How Fast Consumers Make Up Their Minds
Weber Shandwick recently released a consumer research report that points to rapidly shifting consumer decision-making patterns and speed-to-action. The global survey, titled "New Wave of
Advocacy," polled nearly 600 consumers in nine countries and gleaned the following behaviors:
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63% of respondents said they are deciding more quickly to support or reject issues, causes, companies, products and services than they did two to three years ago. The factors
contributing to this shift include people's tendency to be more informed, to having stronger voices, and to have easier access to information and experts;
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45% were identified as Advocates, or those who take action to support or detract from issues, causes, companies and products (i.e., making purchase recommendations, sending a letter to a
company/elected official or organizing a protest/boycott);
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Only 9% of consumers are "high-intensity" advocates who more actively influence others' decisions and make decisions more quickly themselves. These consumers are most critical to reach.
"Low-intensity" advocates comprised 36%;
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The study identified a critical segment they identify as "Badvocates," who actively make their dissatisfaction known and do so more quickly today than they did two or three years ago;
and,
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Online media ranked third in importance of opinion-influencing among consumers, with broadcast and print ranking first and second.
Recruitment Shortcomings
Companies' talent management functions need to kick their efforts up a notch (or five), according to a recent study conducted by Aon Consulting. The report cites the impending worker
shortage - as much as 10 million by 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
With this in mind, the ?survey identified the following trends among surveyed organizations:
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Four out of five organiza tions consider recruiting and selecting talent a top/critical concern for 2007;
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63% believe their organization's need to recruit and select the best talent will increase in the next three to five years;
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98% expect that recruiting high-performing employees will continue to be difficult, or will increase in difficulty;
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Although effectively communicating compensation packages is one way to recruit high-performing employees, 77% of surveyed organizations provide a general overview of benefits with no dollar
figure; and
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42% said that, in the past, top recruits chose to go elsewhere for compensation that was perceived to be higher (based on page and/or benefits).
Clearly, if communicating benefits and compensation is a key element of recruiting top talent, PR executives have all the more reason to team up with HR and push messaging out to candidates that
is reflective of their corporate offerings.
Pass It On: The Power Of Word-Of-Mouth Marketing
You can spend all the money in the world on communications channels to reach your target audience, but word of mouth will still be the number-one influencer on business buying decisions, according
to a new study of U.S. and U.K. executives conducted by market research firm Keller Fay Group and Jack Morton Worldwide. Among the findings:
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50% of surveyed executives report that they are highly likely to buy a product or service based on word of mouth;
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49% said they pass on what they've heard to others;
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75% of word of mouth occurs in person;
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E-mails only account for 3%;
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Instant messaging, text messaging and reading blogs only account for approximately 1%;
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60% of word-of-mouth conversations include advice to buy, try or consider a brand;
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86% recommend a brand or service based on first-hand experience;
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When compared to others, business executives have more conversations and talk about more brands; they keep current and make more brand recommendations; they are 32% more likely to keep up
with the news across a range of work and more personal categories; and they are 28% more likely to make recommendations.