Integrated Marketing communication: Consumer behavior and factors affecting on decision-making - Coursework Example

Task Integrated Marketing communication: Consumer behavior and factors affecting on decision-making Introduction The consumers are considered unique in their own ways, and the uniqueness is reflected in their consumer patterns and purchase process. Consumer behavior studies provide the different rationale as to why these consumers differ from one another in the purchase of goods and services (Hayden, 2009, 10). Consumers usually receive the needed stimuli to trigger the need for something from both the surroundings as well as the assorted viewpoints of the marketing approaches for various goods and services. The consumers respond to these stimuli through the purchase or failure to purchase the product that had formerly been acknowledged. In the steps of receiving the stimuli from the surroundings or the promotion stratagems of the presented goods and services, and providing a suitable response to the same, the consumer has to make a resolution on whether to acquire or not purchase (Hayden, 2009, 12). Consumer Involvement Examples from UK Food and Drinks Industry Consumer involvement can be considered to be a tool that helps to explain the disparity in the mental, and physical strive of a consumer with the decision he or she makes on whether to purchase a product or not. Consumer involvement can be seen as a concept that plays a central part in stimulating consumer motives. Involvement may imply the rank of superficial individual significance induced by stimuli within a certain circumstance. This means that the aspects of an entity, a product and a situation all merge to establish the consumer’s motivation to procedure product correlated information at given phase. The consumers pay attention to any relevant information on the achievement of a certain goal, therefore, leading to the motivation. Consumer involvement transpires at various stages in addition to product. According to the concept, merchandise characteristics bear associations of the merchandise with the consumer’s emotional desires and requirements. It can therefore consider bearing relations with stages such as advertising or even products, which include the UK food and drinks sector. Some of the examples are cheese, wine, biscuits, teacakes, oat bran sticks, shredded bran, hard-boiled sticks, and candies. The food industry is most developing industry in almost all the countries because of the food is a basic thing for a human being to survive. Consumer behaviors & Decision-making on food and drinks sector 1. Heinz ketchup The customers buying Heinz come from middle class, and prefer the product because of its premium quality, taste, and nutrition. These reasons affect the consumer behavior towards buying the item. Other grounds making customers end up with the decision to buy the item, is its convenience and value, which seem to be appropriate and pleasing to the customers. The consumer behavior towards buying of Heinz ketchup is affected by the essentiality of the item in the household meals. The consumer’s decision for fancying the commodity is because of its emerging in intentionally markets in the world rankings. The product becomes popular and consumers are tempted to try the item, hence purchasing the item. The consumer’s behavior and decision making is also affecting by the company’s innovation and the growing of core portfolio. They have significantly improved standards of the product hence making it to be attractive. 2. Oat bran sticks One major factor that defines the consumer behavior towards the commodity is the manageable price of the item. The consumers’ behavior is controlled by the unique taste that oat bran sticks have comparing to other potatoes crunches food items. The approving taste and the contemptible price determine the decision of consumers in choosing to buy the product. The company has invented special and related commodities that are better than the current product, hence making customers prefer the product. The company also advertises the merchandise, hence reaching a large number of consumers. The advertisement changes the perception about the product through listening to the advantages of the commodity. 3. Cheese Most consumers believe that eating cheese makes a person happy. The conviction has affected the behavior of the consumer, since buy it for the pleasurable feeling. Consequently, their decision-making is controlled by the fact, and are forced to have cheese anytime they want to be happy. The consumers’ mind-set toward cheese also determines the sales of the product in the market. When consumers are happy with the item, they will always look for it despite the challenges they might be facing. Cheese is a common food product internationally, and people like it because of the positive affects it has to the people. Its popularity also determines the consumers’ decision-making and behavior towards the commodity. 4. Teacakes It is common in England and is taken during breakfast meals with either coffee or tea. The teacake is preferred because of the quality it is made of and the delightful taste it has. There are numerous varieties of the teacake, since they come in different taste and size. This factor influences the consumers’ behavior and decision-making. For this reason, customers have a extensive variety to choose from, consequently, holding a large number of consumers internationally. The fact that breakfast is an essential meal that a person should take, there are few foods that one can take tea with, and therefore, chances of buying the teacakes are high. The consumers’ behavior towards buying of the item is therefore, determined by the favorable prices and the large varieties of the products of the teacakes. Working communication The working communications are the interactions that are required, within the work environment, to conduct the perceived business undertakings effectively. The people involved must, therefore, exhibit good communication with the marketing environments and are acquainted to the concepts utilized in such environments (Cepha, 2008). Consumer acquisition decision is buying options that the consumers make before obtaining a certain good or service. The consumer buying process is an intricate subject as numerous internal and external aspects has an influence on the buying resolution of the consumer (Blythe 2008, 4). The decision-making is a thorough progression in which the consumers has a wide range of goods and has to choose the good that perfectly fits his or her needs. Resolution making entails consumer behavior which is the process and actions that consumers undertakes while searching for, choosing, procuring, utilizing, assessing and disposing their commodities and services in order to gratify their requirements and desires (Blackwell, Miniard & Engel, 2003, 45). In making a sound purchase decision, a purchaser has to make various choices concerning various aspects of the component that he or she plans to purchase (Blythe, 2008, 4). The first stage involved in making a sound decision concerning the purchase of a certain commodity is the need recognition. Need recognition transpire in the instance a consumer perceives a requirement and gets motivated into coming into a decision-making procedure in order to resolve the established or presented need (Hoyer & Macinnis, 2008, 194). The markets must bear firsthand data regarding the needs that the consumer plans to satisfy, and the way they transform into purchase criterion. The information acquired by the markets becomes essential in various ways such as the promotion for the food and drink products. The products play a big role in ensuring that the economy is stable and developing. The information allows the marketers to depict the need in promotional statements or the placement of the statements in the most appropriate locations (Lamb, Hair & McDaniel, 2009, 188). Need recognition can be regarded as an outcome of the disparity between the consumer model state and the consumer real state. For the consumer, there exist a goal and the realization of the presented goal means that a more positive situation is attained with respect to the neutral or ideal situation (Wilkie, 1994, 85). The stimuli towards a consumer’s need may be considered both straightforward and complex and appears as an outcome of the changes that occur from the consumer’s desired state. The next part is the information search and in this, the consumers get into searching for information concerning the recognized need. The consumers seek the information through various ways such as from friends, relations, the internet and yellow pages. Marketers have to have knowledge about the sources of information that the consumers frequently utilize in search for a products’ information. Marketers also have to know the influences that the information from these sources exact on the buying decisions in order to avert the consumers with the chance to obtain the required data (Hoyer & Macinnis, 2008, 194). The third step is the consumer’s evaluation of the presented buying options. The consumers has to consider various alternative products such as; cheese, wine, biscuits, teacakes, bran sticks, shredded bran, hard-boiled sticks, and candies within the market and make the decision on which brand to buy. The evaluation usually works on the preferences and influences from certain people within a person’s life. In most cases, the consumer tends to buy a food and drinks products that exhibit uniqueness through the provision of certain benefits and product characteristics that satisfy the requirements of an individual. Purchase Decision Model The fourth step is the real purchase decision that occurs immediately an individual identifies the best product brand that he or she wishes to buy. The evaluation helps to decide on the product that better suit the need of the consumer. The evaluation of various food and drinks products allows consumers to reach ultimate buying choice and the end of attending to the purchase activities. Purchase of the preferred merchandise occurs through either the internet or the company stores. The organization selling the food and drinks products usually offers favorable payment terms in an attempt to facilitate the buying process and beat competition. The final step in decision procedure is the following purchase behavior in which the consumers themselves in doubt of whether they bought the right product and at the right price. The feelings are most common in consumers immediately they purchase a product and bring uneasiness to the purchasers (Assael, 1995, 22). The manufacturers of consumer merchandise have to make sure that consumers do not regret their concerning their resolutions since this would serve as a bombshell for the company goods. The consumers usually enquire about the purchased products from their relations just to be certain they made the best buying decision. In case the product satisfies the needs of that consumers, they continue to buy the product and even incite other people to acquire the commodities to for them find the satisfying part of the product. They, therefore, become a company’s marketing apostles. On the other hand, if the company dissatisfies the consumer’s product in terms of price, performance or design then the bad mouth the product and become the promotion terrorists. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs In Maslow does the populace motivation, conjecture, consumer buying, perceptions, education and mind-sets, affect decisions. According to the theory, the populace is driven by certain requirements during certain times and influences the buying behaviors (Montana & (Charnov, 2008, 238). With respect to the model, human needs are arranged in a pecking order or hierarchy commencing with the most pressing needs and end with the least esteemed needs. The people within the lower region of the hierarchy exhibit similar buying behaviors in that they may buy the essential or basic needs for their existence. Since these people have no luxuries, they might not require such things for instance, personal vehicles. The people within the second rank are more flexible and can at times manage to purchase various luxuries such as televisions within their homes (Montana & Charnov, 2008, 239). The fact that they are at a different level with the lower group immensely distress the purchase decisions. The third group or the esteem region presents a dissimilar buying decision in that they have the required resources to make monumental purchases and even at the most expensive stores. The fact that they have the resources means that they hold a wide range of merchandise from which they can purchase certain products (Montana & Charnov, 2008, 239). These people have the capability numerous and labor to undertake activities devoid of any glitches. The self-actualized personnel within the society mean that they have enough resources and seeking more money appears something unrealistic instead, they only seek recognition. These people usually have an even wider area of exploration in terms of market products; examples are cheese, wine, biscuits, teacakes, bran sticks, shredded bran, hard-boiled sticks, and candies. These people usually make extravagant spending on products that can be afforded by even the poorest person at an extremely high price. In order to meet the psychological requirements of consumer, the producers have to develop brands that fit all populace within the hierarchy or pecking order. The concept is constructive for the marketers since it serves to make the producers understand and create products that fit in the desires of the consumers. Search decision process In decision-making for consumers, there exist internal and external influences. The internal influences include; perception, edification, self-construction, motivation and societal roles while the external influences include; social class, culture and professional factions. These factors substantially influence the decision that a consumer makes concerning the purchase of certain desired merchandise. Motivational involvement of consumer Motivational involvement is a consumer involvement model can be regarded simply as the unobservable condition of encouragement and awareness stirred up by stimulus or other circumstances that bear drive characteristics (Mosley, Pietri & Mosley, 2008, 192). In motivational involvement, motivational strength is one of the aspects. Motivational strength can be described through various application of the goal. Soon after, the goal is attained the strain is reduced and motivation retreats. Motivation in terms of the strength it possesses or the force it applies on the consumer serves as a better way of comprehending the concepts (Majumdar, 2010, 35). Additionally, it can also be the directions and certain ways through which the consumer tries to trim down motivational strain or anxiety. Collectively, motivational strength is the level to which an individual has the willpower to use up in order to reach a laid down goal as conflicting to another. Motivational strength, therefore, echoes, the basic motivation, to arrive at the set objective. In order to explain this aspect, theories have developed, and most of them have proved to contribute to the fundamental concept that the populace has everlasting or unending energies that must be utilized through direction towards certain tasks. According to the concept of motivational course, motives are assumed to have directions. They appear to be objective oriented taking into thought the fact that set objectives have to be satisfied (Laaksonen, 1994, 79). Objectives are realized through appliance of various techniques. The marketers play a chief task in convincing consumers concerning the alternative that they offer provides the best opportunity to realize a goal (Majumdar, 2010, 35). In certain circumstances, consumers may be in positions where different motives whether negative or positive bear certain conflicts. The marketers may help to provide solutions to such situations whilst still ensuring that the consumer requirements are met. Through the application of consumer involvement, people can have better comprehension of the relations between psychology and behavior of the target group. Research bears certain aspects that help in triggering the urge of consumers to either purchase or not buy a certain commodity. The consumers have to bear the information concerning the commodity in question for them to make a solid decision on the same. In case, a consumer finds the presented information concerning the commodity to be convenient then they are eventually motivated to purchase such commodity. The vice versa transpires in case the research undertaken concerning the commodity is not convincing and appealing to the consumer. Types of Consumer Involvements High Involvement or Rational This category bears most expensive business buying that is things relating to technological infrastructure, location of the office and insurance plans. For consumers, the concept tries to connect to higher cost. The purchases within the high involvement diverge appreciably taking into thought the rational or emotional scale (Lib22, 2007, 2). The intended market usually dedicates large amount of time in an attempt to make certain that the resolution made was the finest. They have an exceptionally high esteem and self-assurance concerning their judgment on the purchase of certain product variety for its remuneration (Charlie & Beenie, 2008, 2). The consumer buys the brand that holds up and underpins self-concept. For a person car may be a means of getting to for instance, to work and the assortment has basis on fuel cutback and dependability meaning that the car is an illustration of class and personality High Involvement or Emotional The concept can be regarded as craving being above the logics. According to this category, the target market gets more influences through the technique and the plan that the brand gets associated with than the practical improvements (Charlie & Beenie 2008, 2). In case the consumers decide to purchase certain food and drinks products which are wine, biscuits, teacakes, bran sticks, shredded bran, hard-boiled sticks, and candies on the grounds of aesthetics, then they are buying certain benefits presented in the product. Such buyers could encompass lower confidence, and they only purchase the food and drinks products, in order to present their status through the utilization of these products (Kotler, Kartajaya & Setiawa, 2010, 66). Therefore, this means that bearing such food and drinks improve their worth or value and help in the reduction of the unconstructive self-concept. For certain persons it may involve purchases of commodities such jewelry. The buying of a vehicle has dependency on background, personality and the purchasing influence. Low Involvement or Rational Low involvement can be regarded as a rapid logic over desire. The buyers are predisposed to brand inactivity that is they have the tendency to purchase similar brand owing it to comfort and inclination (Lib22 2007, 3). However, they may purchase a different brand in case the rationale appears more compelling than their obvious grounds on comfort and inclination. Therefore, the buyers have to be influenced to make the adjustments although with comparative simplicity and convenience (Charlie & Beenie, 2008, 2). OTC medicine can be considered more of low involvement compared to pain relievers. Low Involvement or Emotional This can be considered impulsive over rationale or reason. The buyers have no intent to carry out extensive research or even engage in investments in terms of a great quantity of their time and efforts in making contemplation on the coherent worth of various brands (Charlie & Beenie 2008, 2). This means that the buyers wish to have a quick decision concerning the matter. Therefore, they are considered impulsive in the essence of making the rapid decisions, and they prefer a variety exclusively on hedonic and persona descriptions and stimulus. However, they still have to suit the primary stimuli although the desire may be transitory so that they become receptive and opportunistic (Charlie & Beenie 2008, 2). Pain relievers and medicines for children more so those for kids can be considered emotionally driven than being rational. Correlation between Consumer Involvement and Motivation The consumer motives are stimulated or activated by incorporating the concepts of motivation and involvement. The stimulus leads to or motivates a consumer perception on a presented circumstance. Therefore, it suggests that various outlooks of an individual, the product in question and the presented situations are all incorporated to determine the motivation of a certain consumer (Sridhar, 2007, 3). At this instance, the consumer may then mange to process the presented information. Involvement can, therefore, be regarded as a technique of motivation in which a consumer processes information. The consumer’s uptake of the low involvement commodities are attributed to inactivity, and decisions are carried out on grounds of habit since, the consumer lacks the required motivation to bear preferences (Sridhar, 2007, 3). Role of Risk in Consumer Involvement In consumer involvement, risk is considered a highly significant element although risk cannot be equated to involvement. Risk is a satisfactory situation to make the purchaser get involved in a product. The amount of risk presented by a certain decision in the past engrosses a person to an appreciable extent or lesser extent. Through research, it has been brought into attention that risk plays an inconsequential responsibility in low involvement commodities (Sridhar 2008, 2). Furthermore, risk serves as an antecedent to consumer involvement especially for pioneering and high involvement commodities. AIDA & How It Works In awareness approach, a corporation introducing a novel product into the market have to provide, the required the promotion, to make the target consumer aware of the product in the market (Glowa, 2002, 8). Awareness plays a chief role in consumer behavior as it shapes the consumer into bearing the interest that at the far end leads to purchase. The way people make the target consumer aware of the product matters in the final buying decision (Glowa 2002, 9). In interest step, the producers have managed to create awareness meaning that they must build up the urge of consumers to want to try the food and drinks products. The manufacturer will have to center more on the utilities of the product rather than the features. The emotional appeals to consumers will serve to influence the consumers to bear the needed interest to try out the product. The interest then develops into desire or yearns and the consumer cannot resist the presented product utilities as well as features. This desire or yearn eventually leads to the consumer final action which the purchase decision. Through the following steps, the consumer finally manages to obtain the product. Conclusion Consumer behavior bears immense weight in shaping the consumer into purchasing a desired commodity. Through the application of various concepts people, the business community such as managers manages to make certain varied decision for their respective companies. The decision-making in such circumstances has to be carried out in the most prudent manner to prevent any dire consequences in the future of the firm (Assael 1995, 22). Poor analysis of the consumer behavior, by marketers, can also be disastrous to the manufacturing companies meaning that, the manager has to bear all the presented concepts to come up with the excellent decisions. Recommendations Marketers have to be acquainted to various factors that transpire within the goods markets and learn more on techniques to motivate the consumers to procure their food and drinks products such as cheese, wine, biscuits, teacakes, bran sticks, shredded bran, hard-boiled sticks, and candies. 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