The Importance of Marketing Orientation and Elaboration Likelihood Theories in Business Organizations

Business organizations utilize marketing to make their products and services well-known in the market. All companies have efficient marketing departments that devise appropriate ways of carrying out advertisements with the help of social media. As a sophisticated task, marketing requires the utilization of various theories. The elaboration likelihood and market orientation theories are extensively used in companies today. They expound on delivering a product’s information to customers to trigger large purchases. While making adverts, companies update customers about the usefulness of their products compared to those of other competitors. JetBlue, Uber, and Proctor and Gamble have coined these theories to accommodate recent social media developments. Today, advertisements are done online, an aspect that draws customers closer to service providers. This approach has steered countless organizations towards accomplishing their mission and vision statements. This progress has materialized because of the influence that social media adverts have. Therefore, business firms should concentrate on this initiative because it promotes economic growth.

Key words: marketing, advertisements, social media, satisfaction, profitability.

Marketing Theories

Marketing can be termed as the process through which business organizations promote and sell their products and services. The entire procedure entails conducting market research and advertising the subject products through the appropriate techniques. In the modern society, the use of social media marketing has inflated due to the convenience involved. This development has emerged due to technological advancements that enhance communication between companies and their potential clientele. The marketing orientation and elaboration likelihood model theories have enabled companies to develop effective marketing strategies that have triggered massive sales and profitability.

Organizations That Use Social Media

Advertising through social networks pushes companies to reach customers and prospects. This action plan revolves around platforms such like Twitter and Facebook. Big businesses have resorted to using online marketing because it has a high potential of delivering a product’s information to myriad customers in the shortest possible time. Also, this marketing practice is paramount because of the minimal costs it attracts, as well as ease of accessibility among the customers. Uber, Proctor and Gamble, and JetBlue are some of the companies that have succeeded in boosting sales after including social media in their marketing strategies (Brooks, White, & Cox, 2012). These companies use their Twitter handles and Facebook pages to keep their customers informed of all new developments. Through this concept, they can create awareness of their services and products without straining. Social media marketing is imperative because customers have access to smartphones, computers, and the Internet (Naidoo, 2010). Thus, delivering a product’s information to the target market is not a complicated task.

Marketing Theories in all Companies

Marketing theories are guidelines that companies rely on to create awareness of their products and services to customers. Each company has a strategic marketing theory that guides all advertising operations. They position their products in a manner that cajoles customers to make purchases. In Uber, the elaboration likelihood model stands at the core of the entire transport business. This theory was developed in 1986 by John Cacioppo and Richard Petty. Its principal argument is that coercion can be arrived at using the central and peripheral routes. In the fundamental approach, cajolery arises after individuals explore the actual essence of the information availed to them by an organization (Areni, 2003). On the other hand, the peripheral ideology initiates persuasion depending on how people associate themselves with negative or positive cues. Therefore, the use of this theory has made it easy for Uber to become the leading taxi company internationally (Morgan, Vorhies, & Mason, (2009). The situation is entirely different in JetBlue and Proctor and Gamble since both companies have added the market orientation theory in their marketing frameworks. This theory is critical because it guides businesses on how to execute successful ventures. Although it has been in existence for long, it is still relevant in today’s business arena.

Market orientation implies that companies should determine their clientele’s needs and wants. Acquiring this knowledge should be aimed at satisfying customers more effectively that business rivals. The critical issue is gaining a competitive advantage in pursuit of profitability, while satisfying the customers. JetBlue follows this ideology in its social media advertisements to show customers that they understand their concerns. The adverts highlight all the values held therein, hence influencing the customers to start making purchases. Today, Proctor and Gamble uses social media to portray how its diverse products promote menstrual hygiene, household cleanliness, childcare, and dental hygiene (Morgan, Vorhies, & Mason, (2009). Presenting such information to individuals through Facebook and Twitter equips them with the right know-how, thereby encouraging them to initiate the purchasing process. The strict observation of the elaboration and market orientation theories has eased marketing tasks for these companies. The subject issue is that all the theories have created a platform where companies can establish close ties with their customers.

Effectiveness of the Strategies

Based on the firms’ performance, their social media marketing strategies are quite useful. Since the Internet’s emergence, all firms have succeeded in holding leading positions in their respective industries. A large percentage of Uber’s customers makes purchase decisions based on the advertisements they encounter while undertaking their online activities. Uber has also created incentives for riders who use word-of-mouth to introduce its services to their friends. In this case, Uber’s social media advertisements are flexible enough to accommodate and propel other marketing practices (Graham & Frankenberger, (2000). The vast majority of people are registered on different social media platforms where they socialize with friends. As a result, Uber’s advertisements are watched and read by millions of customers on a daily basis. This idea has benefitted the company by hiking its market share in the U.S. and abroad. The primary outcome is that social media marketing has elevated Uber’s brand recognition, thereby managing to gain a competitive advantage over other rival transport companies (Brooks, White, & Cox, 2012). Another effectiveness of Uber’s social media campaign is that the direct interaction with customers improves their experience. Social media companies allow customers to make comments below an advertisement, an element that paves the way for companies like Uber to respond to any raised question. Therefore, the company’s emphasis on social media marketing lies in the internal and external economies of scale it has achieved.

Advertising in social media creates higher inbound traffic. Without using this action plan, companies have limited traffic that is comprised of their usual customers. JetBlue has high traffic of customers because of its active online presence. The company draws enormous numbers of individuals who travel regularly (Chu, 2011). In most cases, frequent travelers are interested in comparing the different products and services being provided by various airline companies. Social media adverts facilitate this process by granting JetBlue to present itself as a firm that values communicating with customers (Naidoo, 2010). JetBlue also capitalizes on social media adverts to perfect its customer service. In every post, customers can raise their issues and experiences regarding the company. This initiative is of great significance because it improves customer satisfaction.

The situation is not different at Proctor and Gamble because its marketing strategy has brought forth leverage. For instance, the company has saved advertising costs because social media pages are free to create. The lack of advertisement costs makes social media the most practiced marketing procedure in the company. Today, Proctor and Gamble has a high brand loyalty from its customers. This outcome has developed from the continued online interactions that exist between customers and the company (De Vries, Gensler, & Leeflang, 2012). Once marketing and purchases are made, customers can give their feedback directly to the company. Both the company and customers have the privilege of getting all the relevant details and concerns of every party. Therefore, the company should continue airing its advertisements through social media to tap all the advantages.

How Social Media Marketing Fits into Overall Marketing Strategy

In Uber, Proctor and Gamble, and JetBlue, social media perfectly fits in the primary marketing strategy. Uber’s social media marketing portrays all the aspects of elaboration likelihood theory. Its advertisements have both central and peripheral routes that influence the customers’ decisions on acquiring transport services (Tam & Ho, 2005). For example, the company highlights the free rides, convenience, and comfort as some factors that customers are likely to enjoy. Proctor and Gamble and JetBlue’s social media adverts are ingrained in the marketing orientation theory. JetBlue uses advertisements that remind customers of the need for affordable, reliable, and safe air transport (Erdoğmuş & Cicek, 2012). The company affirms that its services meet all the customers’ needs, thereby convincing them to book their travel tickets. Proctor and Gamble’s adverts note that customers need comfortable sanitary pads and pampers. The advertisements showcase all these issues, hence assuring the customers of satisfaction.

Marketing Strategy

If I were in charge of social media marketing in Samsung, I would apply the inbound marketing strategy. This intervention attracts clients through relevant content. Inbound marketing is advantageous because it does not require a company to fight for the customers’ attention. The proper action plan is creating content that identifies and addresses the customers’ needs and problems. Inbound marketing entails combining social media with search engines and blogs. Since all the systems are internet-based, the chances of locating more customers are high (Erdoğmuş & Cicek, 2012). This technique is also less costly and more efficient than the traditional marketing system. Therefore, using it appropriately can help Samsung achieve its marketing goals and objectives.

Social Media Marketing Proposal

Introduction

Samsung has recently developed the Galaxy J7 duo smartphone that has some useful features. For this product to be profitable in the market, the right marketing approach should be applied. In this scenario, social media marketing will be the most effective intervention. Advertisements ought to be made and aired to customers through different social media platforms. The primary objective is to use an advertising method that can deliver timely information to customers regarding the phone’s advantages. By fulfilling this requirement, Samsung will stand a chance of beating rival companies whose phones have similar features with the Galaxy J7.

Rationale

Although other marketing strategies can be used, the social media approach is the most feasible. This form of advertising is less costly, and it is also easy to use. Both the company and the target markets are not likely to experience any problems using it. Therefore, it is an excellent avenue through which all details regarding the phone can be passed with ease.

Procedure

The marketing department will assign social media management to two employees who will manage marketing operations. Responsible individuals will post videos explaining Galaxy J7’s features. This information will also be accompanied by explanations to any queries emanating from the target customers.

Conclusion

Marketing is an essential business practice through which companies enlighten customers about their new products and services. Leading companies experience high sales due to their practical use of social media marketing. Uber, Proctor and Gamble, and JetBlue have capitalized ingrained social media in their marketing functions. While Uber has concentrated on elaboration likelihood theory, the others have majored on market orientation. Social media advertisements are vital because they are less costly, and also capable of reaching multiple customers at once.

References

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Brooks, B. W., White, Z., & Cox, S. (2012). Spirit airlines controversial promotional campaigns. Journal of Case Studies, 30(2), 44-58.

Chu, S. C. (2011). Viral advertising in social media: Participation in Facebook groups and responses among college-aged users. Journal of interactive advertising, 12(1), 30-43.

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Naidoo, V. (2010). Firm survival through a crisis: The influence of market orientation, marketing innovation and business strategy. Industrial marketing management, 39(8), 1311-1320.

Tam, K. Y., & Ho, S. Y. (2005). Web personalization as a persuasion strategy: An elaboration likelihood model perspective. Information systems research, 16(3), 271-291.