consumer motivation

CONSUMER MOTIVATIONProf. Abhipsa Mishra

Motivation as a Psychological Force

• Motivation is produced by a state of tension, by having a need which is unfulfilled. Consumers want to fulfill these needs and reduce the state of tension.

Eg. Need for food

• Needs are the essence of the marketing concept. Marketers do not create needs but can make consumers aware of needs

Eg. Need for a pair of jeans

Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa Mishra

Goals

The sought-after results of motivated behavior

• Generic goals are general categories of goals that consumers see as a way to fulfill their needs

• Product-specific goals are specifically branded products or services that consumers select as their goals


Holiday Travel Plan

• How would you plan your next coming holiday? Or think of any plan that you had before.

• What factors influence your decision making?

4Consumer Motivation I Prof. Abhipsa Mishra

The Selection of Goals

• The goals selected by an individual depend on their:

Personal experiences

Physical capacity

Prevailing cultural norms and values

Goal’s accessibility in the physical and social environment


Discussion Questions

• What are three generic goals you have set for yourself in the past year?

• What are three product-specific goals you have set in the past year?

• In what situations are these two related?

• How were these goals selected? Was it personal experiences, physical capacity, or prevailing cultural norms and values?


Rational vs. Emotional Motives

Rationality implies that consumers selectgoals based on totally objective criteria, suchas size, weight, price, or miles per gallon

Emotional motives imply the selection ofgoals according to personal or subjectivecriteria


Arousal of Motives

Physiological arousal (they get hungry)

Emotional arousal (frustrated)

Cognitive arousal (they read an ad thatmade them think about their needs)

Environmental arousal (the weatherbecomes cold)


Consumer Motivation

• Represents the drive to satisfy both physiological and psychological needs through product purchase and consumption

• Gives insights into why people buy certain products

• Stems from consumer needs: industries have been built around basic human needs


Types of Needs

• Physiological (or biogenic) needs that are considered primary needs or motives

Innate Needs

• Learned in response to our culture or environment. Are generally psychological and considered secondary needs

Acquired Needs


Types of Needs• Safety and Health Needs

Threats to our safety and health motivate purchases for personal security and protection

• Need for Love and CompanionshipServices and products help individuals find and attract others

Products are often used as symbols of love and caring


Types of Needs

• Need for Financial Resources

• Social Image Needs

Conspicuous consumption: purchases motivated to some extent by the desire to show other people how successful they are

Companies reinforce the notion that products enable users to communicate their social image

• Need for Pleasure

Products, services, and consumption activities provide fun and excitement


Types of Needs

• Need to Possess

Consumers often acquire products simply because of their need to own such products— e.g., collectors

Plays a role in impulse buying: where consumers unexpectedly experience a sudden and powerful urge to buy something immediately

• Need to Give

Give something back to others or reward ourselves. Self-gifts let us motivate, reward, and console ourselves


• Need for Information

Plays an important role in persuasion —if an ad appears when consumers need information, they are more likely to pay attention than when they don’t need the information

One reason we read or watch TV

Fuels Internet usage

• Need for Variety

Marketers may introduce different versions of original brand

Variety may become focus of product positioning

Types of Needs


Dynamics of Motivation

The Dynamics of Motivation

• Needs are never fully satisfied

• New needs emerge as old needs are satisfied

• People who achieve their goals set new and higher goals for themselves


Substitute Goals

• Are used when a consumer cannot attain a specific goal he/she anticipates will satisfy a need

• The substitute goal will dispel tension

• Substitute goals may actually replace the primary goal over time


Frustration

• Failure to achieve a goal may result in frustration.

• Some adapt; others adopt defense mechanisms to protect their ego.


Defense Mechanisms- Table 4.2 (excerpt)Construct Items

Aggression In response to frustration, individuals may resort to aggressive behaviorin attempting to protect their self-esteem. The tennis prowho slams his tennis racket to the ground when disappointed withhis game or the baseball player who physically intimidates an umpirefor his call are examples of such conduct. So are consumerboycotts of companies or stores.

Rationalization People sometimes resolve frustration by inventing plausible reasonsfor being unable to attain their goals (e.g., not having enoughtime to practice) or deciding that the goal is not really worth pursuing(e.g., how important is it to achieve a high bowling score?).

Regression An individual may react to a frustrating situation with childish orimmature behavior. A shopper attending a bargain sale, for example,may fight over merchandise and even rip a garment that anothershopper will not relinquish rather than allow the otherperson to have it.

Withdrawal Frustration may be resolved by simply withdrawing from the situation.For instance, a person who has difficulty achieving officerstatus in an organization may decide he can use his time moreconstructively in other activities and simply quit that organization.

• Approach-approach: deciding between two or more

desirable options

• Avoidance-avoidance: deciding between two or more

undesirable options

• Approach-avoidance: behavior has both positive and

negative consequences

Types of Motivational Conflict


A Trio of Needs

Power (Ego needs)

• Individual’s desire to control environment

Affiliation (Social needs)

• Need for friendship, acceptance, and belonging

Achievement

• Need for personal accomplishment

• Closely related to egoistic and self-actualization needs


Motivational Conflict and Need Priorities

• Resolving motivational conflicts requires prioritizing needs

• Maslow’s hierarchy

Some needs take precedence over other needs—physiological needs take top priority

Differences in the importance attached to various needs affects how consumers evaluate products

Because of consumers’ different motivational priorities, companies use benefit segmentation: dividing consumers into different market segments based on benefits they seek from purchase and consumption


To Which of Maslow’sNeeds Does This Ad Appeal?


Both Physiological and Social Needs


Egoistic Needs


Self-Actualization


Motivational Intensity

Motivational intensity: how strongly consumers are

motivated to satisfy a particular need

Depends on need’s importance

Involvement: degree to which an object or behavior

is personally relevant

Motivational intensity and involvement determine

amount of effort consumers exert in satisfying needs


The Challenge of Understanding

Consumer Motivation

Reasons underlying consumer motivation are not always

“obvious”

Research is necessary to discover real motivations behind

behaviors

People don’t always want to disclose real reasons for their

actions

People don’t always know why they do what they do —

unconscious motivation

Motivations change over time


Motivating ConsumersMotivating with Money

• Price cuts, specials, rebates, and coupons

motivate purchase

• Resulting sales may increase, but profits

may not

• Attracts consumers less likely to repeat

• Price reductions may increase price

sensitivity


Motivating ConsumersProvide Other Incentives

Premiums, free products, contests, and sweepstakes are designed to motivate consumers to purchase


Motivating ConsumersProvide Other Incentives

• Premiums, free products, contests, and sweepstakes are designed to motivate consumers to purchase

• There are limitations and shortcomings for this strategy in addition to the products offered as a premium being valued less (value-discounting hypothesis)


Motivating ConsumersImplement a Loyalty Program

• Motivate repeat buying by providing rewards to customers based on how much business they do with the company

• Tracks consumer purchases and provides estimates of Customer Lifetime Value


Motivating ConsumersEnhance Perceived Risk

• Perceived risk: consumers’ apprehensions about the consequences of their behavior (buying and consuming the product)

• Greater perceived risk increases search

• Educating consumers about risks may motivate them to make more informed choices that reduce exposure to risk


Motivating ConsumersProvoke Consumers’ Curiosity

• For new products, educating potential customers is crucial

• Curiosity often leads to an enhanced need for information

• May advertise a benefit that is not normally associated with the product


consumer motivation

Education

product goals

possible goals

types of goals

needs productspecific

general categories of

rational motivation

abhipsa mishrathere

abhipsa mishraconsumers