Online Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Online Marketing - Essay Example There are many components which influence consumer behaviour namely: cultural, social, personal and psychological (Kotler & Armstrong, 2001). These characteristics cannot be controlled by the companies; therefore, a need to assess these elements in order to create an effective marketing plan. Cultural factors include culture, subculture and social class which all exert the broadest and deepest influence on buyer behaviour. Culture is the most basic cause of the wants and behaviours of a consumer because it cultivates how a person chooses its values and learns its standards for achievement and success. Moreover, it varies from country to country and it can also have a shift within its own sphere which may cause a new product entry. On the other hand, subculture refers it the smaller groups of people who share the same value system and it can include nationalities, religions, racial groups and geographic regions. Many of these subcultures compose the important market segments for which products are specifically designed and marketed. Lastly, social classes are the divisions in a society composed of people who share similar values, interests and behaviours. These form the social class structure which exists in almost every society. It is not determined by a single component alone but a combination of different elements such as occupation, income, education, wealth and other variables. These social classes show individual product and brand preferences in areas such as clothing, furniture, cars and leisure activities. Social factors also influence consumer behaviour. It includes the following: small groups, family, social roles and status. Groups are two or more people who interact in order to accomplish mutual goals. Usually, these groups have their own opinion leaders who are the members of a reference group that wields influence on others because of various reasons such as special skills, knowledge and personality. Companies often use the opinion leader as the basis on how to properly execute its marketing strategy. The next social factor is the family which is considered as the most important consumer buying organization in a society (Kotler & Armstrong, 2001). There is a need to be constantly updated of the shifting roles of family members because each - father, mother, child - has a different role and influence on the purchase of goods and services. The last factors are roles and status. These factors refer to the positions held by each person in each of the groups he belongs to but they are completely different in definition. A role is composed of activities which people are expected to do in the group while status is the position which goes along with a role that reflects the general esteem accorded by society.