What is customer behavior?

Customer behavior is a combination of the actions and decision-making processes of consumers in response to a product, service, or brand.

It considers how emotions, attitudes, and preferences shape buying habits and people’s interpretation of marketing messages. It also looks at how customers interact with products and services, including engagement levels and responses to promotions.

What factors influence customer behavior?

The core factors that influence customer behavior can be split into 4 main groups:

  • Cultural factors:

    Culture is made up of the shared beliefs and values of a society, and these can greatly influence consumer behavior.
  • Social factors:

    People in society are often influenced by what their peers think or do — this is known as social proof. User-Generated Content (UGC), which gives voice to consumers and allows them to share with others how they feel about a particular service, product, or company, is a powerful way of tapping into this social motivator and building trust with an audience.
  • Personal factors:

    Each individual has unique preferences, needs, and motivations that affect their buying decisions.
  • Psychological factors:

    Consumer behavior is heavily influenced by emotions such as fear, joy, or anger. Brands can tap into this by deploying tactics with content that prompts a sense of urgency or fear of missing out in order to drive consumer action.

How to measure customer behavior

Measuring customer behavior is an essential exercise in understanding how users interact with your content across multiple channels. Customer behavior is commonly measured via 4 key methods:

  • Surveys:

    Surveys can be used to gain insights into customer perception and attitude towards products or services. These surveys typically use questions that ask customers to rate their experience, provide feedback on products, or indicate what factors are important when making a purchase decision.
  • Focus groups:

    Focus groups allow marketers to better understand the motivations and sentiment of customers. Companies use focus group discussions to solicit real-time customer feedback, which can be helpful in developing new products or improving existing ones.
  • Observational studies:

    Observational studies involve watching customers interact with a product in its natural environment, such as in-store or via heatmaps on product pages. This type of research helps marketers understand how customers move from one stage of the customer journey to another and enables them to identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Data analysis:

    Data analysis of customer interactions with websites and mobile apps can provide valuable insight into customer behavior. By tracking user engagement with key features and content, companies can monitor customer behavior over time and identify areas where they need to improve their offerings.

Influencing customer behavior with Emarsys

Emarsys helps leading brands like Feel Good Contacts, Pizza Hut, and Nike to connect their sales, product, and customer data, creating better customer experiences and positively influencing customer behavior.

Deliver the predictable, profitable outcomes that your business demands.

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