Purpose: the purpose of this thesis is to explore how entrepreneurial business within Chinese education and training service industry to conduct Word-of-Mouth marketing and to further investigate the factors that influence the effectiveness of WOM marketing during customer purchase decision making process. Based on the purpose above, the authors aim to investigate whether there is a relationship between input and output WOM in terms of those factors. Method: the authors used both inductive and deductive approaches to fulfill the exploratory and descriptive purposes. In order to gather primary data, the authors applied multiple methods which combine qualitative and quantitative studies. Respectively, interviews and questionnaires were being used. Result and analysis: the authors obtained the empirical findings from six interviews and ninety two questionnaires. From which, the authors selected the most useful information related to the topic of this thesis based on the previous theories and models. In terms of the qualitative data analysis, a comprehensive summary was extracted. As for the quantitative data analysis, the authors used the SPSS software and then interpret the data according to previous theories and models. Conclusion: in this final part, the authors answered the five research questions. And concluded that based on the internal and external information management, the company should have an Integrated Marketing Communication approach to WOM marketing. Furthermore, the factors that have influence on customer purchase decision making process are six channels and eight attributes for the case company. The importance level of those factors will be further discussed in order to gain implications.

It grows rapidly the global men ¡¦s skin care market in developed country. There are 1 billion market size which represent s 40% to 60 % growth in the men¡¦s skin care market in Taiwan since year of 2005 . It also motivates the Word-of -Mouth market ing when the commercial advertisement has been skipped by end consumers times and times again . There are all kinds of updated word-of-mouth marketing develop ed such as: @WOM, Viral marketing, Blog marketing. It is a case to leverage the word -of-mouth marketing in brand building for a pure Men¡¦s skin care brand . This study is to explore the key successful factors for appling the Word-Of-Mouth marketing within a new market, especialy for an independent men¡¦s skin care brand. There are interview s for brand-owner and on-line ¡Vretailer, and questionary for consumers in this project. The first finding is that men ¡¦s skin care concept is more acceptable than before . It becomes more popular to purchase the products by men¡¦s their own. Further more, men start to try the suncare and anti -oil products in the ir daily regimen. However, female is still playing the key roll in decision making for her boy friend or families. We also found, the female rarely know n the difference between men¡¦s and women¡¦s skin care regimen. Even she might be an expertise in her own skin care needs. As a result, we should provide the free sample with ¡§You must know information¡¨ to the key person, SHE, then influent her boy friend and families. It is how we differentiate the independent men¡¦s skin care brand. The second finding is most of the heavy internet users are the followers; they are not interested in the men¡¦s skin care information. Therefore, it is hardly to trigger off the tipping point if we target the male as early adaptor via @WOM. In another words, we can not exect a big boom if the @WOM didn¡¦t reach women. In summary, the word-of-mouth marketing for men¡¦s skin care brand, first thing is to create the truly words via the early users, the men who already experienced the oil-control product and/or suncare products. The secondary is to broadcast the words from early users thru @WOM, PR exposures, free samples to reach women as sneezers. The last, to roll out a new topic ensure the on going spreading for brands every 12 weeks.

The goal of this thesis is to investigate the effects of different hotel response strategies to negative user-generated electronic word of mouth on online travel guide sites and subsequently to identify managerial implications that would lead to an effective online review management in the hotel industry. Three basic response strategies to a negative review were identified: no-response strategy, defensive response strategy and accommodating response strategy. An experimental research method with 240 respondents proved that accommodating response to a negative review has positive impact on customer's perception of a hotel. The most negative perception was observed by the defensive response strategy. The results of this experimental research were confirmed in a Mann-Whitney U-test.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Word-of-mouth is fluid and happening everywhere. Networks are invisible and sensitive to organisational behaviour. The post-modern consumer is sceptical of advertising messages. Friends' advice is trusted more. People love to be entertained and for a story to travel it needs to be sticky i.e. have simplicity, credibility and value. The product or message must be relevant and appropriate to their lives. Influencers exist in every product category and marketers could utilise them authentically to infiltrate network hubs. However, a contagious product is needed from a trusted, loved company with a solid reputation first before any buzz or referrals could commence. Communication between the company and the subject ought to be ongoing and personal. Companies must not just aim to please, but exceed expectations in an innovative way to gain attention. A clear differentiation from competitors stated in an unconventional and memorable way is a potent combination to make an impact and be remembered. Although the black middle class presents itself as an ever-growing goldmine, this buoyant part of the South African market is still underplayed and sometimes ignored by marketers. They are indeed different from the white middle class due to their frame of reference and the context of their background and should be approached differently in a marketing sense when truly gaining insight into their attitudes, values and belief systems. Coming from a tripartheid background, black middle class women are gaining economic and influential ground by the day. Word-of-mouth is an integral part of their life and network culture, especially standing with one foot in a Western world and another in their traditional African roots and culture, thus trusted advice from relevant sources is now more needed than ever. Understanding her dreams, being able to catch the fleeting moments which provide her motivation and collaborating with her is imperative for marketers to understand if their product or brand wants to be taken with her on her success journey. As she embraces technology more and gains access to the virtual world, creating and upholding digital interaction with her becomes increasingly important. In trying economic times, conspicuous consumption by the black middle class consumer is being put on the backburner, yet it would still remain a priority for this segment of the market for years to come as the quest towards self-actualisation is ongoing. Brands must be educated to follow up on their word-of-mouth campaigns, and provide support and appreciation to their pool of network influencers. Although measuring word-of-mouth is difficult it could be measured by objectives like sales-targets, with online activity being much easier to measure. In trying economic times an insightful and impactful word-of-mouth campaign could have a much greater return on investment than utilising the same old traditional media approaches. Media planning should commence from the customer‘s point of view and not from the company‘s point of view. By doing this the customer is treated like a true stakeholder of the company. When doing media planning, historic ways of making target market contact should be ignored and planning should be done on a completely clean slate thus to enable media planners and marketers to think innovatively. By incorporating these healthy media planning practices the door is opened for a possible word-of-mouth initiative to commence and thus a competitive advantage could be gained. The purpose of this literature study, which includes expert interviews, is to explore current word-of-mouth literature and tools available in light of globalisation enabling virtual communities and overlaying this with psychographical models available in South Africa, particularly focusing on the black middle class woman‘s evolvement sustaining cultural roots and traditional networks yet opening up to a changing media environment. The research question for this study thus is: How can brands and organisations utilise word-of-mouth marketing to reach and resonate with the modern emerging black middle class woman in South Africa today? / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Word-of-mouth is vloeiend en vind orals om ons plaas. Netwerke van mense is onsigbaar en sensitief vir die gedrag van enige onderneming. Die postmoderne verbruiker staan skepties teenoor advertensieboodskappe. Vriende se advies is meer betroubaar. Mense hou daarvan om vermaak te word en vir ʼn storie om te versprei is ʼn tipe volhoubaarheid nodig, dus die storie moet eenvoudig wees en kredietwaardigheid hê. Die produk of boodskap moet op hul lewens van toepassing wees en aldus relevansie hê. Die kategorie waarin elke produk geplaas word, huisves invloedryke verbruikers en sodoende kan bemarkers op 'n natuurlike wyse bestaande netwerke binnedring. ʼn Onderneming met ʼn eerbare reputasie wat geliefd en betroubaar is moet ʼn opwindende of opspraakwekkende produk kan lewer alvorens enige gonsing of reaksie in die mark kan geskied. Kommunikasie tussen die onderneming en die invloedryke persoon in eersgenoemde se teikenmarknetwerk moet deurgaans op persoonlike vlak geskied. Ondernemings moet poog om nie net aan hul verbruikers se verwagtinge te voldoen nie, maar om dit te oortref op 'n innoverende manier wat die aandag trek. ʼn Duidelike onderskeid tussen mededingers moet op ʼn onkonvensionele en indrukwekkende wyse plaasvind om sodoende ʼn volhoubare indruk te maak. Alhoewel die swart middelklas ʼn vinnig-groeiende goudmyn is, word hierdie uiters winsgewende sektor van die Suid-Afrikaanse mark steeds onderskat en somtyds deur bemarkers geïgnoreer. Die swart middelklas is immers verskillend van die wit middelklas as gevolg van hulle verwysingsraamwerk en agtergrond en moet dus anders in ʼn bemarkingskonteks benader word. Te meer gesien in die lig van hul opvattinge, waardes en geloofsoortuigings. Swart middelklas vroue, komende van ʼn drie-dubbele apartheids-agtergrond, styg in rasse skrede op ekonomiese vlak uit en raak veral invloedryk op vele gebiede. Hoorsê of oorvertellings is ʼn integrale deel van hulle lewens- en netwerkkultuur, veral as in ag geneem word dat sy met een voet in die Westerste kultuur en die ander gewortel in haar tradisionele Afrika kultuur staan. Daarom is vertrouenswaardige advies van relevante bronne nou meer nodig as ooit. Indien bemarkers daarin wil slaag dat sy hul produk of handelsmerk steeds bly gebruik soos sy meer suksesvol raak, moet hulle haar drome en die vlietende oomblikke wat haar motiveer verstaan en ook met haar bande smee. Soos sy meer vertroud raak met tegnologie en toegang verkry tot die virtuele wêreld, sal die skepping en behoud van digitale interaksie met haar al hoe belangriker word. Alhoewel duidelik waarneembare handelsmerkverbruik deur die swart middelklas tydens moeilike ekonomiese tye verflou of afplat, sal dit tog vir diesulkes nog jare 'n prioriteit bly soos wat hul konstante strewe na selfaktualisering daagliks aanhou groei. Handelsmerke moet daarna streef om gedurende word-of-mouth bemarkingsveldtogte sake konstant te bly opvolg. Hulle moet ook hul waardering toon aan diegene wat die grootste invloed het op ander in hul geïdentifiseerde netwerke van verbruikers en hulle aldus ondersteuning bied. Alhoewel die meting van word-of-mouth bemarking moeilik is, kan meting wel plaasvind deur doelwitte soos beoogde verkoopsyfers daar te stel. Aanlyn aktiwiteite is aansienlik makliker om te meet. Ondernemings kan heel moontlik ʼn groter verdienste-teenoor-investeringsmarge verkry, die resessie in ag genome, deur eerder indrukwekkende word-of-mouth veldtogte, geskoei op goeie markinsig te gebruik, as om terug te val op dieselfde ou tradisionele mediabenaderings. Die doel van hierdie literatuurstudie, wat ook onderhoude met kenners insluit, is om huidige word-of-mouth tegnieke en beskikbare literatuur te ontplooi teen ʼn agtergrond van globalisering wat skepping van virtuele gemeenskappe tot gevolg het. Hierdie inligting word dan gekorreleer met verskeie psigografiese modelle van die Suid-Afrikaanse swart middelklas mark. Hierdie studie fokus ook noukeurig op die vooruitgang van die swart middelklas vrou. Alhoewel sy nog haar tradisionele sosiale netwerke en kultuurgrondslag behou, stel sy haarself tog oop vir ʼn vinnig veranderende media-omgewing. Die navorsingsvraag van hierdie studie is dus: Hoe kan handelsmerke en ondernemings “word-of-mouth” bemarking gebruik om die ontluikende, moderne swart middelklasvrou in Suid-Afrika effektief te bereik en by haar aanklank te vind?

<p>Abstract Titel: Sociala medier - En länk mellan producent och konsument </p><p>Författare: Tero Marjamäki, Henrik Svensson Handledare: Lars Palm </p><p>Examinator: Lennart Andreasson </p><p>Utbildningssäte: Högskolan i Halmstad Sektion: Hälsa och Samhälle </p><p>Kurs: Medie och kommunikationsvetenskap,61-90p </p><p>Delkurs: C-uppsats, 15p </p><p>År: 2007 </p><p>Syfte: Studiens syfte är att undersöka, utforska och analysera sociala medier, dess innebörd och innehåll Metod: Som kunskapsteoretisk utgångspunkt används ett explorativt förhållningssätt, med abduktion som slutledningsprocess. Kvalitativ metod har tillämpats i studien i form av mailintervjuer </p><p>Slutsatser: Tidigt i arbetet kunde vi uppdaga att det rådde meningsskiljaktigheter vad gällde definitionen och synen på sociala medier. Vissa forskare samt några utav våra respondenter ansåg att sociala medier var någonting fult, nästan förkastligt som inte hör hemma i marknadsföringsvärlden. Medan andra forskare samt ett antal utav våra respondenter ansåg att sociala medier var en länk mellan producent och konsument,2</p><p>sociala medier var arenor för samtal. Några ansåg även att sociala medier var en helt naturlig uppkomst då vanlig reklam inte längre påverkar människor i samma utsträckning som tidigare. Traditionell marknadsföring tenderar att bli omodern. Dock menade nästintill samtliga utav våra respondenter samt ett flertal forskare att sociala medier inte kommer att eliminera traditionell marknadsföring såsom vi ser den idag utan snarare kommer de båda att leva i symbios med varandra. Emellertid måste det traditionella bli underordnat och en del av det sociala (och inte tvärtom), och tillsammans kan helheten bli större än de ingående delarna. Vad gäller frågan om dold/öppen kommunikation och marknadsföring inom sociala medier var nästintill alla av den meningen att man bör eftersträva som producent att vara så öppen som möjligt. Endast någon eller några utav våra respondenter menade att det var beviljat att vara dold som producent inom sociala medier. Det centrala som vi uppdagade i denna uppsats var att det finns två olika sätt att se på sociala medier: del kan man se sociala medier som arenor för samtal, och dels kan man se sociala medier som marknadsföringskanaler. </p><p>Nyckelord: Sociala medier, Word of mouth, Word of mouth marketing, Stealth marketing, Buzz marketing, Viral marketing</p>

Abstract Titel: Sociala medier - En länk mellan producent och konsument Författare: Tero Marjamäki, Henrik Svensson Handledare: Lars Palm Examinator: Lennart Andreasson Utbildningssäte: Högskolan i Halmstad Sektion: Hälsa och Samhälle Kurs: Medie och kommunikationsvetenskap,61-90p Delkurs: C-uppsats, 15p År: 2007 Syfte: Studiens syfte är att undersöka, utforska och analysera sociala medier, dess innebörd och innehåll Metod: Som kunskapsteoretisk utgångspunkt används ett explorativt förhållningssätt, med abduktion som slutledningsprocess. Kvalitativ metod har tillämpats i studien i form av mailintervjuer Slutsatser: Tidigt i arbetet kunde vi uppdaga att det rådde meningsskiljaktigheter vad gällde definitionen och synen på sociala medier. Vissa forskare samt några utav våra respondenter ansåg att sociala medier var någonting fult, nästan förkastligt som inte hör hemma i marknadsföringsvärlden. Medan andra forskare samt ett antal utav våra respondenter ansåg att sociala medier var en länk mellan producent och konsument,2 sociala medier var arenor för samtal. Några ansåg även att sociala medier var en helt naturlig uppkomst då vanlig reklam inte längre påverkar människor i samma utsträckning som tidigare. Traditionell marknadsföring tenderar att bli omodern. Dock menade nästintill samtliga utav våra respondenter samt ett flertal forskare att sociala medier inte kommer att eliminera traditionell marknadsföring såsom vi ser den idag utan snarare kommer de båda att leva i symbios med varandra. Emellertid måste det traditionella bli underordnat och en del av det sociala (och inte tvärtom), och tillsammans kan helheten bli större än de ingående delarna. Vad gäller frågan om dold/öppen kommunikation och marknadsföring inom sociala medier var nästintill alla av den meningen att man bör eftersträva som producent att vara så öppen som möjligt. Endast någon eller några utav våra respondenter menade att det var beviljat att vara dold som producent inom sociala medier. Det centrala som vi uppdagade i denna uppsats var att det finns två olika sätt att se på sociala medier: del kan man se sociala medier som arenor för samtal, och dels kan man se sociala medier som marknadsföringskanaler. Nyckelord: Sociala medier, Word of mouth, Word of mouth marketing, Stealth marketing, Buzz marketing, Viral marketing

Social media marketing is gradually replacing traditional marketing and becoming the primary marketing strategy for businesses. Paid and earned media have emerged as two major social media marketing forms that are important in business development research. China has more social media users than any other country in the world and is housing platforms such as Weibo, WeChat or Xiaohongshu, thus with an ever-increasing demand for social interaction between a company and a customer, the search for the optimal marketing strategies in a hyper-competitive apparel market in China is in effect. With there being a lack of research in the field, the main purpose of this study is to examine how paid and earned social media channels impact apparel customer behavior in China. Firstly, the study aimed to see to what degree paid and earned media influences apparel consumption, and, secondly, it intended to see how social media marketing strategy impacts consumers' views on brand loyalty, brand awareness and purchasing behavior. In order to do this, a quantitative study has been conducted - nine hypotheses were formulated after an extensive literature review, from which a research model has been derived and a questionnaire used to gather the opinions of local Chinese social media users has been employed. Convenience with a non-probability sampling method was adopted to collect quantitative data. A total sample of 400 respondents participated in an online questionnaire, ranging from the age of 18 to 34 and having a relatively high education level. The SPSS program was applied to analyze the collected data with multiple statistical analysis methods: Cronbach alpha reliability test, factor analysis, and linear regression analysis to test internal consistency - Cronbach alpha, construct validity, and the relationship between dependent and independent variables. The study revealed that both social media marketing types have a positive effect on apparel consumer behaviors, however, paid media only mostly influences brand awareness of apparel brands, and earned media is very effective when it comes to influencing purchasing behavior and brand loyalty of apparel brands. Moreover, the utmost importance of Word-of-Mouth marketing has come to light, as the need for increased social value urges Chinese to promote products by sharing.

In the spring of 2015 this study began and it had the goal of answering questions regarding the importance of consumer engagement for a VOD service provider, the TV4-group.  The goal was to get answers to guide them in the building of a new VOD service for the latter half of 2015. The questions were: what role does consumer engagement play in creating social media presence for a VOD provider? How do consumers behave surrounding social media engagement for VOD-service? And lastly: what effect does social media presence and consumer engagement have for a VOD provider?    To answer these questions two sets of quantitative methods were used. A survey answered by 970 individuals and a tracker put on the main VOD sites owned and run by the TV4-group gave insights that led to answering the questions. Consumer engagement plays a large role in expanding the reach of VOD services, in the case of the TV4-group it was shown that consumer engagement made up a reach gain equivalent to 55,7% of average TV4 Play views, 17,3% of average Facebook upload views and 172% of tv4.se views. Consumers also evaluated their own: usage, sharing habits and sharing types giving insight to their behaviour. The effects of all this stretches from more views as a result of reach to consumer loyalty making consumer engagement a cornerstone in planning a VOD providers social media strategy.

A market maven is a highly social consumer who engages in many discussions regarding the marketplace and has a broad general knowledge of several products throughout the marketplace. They are eager to share the knowledge with other consumers and are often sought by other consumers for their information. It has been said that the behavior of market mavens is influenced by three different motives. The first is the obligation to share information, meaning some individuals feel that it is his or her duty to become knowledgeable and more discerning consumers. A second motive could be that of pleasure in sharing information. The final possible motive is the desire to help others. What drives market mavens to gather and disseminate product information? Are their motives truly selfless in nature? I contend that market mavens’ motives are not as altruistic in nature as prior research seems to suggest. Instead, in the present research, I suggest that a deeper and more selfish personal need to form and maintain a specific social identity may be attended to through market maven behavior. Perhaps the individual performing these marketing deeds is actually seeking approval and reassurance though his or her brand purchases and their resulting knowledge of products throughout the marketplace. The research in this thesis will act to uncover possible selfish and internally focused motives of marketing mavens.

Framväxten av en ny kundlogik, orsakad av teknikens framfart, har tvingat företag och organisationer att hitta nya tillvägagångssätt för att nå potentiella medlemmar eller kunder. Sociala medier är ett fenomen som har utvecklats från att vara ett kommunikationsverktyg för privatpersoner, till att bli ”ett nödvändigt ont” och en viktig del av marknadskommunikationen för många företag. Med denna uppsats vill vi utforska hur en ideell förening använder sociala medier för sin marknadsföring, vilka risker detta medför och vad som kan göras för att undvika dessa. Uppsatsen är en fallstudie som bygger på metodtriangulering och karaktäriseras av en abduktiv ansats. Studien baseras på två kvalitativa personliga intervjuer och en kvantitativ undersökning i form av enkät. Den teoretiska referensramen utgörs av word-of-mouth marketing, word-of-mouse marketing och many-to-many marketing.  Resultatet påvisar att fördelar med användandet av sociala medier för marknadsföring överträffar nackdelarna. För ideella organisationer borde nätverkande med hjälp av sociala medier vara en del av det vardagliga arbetet, både av ekonomiska och strategiska skäl. / The emergence of a new customer logic, caused by technological progress, has forced businesses to find new ways to reach potential members or customers. Social media is a phenomenon that has evolved from being a communication tool for individuals, to become a “necessary evil” and an important part of marketing communication for many businesses.  In this paper we explore how nonprofit organizations use social media in marketing, the risks involved in the process and what can be done to avoid these risks. The essay is a case study based on a quantitative survey and two qualitative interviews. The study shows that the benefits of the use of social media marketing surpass the disadvantages. For nonprofit organization, social media networking should be an integral part of the marketing efforts, for both economic and strategic reasons.