Marketing 722 responses Part 2
Understanding the complexities of consumer behavior is essential to developing effective marketing strategies and tactics.
There are 2 responses. Read each response. Write a 100 word response for each.
Response 1.) Eric
Psychological factors that influence consumer behavior
Understanding the complexities of consumer behavior is essential to developing effective marketing strategies and tactics. Studying consumer behavior can help marketers in various ways, most notably by helping them understand the psychology behind consumers’ thinking and reason and ultimately superior alternatives, whether alternative brands, products, retailers, etc. (Lichev, 2017). Four psychological factors influence consumer behavior: motivation, perception, learning, and attitude or belief system.
Motivation
The first and arguably most important factor when considering psychological influences on consumer behavior is motivation. Motivation speaks to the internal needs of the consumer. It drives consumers to act in a certain way or purchase specific products. Consumers are motivated to purchase certain products based on a desire to satisfy a particular need or a specific want.
Perception
Perception is how individuals select and organize information to develop their meaningful sense of the world.
Learning
Learning depends on the skills, knowledge, and intention of the individual. The skills are developed through practice, while the knowledge and intention are acquired with the experience.
Attitudes and Beliefs
Attitudes refer to a consumer’s outlook on a specific brand, product, or service. Social factors commonly influence attitudes. Beliefs refer to a consumer’s views on brands, products, or services based on factual knowledge or personal opinion. For example, some people learn best visually. Professional pictures and images of their product or service can communicate a thousand words regardless of belief system. This explains why pictures and images are so crucial for marketing. Understanding consumer psychology will help marketers adapt their tactics and improve campaigns to reach consumers more effectively.
Biblical Passage
1 John 2:5-6 – God wants us to hear His Word, know His Word, trust His Word, and keep His Word. In this letter, John has emphasized the need for his readers to abide in the Lord Jesus Christ. To abide in Jesus means to rest in, count on, and trust His redeeming and transforming work and tremendous love for us.
References
Lichev, G. (2017). Psychological factors in determining consumer behavior. Eastern Academic Journal. 1, 8-16
Holy Bible
Response 2.) Carter
Factors that Affect Consumer Behavior
Consumer behavior refers to the activities that individual consumers or households engage in when making a purchase decision (Boone et al., 2021). Factors that are internal or external to the consumer may shape or influence this process. External factors that affect consumer behavior include social and situational factors, while internal factors may be described as psychological factors. The category of psychological factors encompasses needs and motives, perceptions, attitudes, learning, and self-concept.
Needs and Motives
Consumers are often in a condition of imbalance between their actual and desired states of being (Boone et al., 2021). This imbalance is often referred to as a need. Consumers are driven to satisfy a need by an inner state of being known as a motive. The psychologist Abraham Maslow designed a popular needs hierarchy that is commonly utilized for marketing strategies.
Perceptions
Human beings receive information through the use of the five senses, including sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch (Boone et al., 2021). When information is received through these senses, the person assigns meaning to the various incoming stimuli. This process is known as perception. Consumer perceptions are often based on the desires of the consumer.
Attitudes
Oftentimes, consumers have an abiding impression of a product, service, experience, or idea (Boone et al., 2021). These impressions may be favorable or unfavorable. Attitudes are notoriously difficult to change. In Proverbs 17:22, King Solomon exhorts that “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (English Standard Version, 2001). Businesses must strive not to “crush spirits” with negative consumer experiences. Additionally, marketing managers are usually very concerned with consumer attitudes toward their brand in general.
Learning
In Proverbs 1:5, King Solomon reminds us to “let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance” (English Standard Version, 2001). Christian stewardship is an important component of the Christian life. Christians are called to deal shrewdly with the blessing that the Lord has provided. This process involves obtaining experience with products and services and then making wise decisions.
When consumers interact with a product or service, they gain experience (Boone et al., 2021). As consumers gain experience, their purchase decision activities may change. This process in the marketing context is known as learning. Marketers are concerned with how to attract consumers to have that initial experience with the product or service. Furthermore, marketers also strive to ensure that the consumer product or service experiences are positive. Positive experiences lead to repeat customers and positive word-of-mouth.
Self-Concept
Consumer perceptions of a product or service affect their consumer decision-making process; however, consumers’ perceptions of themselves also impact this process (Boone et al., 2021). A consumer’s self-concept can be divided into four components, including the real self, self-image, ideal self, and the looking-glass self. Sharma et al. (2020) discuss the role of the green self-concept (GSC) on green purchase decisions (GPD). The study found that greater identification with a green self-identity leads to more impactful, environmentally friendly purchase decisions.
References
Boone, L. E., & Kurtz, D. L. (2021). Contemporary marketing (19th ed.). Cengage.
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). Crossway
Sharma, N., Saha, R., Sreedharan, V. R., & Paul, J. (2020). Relating the role of green self‐concepts and identity on green purchasing behaviour: An empirical analysis. Business Strategy & the Environment (John Wiley & Sons, Inc), 29(8), 3203–3219. https://doi-org.wmcarey.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/bse.2567
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