Effectiveness Of SME Marketing Communication Through Word Of Mouth Method: Study On Batik Cibuluh Binaan Baznas Kota Bogor

Abstract

During the pandemic, several MSMEs appear to have survived. Bank Indonesia (BI) revealed that 12.5 percent of respondents were not affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and 27.6 percent of them even showed an increase in sales. Although there was a decline in the number of buyers during the pandemic, Batik Cibuluh MSMEs were still able to survive. This raises questions in this study, which aims to determine the effectiveness of marketing communication in shaping cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects in consumers. A qualitative descriptive research method with a case study design was used to explore this through case studies. Interviews, observations, and library data were used.

The results of this study indicate that the marketing communication mix plays a role in the cognitive aspect, namely in increasing customer knowledge, and in the affective aspect, namely in increasing customer interest/attitude. Meanwhile, the behavioral aspect, in the form of purchasing actions, is more based on the word of mouth (WOM) communication mix. Consumers will seek information from trusted individuals rather than advertisements in the era of marketing 4.0, due to emotional closeness. Word of mouth-based marketing communication mixes, in the form of recommendations from loyal product advocates, play a role in behavioral aspects. Marketing and social systems in this era have shifted towards communities. It is these communities that SMEs utilize to effectively respond to the market through word-of-mouth methods.

Keywords: Effectiveness, Marketing Communication, SMEs, BAZNAS

Di saat pandemi, beberapa UMKM nampak masih bertahan. Bank Indonesia (BI) mengungkapkan ada 12,5 persen responden yang tidak terkena dampak dari pandemi Covid-19, dan bahkan 27,6 persen di antaranya menunjukkan peningkatan penjualan. Meski saat pandemi terjadi penurunan jumlah pembeli, namun UMKM Batik Cibuluh masih mampu bertahan. Hal itu menimbulkan pertanyaan dalam penelitian ini, yang bertujuan untuk mengukur efektivitas komunikasi pemasarannya dalam membentuk  aspek kognitif, afektif maupun perilaku pada konsumen. Metode penelitian deskriptif kualitatif dengan desain case study, dengan pengumpulan data melalui wawancara, observasi dan data pustaka.

Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan adanya peran ragam bauran komunikasi pemasaran dalam aspek kognitif, yaitu mampu meningkatkan pengetahuan pelanggan, dan afektif berupa peningkatan minat/ sikap pelanggan. Sedangkan aspek perilaku (behavior) yang terbentuk, berupa tindakan pembelian,  lebih didasarkan pada ragam bauran komunikasi berbasiskan word of mouth (WOM). Konsumen akan mencari informasi dari orang yang dipercayai ketimbang iklan di era marketing 4.0, karena kedekatan emosi. Bauran  komunikasi pemasaran berbasis word of mouth, dalam bentuk rekomendasi dari penganjur setia produk memiliki peran  dalam aspek perilaku. Sistem pemasaran dan sosial pada era ini telah bergeser kepada  komunitas. Komunitas inilah yang digunakan para pelaku UMKM dalam merespon  pasar agar efektif, melalui metode word of mouth.

Kata Kunci : Efektivitas, Komunikasi Pemasaran, UMKM, BAZNAS