• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, December 26, 2008

According to a new survey from Mediamark Research & Intelligence, 11.5% of the U.S. adult population are the key influencers of other people when it comes to word-of-mouth communications regarding personal finance.

This segment of approximately 25.4 million adults, dubbed "Big Circle Influentials," are at par with the national average age for adults, and have only 4% higher household income than the national average of $65,500, but they score well above the national average for key financial and wealth indicators.

According to the MRI study, 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
• 44% more likely to have sought financial planning and/or money management advice

Anne Marie Kelly, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Planning at MRI, says "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... targeting on demographics alone would not allow marketers to reach this key segment."

 

Profile of "Big Circle Influentials" in Personal Finance
Demographics	BigCircle Influentials	Total U.S. Adults
Average Age	45.4	45.4
Average Household Income	$67,900	$65,500
Percent More Likely Than Average U.S. Adult to.....
Own a Home Valued at $500,000 or more	33%
Have Acquired Securities and Investments in Last 12 Months	67%
Have Made 10+ Investment Transactions in Last 12 Months	157%
Have Securities Valued at $150,000 or more	109%
Own an IRA	30%
Own a 401K	20%
Seek Financial Planning Counsel	44%
Source: MRI 2008 Omnibus Study

Kelly concludes that "Word-of-mouth influencers vary from category to category, but among them one thing remains constant: their ability to impact the attitudes and behaviors of the people within their sphere of influence."

For more information, please visit http://www.mediamark.com/