There are a number of different approaches to segmentation and another is psychographic segmentation which, rather than focusing on customer perceptions, focuses on their characteristics. This unit's class discussion takes place after you have taken part in a exercise in psychograhic segmentation to get some first hand experience with this approach.
Directions:
1. VALS is a psychographic segmentation system. Read the descriptions of the different VALS Types (segments) here and identify which you think you will fall into.
2. Take the VALS survey at Strategic Business Insights
3. After you submit your survey responses, you will receive a report identifying the primary and secondary consumer type to which the survey has assigned you (based on your responses). The primary VALS type is supposed to represent your dominant approach to life. The secondary classification represents the particular emphasis you give to your dominant approach.
3. Read/review the material About VALS and Applications of VALS
4. Please share your responses to the following:
- What is your primary and secondary group?
- Do you agree with the description of the primary and secondary consumer groups to which you have been assigned? Why or why not? Share some examples of your consumption which either reinforce or refute the group description.
- What advice would you give a marketer interested in selling you in your course program, based on your VALS Type? In other words, what benefits program would be most influential in terms of your decision to apply to such a program?