Consumer Marketing in simple terms can be defined as a marketing process of producing and selling different products, and services to people who are willing and able to buy at a set price. It is a process of selling products and services to individuals for their personal use, rather than trying to sell to some other companies. Consumer marketing as the words imply seeks to satisfy the needs of the end-users of a specific kind of product or service.
No one can deny that he/ she has never heard the little phrase that goes thus, “customers are always right”. In an age when customer service should be the topmost priority of businesses, business owners and retailers should always take the customer service very seriously because, without these customers, the business would not stand in the first place. But the big question still remains, how possibly can marketers ensure that the consumers get not only the messages they are sending but also the messages that they the consumers are interested in hearing?
This seems very simple; as simple as sending a targeted message to these consumers through a marketing process known as consumer marketing. Also, you may do this by providing the specific products that the customers are willing to buy. When you are able to do the above two things professionally and efficiently, chances are that your customers will keep coming back. Though consumer marketing may sound very easy, it is actually easier said than done.
Below are some of the things you have to consider when you need to set loyalty strategies for your customers.
Determine where the Opportunity or Problem Lies
In consumer marketing, the most important part of the research process is actually being able to define what the problem is or where the opportunity lies. This has to with finding with careful research what the consumers really want. Before you can do any data collection, you have to be aware of the fact that the research is meant to teach you something, therefore, you have to be observant to catch every small detail. In any marketing process, it is pertinent to define the problem that you intend to solve, it will help you better in getting the right information.
Build A Perfect Research Plan
If you have successfully determined everything that could be the culprit of the problem, and you have been able to know exactly what problem you are intending to solve. Now is the best time to create your own research plan. The research plan you will create may involve; surveys, testing your website, and customer interview.
Collect and Organize All Relevant Information
In a marketing process or marketing research, all the data you will collect must be able to be analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. How will you do this? You can test your website to find out how to bring in more customers through SEO. You may also interview your potential customers to know what appeals to their tastes.
Analyze all Report and Data Findings
At this point, you have all the data you need at your fingertips. With that being so, you can do the easiest part which is analyzing the information you have. However, it is very necessary to follow trends rather than sticking to one piece of information.
Take All Necessary Actions
Now you have completed your research, and you now know every bit of detail about the marketing process, it is time to take action with respect to your research findings. Your research may be complete at this stage but it’s certainly not over.
The business environment will always change, trends will change as well, this means you have to constantly carry out research to keep up with the changes. If you do not keep up with the changes, you may be thrown out of business. Always learn to improve.
Let’s talk for a minute about changes and the importance of “keeping up” when it comes to consumer marketing. There is no question that the world we live in is forever changing so how we deal with, and adapt to those changes will determine our spot in this field. Imagine a time when marketing of any kind was not even really needed, and whatever marketing was done, only minimal effort was needed.
This would be unimaginable today, but the reason why it was that way in the past was due to the limited number of traders or sellers to choose from by the plethora of consumers that needed their goods. It was almost like being the only player on the field that could score as many points as you wished because there was no one there to stop you from scoring. This scenario leads us to the first of several eras of marketing that has led us to where we are today. The digital marketing era, but to understand this complex theory, one must first understand its history.
The Simple Trade Era of Marketing
This era was before the industrial revolution when things were done on a simpler level. Goods during this time were made by necessity, usually by hand and in limited quantities. This made availability low and suppliers selling or making those goods even lower.
The Mass Production Era of Marketing
Mass production started a new way of doing business during the 1860s into the 1920s. The idea at the time was to have enough goods on hand that were in demand and the consumers would come. The next key point was to keep the cost low, and because of the market at the time, the thought was that anything that was produced would sell quickly, therefore yielding high profits in return.
The Sales Era of Marketing
As time went on, the market continued to grow, and with growth comes competition due to more businesses on the rise. This is what happened during the 1920s into the 1940s. This era put consumers at an advantage over the suppliers, who now had to convince consumers that their products were the best. In other words, they had to sell their products by persuasion. Suppliers during this era though were more concerned about profit rather than quality, the idea was to simply sell to make a profit over making sure the customer was satisfied.
The Marketing Department Era
When you think of marketing the first thought that probably comes to mind is advertisements, sale pitches in commercials, promotions to entice the consumer, and radio announcements. This is exactly what this era of marketing was all about during the 1940s into the 1960s, grouping together all related marketing techniques and putting them into one department to be handled.
The Marketing Company Era
This era of marketing will define all aspects of marketing going forward. Unlike the mass production era, customer satisfaction is now the number one priority. During the 1960s into the 1990s, marketing departments began to take full control of a company’s success. It is realized in this era that the success of any company is determined by the customer.
The Relationship Marketing Era
This era simply focused on creating long-term relationships with its customers. Feedback from consumers and loyalty was the ultimate vision during the 1990s into 2010.
The Social/Digital Era
Technology has allowed customers to now sit in the driver’s seat when it comes to consumer marketing. The way we can now market our products and services can be described as content marketing which came on the scene in 2010 and is still going strong in 2019, mainly due to the ability to advertise through the many available social networks. The digital era has an advantage over any other era due to advanced technology that allows data to be collected about its consumers and their habits in real-time. This important information allows for improvements in products as well as services to ensure customer loyalty.
