Social Media and Strategic Communications - Research Paper Example

Contemporary Marketing- Consumer Behavior al Affiliation) Consumer behavior refers to the intricate study of groups or individuals and the procedural layouts that they put in use during selection, security, and disposal of products, services and ideologies in a bid to satisfy needs, impacts that said processes may have on the consumer population as well as the society. Consumer behavior is dependent on certain factors such as demographic, period as well as personality traits. Consumer behavior in the previous years is not the same as consumer behavior in the current day and age. This is because of the variations in marketing that have come about over time. The type of marketing that is in place today is what is referred to as contemporary marketing. Contemporary marketing, unlike the previous types, has so many considerations to put in place because of the advancements in consumer behavior. While in previous years the procedures involved in successful marketing were simple and absolute, today the complexities have made a somewhat difficult task (Mills, 2004). This paper’s focal point is to analyze and outline the major issue that may arise from consumer behavior and contemporary marketing. The paper also focuses on the link that lies between the two concepts. The issued discussed in this paper are those that are directly related to consumer behavior and contemporary marketing. The issues presented are not the sole viewpoint from which the matter at hand can be analyzed. Social Influences References The level on which a person is dependent on their references varies with the closeness that they share (Charlesworth, 2014). Firstly, there is the primary category of references. This group of people consists of friends, coworkers, family members, and relatives. These people usually influence the consumer reasons. The first reason is that they may have used the product in question at a certain point in time. The second reason is that they may have specific knowledge concerning the product in question. The third reason, the greatest, is that the relationship that an individual has with the people listed determines their categorization in the following groups; Bachelor, Newlywed, Parent, Old age (with adult children). A Bachelor for instance, only values their preference and satisfaction. A parent on the other hand must make purchases that are of value and does not inconvenience their offspring According to a research study carried out by PMR research; consumers prioritize these this influences in different measure. Out of a study carried of 500 regular consumers of a multipurpose store the following results were obtained: Consumers influenced by previous use Consumers influenced by specific knowledge Consumers influenced by their family status Consumers influenced by all factors 142 28.4% 106 21.2% 238 47.6% 14 2.8% Societal Role This refers to the progressive contribution that the consumer in question brings about in society. This is especially concerning their career path. This goes on to influence the responsibilities that they feel they have towards society. A doctor, for instance, cannot make purchases that undermine his/her health. This is because in their line of work, they are well aware of the importance of prioritizing health matters. In this way, they feel they will be contributing negatively to society’s health prioritization in general. In the same way, a banker cannot make impulsive purchases as this undermines their financial well-being. If one plays the role they do, because of the passion they have then their conviction is high. People with high convictions are greatly influenced by their societal roles while those with low convictions, experience little influence from their societal roles. Societal status This is the categorization of individuals as belonging to either the lower, middle, or upper classes. People in the upper class have high-income levels and consequently higher spending. Although it has been noted that a section of the upper class, is intent on maintaining lower spending, the larger section usually prefers the opposite (Charlesworth, 2014). This is because they have a large financial base and therefore have very little worry over stability. The upper class usually prefers to shop in high-end stores because this illustrates their financial capabilities. The middle class shops in fairly expensive, but affordable stores while the lower class shop in cheap stores. In this way, each category is true to the financial capability that they possess. The upper class usually values the quality of something over its quantity. However, notably, this is not too great a concern for them because they can afford the cost of replacement should the product in question fail. As the middle and lower classes are not keen on replacement, they opt for both quality and quantity. The middle class, the larger part of the population, spends on an average measure. Family Influences Interaction The relationships that members of a family have with each other influence their behaviors as consumers. These relationships are determined by: 1. Cohesiveness - This refers to the emotional connection that people have with each other. It determines the closeness or lack thereof that they feel towards each other on a general basis. 2. Flexibility –the degree to which family members can adapt to stress. This is observed whilst in situations that do not favor their interests. Their ability to adapt to the challenges Facing them is what determines the nature of their flexibility, 3. Communication – this is the ability of family members to apply social imagination to their interactions. This is through application of empathy, excellent listening skills, and support for each other. Consumers from families that have the above endowments are likely to be thoughtful while those that are not are likely to be impulsive (Fortin, 2007). Family Structure This refers to the role that a consumer plays within their family. It determines their purchasing power; the products they purchase, when they purchase them, how often they purchase them, and the expenditure they are willing to incur (Mills, 2004). Members fall into the following categories: 1. Initiator – this is in reference to the family remember that recognizes a need that requires fulfillment 2. Information gatherer – this refers to the family member that seeks to be knowledgeable on purchases 3. Decision maker – the member upon whom the final decision regarding a purchase lies 4. Purchaser – This member carries out the actual act of buying. This is in most cases the adult. 5. User – this is where a large portion of people tells lies. They are consumers of products and services. This paper also took on a study of 6 large families of different historical orientations to determine behavioral traits amongst the above. The results were combined into one overall representation. The statistics laid out are representative (rough estimate) of the effect each person’s role has on their expenditure, impulsiveness and usage. Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs illustrates five needs that are of necessity to humankind. The needs vary in nature and fulfillment. Respective of order, the needs are; physiological needs, safety needs the need for love and a sense of belonging, self-esteem needs and needs for a sense of self-actualization. Maslow asserted that upon fulfillment of one need, consumers then moved on to a journey of fulfillment for the next need (Dunshinski, 2009). Maslow asserted that humans behave in accordance with the need that they are trying to fulfill at a particular point in time. Following these assertions, a marketer’s success is therefore dependent on their ability to appeal to any or more of the needs laid out (Association for Consumer Research, 2004). Certain marketing campaigns may be effective for a person on a certain level and not be as effective for others on a certain level. Marketers ought to study the hierarchy from the following perspectives a. Needs that a person prioritizes – although the hierarchy postulates that only after fulfillment of one level does someone move on to the next, a few cases have proved something different. Some consumers usually prioritize certain needs over others. While It is impossible that they would do without any of the needs, the focal point in this case is that they tend to prioritize some needs over others. Some consumers, for instance prioritize the need for safety over that of love. b. Position in society - One’s position in society determines the needs that they intend to fulfill. For instance, people from poor, but large families have different needs of people with rich but unstable families. The former may be well endowed with love and belonging. However, because of the place they live in, they are likely to try to fulfill needs with regard to safety aspects as well as self-esteem needs. The latter on the other hand, in spite of their well-off position is likely to be devoid of the satisfaction of all the needs in the hierarchy. c. Needs already fulfilled – as stated by Maslow, once a human being fulfills one need, he moves on to another. This information is relevant as it ensure that campaigns are not based on fulfilling a need that most of the target population has already fulfilled. This would render the cost and expenditures of the marketing teams null and void. Of all the four factors, this is by far the most relevant. d. Personal goals/ Interests - the actual interests that a consumer has are their drive. They define what they consider as success, satisfaction, and fulfillment. The categories that one could fall in are for instance- economist, environmentalist, artist, or scientist. The marketers should be able to convince the consumer based on their interest that they require to fulfill a certain need. The consumer may not in actuality be interested in the aspect in question, but the marketer should create their interest and convince them of its relevance. Interviews were carried out with top management of four popular clothing outlets, for the purposes of this paper. The aim was to analyze, which of the four aspects above led customers into their stores the most. The stores in question were; Charlotte Russe, TJ Maxx, Forever 21 and Go Jane. After compilation the results were as follows. Notably once, the first three aspects were taken into consideration, there weren’t that many needs left for prioritization. The Consumer Decision Process 1. Need Recognition This is the single most important step in this process. f a need is not recognized, then for the most part, there will not be any purchase. There is usually a conflict between the consumer’s actual circumstances and those that they desire/ the ideal situation (Al-Deen, 2013). While the consumer may wish that they were in a certain situation, their needs of the time could be different. For instance, the consumer many not wish to purchase a car but because of the long distance they cover to work and the pressure to be on time, the need becomes overwhelming. 2. Information gathering The consumer then moves on to acquiring information that they need to solve the problem that they have. The nature or magnitude of the problem that they have determines the amount of information that they require. For instance, purchasing vegetables may require only a small amount of information in comparison to purchasing a house or a car. The consumer usually has two sources of information. a. Internal sources – this is the already established information that they have, for instance, their experiences with certain brands. b. External sources – this is information from relatives, friends, associates, and other consumers. Marketers must always ensure to create goodwill with consumers as it applied in this part of the decision making process. Marketers should be aware that in the 21st century, social media is the largest influence in this step (Al-Deen, 2013). 3. Evaluation of Alternatives The consumer moves to evaluate the different options that they have for solving their problem. They weigh out which of the options best solves their problem definitely. The evaluation is done objectively then subjectively (Ramos, 2009). The objective evaluation focuses on the features that a brand has as well as its functionality. This form of evaluation is devoid of outside influences. The subjective evaluation refers to the perception that the consumer has of the brand as well as the reputation that the brand has garnered. Marketers must always ensure to create good images in both elements. 4. Purchasing decision Once the consumer has evaluated their options, they are able to choose the brand that most appropriately meets the needs that they have and then proceed to purchase it. A factor that regularly affects this decision is a consumer’s previous experience in a certain shopping outlet. If the experience that the consumer had was negative, then they are likely to choose another store. It is very likely that if this happens and the store in question is the only outlet for the product, the consumer may revert to step three and choose an alternative product. This is why marketers should ensure their outlets are consumer friendly. 5. Post Purchase Considerations Once the consumer has purchased, they evaluate their decision from certain aspects. Firstly, they consider whether the purchase they made has been able to fulfill the need that they had. They then go on to evaluate whether, the decision they made was the right one or whether their alternatives could have done a better job. If the product has been effective to the consumer, the next time, step 2 (information gathering) will be reduced in a bid to purchase the very same brand. This is indicative that the brand has garnered the consumer’s loyalty. If not, the consumer will repeat the entire process in their next purchase, but make sure to exclude the brand in question from their consideration (Association for Consumer Research, 2004). Interpersonal Influences There are certain factors regarding the interactions between people that affect consumer behavior. These are: i. Influences that are value expressive - this is whereby consumers use values and belief in guiding their decisions. If they feel that a product best encompasses their values, they incline more towards it. Marketers would benefit from using celebrities and public figures to endorse their products (Dunshinski, 2009). ii. Influences that are normative This is the desire for a consumer to associate with certain social groupings. For instance, some consumers may purchase a Range Rover because it affiliates them with the upper class in society. iii. Influences that are Socially oriented This occurs when consumers seek information from their families, relatives, associates and other consumers and view it as being credible. This is why, yet again, goodwill creation is reemphasized, in effective marketing techniques With regard, to the above, it is important that marketers therefore consider the following elements in order to ensure that their influence is not overlooked in this process. i. Reciprocation Human beings always feel a need to give back what has been accorded to them. For this reason, marketers should apply techniques like free sampling, as this influence consumer’s decision to purchase. ii. Consistency Consumers always lean towards the brand that is consistent. If a brand claims to represent a certain interest, they must always do so even if in some cases it works against them (Charlesworth, 2014). This gains them credibility and the trustworthiness of the consumer. iii. Influences Marketers must endorse their products with people that have characteristics out rightly similar to their target audience. In this way, every time the consumer looks up their brand, it is closely affiliated to the celebrity in question. Owing to technological advancement, marketers should always note that consumers are able to access other people’s opinions easily (Ramos, 2009). (Ramos, 2009) laid out on an overall scale the elements that play out in consumer decision making. The above are the important elements in the concept of consumer behavior in contemporary marketing. A single oversight of the smallest factor in a campaign could go onto to cost them over 26% profits in sales (Mills, 2004). Seeing as the consumer is knowledgeable and has a pool of choice to pick from, they are all the more critical. McDonalds has been a successful marketing brand for decades. The brand defines successful marketing as encompassing of the following steps in repetitive cycle. Marketers should employ the process of social imagination in their creation of successful marketing campaigns. They must first consider themselves consumers and be critical of their product. This way, they will have discovered all the areas that their product could fall short in meeting the needs of the consumer. In summation, the 21st century consumer keeps evolving and marketing must therefore equally evolve. References Al-Deen, H. H. (2013). Social media and strategic communications . Basingstoke: PalgraveMcMillan. Association for Consumer Research. (2004). Advances in consumer research 31 . Association for Consumer Research. Charlesworth, A. (2014). Digital Marketing : a Practical Approach . Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Dunshinski, K. (2009). The mobile marketing handbook : a step-by-step guide to creating dynamic mobile marketing campaigns. Medford: CyberAge books/Information Today. Fortin, D. (2007). Journal of consumer marketing Volume 28, Number 7, First decade : emerging issues of the 21st century in consumer marketing . Bradford: Emerald. Mills, J. (2004). Handbook of consumer behavior, tourism, and the internet. Binghamton: Haworth Hospitality Press. Ramos, A. C. (2009). Search engine marketing . New York: McGraw-Hill. Read More