Influence of Social Media on Consumption - Essay Example

The Influence of Social Media on Consumption: Purchasing a Second hand Phone Executive Summary Since the development of media technology, sales persons in the sales industry continue to draw from a standardised range of communication aspects with the aim of convincing the social and academic world that the social connections influence consumption. People in marketing and sales department make use of the social media to out-step traditional channels in the media industry as well as reach target audience directly and instantly. This discourse evaluates the degree to which sales and the sales persons in the sales industry is transforming and evolving in view of the growth and development of the social media. Information provided by the author of this paper comes after a series of interviews as well as analysis of various literature materials on the same topic in existence. Research results indicate that nobody aspect of development can ignore the value of social media. In fact, social media is a more useful to sales persons in the sales industry. Corporate sales persons and other agency corporations lead the pack of sectors currently recording the highest usage of the social media. Introduction Scholars consider social influence an important factor in evaluation outcomes of education, unemployment, income, crime, as well as relationships. However, little attention goes to the influence of social connections affect consumption. This discourse delves into this analysis using personal experience of the author including purchasing of a mobile phone from the second-hand market. The face of information and communication technology is undergoing changes courtesy of the social media. Channels available for social media are many, distinct, and diverse. They are innovative with advanced features as they develop from stage to another. This enables people to share news both good and bad, concepts new, old, and upcoming, as well as developments as they occur. On the other hand, failures, success, gossip, and criticism spread like bushfire to people because of the social media. Sales persons are the first group of professionals to access information from the public therefore, they do not have options, but to transform the traditional methods applied in the sales industry by concentrating on the social media and its expanding presence around the globe. This paper delves into the influence of the Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) and the Public Relations Theory on consumption using the purchase of a second-hand mobile phone as a case study. Problem Statement The landscape of sales is undergoing a metamorphosis aided by the growth and development of the social media and new aspect of communication technology. This research poses the question, how is the social media influencing the role of sales persons during their discharge of duties? The author of this discourse hypothesizes that the social media is developing into a standard element of role played by experts in the sales industry. Methodology The author puts into use secondary and primary research to assess the influence of the social media on the role of sales persons in the sales sector while discharging their common duties. Evaluation and analysis of gathered information using both quantitative and qualitative techniques come into perspective while getting information compiled in this discourse. The secondary research technique was effective in helping in the designing and development of the problem statement in this research. Furthermore, it played a significant role in isolating elements of the social media within the levels of sales important for examination. A literature review of journals, articles, textbooks by people on the same topic formed part of the secondary method of study applied in compiling information in this discourse (Misa, 2003, 151). Among analyzed information was the influence of the social media, current state, and future state of the work of sales persons in the sales industry. Evaluation of secondary research resulted in the formulation of the primary research and in the process developed questions that strengthened the problem statement. One-on-one interviews as well as a general survey among sales persons in the sales sector entailed the primary research applied in this study. The researcher and his assistants distributed research questions on Survey Monkey receiving responses from different practitioner in the communication as well as public relations. The study covered among other things comprehension of the social media, personal involvement with social media, professional engagement with social media, as well clear understanding of the importance of the social media. Improvements of sales by the social media using the public relations theory Description of the Public Relations Theory The discipline of public relations continues to advance and this moves it away from the traditional perspectives of research. Traditionally, the research centered on campaigns, promotional activities, publication of messages, as well as the influence of the mass media on consumers. Various scholars offer bases for the entire process of re-conceptualization of public relations. This entails the management of the aspects of communication within different institutions and the public’s. Researchers in the field of excellence study strive to identify normative frameworks for efficient public relations. This will allow efficient application of the functions of the public relations. Application of the Public Relations Theory in purchasing a second-hand mobile phone The open-systems theory of the public relations is the most applicable in this context. An idea behind application of this theory is that both an institution and an individual exist within a particular environment. Therefore, individuals and organizations have the responsibility of adapting and changing effectively to suit in the surrounding environment. As opposed to individuals, institutions contain vertical frameworks that depict the hierarchical position, as well as horizontal structures identifying the division of duties within a particular department. Issues in the public relations theory point to the fact that responses on improvements of sales by the media were similar across the board. Factually, the social media provides improved access to the target audience and continues to offer room for all individuals and target audiences to express themselves to the public. However, circumstances exist where the practitioner and the client receive unfortunate results. Moreover, the public relations theory posits that the social media contributes to the upward streaming of content to sales persons in the sales sector through provision of insight into the personality of the target audience (Hillstrom, 2010, 77). Detractions to this flow exist because current information among people carries the potential to work with an internet connection concurrently. This means that it is difficult to cite the work of a sales practitioner as reliable and trustworthy considering the fact that anybody can post a blog with designs making it appear the work of a professional. Based on the facts in the open-systems theory of public relations, advancements in the social media provide sales persons with a chance to reach a bigger target that constitutes particular target groups. However, the fear is that it creates a glut of content. Aspects of Consumer Culture Theory in Purchasing Second-hand Phones Description of the Consumer Culture Theory Scholars abbreviate Consumer Culture Theory as CCT where they apply the term to refer to particular mechanisms to the study of consumption and consumption. The mechanism takes into perspective consumption and entails choices of behavior as well as practices of cultural and social phenomena. This perspective is the opposite of pure or psychological economic phenomena. Consumer Culture Theory constitutes a group of theoretical perspectives dealing with contemporary relationships among actions demonstrated by consumers, cultural definitions, and the marketplace. It entails both informal group of researchers and family perspectives, which relate with the cultural aspect regarding the study of consumption and consumers. Linking the CCT to Purchasing of A second hand mobile phone Research resulted in two important discoveries concerning the challenges facing sales persons in applying social media in their usual duties. First, the issues of managing time and human resources, as well as evaluation are essential components of Consumer Culture Theory (Demers, & Viswanath, 1999, 87). Leading the rank are the resources that the practitioner requires to control various social media channels. Challenges also appear from the measurement perspective where it becomes difficult to evaluate return on investment. Challenges involve comprehension of the matrix. Questions linger on the scale of success in reference to the Consumer Culture Theory. Complexity in this case, means that the same situation keeps changing in the modern society. No questions have right answers while at the same time there is no right way to answer the questions (Gale, 2012, 62). Clients in this market ought to understand that they are in a moving target as well as budget. The measurement of the input of the social media should remain in tandem with organizational objectives. Measuring the success of the social media and presenting the results to customers is difficult because traditional methods evaluating the influence of social media do not exist. The Consumer Culture Theory provides a general perspective in this context, which explains that the social media entails the application of web technology to engage with the audience, or the development of relationship between one person and a particular community. People drive it and create the content within as opposed to just receiving the message. From the interviews, it was evident that it carries a corporative spirit when defined as a set of gadgets, which foster the creation, development, consumption, sharing, collaboration, as well as discussion of information within members of a particular community who share common interests. However, the sales persons in the sales and communication experts gave a different definition of the social media. According to them, it is a tool of extension to stay ahead of what clients are feeling, saying, and thinking that gives room to developing communication and marketing plans of action, which align with the needs of the audience leading to the production of optimum influence. Trends in the social influence of consumption The social media will continue to remain a lasting trend. Most scholars agree on this fact. This is because of its ability to evolve. Tools with capacity to adapt will last in time. However, the survival of the social media depends on its capacity to protect and serve the interests of specific communities (Couldry, 2012, 41). They can only lose their value and clients if they become market oriented and begin lowering the selling value. However, signs that the social media will replace the traditional media do not exist. It will remain a compliment of the traditional media offering support for its survival and functioning. The growth and development of the social media does not remove the traditional communication techniques and face-to-face as the core elements of the sales industry. Many channels provided by the social media make it difficult for people to commercialize it like these other forms of the media. Techniques of Using the Social Media to Improve Consumption Most of the interviewees reached during the research agree that demographics are essential when using the social media as a campaign tool in the public relations. The target audience forms the first components of consideration when using the social media. This makes it easy for sales persons to reach their target customers. The question that arises is measuring this aspect just in case it is successful (Mcquail, 1975, 23). Sales persons in the sales need to understand the effect that getting involved in this method will have on the image and organizational brand. Evaluation of competitors in the same filed is also necessary. Other interviewees however, posit that the budget remains the most important factor of consideration when implementing the use of the social media. This group holds that it is only important to invest money as well as other resources on issues with the capacity of raising dividends. It is not easy to put a price tag on a buzz that users of the social media create. Budgeting and cost reflections The cost of the social media as well as the perceptions of the same costs featured prominently on questions forwarded to experts in communication and sales matters. From the responses, it was acceptable that the social media is cheaper than traditional media. However, the same does not apply on the costs of the human resources (Tuten, & Solomon, 2013, 61). A general perception exists that expenses in the social media are lower in comparison with those incurred during implementation. Other sales persons hold that as much as it is a cheaper method, it is important to allocate a specific budget for its implementation. The perception of the social media being a cheaper method arises from the fact that most accounts in the social media run free of charge. However, it takes a lot of time to create, develop, and maintain a community on the social media with a considerable influence. This exercise will result in the practitioner paying a service fee. In most cases, it depends on the circumstance as well as the most appropriate solution to a specific predicament and opportunity. Remunerations for sales persons The influence of the social media on the terms of service for sales persons as well as titles applied to them remains a divisive issue according to the responses received during the study. One group holds that the social media does not play any role in influencing the title of the practitioner (Stempka, 2007, 112). The other group believes that a business organizational is willing to invest in sales persons with adequate knowledge in the social media. People with this desirable knowledge are few while finding them is also a big challenge therefore, it is important to remunerate those in the company well. However, general knowledge is that social media training is an important component that business companies cannot afford to ignore. Conclusion Social media is a topic that raises a lot of enthusiasm while under discussion. For some time, shifts in focus exist from traditional media to the social media. The influence of the social to the sales remains important to most sales persons both in the sales and communications industry. The social media is increasingly becoming an important tool in sales as well as the work of the practitioner. Various factors contribute to the ever-increasing usage of the social media including budgetary concerns and organizational culture among many more. Furthermore, survey conducted before compiling this discourse reveals that most sales persons concur that the incorporation of the social media compliments the traditional sales methodologies during normal delivery of their duties as opposed to the initial thought that it detracts the same techniques. Adopting the social media as an essential component of sales makes it an efficient technique of developing and marinating associations with target audiences. Through this, the practitioner builds a more efficient traditional sales alternative. Challenges are there on ways of using and measuring the social media by the sales persons. Bibliography Couldry, N. (2012). Media, society, world: social theory and digital media practice. Cambridge, Polity. Demers, D., & Viswanath, K. (1999). Mass media, social control, and social change: A macrosocial perspective. Ames: Iowa State University Press. Gale (FIRM). (2012). Online social networks. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. [Farmington Hills, Mich.], Gale Cengage Learning. Hillstrom, L. C. (2010). Online social networks. Detroit, MI: Lucent Books. Mcquail, D. (1975). Communication. London, Longman. Misa, T. J. (2003). Modernity and technology. Cambridge, Mass, MIT Press. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10225260. Stempka, B. M. (2007). The relationship between technology usage and the interpersonal communication skills of college students. Thesis (M.S.)--Minnesota State University, Mankato, 2007. Counseling and Student Personnel. Tuten, T. L., & Solomon, M. R. (2013). Social media marketing. Boston: Pearson. Read More