One of the impacts of the internet and social media in particular has been more frequent and direct communication between marketers and consumers. Marketing campaigns are now frequently designed to influence consumers in becoming part of the promotion process. Similarly, marketers have more data on consumers than ever which helps them identify what consumer wants and what may appeal to them. They use these insights to create marketing campaigns that succeed in engaging consumers and even influence them to unwillingly become brand ambassadors. Marketers now often provide incentives to consumers to share product news and idea with friends and acquaintances because they know the power of the word-of-mouth marketing.
But not all instances of communication are influenced by the actions of the marketers. We also talk about products with friends and other users of products because internet provides us new avenues to express ourselves as well as seek information. Like marketers, we also tend to place high credibility on references from friends, acquaintances, and other users of products. But marketers are closely watching our dialogue and often use the opportunity to turn disappointed users to goodwill ambassadors through exemplary solution to their complaint. Similarly, marketers also provide us exemplary customer service from time to time even without us asking because they hope we will share the pleasant experience with others.
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"Personal Marketing Influence".
I hate to admit it but I personally find myself being influenced by the language of marketing regarding products I like. As mentioned before, marketers now understand customers better than ever, thanks to rich data volume they possess. I often feel the marketing messages say exactly the same things I like about certain products and they serve to confirm my self-bias that I have made the right choice. Sometimes I want to describe things I like but I find myself at loss of words and have no choice but to rely on the words used in marketing material. Examples include ‘sophisticated’ and ‘unique’.
One of the purposes of marketing is to create brand personalities in the minds of the customers and the makers of the products I like have also succeeded in creating particular brand personalities in my mind. Thus, when I attempt to describe certain products I like, I often think of the brand personalities I have in mind. Even though brand personalities are also developed to some extent through my personal experiences, images and taglines in marketing material also influence my perception. For example, one of the car brands I like is Porsche and I just cannot get the tagline “Porche: There is Only One” out of my mind. Often times when I describe Porsche brand to my friends, my descriptions include the statement that Porsche driving experience is unlike any other. This is a strong example of how Porsche’s marketing efforts have shaped what I say about their products.
I would also like to mention that not only marketer-sponsored marketing messages but the marketing messages by product users also influence my perception of products I like. It is especially true when an official or unofficial brand ambassador is someone I respect and find credible. Marketers are not oblivious to this fact and they often quote messages or endorsements from credible personalities, especially those made in private capacity. For example, there is an olfactory scientist I respect and when he endorses a particular fragrance brand, I am forced to take notice.
It is clear that marketing messages influence consumers’ perceptions of products which may be why marketers increasingly pay attention to their marketing campaigns and make efforts to involve consumers in the marketing process. They also collect data so they better understand what consumers want and highlight those needs and wants in marketing campaigns.
