Past Experience is the No. 1 Influencer when Buying

Consumers Cite Past Experience is the No. 1 Influencer when Buying

This article says;

In a survey by GfK Roper Consulting, 83% of adults cited past experience with a brand as the most important factor in their purchase decisions. Quality and price -- issues often promoted in advertising -- ranked second and third. Personal recommendations came in fourth, highlighting the importance of word of mouth. 

Very interesting.  Maybe when companies advertise they should consider creating ways to gain experience with customers, for example a sales promotion would get people to buy right now and if the experience is good they will hopefully purchase more of the item.

Williston: The Town the Recession Forgot

Williston, ND is an oil-boom town where advances in technology have allowed companies to access oil two miles below the surface.  With this increase it has also increased the need for workers and the result is a 3.5% unemployment rate in September.  People from across the country who are unemployed have left their homes in search for a well paying job in Williston.

This article talks about the men who are living in tents for weeks because there are no places to live and no homes to buy.  It is a modern day gold-rush town.  The locals do not like the influx of people and with it has brought crime and prostitution.  One lady who came to the area in search of work explains this place as "this place sucks.  There is no place to live.  All the restaurants are always crowed and the locals are rude.  They blame all the outsiders, which I don't blame them [for].  I'd blame us, too.  But we need jobs, too.  There are no jobs anywhere else."

Williston: The Town the Recession Forgot

Coca-Cola tray from 1934

This picture on the Advertising Museum website is of a Coco-Cola tray from 1934.  On the tray is a picture of a young couple who are dressed in swim clothes (I think), drinking Coco-Cola and having a good time.  Coca-Cola is trying to appeal to a certain demographic, which are young couples probably 25-35 who are middle class.

Even as early as the 1930s there were companies identifying their target consumers and trying to put their products into their lives.  This shows how important it is to identify who your consumer is.