When a marketer starts planning for a marketing campaign targeting specific region, nation, or continent, they should study the environmental category influences of that target group. These environmental influences consist of many factors that can directly or indirectly shape the purchasing behavior for buyers. I have defined the three main categories on my pervious article “Factors Shaping Buyer Decision Making”. In this article, I will dive into the major elements of the environmental category that plays a significant role in buyer decision making.
Religious: A person’s religious identity is crucial in determining how they view themselves. It serves as a moral compass, influencing various aspects of life, including purchasing decisions, in addition to offering a set of beliefs and values. These beliefs inform people of what is acceptable and unacceptable. Beliefs influence decisions about what to eat, wear, and watch. Recognizing and honoring these beliefs is crucial for marketers who want to design campaigns that are both successful and sensitive to environmental differences. Ignoring religious influences may hurt the brand’s image and reputation or even boycott.
Social Class: Social class stands out as a distinguishing factor that profoundly affects how people view and interact with things. It has a significant influence on lifestyle, values, and attitudes in addition to being a financial indicator. For marketers aiming to develop successful and specialized campaigns, understanding the dynamics of social class is essential. Marketers can modify their campaigns to reflect the values and aspirations of particular social groups by having a clear understanding of the social class of their target audience. For instance, upper-class consumers of clothing might be more driven by artistic taste and exclusivity, whereas people from lower classes might value functionality and durability.