“I post my freebies and blogs all over Pinterest but I’m still not seeing sales!” This is something I hear all the time and have helped many clients through over the years as a Pinterest and funnels strategist. One of the first questions we ask is: have you considered the stages of awareness when creating your content?

The number one problem they all have in common? Their Pinterest content has nothing to do with their end goal sale. The second biggest problem they all have in common? They haven’t considered the stages of awareness when they’ve created those blogs and freebies.

For the stages of awareness to make sense, we need to first talk about the first problem: our content having nothing to do with our end goal sale. 

How to build a freebie and blog that supports your customer journey

The key to making freebies and blogs that convert into sales is building them around the problem your end goal sale solves. This is what makes up a Pinterest marketing funnel. Check out this post if you want to learn more about building a Pinterest funnel.

If there is any disconnect between your free value and your end goal sale, you gotta scrap that free value and start over, no matter how juicy that free value is. I know that sounds extreme, but really, you’re not doing yourself any favors by putting all that energy into content that won’t convert. Don’t think you can scrap it all? Make an end goal sale that aligns with that free content instead, and build a separate funnel for this other end goal sale!

My post “How to Build Freebies People Actually Want” gives away 10 other tips!

What are the 5 Stages of Awareness?

As we move through each phase, we’re going to use the story of me on my journey to buy a new pair of white sneakers. Try to envision your ideal customer to find out which stage they might be in.

Note: your ideal customers might fit into more than one stage. That’s okay! Just take note of that so you can make free content that serves each stage they’re in.

Unaware

This is someone who simply doesn’t even know they have a problem. This crowd is probably not where your ideal customer lives. And this crowd might be on Pinterest but they’re probably harder to convert because you’d have to make them aware of their problem with your content.

Sneaker example: White sneakers simply weren’t a trend and I didn’t think I needed them in my wardrobe. To get me out of the unaware stage, I would have had to have been convinced that white sneakers were a trend I wanted to get on board with.

Problem-aware:

This is someone who knows they have a problem, but they don’t know how to solve it. They’re the biggest crowd on Pinterest. Your ideal customer is probably in this stage when they come across your brand on Pinterest. 

Sneaker example: I’m now aware of the white sneaker trend and I think I want a pair in my wardrobe. I’m going to head to Pinterest to look up outfit inspo to see if white sneakers would actually fit my vibe or not.

Solution-aware:

This is someone who knows what will solve their problem, but they haven’t decided which product or person they’ll invest in yet. This person is probably browsing multiple platforms but is drawn most to someone who’s established trust.

Sneaker example: I’ve decided a pair of white sneakers will complete my wardrobe, but I don’t know what brand to go with. Do I want new vans? Maybe New Balance? Nike? Maybe a lesser-known brand? I’m going to browse around different stores and compare prices, brand values, and my emotional connections. Are any stores offering me special discounts? 

Product-aware:

This is someone who has finally decided on a product. Whether they buy immediately or not, we don’t know. But they’ve made their decision. Are they waiting for the funds? Maybe waiting for a sale? Birthday wishlist? The thing that will eventually drive the sale home is for the brand to stay top of mind.

Sneaker example: I’ve added a pair of white, chunky New Balances to my cart, but because I struggle to buy things for myself, I close the tab and promise myself I’ll buy them eventually. Over the next couple of weeks, New Balance reminded me of my abandoned cart and sent me a 10% discount. Dang, okayyy!

Most-aware:

This person has everything they need to decide to buy. It’s just a matter of time.

Sneaker example: The reminders and the coupon are what sold me. I go back to my cart, apply the coupon, and place my purchase!

Okay, so now that we have a grasp on those stages of awareness, what does this mean for Pinterest?

Using the Stages of Awareness to Inform Our Pinterest Content

If we’re creating free content that supports our end goal sale, we can take that a step further by making sure that free content serves our audience where they’re at. For Pinterest, we’re going to focus on just two of the stages of awareness, problem & solution, because that makes up the majority of Pinterest users.

If they’re problem-aware, which most of your audience probably is, you can make free content that speaks to that problem and introduces a solution. Your goal should be to educate, empower, and encourage. This will look more like informational blogs, quick-fix freebies, and easy trainings.

If they’re solution-aware, you can make free content that speaks to that solution and introduces yourself as the product they should invest in. Your goal should be to inspire, attract, and convince. This will look like showing off your portfolio, products, and transformations.

By being more intentional about the blogs and freebies you create, you’re forging an easy path for them to be nurtured into a higher ticket sale. It’s really as simple as aligning your free content to your end goal sale and taking their stage of awareness into consideration!

Want to know how to make Pinterest content that actually converts? Watch the first 10 minutes of my course, Power of Pinterest, for free!

Make that money, love! You deserve it!

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