Consumer behaviour – the Psychology in marketing

They study of consumers helps organizations improve their marketing strategies by understanding the psychology of how consumers think, feel reason and select between different alternatives. The psychology of how the consumer is influenced by his or her environment. How consumer motivation and decision strategies differ between products that differ in their level of importance or interest that they entail for the consumer. How marketers can adapt and improve their marketing campaigns and marketing strategies to more effectively reach the consumer.

One "official" definition of consumer behaviour is "The study of individuals, groups, or organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society."

Here are some useful tips:

• Either behaviour occurs for the individual, or in the context of a group (e.g., friends influence what kinds of clothes a person wears) or an organization people on the job make decisions as to which products the firm should use.
• Consumer behaviour involves the use and disposal of products as well as the study of how they are purchased. Product use is often of great interest to the marketer, because this may influence how a product is best positioned or how we can encourage increased consumption.
• Consumer behaviour involves services and ideas as well as tangible products.

• The impact of consumer behaviour on society is also of relevance.

• The most obvious is for marketing strategy—i.e., for making better marketing campaigns. For example, by understanding that consumers are more receptive to food advertising when they are hungry, we learn to schedule snack advertisements late in the afternoon for example. And by understanding that new products are usually initially adopted by a few consumers and only spread later, and then only gradually, to the rest of the population, we learn that companies that introduce new products must be well financed so that they can stay afloat until their products become a commercial success and that it is important to please initial customers, since they will in turn influence many subsequent customers’ brand choices.
• Social marketing involves getting ideas across to consumers rather than selling something.

There are several units in the market that can be analysed. However, your main thrust in this course is the consumer. However, you also need to analyse your own firm’s strengths, weaknesses, and those of competing firms.

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