Other people and groups, especially those
that possess social power, influence our decisions.
We belong to or admire many different groups, and a desire for them to accept us often drives
our purchase decisions. Individuals or groups whose
opinions or behavior are particularly important to consumers are reference groups. Both formal and informal groups
influence the individual’s
purchase decisions,
although such factors as the conspicuousness of the product and
the relevance of the
reference group for a particular purchase determine how influential the reference group is.
Individuals have influence in a group to
the extent that
they possess social power. Types of social power include information power, referent
power, legitimate power, expert power, reward power, and coercive power.
Brand communities unite consumers who
share a common
passion for a product. Brandfests, which companies organize to encourage this kind
of community, can build
brand loyalty and reinforce group membership.
We conform to the desires of others for
two basic reasons: (1) People who model their behavior after others because they take others’ behavior
as evidence of the correct way to act are conforming because of
informational social influence;
and (2) those who conform to satisfy the expectations of others or to be accepted by the group are affected by normative social influence. Group members
often do things they would not do as individuals because their
identities become merged with the group; they become deindividuated.
Word-of-mouth communication is the most important driver
of product choice.
Much of what we know about products we learn through word-of-mouth (WOM) communication rather
than formal advertising.
We tend to exchange product-related information in casual conversations. Although WOM often is helpful to make
consumers aware of products, it can also hurt companies when damaging product rumors or
negative WOM
occur.
Opinion leaders’ recommendations are more influential than
others when we decide what to buy.
Opinion leaders who are knowledgeable about a product and whose opinions are highly regarded
tend to influence others’
choices. Specific opinion leaders are somewhat hard to identify, but marketers who know
their general characteristics
can try to target them in their media and promotional strategies. Other influencers
include market mavens,
who have a general interest in marketplace activities; and surrogate consumers, who are compensated for their advice about purchases.
Social media changes the way we learn about and select
products.
Social media platforms significantly increase our
access to others’
opinions about products and services. Virtual consumption communities unite those who
share a common passion for products that include apparel, cars, music, beer, political candidates, etc.
Many social media users
post content online that satisfies motive for selfenhancement as
well as the desire to share opinions and experiences about products and services. Consumers may engage with these brands via social
games. Viral marketing
techniques enlist individuals to spread online WOM about brands. Online opinion leaders
play a pivotal role
in disseminating influential recommendations and product information.
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