|
Module 2
Marketing
Product
The
social marketing "product" is not necessarily a
physical offering. A whole range of products exists,
ranging from material, physical products (e.g.,
condoms), to services (e.g., medical exams), practices
(e.g., breastfeeding, ORT or eating a heart-healthy
diet) and finally, more intangible ideas (e.g.,
environmental protection). In order to have a viable
product, people must first perceive that they have
a genuine problem, and that the product offering
is a good solution for that problem. The role of
research here is to discover the consumers' perceptions
of the problem and the product, and to determine
how important they feel it is to take action against
the problem.
Price
"Price"
refers to what the consumer must do in order to
obtain the social marketing product. This cost may
be monetary, or it may instead require the consumer
to give up intangibles, such as time or effort,
or to risk embarrassment and disapproval. If the
costs outweigh the benefits for an individual, the
perceived value of the offering will be low and
it will be unlikely to be adopted. However, if the
benefits outweigh their costs, chances of trial
and adoption of the product is much greater. In
setting the price, particularly for a physical product,
such as contraceptives, there are many issues to
consider. If the product is priced too low, or provided
free of charge, the consumer may perceive it as
being low in quality. On the other hand, if the
price is too high, most of them will not be able
to afford it.
Social
marketers must balance these considerations, and
often end up charging at least a nominal fee to
increase perceptions of quality and to confer a
sense of "dignity" to the transaction. These perceptions
of costs and benefits can be determined through
research, and used in positioning the product.
Place
"Place"
describes the way in which the product reaches the
consumer.
For
a tangible product, this refers to the distribution
system--including the warehouse, trucks, sales force,
and retail outlets where it is sold, or places where
it is given out for free.
For
an intangible product, place is less clear-cut,
but refers to decisions about the channels through
which consumers are reached with information or
training. This may include doctors' offices, shopping
malls, mass media vehicles or in-home demonstrations.
Another
element of place is deciding how to ensure accessibility
of the offering and quality of the service delivery.
By
determining the activities and habits of the target
audience, as well as their experience and satisfaction
with the existing delivery system, researchers can
pinpoint the most ideal means of distribution for
the offering.
Promotion
Finally,
the last "P" is promotion. Because of its visibility,
this element is often mistaken as the fact comprising
the whole of social marketing. However, as can be
seen by the previous discussion, it is only one
piece. Promotion consists of the integrated use
of advertising, public relations, promotions, media
advocacy, and personal selling and entertainment
vehicles. The focus is on creating and sustaining
demand for the product. Public service announcements
or paid ads are one way, but there are other methods
such as coupons, media events, editorials, and in-store
displays.
Research
is crucial to determine the most effective and efficient
vehicles to reach the target audience and increase
demand. The primary research findings can also be
used to gain publicity for the program at any media
events and in news stories. It is especially necessary
in Social services for generating awareness about
your organisation, for collecting funds, for easy
availability of facilities for e.g. if your services
are popular and appreciated you will have many corporate
house wanting to associate themselves with the organisation
and thus provide some free services like food, transport
etc. As being associated with a organisation would
improve the value of the company in the eye of consumer
for e.g., Procter and Gamble's Whisper associated
itself with Drishti an organisation working for
the blind, causing a marked increase in their sale.
Additional
Social Marketing "P's"
Partnership--Social
and health issues are often so complex that one
agency can't make a dent by itself. You need to
team up with other organisations in the community
to really be effective. You need to figure out,
which organisations have similar goals to yours,
not necessarily the same goals and identify ways
you can work together. Policy--Social-
marketing programs can do well in motivating individual
behaviour change, but that is difficult to sustain
unless the environment they're in supports that
change for the long run. Often, policy change
is needed, and media advocacy programs can be
an effective complement to a social marketing
program. Politics--The
issues addressed by social marketing programs
are often controversial or complex, such as safer
sex or violence, and may need some political diplomacy
with community organisations to gain support,
to get access to the target audience or to head
off potential adversaries at the pass.
Example
of a Marketing Mix Strategy
As
an example, the marketing mix strategy for a breast
cancer screening campaign for older women might
include the following elements:
The
product could be any of these three behaviours:
Getting an annual mammogram, seeing a physician
each year for a breast examination and performing
monthly breast self-examinations. The
price of engaging in these behaviours includes
the monetary costs of the mammogram and examination,
potential discomfort and/or embarrassment, time
and even the possibility of actually finding a
lump. The
place that these medical and educational services
are offered might be a mobile van, local hospitals,
clinic and work sites, depending upon the needs
of the target audience. Promotion
could be done through public service announcements,
billboards, mass mailings, media events and community
outreach. Partnerships
could be cultivated with local or national women's
groups, corporate sponsors, medical organisations,
and service clubs or media outlets. The
policy aspects of the campaign might focus on
increasing access to mammograms through lower
costs, requiring insurance and Medical aid coverage
of mammograms or increasing federal funding for
breast cancer research. Politically,
the groups you would want "on your side" in the
campaign would depend upon the way you frame the
campaign. Some possible allies to cultivate are
physicians, insurance companies, women's health
organisations, or the Cancer Society.
|
