultimately, brand defense before their contact network.

Because of this generation's attention deficit, consumers can skip one or two phases along this path. The stages in the five As, do not necessarily need to happen in a linear way, on the contrary, they often happen in a spiral way, similar to the way of buying the women . 

 The model of five As it is a flexible tool applicable to all sectors. It provides insights into the relationship between the company and consumers compared to competitors. Thus enabling a change of strategies in order to maintaining competitiveness in the digital age.

For more texts, visit our blog !

See you later!