Profiling customers through personality theory to design appropriate communication

Abstract

Consumer behavior is directly influenced by an individual’s personality. Consumers with different personalities and behaviors respond differently to market offerings and marketing communication. Hence, it is important to understand consumer personality and how these traits can be leveraged to develop better marketing strategies. This project seeks to identify the personality traits of customers of performance / sports bikes and evaluate the differences in behavior and personality of different bike owners, and customers who are likely to purchase an electric bike. Towards this end, the paper identifies trait theory of personality as basis for personality measurement, and through the help of in-depth interviews and Big Five Indicator test, evaluates traits relevant for performance bike users such as need for external validity, risk tolerance, adventurous, and agreeableness. Consumers who are more likely to buy an electric bike were found to be high on extraversion, risk tolerance, adventurous, and low on need for external validation and agreeableness.