The modern consumer is ever-changing. Armed with advancing technology, their mind-set has evolved and no longer fits traditional personas. KERN recognized this problem and sought to develop a solution that would fit modern needs for marketers.

Recognizing that the convergence of faster connection speeds on both mobile and home devices, the accelerated adoption of online searching and sharing, and the proliferation of social networks and always-on communication abilities caused the change, KERN developed the Modern Buyer’s 10-Stage Journey and Progressive Personas. The traditional stagnant persona no longer fits the mold because there isn’t a one-size-fits-all template when considering a buyer’s journey in today’s marketplace.

The modern journey needed to be adaptable and fluid to keep up with consumers. Our 10-stage journey isn’t linear, and many of the stages can be traversed in seconds or together in a group. The length of this journey will vary depending on the complexity of the service or solution and is unique to each buyer.

We’re kicking off our weekly series to take a deeper look into each stage of the Modern Buyer’s 10-Stage Journey. The purpose of this series is to help marketers better understand each stage and offer a mock consumer journey to bring the full process to life. Each week, we’ll follow Tara Technology, a 35-year-old teacher, as she travels through process of buying of a new laptop. Begin Tara’s Modern Buyer’s 10-Stage Journey, Stage 1.