The buyer journey refers to the process buyers go through when considering, evaluating, and making a purchase.
Whereas the buyer journey was historically viewed as a linear sequence of stages, it is now seen as a more dynamic, nonlinear process that can vary based on product, buyer, and other factors.
The traditional sales funnel visualized a sequence of awareness, consideration, and conversion. Though still relevant, the buyer journey focuses more on the prospect's motivations and mindset. These include problem awareness, information seeking and evaluation, purchase decision-making, and post-purchase behavior.
Marketers use buyer journey concepts to plan content that aligns with the prospect's motivation at each step of the funnel.
The sales funnel relates to the seller's point of view while the buyer's journey maps the customer's perspective of aligning their needs to available solutions. Understanding the buyer journey can help sellers identify customer pain points and influence decision-making through customized engagement.