Providing a Framework for Using Seeding in Marketing: A Meta-Synthesis Approach

Seeding is the introduction of a new product to a portion of consumers (seeds) before it is widely introduced to the market, and is one of the most important drivers in the design of marketing campaigns and effective word-of-mouth advertising. This research aims to identify different dimensions of seeding through meta-synthesis. For this purpose, 68 articles that had studied the subject of seeding were selected and coded on the concepts extracted from them. In the analysis of chosen researches, from 189 primary codes, 90 indicators (selective code), 18 components (sub-dimension), and five dimensions (main component) were identified. For the first time in this paper, different dimensions of seeding were investigated by the meta-synthesis method. According to the reviewed articles, the concepts extracted from the literature are: 1) Factors affecting seeding with 33 indicators and seven components that are target community characteristics, target community homogeneity, message nature, environmental conditions, internal conditions, marketing tools, and implementation strategies; 2) Characteristics of seeding target market with 21 indicators and three components that are consumer characteristics, customer nature and characteristics of individuals; 3) Communication and networking of seeding with 15 indicators and three components that are a big picture of seeding, position of seeding and nature of social network; 4) Seeding and growth and development with 12 indicators and three components that are value creation, market growth and development and product growth and development; And finally 5) Seeding and marketing with nine indicators and two components that are marketing tools strengthen and customer experience strengthen.