Understanding Consumer Values and Behaviors
We’ve previously talked about using marketing personas to enhance the buyer journey, and we’ve touched on the basics and benefits of geographic and demographic data in several blogs. However, there’s one more (key) piece of the puzzle to incorporate if you’re going to stand out from the crowd, or should we say, pick the right crowd: psychographics. Using psychographic segmentation can help your company connect with the right audience at the right time. Let’s break it down together.
What exactly is “psychographics”?
Psychographics, simply put, is the psychological study of humans, focusing on our emotional needs and values. It supplys insight into why people make decisions. “Psychographics seek to understand the cognitive factors that drive consumer behavior.” With that in mind, psychographics can strengthen your existing quantitative data (demographics) and produce a better picture of your market – a picture of what the public wants and needs and how often they’ll be buying goods and services to fulfill those needs.
When you know how people wield their purchasing power, you can structure and prioritize your messaging to appeal to their values, remove what doesn’t resonate, and tailor your approach to the individual platforms they use. This includes being specific with the types of personalization, imagery, and voice you use in your marketing campaigns.
Activities, Interests, and Opinions (AIO)
An important psychographics acronym to remember is AIO, which stands for activities, interests, and opinions. Activities are what people like to do, interests are their inclinations and affinities, and opinions are their beliefs.
These three areas combined give you a better picture of what’s going on beyond the collected demographic data. As digital privacy has become more top–of–mind, people are selecting and sharing information with you on their terms – whether that’s via surveys, forms, or other platforms. These forms may ask them questions related to not only their demographics, but their psychographics. Are they paying attention to their fitness? Does your company care about similar social causes? How much do they invest in their pets? All this information can help you craft the perfect audience and reach them with relevant messaging. The more questions you ask, the better understanding you’ll have of who they are, why they do what they do, and, of course, their As, Is, and Os.
An Example…
Let’s say you’re opening a gym, and you’re looking into how you want to market to your community. We can look at two women who, while similar, have some key and distinct differences. Let’s name them Janine and Kerry.
JANINE
| Demographic Profile | Psychographic Profile |
| Female | Remains active |
| Age 25-34 | Up-to-date with millennial trends |
| Single, no kids | Flexible schedule |
| Household Income $55K+ | Conscientious buyer, yet flexible budget |
| City dweller | Enjoys going out with friends |
| Dental assistant | Typically free on weekends |
KERRY
| Demographic Profile | Psychographic Profile |
| Female | Remains active |
| Age 25-34 | Up-to-date with millennial trends |
| Married, one child | Tighter schedule |
| Household Income $110K+ | Budget savvy |
| City dweller | Participates in child-centered activities, occasionally goes out with partner |
| Nurse | Varying weekend schedule |
With Janine, you can see she stays active, is averse to high spending (yet will spend on certain things, it seems), and has a somewhat flexible schedule. Perhaps you send Janine a postcard with a trial pass to visit and try out your facilities. Or, you advertise one free trial week with a discounted first month with the completion of the trial. You could also showcase one-on-one personal training! She may be interested in the personal training if she finds your gym worth the cost. Lastly, since she’s free on weekends, showcase some of your weekend yoga or meditation classes with group discounts – maybe she’ll bring her friends along!
On the other hand, let’s look at Kerry. With her tighter schedule, and one child under the age of 18 at home, switching up the messaging is key. Since she doesn’t seem to have as much time to be social with friends, you may want to showcase some group fitness classes, while also noting that their times often line up with in-gym childcare. Perhaps there’s a weekly mommy-and-me class your gym offers. Whatever the case, make sure you’re supplying messaging that makes sense with her lifestyle and needs, that’s tailored to acknowledge her busy schedule. Generally, the possibilities are only amplified by the psychographic data you’ve collected – and you’re likely to make both potential customers feel seen and understood.
We highly recommend using geographic, demographic, and psychographic data as well as quota sampling to help inform your marketing tactics. If you’re not sure where to start, no problem. You can contact us today to get started on your next marketing campaign, and we’ll work with you every step of the way to ensure it’s a success.
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