The Nature of Reference Group Influence
Reference group influence can take three forms: informational, normative, and identification. It is important to distinguish among these types since the marketing strategy required depends on the type o in influence involved.
Informational influence occurs When an individual uses the behaviors opinions of reference group members as potentiallv useful buts of information. This influence is based on either the similarity of the group's members to the individual or the expertise of the influencing group member Thus, a person may notice that runners on the track cam use a specific brand of nutrition bar. He or she may then decide to try that brand because these healthy and active runners use it. Use by the track team members thus pro vides information about the brand. Illustration on 7-3 shows another form of informational expert referent group endorses or recommends inflluence whereby a positive nonmember expert referent group recommends the brand