BEHAVIORISTIC VARIABLES

Behavior variables involve end consumer's knowledge, attitude and use of your product or service. Important factors within these units include; occasions, benefits sought, user status, usage rate, loyalty status, readiness stage and attitude toward the product.

Behavioristic Variable - OCCASION
Is there an occasion that can increase the demand for your product or service? Or maybe you can create an occassion that will increase the need for your product. Many products and service are purchased on a regular bases throughout the year, however, for some products, the demand seems to increase dramatically at certain times throughout the year. A Florist, for example, finds that occashions play an important role in their business venture. Flowers are purchsed regularly throughout the year for various occasions, however, sales tend to increase considerably on Valantines Day. It is important for you to analysis your product or service and determine whether or not an occashion(s) may effect the demand of your product.

Behaviouristic Variable - BENEFIT SOUGHT BY CONSUMERS
End consumers buy products and services for the benefit(s) they offer. For example, one consumer may purchase a computer for its low price, others may purchase the same computer for its after sales service. Which benefit(s) will end consumers focus on when purchasing your product or the competitor's product. If you can pinpoint the benefit people look for in your product, the kinds of people looking for that benefit, and the companies currently offering that benefit, then your chance of success will greatly increase.

Behaviouristic Variable - USER RATE
The user rate refers to the frequency consumers use or buy your product/service. You may classify end consumers as being light users, medium users, or heavy users. You have probably heard someone say, "20% of a businesses' customers represent 80% of the businesses' sales". Therefore, 80% of the remaining customers will represent 20% of a businesses' sales. This concept is extremely powerful and you should fully understand its importance. If you can determine, in general, the sex, age, family structure, motivation, benefits sought, occupations, life styles, social class, personality, and so on of the heavy users (20%) of your product or service, then you can spend more promotional effort in attracting these types of people. It is more difficult trying to persuade a light user to use your product more frequently then it is to persuade heavy users to buy from you.

Behaviouristic Variable - LOYALTY
Many end consumers will purchase only one brand of product or service all the time - IE highly loyal consumers. Other consumers may purchase two or three different brands depending on the availability of the product or service, the pricing of the product or service, and so on - IE somewhat loyal. Still others may have no preference in any brand; they buy whatever is no sale - No loyalty. When you purchase tires for your car what brand name do you buy and why? Many consumers are not brand loyal when purchasing tires. Do you fall into this category? Many consumers purchase tires that are on sale, while others may buy based on quality. Michelin, for example, manufactures tires that provide safety to drivers.

If you purchase beer, what brand do you usually buy? Within the past fifteen years, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of brand beers. Have you changed your brand or are you still purchasing the same one? Surprising enough studies have shown that many beer consumers have tried new brands but quickly shifted back to their original brand. These beer consumers are classified as being loyal.

What brand of toothpaste do you buy? Are you completely loyal to one brand or do you purchase several brands? What variable are involved when you purchase toothpaste? You can answer these questions rather easily because you are a consumer of these products. Many times however, when individuals establish a business they loose site of the most important factors. Such factors include who will buy my product, why will they buy it, will consumers continue to buy from competitors after I introduce my product or service? And so on. These questions tend to be more difficult to answer when wearing the "business hat" rather than the "consumer hat". At any rate, will your target market be loyal to your product or service? Will consumers be loyal to competitor products and services? Will your target market be loyal to any specific brand-name product?

Other Behaviouristic Variables:

• Purchase occasion   -  Regular occasion, special occasion, other
• Benefits sought   -  Quality, service, economy, other
• User status   -  Nonuser, ex-user, potential user, first-time user, regular user
• Usage Rate   -  Light user, medium user, heavy user
• Loyalty Rate  -   None, medium, strong, absolute
• Readiness stage  -   Unaware, aware, informed, interested, desirous, intending to buy
• Attitude toward product  -   Enthusiastic, positive, indifferent, negative, hostile, other