E-marketing using social media to influence consumers in the decision making process

In recent years Social Media has become a successful part in a company's way of advertising to it's consumers. On facebook there is a number of ads that show up on the side of the screen that facebook users can easily make the mistake of clicking and your routed to a company's advertisement or homepage. This doesn't just happen on facebook. Now other social media websites like youtube and pandora, an online radio station, has commercial breaks. But, can these commercials influence your decision making process. It has been known that if the commercial is very convincing then the consumer may feel compelled that they have to have that product. Is the advertisement is relatable to the consumer watching they may feel as though they too should have a product or utilize a service. Isn't this why marketers work so hard to try and define the consumer and search for ways to sell their product or service as a must have. I believe that is why Social Media has become an avenue used for company's to advertise. Once the consumer recognizes their desire for a product it's up to the advertising to sway the consumers recognition into a need to have that company's product and not try to search elsewhere. For example, car commercials and advertising try to define who their target consumer is in order to sell their product. Once they do that they create an image that is relatable to that consumer. Then marketers create a commercial or advertisement that makes that same consumer only want that product or service. The mercedes commercial aired during the superbowl (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOEw3PDh8zo) or the many commercials for the camaro (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btrh69gaLTo) does exactly that. They know who their consumer is and they created a commercial that either made you feel like that car is me or I need this car because that is who I am and you wouldn't want an alternative like a lexus or mustang, you want the new mercedes or camaro. The recognition the developement and the fulfillment can be displayed in one commercial. It has happened to me before. While on facebook I saw the ad for 1800 Contacts I realized I'm low and needed some and was compelled to place the order online. Sometimes it can be that simple.

http://www.wpromote.com/socialboost1?gclid=CImhuoPlqKcCFUnt7Qod7T3rBg

Retailers using Social Media to get consumers to buy more...Is it really working???

I currently work in a Retail store where using social media has become one of the company's top objectives for 2011. Social Media such as Facebook and Twitter has become an interest to many big name retailers such as Macy's, City Furniture, etc. What I have seen thus far is the usage of facebook to either advertise events, major promotional deals and even when they currently have job openings that may interest their followers and/or "friends". But when retailers such as Macy's and even Charlotte Russe use Social Media as a promotional option what are they really looking for and what are the benefits. I visited one location in particular and saw that they're promotional items that week were primarily being advertised for Facebook users. If you "like" the company on facebook you get an additional 10% off ANY item in the store. They want to be your fashion best friend and how else other than being your facebook friend. Once a consumer "like" the page what does the company get in return. A sale they otherwise may not have been able to attain had they not added an incentive. Once you "like" a page on facebook your hit with automatic updates in your minifeed as to what's new and what's a hot item at that particular retailer. They even associate celebrities with their items to increase the attentiveness of the consumer. Twitter is another Social Media outlet in which for some retailers if you retweet what they ask you to retweet, there's an incentive to encourage you to make a purchase at their store. I've personally observe the excited consumer once they realize that a simple "like" on facebook or a retweet will ensure savings on an item that they would want to buy.

All in all, Social Media definitely works to a company's advantage when it comes to sales.

Erica Devieux

http://sparxoo.com/2010/06/08/how-retailers-are-using-social-media-to-promote-sell-and-engage/