Exploring customers' attitudes theories | What you need to know

DIGITAL MARKETINGCONSUMER BEHAVIOR

5 min read

Organizations develop strategic marketing plans to catch customers' attention and convert them into valuable customers. With the help of the strategies and techniques found within the action plan, (digital) marketers have the possibility to form and shape customers' attitudes towards their brand and product offerings and influence future customer intentions.

A well-done (digital) marketing is based on a deep understanding of the consumer data obtained through the development and implementation of a marketing plan built to transform marketing strategies into action and results.

According to Onkvisit and Shaw Attitude can be defined as

a learned tendency to respond to an object in a consistently favorable or unfavorable way

or by Gibson, Ivancevich and Donnelly as

„a positive or negative feeling or mental state of readiness, learned and organized through experience, that exerts specific influence on a person’s response to people, objects, and situations”

Attitudes are learned being considered intrinsic parts of people's personality. They define their predispositions toward given aspects of day-to-day life. Attitudes provide the emotional basis of an individual’s interpersonal relations and identification with others and things.

In the purchase decision, customers' behavior is largely influenced by their attitude (perception, personality and motivation) but also by those of others. Personal/group experiences, culture, subculture, language or mores represent other factors that can shape the attitudes of prospects, leads and customers.

So, customers' decision-making is mostly determined by their attitude toward your company’s brand. Taking into account this aspect, you as a marketer can exert a greater influence in the decision-making process. Possessing relevant data you can design adequate strategies such as offering incentives – offers, discounts, loyalty programs - to motivate buyers to acquire a positive perception and favorable attitude towards your company’s products.

To achieve customer satisfaction, loyalty and business growth, you need to adapt your strategies according to information gathered about your customers’ attitudes and behavior and market trends. As soon as you gain a meaningful analysis of your customers’ attitudes when they meet your company's offerings, as well as of their buying habits, your digital marketing efforts will lead to the intended performance goals.

Theories about the formation and change of customers' attitudes to understand your target market attitudes and behavior and create engaging experiences

1. The instrumental (utilitarian) function implies the benefits (extra features, after-sales service, customer support 24/7) of the products marketers offer consumers to make them manifest a positive impression and attitude in the purchasing step and when it comes to building a long-term relationship with them.

2. The value-expressive function is related to the principle that the consumer identifies with the product rather than its benefits. Products are like stars, designed to become remarkable for their appearance rather than by their functionalities. This theory highlights that customers are motivated by the product's image and affinity created when buying it and not by its usage.

3. The ego-defensive function implies attitudes that protect the inner world of the individuals and defends it from external or internal threats and feelings. The self-esteem and ego of the consumers are protected byproducts created for their special needs.

For example, deodorant campaigns give consumers the assurance that if they choose the superstar brand, they’ll feel safe and won’t face shame and stress caused by the unpleasant underarm odor.

4. The attitude that involves the need of the consumer to gather information and form an understanding of a new product before buying it represents the knowledge function.

Through this function, the consumer tests first the product and has the possibility to build and change his/her attitude in the decision-making process. After testing the product, for the customer will be easy to decide how to act towards the product when it comes to making the wise choice on whether to purchase it or not.

These four functions - instrumental, value-expressive, ego-defensive and knowledge - are part of Katz Functional Theory of Attitude.

5. According to M. J. Rosenberg in „A Structural Theory of Attitudes”, affect (emotional, feeling), cognition (thought, perceptions, opinions, beliefs), and behavior (action) determine attitudes and that attitudes, in turn, determine affect, cognition and behavior.

For instance, your company’s technology, website design, product benefits or privacy policy represent stimuli that will lead to one or more customer responses based on feelings, thoughts or behavior. These stimuli form customer attitudes toward your brand.

When there is harmony between customers' beliefs and feelings towards a brand/product, then they are more likely to approach it. Otherwise, changing either the feelings or the beliefs will cause a modification in their attitude toward the product.

The lack of connection between affective and cognitive components of attitudes can result in customers’ irritability and instability when they are in the purchase stage of the buyer's journey.

6. Theory of cognitive dissonance discovered by Leon Festinger implies a discrepancy between the cognitive (rationality, logic) and behavioral (actions) components of an attitude. Actions/behavior do influence subsequent beliefs, attitudes and opinions.

So, when a person's action is in conflict with his/her own beliefs, a state of discord and inconsistency called dissonance is built between these two. But when inconsistency in attitudes arises, a cognitive or behavioral process can be used to reduce dissonance.

Hence, as a marketer, you need to think of digital solutions that can help you align consumers' perceptions and beliefs with their behavior toward your brand.

So, if you want to create a successful and smooth customer journey analyze your target market's attitudes and behaviors first and consider building a trusting and long-term relationship with it.

6. In most cases, consumers behave first and form an attitude afterward. This could represent an advantage for marketers because in this case, customers react instinctively and if they are satisfied with the product purchased, they will come back for more. Logically their future reaction will be based on the attitude formed about this particular product (Fishbein 1972).

7. There is a theory of planned behavior (Ajzen and Madden 1986, Ajzen 1988) that argues against the above-mentioned notion. It is related to the degree of control the individual has over his/her own behavior and the outcome. The reasons for such action are past experiences and the anticipation of future disappointments.

According to the theory, most consumers are skeptical of marketing messages and they no longer listen to marketers' messages as much as they did in the past.

CONCLUSION

In order to decide what strategy to approach, you as a marketer have to understand your prospects’ attitudes towards your company. To meet your clients' needs, gain a true understanding of their attitudes and behaviors. Consider applying behavioral segmentation in your digital work dividing your customers into different groups based on their attitudes, interests and preferences.

This way, you’ll know if your target market sees your product as its number-one choice and how loyal it is to your brand. By knowing the most subtle aspects of your customers, you can improve your company’s products, bring to market the products they need the most or develop new ones according to their preferences.

If you’re thinking about how to help your company fulfill its strategic marketing objectives, start identifying your customers' attitudes and behaviors towards your products, brand and company.

Knowing your customers' attitudes will help your business implement an effective (digital) marketing strategy, enrich customer experience (CX) and gain a competitive advantage.

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