Key-Word of Mouth INFLUENCERS.

When it comes to word-of-mouth communications regarding personal finance, a group comprising 11.5% of the U.S. adult population are the key influencers of other people, according to a new survey from Mediamark Research & Intelligence (MRI).

On the surface, this segment of approximately 25.4 Million adults mirrors the typical American adult in terms of age and income. Dubbed “Big Circle Influentials” because of their relatively large sphere of influence, these key consumers are at par with the national average age for adults (45.4 years) and have only 4% higher household income than the national average of $65,500. However, they score well above the national average for key financial and wealth indicators.

According to MRI’s financial Word of Mouth Segmentation, Big Circle Influentials are:

• 33% more likely to own a home valued at $500,000 or more
• 157% more likely to have made 10 or more investment transactions in the last 12 months
• 109% more likely to own securities with a value of $150,000 or more, and,
• 44% more likely to have sought financial planning and/or money management advice

“It’s vital for financial advertisers to be able to identify Big Circle Influentials because these thought leaders advise family, friends, neighbors and colleagues, as well as people they don’t necessarily know, through viral and social networks,” said Anne Marie Kelly, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Planning at MRI. “In this case, targeting on demographics alone would not allow marketers to reach this key segment.”

For more information at http://www.mediamark.com/>