🛒Consumer Behavior Unit 2 – Consumer Research & Market Segmentation

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Consumer research involves gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data about target markets, customers, and their behavior to inform marketing decisions
• Market segmentation divides a broad target market into smaller, more homogeneous groups of consumers with similar needs, characteristics, or behaviors
• Demographic segmentation categorizes consumers based on age, gender, income, education, occupation, and other socio-economic factors
• Psychographic segmentation groups consumers according to their attitudes, values, interests, and lifestyles (VALS framework)
• Behavioral segmentation classifies consumers based on their purchase behavior, usage patterns, brand loyalty, and decision-making processes
• Geographic segmentation divides markets based on location, such as region, country, state, city, or neighborhood
• Benefit segmentation focuses on the specific benefits or value that consumers seek from a product or service (convenience, quality, price)
• Segmentation criteria should be measurable, accessible, substantial, differentiable, and actionable (MASDA framework) to ensure effective targeting and positioning

Consumer Research Methods

• Primary research collects original data directly from consumers through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observations
  • Surveys gather quantitative data from a large sample of respondents using structured questionnaires (online, phone, mail)
  • Interviews provide in-depth, qualitative insights through one-on-one conversations with consumers
  • Focus groups bring together small groups of consumers to discuss their opinions, attitudes, and experiences with a product or service
  • Observations involve watching consumers in real-life settings to gain insights into their behavior and decision-making processes
• Secondary research analyzes existing data from internal sources (sales records, customer databases) and external sources (government statistics, industry reports)
• Qualitative research explores the "why" behind consumer behavior, attitudes, and motivations through open-ended, exploratory methods (interviews, focus groups)
• Quantitative research measures and quantifies consumer behavior, preferences, and opinions through structured, close-ended methods (surveys, experiments)
• Ethnographic research immerses researchers in the consumers' natural environment to observe and understand their behavior, culture, and social interactions
• Online research leverages digital tools and platforms to gather consumer data through web analytics, social media monitoring, and online communities
• Neuromarketing uses neuroscience techniques (EEG, fMRI) to study consumers' subconscious responses to marketing stimuli and predict their behavior

Market Segmentation Basics

• Market segmentation allows companies to tailor their marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion) to the specific needs and preferences of each segment
• Effective segmentation requires identifying distinct, measurable, and profitable segments with unique characteristics and behaviors
• Segmentation helps companies allocate their resources efficiently by focusing on the most attractive and profitable segments
• Market targeting involves evaluating and selecting the most promising segments to pursue based on the company's objectives, resources, and competitive advantages
• Differentiated marketing develops separate marketing strategies for each selected segment, tailoring the marketing mix to their specific needs
• Undifferentiated marketing uses a single marketing strategy for the entire market, ignoring segment differences and targeting the broadest possible audience
• Concentrated marketing focuses on a single, niche segment with a highly specialized marketing mix, often used by small companies with limited resources
• Positioning refers to the process of creating a distinct, favorable, and compelling image of the product or brand in the minds of target consumers relative to competitors

Segmentation Variables and Criteria

• Demographic variables include age, gender, income, education, occupation, family size, and life cycle stage
  • Age segmentation targets specific age groups (children, teenagers, young adults, middle-aged, seniors) with age-appropriate products and messaging
  • Gender segmentation recognizes the different needs, preferences, and behaviors of men and women in certain product categories (cosmetics, clothing)
  • Income segmentation divides consumers based on their purchasing power and willingness to pay for premium or value-oriented products
• Psychographic variables encompass personality traits, values, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles
  • Personality traits influence consumer behavior and brand preferences (extroversion, openness, conscientiousness)
  • Values reflect consumers' deeply held beliefs and guiding principles that shape their consumption choices (environmentalism, social responsibility)
  • Attitudes refer to consumers' favorable or unfavorable evaluations of a product, brand, or marketing message
• Behavioral variables focus on consumers' actions and decision-making processes
  • Purchase occasion segmentation targets consumers based on the specific situations or events that trigger a purchase (holidays, birthdays, emergencies)
  • Usage rate segmentation classifies consumers as heavy, medium, or light users of a product or service
  • Brand loyalty segmentation distinguishes between loyal customers, switchers, and non-users of a brand
• Geographic variables consider the physical location and environmental factors that influence consumer behavior
  • Climate and weather conditions affect consumer preferences for certain products (winter coats, air conditioners)
  • Cultural differences across regions, countries, or neighborhoods shape consumer values, traditions, and purchasing habits
• Effective segmentation criteria should be:
  • Measurable: Segment size and characteristics can be quantified and tracked
  • Accessible: Segments can be effectively reached and served through available marketing channels
  • Substantial: Segments are large and profitable enough to justify targeted marketing efforts
  • Differentiable: Segments respond differently to marketing stimuli and require distinct marketing mixes
  • Actionable: Segments can be practically targeted with tailored marketing strategies and tactics

Data Collection Techniques

• Surveys are structured questionnaires administered to a sample of respondents to gather quantitative data on their attitudes, opinions, and behaviors
  • Online surveys use web-based platforms (SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics) to reach large, diverse samples quickly and cost-effectively
  • Phone surveys involve calling respondents and conducting interviews over the phone, allowing for more personal interaction and clarification
  • Mail surveys send physical questionnaires to respondents' addresses, providing a tangible format but often suffering from low response rates
• Interviews are one-on-one conversations between a researcher and a respondent, designed to gather in-depth, qualitative insights
  • Structured interviews follow a predetermined set of questions and are used for more focused, comparable data collection
  • Semi-structured interviews combine predetermined questions with open-ended, follow-up probes to explore topics more flexibly
  • Unstructured interviews allow the respondent to guide the conversation and share their thoughts and experiences freely
• Focus groups bring together small groups (6-10 participants) to discuss a specific topic, product, or marketing concept
  • Moderated focus groups are led by a trained facilitator who guides the discussion, encourages participation, and probes for deeper insights
  • Online focus groups use video conferencing or chat platforms to connect participants from different locations, reducing travel costs and logistical challenges
• Observational research involves watching and recording consumers' behavior in natural settings without direct interaction
  • In-store observations track shoppers' movements, product interactions, and purchase decisions to optimize store layout and merchandising
  • Ethnographic observations immerse researchers in consumers' daily lives to gain a deeper understanding of their culture, habits, and decision-making processes
• Online data collection leverages digital tools and platforms to gather consumer insights
  • Web analytics track website visitors' behavior, click paths, and conversion rates to optimize online user experience and marketing effectiveness
  • Social media monitoring analyzes user-generated content (posts, comments, reviews) to gauge consumer sentiment, preferences, and brand perceptions
  • Online communities and forums provide a platform for consumers to share their experiences, opinions, and feedback on products and services

Analyzing Consumer Data

• Descriptive analysis summarizes and describes the basic features of the data, such as central tendency (mean, median, mode) and dispersion (range, variance, standard deviation)
  • Frequency distributions show the number of occurrences of each value or category in the data set
  • Cross-tabulations compare the relationship between two or more variables by displaying their joint frequency distribution in a table
• Inferential analysis uses statistical techniques to draw conclusions and make predictions about the larger population based on the sample data
  • Hypothesis testing assesses the likelihood that an observed difference or relationship in the sample data is due to chance or reflects a true difference in the population
  • Regression analysis examines the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables to predict future outcomes
  • Cluster analysis groups consumers into segments based on their similarity across multiple variables, such as demographics, psychographics, and behavior
• Data visualization techniques help communicate complex data insights in a clear, engaging, and memorable way
  • Bar charts compare the values of different categories or groups using rectangular bars
  • Line graphs show trends and changes in a variable over time
  • Scatter plots display the relationship between two continuous variables, with each data point representing an individual observation
  • Heat maps use color-coding to represent the intensity or frequency of a variable across a two-dimensional matrix
• Text analytics and sentiment analysis use natural language processing (NLP) techniques to extract insights from unstructured text data, such as customer reviews and social media posts
  • Keyword extraction identifies the most frequently mentioned words or phrases in a text corpus
  • Topic modeling discovers the underlying themes or topics in a collection of documents
  • Sentiment analysis classifies the emotional tone (positive, negative, neutral) of a text based on the language used

Developing Consumer Profiles

• Consumer profiles are detailed descriptions of the typical characteristics, needs, and behaviors of a target segment, based on the analysis of consumer research data
• Demographic profiles outline the socio-economic characteristics of the target segment, such as age, gender, income, education, and occupation
  • Example: "Millennial Moms" are women aged 25-40, with young children, college-educated, and working full-time or part-time
• Psychographic profiles describe the attitudes, values, interests, and lifestyles of the target segment, often using frameworks like VALS (Values, Attitudes, and Lifestyles)
  • Example: "Health-Conscious Consumers" prioritize wellness, natural and organic products, and environmental sustainability in their purchasing decisions
• Behavioral profiles focus on the target segment's purchase behavior, usage patterns, brand loyalty, and decision-making processes
  • Example: "Early Adopters" are tech-savvy consumers who actively seek out and try new products, often influencing their peers' purchasing decisions
• Buyer personas are fictional, yet realistic, representations of the ideal customer, based on a synthesis of consumer research insights
  • Personas include a name, photo, demographic details, goals, challenges, and a narrative that brings the target consumer to life
  • Example: "Eco-Warrior Emma" is a 28-year-old urban professional who values sustainability, shops at local farmers' markets, and advocates for green causes on social media
• Consumer journey maps visualize the target segment's experience and touchpoints with a brand, from initial awareness to post-purchase evaluation
  • Journey maps identify key moments of truth, pain points, and opportunities for improvement along the customer's path to purchase
  • Example: A consumer journey map for a hotel booking might include stages like research, comparison, booking, pre-arrival, check-in, stay, check-out, and post-stay follow-up

Applying Segmentation to Marketing Strategies

• Product development and innovation: Segmentation insights inform the creation of new products or the modification of existing ones to better meet the needs of target segments
  • Example: A food company launches a line of organic, plant-based snacks targeting health-conscious millennials
• Pricing strategies: Segmentation helps determine the optimal price points and pricing structures for each target segment based on their willingness to pay and price sensitivity
  • Example: A software company offers a basic version of its product for free, with premium features available for a monthly subscription fee
• Distribution and channel management: Segmentation guides the selection of the most effective distribution channels and retail partners to reach and serve each target segment
  • Example: A luxury fashion brand focuses on high-end department stores and exclusive boutiques to maintain its premium image and target affluent consumers
• Promotional tactics and messaging: Segmentation allows marketers to tailor their communication strategies and creative executions to the specific preferences and media habits of each target segment
  • Example: A financial services company uses social media influencers and educational content to engage and attract younger, digitally-savvy consumers
• Customer experience and loyalty programs: Segmentation helps design personalized customer experiences and loyalty programs that reward and retain the most valuable segments
  • Example: An airline offers tiered loyalty benefits based on a customer's flight frequency, spend, and tenure, with exclusive perks for top-tier members
• Market expansion and diversification: Segmentation identifies untapped or underserved segments that present growth opportunities for the company
  • Example: A traditional brick-and-mortar retailer expands into e-commerce to capture the growing segment of online shoppers
• Competitive positioning and differentiation: Segmentation helps companies differentiate their offerings and position their brand in relation to competitors targeting similar segments
  • Example: A car manufacturer emphasizes its advanced safety features and family-friendly design to stand out in the crowded minivan market segment