Marketing Psychology

UNDERSTANDING TYPES OF CUSTOMERS (This is just one aspect of this course)

In retailing (at least), shoppers can be categorised into the following four groups:
1. Economic Shoppers: Most interested in prices, value, product quality & economic factors. Not so interested in treatment by staff, decor of the store, location etc.
2. Personalising Shoppers: Enjoy the interaction with sales staff, preferring to shop with sales staff they know & like.
3. Ethical Shoppers: Avoid large chain stores or companies that tend towards monopolies or deal with products which are judged unethical. Don't shop at big supermarkets because "they are putting the small man out of business" Prefer to buy food from the biodynamic shop because it hasn't been treated with chemicals... etc
4. Apathetic Shoppers: Don't like shopping, and go to the most convenient supplier.

Through an understanding of things such as this, a sales or marketing person is able to better manage their marketing effort, and conduct their work in a more efficient and appropriate way. This is just one of many aspects to this course.


Aims

• Identify categories of shoppers.
• Describe the key concepts of Market Segmentation
• Determine the role of perception and personality in the marketing process
• Determine the factors that motivate a consumer toward a purchase.
• Define how social factors influence a consumers behaviour
• Discuss consumerism in the context of marketing.
• Determine the factors that influence consumer attitude and marketing communication and persuasion.
• Apply the concept of multi – element buying decisions.

COURSE STRUCTURE

There are eight lessons in this module as follows:

1. People as Consumers
   Understanding the types of psychological “rewards” gained by a person through buying. Distinguishing between consumers, customers and buyers?
2. Market Segmentation
   Understanding market segments and applying the concept of target marketing.
3. Internal Influences –Perception & Personality
   Consumer self image, difference threshold, trait theory of personality, etc.
4. Internal Influences –Motivation and Awareness
   Customer satisfaction, the way complaints are dealt with, stimulus generalisation and stimulus discrimination, etc
5. Social Influences
   Family Influences, Social groups, Developmental Influences, Peer Group Influences (Work and Leisure), Social Class and Culture
6. Consumerism
   Deceptive advertising, sensitivity to consumer needs, variation between perception and reality.
7. Communication and Persuasion
   Message Evaluation, Selection & Execution
8. Deciding to Buy
   Why people shop, or do not shop; surveying the market place.

WHY DOES SOMETHING SELL?

When you understand why people make a decision to buy, or not to buy, you have a foundation for improving the marketing of anything. This is a different but very important and valuable course for anyone involved in sales, marketing or business of any kind.