Influence of viral Marketing on Customer Buying Behavior in the UK Telecom Industry (GC01416)

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Introduction

Viral marketing is essential for the business organization because viral marketing helps to attract customers and raise brand awareness among the customers.  The proposed research will critically analyze the influence of viral marketing on the buying behavior of the customers in the telecom industry of the UK, where the case study is Apple Inc in the UK. The introduction chapter provides the research background, research rationale, research problem, aim and objectives of the research, and importance of the research.

1.2 Research Background

A study by IT Chimes (2017) claimed that ‘viral marketing’ is the process of marketing where the customers are stimulated to share their information about the products and services of a company through the internet. Petrescu (2016) said advertising or internet marketing which expanses like viruses is referred to as viral marketing. Marketers use viral marketing in their business through mobile devices, email and social media. Marketers promote their products and services through social media and email to attract their customers (Akdeniz, 2017). Gopalan (2016) disclosed that about 1.2 billion customers use Google and 1 billion customers use Yahoo for buying online. On the other hand, about 400 million customers use Hotmail for online purchasing. Thus, it can be said that many customers are now applying several online methods for product buying and communicating their favorite brands (Stanton, 2017). The Telecom industry including Apple uses viral marketing tools to attract its customers, and understand the buying behavior of customers.

1.3 Research rationale

As Fraile (2018) notes, viral marketing is an important strategy for the business which applies social media and online/internet to advertise products and attract their target customers. Stanton (2017) disclosed that nowadays most business organizations are applying viral marketing as a marketing tool to create relationships with their customers and understand the buying behavior of the customers. Moreover, viral marketing helps business organizations to increase brand awareness. A study by Robert (2016) disclosed that some marketers who only depend on traditional marketing tools are not able to get success in the competitive market. This is because many customers seek information about their desired products through several online tools including social media and the internet (Jiwa, 2015). Thus, it is essential for the telecom industry including Apple to use viral marketing techniques to understand the buying behavior of the customers (Patel, 2017).

1.4 Research Problem

According to Prince (2017) notes, many organizations do not understand how to successfully use viral marketing tools and face difficulties to understand the buying behavior of the customers. Wuebben (2016) said that without a suitable marketing process a business does not gain success. A study by Dudovskiy (2018) disclosed that Apple scares viral marketing because of its negative concerns. A single bad review in social media can affect customer buying behavior and the brand image of Apple. This proposed research will critically analyze the impact of viral marketing that affects the customer buying behavior in telecom industry (including Apple) of the UK, and provide suggestions to use effectively and overcome the challenges.

1.5 1.6 Research questions

Key question

How can viral marketing affect consumer Purchasing Decisions from the perspective of UK Apple Customers?

Sub-questions

1. What factors do influence consumer buying behavior in the telecom industry of the UK?
2. What are the reasons for using viral marketing as a marketing tool in the telecom industry including Apple in the UK?
3. How viral marketing is used in the telecom industry including Apple in the UK to understand the buying behavior of the customers?
4. How does viral marketing influence the buying behavior of customers in the telecom industry including Apple of the UK
5. How telecom industry including Apple in the UK can apply viral marketing to understand the buying behavior of the customers?

1.5 Research aim and objectives

Aim

This proposed research’s aim is to understand how viral marketing influences consumer buying behavior. In addition, this research will give guidelines for the telecom industry (including Apple) to use viral marketing as a marketing tool effectively and properly to understand the buying behavior of the customers.

Objectives

6. To find out the factors that influence consumer buying behavior in the telecom industry of the UK
7. To find out the reasons for using viral marketing as the marketing tool in the telecom industry including Apple in the UK
8. To understand how viral marketing is used in the telecom industry including Apple in the UK to understand the buying behavior of the customers
9. To assess the influence of viral marketing on the buying behavior of customers in the telecom industry including Apple in the UK
10. To assess how the telecom industry including Apple in the UK can apply viral marketing to understand the buying behavior of the customers

1.7 Significance of the study

The Telecom industry in the UK uses viral marketing as a marketing tool in their business. However, many organizations do not understand how to use viral marketing and do not get success (Prince, 2017). As a result, these organizations cannot understand the buying behavior of the customers properly (Henneberry, 2017). As a result, this proposed research is very significant to analyze the impact of viral marketing to understand the buying behavior of the customers in the telecom industry of the UK including Apple.

2.0 Literature Review

2.1Introduction

This literature review chapter discusses several topics such as viral marketing, customer buying behavior, customer buying process, the impact of viral marketing on customer buying process etc.

2.2 Definition of viral marketing

A study conducted by Petrescu (2016) disclosed that advertising or internet marketing which expanses like viruses is referred to as viral marketing. On the other hand, Scott (2016) said viral marketing is the process of marketing where the customers are stimulated to share their information about the products and services of a company through the internet. In addition, viral marketing is an important strategy for the business which applies social media and online/internet to advertise products (Fraile, 2018)………………

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