The document defines opinion leadership as the informal influence one person, called an opinion leader, has over others in regards to product consumption and attitudes. Opinion leaders are knowledgeable about products, their advice is taken seriously by others similar to them, and they actively share information through word-of-mouth communication. Examples are provided of how opinion leadership can influence decisions around cars, cameras, home improvements, and school selection.

1. OPINION
LEADERSHIP
Submitted By :
Nitish Sadotra

2. WHAT IS OPINION LEADERSHIP?
 The process by which one person (the opinion
leader) informally influences the consumption
actions or attitudes of others who may be opinion
seekers or opinion recipients.
 Opinion leaders offer advice or information about a
product, service and how a particular product may
be used. Words of mouth takes place through
personal or face to face communication

4. DEFINITION OF OPINION LEADERSHIP
 Opinion leadership is defined as the process in which
one person influences the attitudes or actions of other
person informally, who may be identified as opinion
leader. They offer informal advice about the product or
service. Opinion leaders are part of the social groups.
They have social communication network. The
communication is informal and interpersonal in nature
which happens between those who are not associated
with the commercial selling source directly.

5. OPINION LEADERS
An Opinion Leader is Someone Who is
Knowledgeable About Products and Whose Advice
is Taken Seriously By Others.
Have Prescreened,
Evaluated, and
Synthesized
Product Information
Are Similar to
the Consumer in
Values and
Beliefs
Are Socially
Active in
Their Community
Are Technically
Competent and
Have Expert
Power
Are Often Among
the First to Buy
New Products
Opinion
Leaders

6. EXAMPLES OF OPINION LEADERSHIP
 The role of opinion leadership could be seen in the
following examples.
1. During casual talk, a friend talks about the car he
recently bought. He recommends buying it.
2. A person shows a friend photographs of his recent tour
abroad. He suggests that by using a particular make of
camera, better pictures could be shot.
3. A family wants to have a swimming pool in their
spacious house. The family head asks neighbors which
pool construction company they should call.
4. Parent wants admission for his child in a particular
school. He contacts other parents sending their children to
the same school.

7. CHARACTERISTICS OF OPINION LEADERS
Opinion leadership is the most powerful consumer force.
As informal communication sources, it effectively
influences consumers in their product related decisions.
The dynamics of the opinion leadership may be
discussed under the following headings:
 Credible source of information,
 Provision of both positive and negative product
information,
 Source of information and advice,
 Two-way street,
 Specific characteristics.

8. THE NEEDS OF OPINION LEADERS
• Self involvement.
• Social involvement.
• Product involvement.
• Message involvement.

9. THE NEEDS OF OPINION
RECEIVERS
• New-product or new usage
information.
• Reduction of perceived risk.
• Reduction of search time.
• Receiving the approval of the
opinion leader.

10. MEASUREMENT OF OPINION
LEADERSHIP
 Self-Designating Method
 Sociometric Method
 Key Informant Method
 Objective Method

13. PROFILE OF OPINION LEADERS

14. THE INTERPERSONAL FLOW OF
COMMUNICATION
1. Two-Step Flow
A communication model that portrays opinion
leaders as direct receivers of information from
mass media sources who, in turn, interpret
and transmit this information.

15. THE INTERPERSONAL FLOW OF
COMMUNICATION
2. Multistep Flow
A revision of the traditional two-step theory
that shows multiple communication flows.