THE ROLE OF WORD-OF-MOUTH MARKETING IN CONSUMER PURCHASE DECISIONS

The primary objective for businesses to sustain their existence is to be able to continue their operations in the long term. In order to ensure this continuity, businesses must first accurately analyze the expectations and needs of their target consumer groups and offer products or services that meet these expectations and are easily accessible. Adopting an empathetic approach during the process of introducing products and services to the market is of great importance. This is because producers are also consumers, and every individual becomes a customer of a business at some point in their life. At this stage, the main goal is to strengthen customer loyalty and increase the number of loyal consumers [7]. Businesses bear significant responsibilities in this process. Various marketing methods are utilized in the promotion of products or services, with traditional and modern marketing approaches being among the most commonly used. The primary reason for this is that consumers are influenced either positively or negatively by word-of-mouth communication during their purchasing decisions. When consumers do not have sufficient time to conduct thorough research while meeting their needs, they tend to rely on the opinions and experiences of family members, friends, or people in their close social circles. Since these individuals do not seek personal gain and are easily and quickly accessible, their opinions are perceived as more trustworthy [2]. Word-of-mouth communication, which spreads in this manner and is perceived as more impartial by consumers, plays an important role today in shaping the marketing strategies of businesses. To illustrate with a simple example, no doctor prescribes mint and lemon for the treatment of the flu; however, mint and lemon have retained their value across generations and are widely accepted in society as a natural supportive remedy. This clearly demonstrates the power of information transmitted through word-of-mouth communication. In this study titled “The Role of Word-of-Mouth Marketing in Consumer Purchase Decisions,” the social, economic, and psychological factors influencing consumers during the purchasing process are examined [5].