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03:14
By Judy Sullivan


Consumers have a lot of similarities among them. The differences are also many and significant. Having differences of opinion, preferences and tastes is part of human nature. We have differences in our genetic make-up, our cultural practices, religious beliefs and so on. In the same way, we view services and products that have been placed up for sale. In behavioral segmentation, the marketer divides their pool of customers into smaller groups based on their differences and similarities.

There are several differences that exist between the traditional marketing strategies and the segmentation strategy. For instance, in the traditional approach, mass marketing was practiced. The marketer typically sent out a message to a large pool of potential customers in the hope of reaching out to buyers of products or services. In segmentation, the customer pool is stratified and each is treated differently from the other.

The behaviors that can be used as the basis for segmenting are numerous. They will largely depend on your judgment. Any client behavior that you consider significant enough to influence demand for your goods can be used. Product loyalty is widely variable among clients for many goods and services. It is possible to classify your clients in several groups depending on their levels of loyalty. By so doing, you will get the opportunity to determine the factors that enhance or discourage the use of your products.

Another way of dividing the market is to determine the kind of benefits that are sought by various consumer groups as they demand for goods. It should not be assumed that all consumers buy products for the same reason. Many products have multiple uses and as such demand is likely to be influenced by different factors. The marketer will need to establish which benefits are demanded by a given group of customers and the reasons driving the demand.

Occasional buying is the buying of goods in high quantities during certain occasions. For example, Christians tend to buy more religious based gifts during the Easter and Christmas festivities. Chocolates are reported to be on high demanded during festivals. By knowing what products are demanded on given occasions and by which groups of customers, the suppliers will position themselves to ensure that the demanded products are made available in timely fashion.

The rate of usage is proportional to the demand. Clients who demand more of a product are more likely to be heavier users than those who demand less. One can use this attribute to divide their pool of clients into the heavy, moderate and light users depending on the frequency of use of a certain product. Apart from the frequency of use, the quantity used should also be factored in.

Buyer readiness is a term that is used to describe the likelihood of a potential consumer to spend on a good or service. There are about six categories of readiness that exist. The first stage is known as awareness and in this stage are people who only know about the product. In the sixth stage are clients willing to spend on the product.

Apart from behavioral segmentation, there many other ways of subdividing markets. The commonly used ones include the use of geographic, demographic and psychographic characteristics. The most important thing is to ensure that the segment created has members that share the same concerns.




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