The INFLUENCER a Consumer Voice w Legs

8/6/2019 The INFLUENCER a Consumer Voice w Legs

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epsilontargeting.com

March 2010

THE INFLUENCER:A CONSUMER VOICEWITH LEGS

STRATEGY AND ANALYTICS /TARGETING/ CREATIVE / TECHNOLOGY / DIGITAL


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Marketers face the arduous task of generating greater sales returns on smaller advertis-ing allowances and connecting to a broader public with fewer resources. All the while, anincreasing number of channels are vying for the shoppers interest, creating unprecedentedcompetition.

Against this backdrop, consumers have becomeexceptionally savvy, ferreting out third-party infor-mation on products before investigating a brandsown material. Oftentimes, this means seeking outrecommendations from others, online or in person,before making a purchase decision.

So how, in this arena, do marketers leverage theirlimited resources in a way that translates to higherproduct sales and brand recognition? Extensiveresearch indicates it is pretty straightforward: Wordof Mouth, an approach that harnesses the innatebehavior of a unique group of consumers, known asinuencers, who are willing to extend the reach of your efforts through talkability.

While the concept of WOM is not new, the power of inuencers and their ability to spreadword about products they like is still largely untapped. Further, the potential to extend theirimpact into emerging frontiers, such as social media, presents a largely uncharted territoryfor growth.

The challenge, then, lies in tapping this rich resource. Marketers have, after all, been awareof inuencers for some time, and a general prole has existed. But ICOMs research addselements of detail that alter what had been the prevailing concept of this segment. Thesendings give inuencers a multi-dimensional quality that illuminates not just who they are,but how they act.

Its analysis shows:

Consumers are inuencers strictly within product categories, not acrossthem all a departure from common thinking

Few commonalities exist within inuencer demographics - they crossgender, age, income levels and channels

Inuencers have a tendency to do their talking in person at thekitchen table, in the grocery aisle or on the phone but opportunitiesexist to take their message to new realms, such as social media

The one key frequency among inuencers is their behavior namely, their desire to talk withothers about products, services and events. With this quality, inuencers can, by spreadingone market message to a vast network, be the answer to the question of how to do morewith less.

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INTRODUCTIONThese are trying times for marketers. Budget restrictions require they accomplishmore with less, while at the same time consumers are increasingly difcultto engage.


When you nd a brand, product, idea or service that you really like,how often do you recommend it to other people?

Chart 1: Frequency of Recommending to Others

Inuencers indicate that they always recommendto others at a signicantly higher rate than

the random population surveyed.

US CanadaRandom % Inuencer % Random % Inuencer %

Always 36 45 37 45

Sometimes 54 52 53 50

Rarely 8 2 10 5

Never 1 0 1 0


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Every few weeks or more often 66 72 74 78



US anadaRandom % Inuencer % Random % Inuencer %


Whether it is people coming to them or them going to others,inuencers have a higher propensity of connecting with friends and family.

Chart 3: Connecting With OthersOn average, how often do family or friends visit you for any type of gathering (eg. dinner, coffee/tea)?

On average, how often do you visit family or friends for any type of gathering (eg. dinner, coffee/tea)?



PROFILE OF AN INFLUENCER Inuencers possess a straightforward behavioral trait: talkability. They are simply prone tochatting more than the average person, and in a way that tends to connect, the research shows.

But they dont speak about just anything. In fact, to tapinto inuencers a marketer must disregard the traditionalthinking that their interests are universal, and that they areapt to talk up any product, from computers to cleansers.

Rather, inuencers are category specic. A young mothercould speak passionately about diapers, but have nointerest in tires. A newly retired factory worker may ndhimself recommending home-brewed coffees, but bowsout of conversations regarding credit cards.

What this means, based on ICOMs research, is theinuencers behavior cannot be applied across the board.No demographic similarities emerged in the data; there wasno skewing toward age, gender or income. Inuencers maybe grandfathers or twenty-somethings, working mothersor stay-at-home dads. They could be the well to do or theup-and-coming.

What unites them, we think, is passion or a particularlifestage or lifestyle a new baby, car, house or afnityfor cars that causes them to be interested in a particularproduct segment.

Further uniting them is that one intrinsic quality of talkability. And, because they engage with family and friends, their comments carry morecredibility. This applies regardless of the size of their network, because inuencers tend to bemore active within their social communities. This is key. It is the difference between getting arecommendation twice a year or twice a week.

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CanadaRandom

%Inuencer

%Random

%Inuencer

%

AGE RANGE

18 to 24 years 2 2 3 3

25 to 44 years 28 33 30 36

45 to 64 years 54 54 55 51

65 to 74 years 12 10 10 9

75 years or older 4 2 4 2

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Less than $25,000 11 8 7 6

$25,000 - $49,999 26 25 20 18

$50,000 - $99,999 34 35 26 30

$100,000 - $149,999 8 9 8 10

$150,000 and over 3 3 5 4

No signicant demographic difference appears betweeninuencers and the random population, indicating that thekey factor in identifying this unique segment is indeed their

talkability factor, not their age, gender or income.

Chart 2: Demographics

CanadaRandom

%Inuencer

%Random

%Inuencer

AGE RANGE

18 to 24 years 2 2 3

25 to 44 years 28 33 30 36

45 to 64 years 54 54 55 51

5 to 74 years 12 10 10 9

75 years or older 4 2 4 2

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Less than $25,000 11 8 7 6

25,000 - $49,999 26 25 20 18

50,000 - $99,999 4 35 26 30

100,000 - $149,999 8 9 8 10

150,000 and over 5 4


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And, perhaps because they have established themselves as authorities, inuencers are morelikely to be sought for their opinions. ICOMs ndings indicate, for instance, that inuencers liketo be the rst to know about a new product. Likewise, inuencers think it is fun to convinceothers to try new products, as well.

Such talk can be spun gold when it regards specic brands and categories.

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Inuencers out-talk both non-category inuencers and random consumers with 2 - 3 times the number of conversations.

Food

Beverages - general

Hair care

Beauty

Personal Care

House cleaning orlaundry products

Non-prescriptionremedies(e.g. pain relievers)

Prescription remedies

Category Inuencer NonCat Inuencer Random US

7.0

7.0

2.1 3.5

1.93.1

6.61.4

2.0

6.21.4

1.9

6.11.2 1.7

5.11.3

1.9

5.01.2

1.8

4.61.0

1.6

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0

Chart 4: Talkability by CategoryCANADA

7.0

7.0

2.13.6

1.93.1

6.51.4

2.1

6.41.4

2.0

6.11.3 1.8

5.01.3

2.0

4.91.2

1.8

4.10.9 1.4

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0

Food

Beverages - general

Hair care

Beauty

Personal Care

House cleaning orlaundry products

Non-prescriptionremedies(e.g. pain relievers)

Prescription remedies

Category Inuencer NonCat Inuencer Random

The talkability factor remains constant even in general categories like banking or fashion-inuencers out-talk their random or non-category counterparts at 2 - 3 times.

USOther General Categories: Talkability

Restaurants

Travel

Home Improvement

Home Decor

Books or Magazines

Technology

Fashion

Automotive

Banking

Childrens Products

Business(e.g. investments)

Charity

6.0

4.8

1.9 3.0

1.3 2.1

4.61.3

2.14.2

1.01.7

4.31.2

2.1

3.90.8

1.63.7

0.91.5

3.40.91.7

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0

3.20.9 1.5

3.50.8

1.3

2.20.5

1.0

2.50.6 1.1

Category Inuencer NonCat Inuencer Random CANADA

Restaurants

Travel

Home Improvement

Home Decor

Books or Magazines

Technology

Fashion

Automotive

Banking

Childrens Products

Businesse.g. investments)

Charity

5.4

5.3

1.83.0

1.62.9

5.21.6

2.6

4.71.3

2.3

4.01.3

2.3

3.80.9

1.9

3.71.0 1.7

3.71.1

1.8

0.0 1.0 2 .0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0

3.61.0 1.9

2.90.7

1.3

2.40.6

1.2

2.20.6

1.0

Category Inuencer NonCat Inuencer Random


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INFLUENCER BEHAVIOR If an inuencers behavior is category specic, then marketers need to re-verse how they pinpoint and then engage this group.

Instead of turning rst to specic demographic segments, marketers musttrack behavior. This approach could reveal an inuencer market base thatincludes not just the assumed demographic, but also an unexpected set of consumers. Sure, mothers might proselytize about diapers, but so mightgrandparents and stay-at-home dads. The common thread is they have aninterest in that product category. ICOMs research shows people who areinuencers recommend in three categories or fewer.

And these recommendations are typically made in personal settings.Regardless of how inuencers receive product information by email,rst-hand experience or in-store promotion about 90 percent of word-of-mouth communication occurs face-to-face or via phone.* One instructive nding in ICOMs study is that inuencers spend more timevisiting with others, and they like to have company over as often as they can.

When it comes to discussing brands, inuencers are more likely to do it inthe esh.

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9 or more 6 to 8 times 1 to 5 times Never

Hair care products 2% 4% 56% 38%

Personal care products 2% 3% 46% 49%

House cleaning or laundry products 3% 7% 54% 36%

Beverages 4% 10% 50% 34%

Desserts or snacks 4% 10% 46% 40%

Recipes 10% 13% 49% 28%

Non-prescription remedies 2% 5% 47% 46%

As this chart illustrates, inuencers make up a small percentage of the population yet thepower they hold for brands, given the number of conversations they have, is substantial.

Chart 7: The Power of Inuencers: Number of Brand Conversations in Past Month

9 or more 6 to 8 times 1 to 5 times Never

Hair care products 2% 4% 56% 38%

Personal care products 2% 3% 46% 49%

House cleaning or laundry products 3% % 54% 36%

Beverages 4% 10% 50% 34%

Desserts or snacks 4% 10% 46% 40%

Recipes 10% 13% 49% 28%

Non-prescription remedies 2% 5% 47% 46%

*Keller Fay Study, 2008

ATTITUDE STATEMENTS*Random

%Inuencer

%Random

%Inuencer

%

People frequently follow my advice 45 56 48 54

I am always looking to learn or experience something new 71 82 78 83

I like to be one of the rst to know about a new product 45 55 49 56

When I have a problem with a product or service, I like to tell my friends 76 85 85 86

Its fun to convince others to try new products 44 56 48 55

I prefer to make my own opinion instead of t rusting the opinions of others 74 76 78 77

*Rating scale question - indicated strongly and somewhat strongly on 5 point scale

Inuencers indicate behaviour that supports the idea that they out-talktheir non-inuencer counterparts, and that this is an inherent trait.

Chart 5: Attitude Statements

US Canada

ATTITUDE STATEMENTS*Random

%Inuencer Random

%Inuencer

%

People frequently follow my advice 45 56 48 54

I am always looking to learn or experience something new 71 82 78 83

I like to be one of the rst to know about a new product 45 55 49 56

When I have a problem with a product or service, I like to tell my friends 6 85 85 86

Its fun to convince others to try new products 44 56 48 55

I prefer to make my own opinion instead of t rusting the opinions of others 74 76 78 7

*Rating scale question - indicated strongly and somewhat strongly on 5 point scale

US Canada

Chart 6: Number of Categories InuencersRecommend or Discuss

Unlike common thought, ICOMsresearch shows that inuencers primarily

focus on a nite number of categoriesfor which they talk to others.

23%2 WOM

categories

39%1WOMcategory

27%4 or more

WOMcategories

12%3 WOM

categories

Study conducted Nov 2007 to US only households(n=1208)


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INFLUENCER BRAND INTERACTIONNow that you understand the inuencer segment, the next step is learning how to connectwith them in a meaningful way that gets them to support your brand.

Remember these ve words: Its not about the channel. Inuencers simply are not committedto specic media. On average, they spend ve hours per week on Facebook, compared with4.5 hours for the standard consumer.

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BLOGS

Read others blogs 17 19 12 14

Write on others blogs 7 7 5 5

Write your own blog - for your use only 2 4 2 3

Write your own blog - for sharing with others 5 6 3 4

ONLINE FORUMS

Contribute comments to online forums 8 11 7 8

Read information on online forums 17 20 14 15

Participate in online chat room/bulletin forums 7 8 5 7

Chart 8: Frequency of Social Media ParticipationHow often, if ever, do you do any of the following? Every week or more often.

OTHER ONLINE ACTIVITIES

View videos on YouTube 20 23 23 25

Post videos on YouTube 1 1 0 1Post responses to videos on YouTube 3 2 1 2

Use RSS 3 3 2 3

Instant messaging/chatting 22 22 22 24

Podcasting 2 2 1 2

YOUR OWN PERSONAL WEBSITE

Add new information - for your use only 5 6 3 5

Add new information - for sharing with others 6 8 5 6

Add new pictures - for your use only 4 5 3 4

Add new pictures - for sharing with others 6 6 3 4

EMAIL ACTIVITIES

Keep in touch with friends and family by email 80 83 82 84Share photos by email 24 33 29 34

Share product or service information you get by email 25 32 24 29

Forward tell a friend emails to others 35 42 29 34

Share information you nd online by email 34 41 29 33


BLOGS

Read others blogs 17 19 12 14

Write on others blogs 7 7 5 5

Write your own blog - for your use only 2 4 2 3

Write your own blog - for sharing with others 5 6 3 4

NLINE FORUMS

Contribute comments to online forums 8 11 7 8

Read information on online forums 17 20 14 15

Participate in online chat room/bulletin forums 7 8 5

THER ONLINE ACTIVITIES

View videos on YouTube 20 23 23 25

Post videos on YouTube 1 1 1Post responses to videos on YouTube 3 2 1 2

Use RSS 3 2

Instant messaging/chatting 22 22 22 24

Podcasting 2 2 1 2

YOUR OWN PERSONAL WEBSITE

Add new information - for your use only 5 6 3 5

Add new information - for sharing with others 6 8 5 6

Add new pictures - for your use only 4 5 3 4

Add new pictures - for sharing with others 6 6 3 4

EMAIL ACTIVITIES

Keep in touch with friends and family by email 80 83 82 84Share photos by email 24 33 29 4

Share product or service information you get by email 25 32 24 29

Forward tell a friend emails to others 35 42 29 34

Share information you nd online by email 4 41 29 33

THE POWER OFINFLUENCERS INTHE REAL WORLD

Client: Large manufacturer of oral care products choseto target categoryinuencers with 2different test values:

1) Free Product & 10 pass-alongcoupons

2) 50% off and10 pass-alongcoupons for 15% o

Results: 24.2% sales impact*

Purchases of brandwere signicantlyhigher in test groupwhile other brandshad signicantdecrease ( 509% lift)

Inuencers made8 times therecommendationsthan the control

group withapproximately7 averageconversations

*Sales lift measured by A.C.Nielsen market match analysis


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But less than 15 percent of those on social media sites are connected to brands, according tothe data. In addition, less than 10% of all responders said they had added content to a brandor product Facebook page. This is an opportunity, because at the same time, 32 percent of inuencers are more likely to share products and service information received electronically.That compares with 25 percent of average consumers. There is substantial upside.

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Chart 8: Frequency of Social Media Participation (cont.)How often, if ever, do you do any of the following? Every week or more often.


EMAIL ACTIVITIES

Send text messages 37 45 29 32

Receive text messages from - friends/family 39 47 30 34

Receive text messages from - brands/products yousigned up for 7 8 3 4

TWITTTER

Tweet on your Twitter page 3 3 2 2

Tweet on others Twitter page 3 3 1 2

Read others Twitter page 4 4 2 4

FACEBOOK

Add content to your Facebook page 18 21 19 22

Read family/friends Facebook pages 29 34 36 40

Add content to family/friends Facebook pages 20 23 22 25

Read information on Facebook pages of brands/products 10 14 12 15

Read information on Facebook pages of groups(i.e. hobbies, school, etc.) 11 15 13 16

Add content to Facebook pages of brands/products 7 8 6 8

Add content to Facebook pages of groups(i.e hobbies, schools, etc.) 7 8 6 9

Read content on a Facebook page you are a fan of 13 14 10 13

Add content to a Facebook page you are a fan of 8 9 7 9LINKEDIN

Add content to your LinkedIn page 0 1 0 1

Read others LinkedIn pages 1 2 1 1

Connect with others on LinkedIn 1 2 0 1

MYSPACE

Add content to your MySpace page 6 6 1 1

Read others MySpace page 9 9 2 2

From reading blogs to adding MySpace content, inuencers are not behavingdifferently from the population at large. They are however consistently displayingbehavior that supports talkability, ie sharing information found online by email.


EMAIL ACTIVITIES

Send text messages 37 5 29 32

Receive text messages from - friends/family 9 47 30 34

Receive text messages from - brands/products yousigned up for 8 3 4

TWITTTER

Tweet on your Twitter page 3 2 2

Tweet on others Twitter page 3 1 2

Read others Twitter page 4 4 2 4

FACEBOOK

Add content to your Facebook page 18 21 19 22

Read family/friends Facebook pages 29 34 6 40

Add content to family/friends Facebook pages 20 23 22 25

Read information on Facebook pages of brands/products 10 14 12 15

Read information on Facebook pages of groups(i.e. hobbies, school, etc.) 11 15 13 16

Add content to Facebook pages of brands/products 8 6 8

Add content to Facebook pages of groups(i.e hobbies, schools, etc.) 8 6

Read content on a Facebook page you are a fan of 13 14 10 13

Add content to a Facebook page you are a fan of 8 9 7LINKEDIN

Add content to your LinkedIn page 0 1 0 1

Read others LinkedIn pages 1 2 1 1

Connect with others on LinkedIn 1 2 0 1

MYSPACE

Add content to your MySpace page 6 1 1

Read others MySpace page 9 9 2 2


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Likewise, inuencers in Canada, are slightly more likely to sign up for a brand e-newsletter 45 percent compared with 40 percent in the average.

As such, online resources and social media

should be used to ensure inuencers arereached in a variety of capacities while notexcluding proven techniques such as directmail.

But remember: because inuencers talkmore frequently at the kitchen tablethan on the desktop, the message should befamiliar and conversational.

Inuencers are people who enjoy sharingtheir brand experience with authority. Theylove to share information and are more aptto nd pleasure in convincing others to trynew products. Moreover, research showsthat inuencers are more likely to discussproducts they like or dont like, than therandom population.

Again, the study results are in many ways contrary to what has been the traditional thinkingabout inuencers. But with this data, a marketer can use inuencer behavior as its map towardengagement.

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US Canada

Random % Inuencer % Random % Inuencer %

Personal 78 74 81 82

Business 3 3 2 2

Both personal and business 19 21 15 15

Inuencers behave like the random population when it comes to the reasonsfor participating in social media sites and tools - primarily for personal use.

Chart 9: Rationale for Social Media ParticipationThinking about the above types of social media sites and tools, do you usually use the sites andtools for personal use, business use or both?

US Canada

Random % Inuencer % Random % Inuencer %

Personal 78 74 81 82

Business 2 2

Both personal and business 19 21 15 15


an easy way for me to connect with friends, familyand colleagues 53 60 60 66

fun for me to use 46 50 49 56

important to keep me connected with friendsand family 50 52 55 60

a good way to make new contacts 37 43 36 41

the reason I was able to reconnect with friends andfamily I had lost touch with

44 48 46 52

a way for me to remain educated and informed 35 42 39 44

my way of sharing my opinion with others 34 40 35 40too time consuming with my busy schedule 44 43 42 44

Chart 10: Attitudes on Social MediaSocial media is . . .

For inuencers, similar to the random population, social media is yet another channelor way to connect with friends and family, share their opinions and remain educated and informed.


an easy way for me to connect with friends, familyand colleagues 53 60 0 6

fun for me to use 6 50 9 56

important to keep me connected with friendsand family 50 52 55 60

a good way to make new contacts 37 43 36 41

the reason I was able to reconnect with friends andfamily I had lost touch with

44 48 6 52

a way for me to remain educated and informed 35 42 39 44

my way of sharing my opinion with others 34 40 5 40too time consuming with my busy schedule 44 43 42 44


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LEARNINGS AND ACTIONSHow can these learnings be applied to your business? First, by locating and then engaginginuencers in a way that benets your company.

The one common characteristic among all inuencers is they are talkers. Demographicallythey cross gender, age groups and income brackets.

Once targeted based on their behavior, inuencers can be engaged with a tailored messageacross multiple channels to become an ambassador for the brand.

Inuencers are not more prone to social media industry statistics show most WOMactivity takes place ofine - so an opportunity exists to leverage the social media realm whilemaintaining other touchpoints to maximize the ability to connect and motivate these powerfulconsumers.

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I really like the product or service 81 88 82 87

I really dislike the product or service 64 70 68 73

I just love to share information 53 59 54 61

I like to feel that I am knowledgeable 43 49 43 48

It is a new product/service I am trying 61 67 62 68

It solves a problem that I have been tryingto nd a solution for 63 68 66 71

Chart 11: Reason for Talking to Others About Products/ServicesHow much do you strongly agree or disagree with each of the following as reasons for talking to othersabout products/services? I often talk to others about products/services because . . .


I really like the product or service 81 88 82 87

I really dislike the product or service 64 70 68 73

I just love to share information 53 59 54 61

I like to feel that I am knowledgeable 43 49 43 48

It is a new product/service I am trying 1 67 2 68

It solves a problem that I have been tryingto nd a solution for 3 68 71

CanadaRandom % Inuencer % Random % Inuencer %

Facebook 46 47 56 63

MySpace 23 23 8 8

YouTube 14 12 15 16

Twitter 9 10 7 7

Online discussion forum 5 7 6 8

Your own personal website (that is not a blog) 6 6 5 7

LinkedIn 6 7 4 3

A Blog 3 6 3 3

Flickr 3 4 3 4

Do not have an account for any of the above 40 39 36 30

Average # have an account for 1.9 2.0 1.7 1.7

Inuencers do not behave differently in terms of their social media participation - theyhave, on average, the same number of accounts and involvement with similar sites and tools.

Chart 12: Social Media ParticipationWhich of the following, if any, do you currently have an account for?

CanadaRandom % Inuencer % Random % Inuencer %

Facebook 46 47 56 63

MySpace 23 23 8 8

YouTube 14 12 15 16

Twitter 9 10 7 7

Online discussion forum 5 7 6 8

Your own personal website (that is not a blog) 6 6 5 7

LinkedIn 6 7 4

A Blog 6

Flickr 4 4

Do not have an account for any of the above 40 9 6 0

Average # have an account for 1.9 2.0 1.7 1.7


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LEARNINGS AND ACTIONS (CONTINUED) Coupons and in-store promotions are more likely to capture the interest of an inuencer.Inuencers also are more likely to sign up for brand web sites or e-newsletters.

Inuencers are not interacting in any one media channel in ways that are vastly differentfrom the average consumer. Marketers should target whom they want to reach, examine thevarious channels and then integrate the two to assure they are hitting all touch points. Forexample, since inuencers like to talk person-to-person, direct mail may be a highly effectivemethod for getting your physical message from the inuencers to their networks - while stillbeing able to direct their interaction with your brand in a way that meets your goals, ie. drivethem to your Corporate website or Facebook page.

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THE POWER OFINFLUENCERS INTHE REAL WORLD

Client: Large manufacturer of household productschose to target categoryinuencers with 2different test values:

1) Free Product & 10 pass-alongcoupons

2) 50% off and10 pass-alongcoupons for 50% o

Results: 46.4% sales impact*

Purchases of brandwere signicantlyhigher in test groupwhile other brandshad signicantdecrease ( 54% lift)

Inuencersmade 16 times therecommendationsthan the control

group withapproximately7 averageconversations

*Sales lift measured by A.C.Nielsen market match analysi


Read/Heard/ReceivedIn-store offer 71 75 70 75

Entry for a contest/sweepstakes - online 62 61 61 68

Entry for a contest/sweepstakes - not online 38 42 44 49

Coupons received online 66 65 56 63

Mail-in rebate 50 54 34 39

Information about a new product 61 62 65 69

Coupons received in the mail 76 80 77 83

Packages received in the mail containing couponsand/or samples 64 72 72 77

Told Someone About ItIn-store offer 18 24 18 25








Chart 13: Awareness of ActivitiesOver the last three months, which of the following types of offers did you read/hear/receive andwhich offers did you tell someone about?

Although inuencers are more likely than random group to indicatereading/hearing/receiving items in the mail and then passing along this informationto family and friends, they are also engaged across channels. Interestingly, though,

it does clearly show the importance of including multiple touchpoints when engagingwith inuencers - and specically the need to incorporate ofine components.


Read/Heard/ReceivedIn-store offer 71 75 0 75








Told Someone About ItIn-store offer 18 24 18 25

Entry for a contest/sweepstakes - online 8 11 5

Entry for a contest/sweepstakes - not online 7 9


Mail-in rebate 5 10 10


Coupons received in the mail 14 14 18

Packages received in the mail containing couponsand/or samples 14 14 18


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IN CONCLUSIONICOMs research brings to life an inuencer prole that is more complex than traditionalthought. It presents a new learning for marketers in the realm of WOM.

Key to its ndings is that inuencers cannot be pigeonholed. They do not exist within one age,gender or income bracket. The one consistent feature among inuencers is talkability the tendency to discuss with authority topics about which the inuencer is passionate.

These persuasive conversations tend to occur face-to-face. While inuencers do interactonline, their behavior in the social media space is not markedly different from that of theaverage consumer. As such, connecting with inuencers means understanding their actions, it isnot about targeting a specic demographic or channel.

Based on these ndings, WOM carries the promise of a new opportunity for marketers. Onceengaged, this group of people can serve as messengers with exponential qualities, spreadingthe word about brands or products to a trusting network of family and friends who will thenferry the message out to their own circles. And so on.

In an environment where marketers must do more with less, this exposure could be a brandsbrass ring, and the halo effect on sales will keep it polished.

METHODOLOGYFindings in this report were derived from research and analysis conducted from 2007 - 2009 with the vast majoritycoming from a comprehensive study conducted in the summer of 2009.

ICOMs comprehensive study (summer 2009) included two online surveys on talkability and social media. They weresent across the United States and English Canada to a random sampling of households chosen from ICOMs consumerpanel. There were 3,857 completes for the US and 6,029 for English Canada, generating the combined sample of inuencer and non-inuencer households.

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I nf or m a t i on

Inuencer

I nf or m a t i on

OF F L I NE

Friend

Friend

Friend

Family

Family

Family

Impact on Brand


12/12

Epsilon Targeting aligns the collective resources of ICOM, leader intargeted marketing and manager of North America's largest surveyresponse database, with Epsilon Data Services, manager of the largest andmost deliverable composite database and Abacus, the world's originaland largest cooperative database, to create the industry's leader in datasolutions - connecting you with your best opportunities. We provide aholistic approach to data marketing - providing the depth and breadthof data and insight to make it actionable - creating programs that engageconsumers and build loyalty.

[email protected]

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The INFLUENCER a Consumer Voice w Legs

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