In the past, a business could gain great insight by being able to segment consumers based on tastes, preferences, and demographics. The growing trend is that these consumers are no longer simple to define.

web browsing, a photo by Heberger Site on Flickr.

The internet is largely the culprit for this change in buying patterns and behaviors. Consumers have the ability to gain knowledge of a product or service beyond the modes of communication means for which traditional marketing was built. The internet has made learning about a business, their products, history, and services very simple for the consumer.

The new consumer wants a part in creating their consumer experiences. They research brands to determine where local carriers of products reside. Consumers want to know what a retailer offers before spending their precious time looking for a service for which they have no previous knowledge. This makes a location’s local presence more important than ever. If you question your local online presence, check out http://www.local-ignite.com

Traditional marketing can also not rest on the past consumer referral to attract business. Referrals are happening in droves where businesses often cannot see. Social media and networking sites have provided opportunity for these referrals to happen beyond typical word of mouth. One quote that embodies the power of this referral system has been said by Amazon’s founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos “If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends”.

Though a consumer may not directly contact 6,000 people, social media sites have connected consumers in a common forum with access to thousands of other consumers. Consumers have more power in this realm than ever before. Imagine a past client displaying a positive message about their experience with your products and services…now imagine a negative comment. How many people will this message reach, and how fast?

Today’s ever-changing consumer simply doesn’t fit the bill for traditional marketing techniques. Just as the face of the consumer has changed, we must market to them in a way that is adaptable to their changing resources. Take the time to invest in online marketing. We know customers are gathering information on their own, why not capitalize on what they are already doing?

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