Philippine Christian University

Graduate School of Business and Management

Master in Management Major in Public Administration

16 tips that can

contribute to achieving
targeted results in social
marketing.

Submitted by:
Jester P. Aguirre
1. Take advantage of prior and existing successful campaigns.

Beginning a social marketing campaign planning process with a search for similar efforts around the
world is one of the best investments of a planner’s time. Benefits can be substantial, including learning
from the successes and failure of others, having access to existing research and detailed information on
market segmentation and ideal targets, finding innovative and cost-effective strategies and discovering
ideas and materials for creative execution. And because social marketers most often are working with
public sector agencies or non-profit organization, you may even be able to borrow campaigns that
others have spent time and money to develop.

The main principle for this is not to copy but to adopt certain marketing campaigns that exist over the
year. It’s all about timely manner wherein we will see some certain advertisement circling in different
Platform cherishing different events. One particular example is the much awaited and Iconic Coca-Cola
Truck advertisement during Holiday season.

2. Start with target audiences most ready for action.

Social marketer’s job is to influence some number of people to do some desired behavior or abstain
from an undesirable one. It would follow the efforts and resources should be directed towards market
segment most likely to buy (The low hanging fruit) rather than those least likely (hardly to reach and
move). Campaigns increases their chances of success (actual number of behavior “sold”) when they start
with market segments most ready for action.

Below are listed the ideal characteristics:

 A want or need the proposed behavior will satisfy or a problem it will solve. (e.g.,
Household wanting to reduce their water bill and contribute to sustainable water supplies)
 Knowledge / information regarding the benefits of the behavior and the cost of current
alternative behavior (e.g., hearing on the news about the new $86 fine not picking up after a
pet)
 The belief that they can actually perform the behavior and that they will experience
important benefits (e.g., believing that exercising five times a week, 30 minutes at a time can
improve sleep)
  Current engagement in the desired behavior, but not on a regular basis, and the perception
of some initials benefit (E.g., Trying to quit smoking)

The following example illustrates the increased marketing and operational efficiencies one organization
achieves by focusing on a very attractive segments.

3. Support and promote single, doable behaviors with significant potential impact

In this world of information and advertising clutter, you often have only a few moments to speak to your
target audience before they switch channels, click the mouse, Hang-up, leave the room or turn the page.
A simple, clear, action-oriented message is most likely to persuade your target audience to adopt, reject,
modify or abandon specific behavior. Your message should help the target audience know exactly what
to do and whether it has been accomplished. Remember, as well, that if you are targeting those (most)
ready for action, you won’t have to spend as much time, money and space convincing them they should
do something. They are probably just waiting for clear instruction.

This is about how you set the mind of you audience into positive reinforcement we will use Cigarette
and Vaping as an example to this. as we see on the left picture it indicates that if you are smoking you
will see that there are 599 additives of substance in a cigarette and once burned it will convert into
4,000 chemical Compounds. In a typical mindset, people will think that smoking cigarette is dangerous
compare to Vaping, which can be seen on the Right side. we will see that it only burns the 4 main
ingredient and roughly around 95% safer than smoking. Because of this it will result a significant
potential impact to your target market that Vaping will potentially reduce risk cause by Cigarette.

4. Identify and remove barriers to behavior changes.

There are concerns and real reason why your target audience members perceive they can’t or don’t
want to do your desired behavior (their Barriers) should be considered a gift. After all, when you have
this, you are more likely to know what to say to them, what to do for them, and/or what to give them
that will make it more likely they will adopt the desired behavior. Identifying these barriers can actually
be as simple as asking your target audience (group of individuals) a few questions relative to the desired
behavior “What are some of the reason you haven’t done it in the past?”, “May I know the reason why
you are not interested?”,”what’s holding you back?”, “What Change your mind?”.

 I Don’t have money to go back to school (Offer Scholarship)

 I’m pregnant I can’t go back to school (Offer Online School)
 I already have a Bachelor’s Degree (offer a Master’s Degree)

5. Bring the Benefits into the Present

Benefits are something your target audience wants or needs that the behavior you are promoting can
provide. Although this idea is simple in theory, one of your challenges and keys to success is to First
ensure that the benefits you select are real for the target audience – one they truly value and believe
your behavior will deliver. A second is to highlight benefits that the target audience is likely to realized
sooner that this is because the rewards you promise are “worth less in the future” and “Costs are less
onerous in the future”

6. Highlight costs of competing behavior

The Competition in social marketing is the behavior your target audience prefer, an organization or
group that encourages or sells the competing behavior. one key to attacking the competition is to
highlight the downside of the choice in an honest and credible way (e.g., according to the National
Cancer Institute, Cigarette Smoking causes 87% of lung cancer deaths)

7. Promote tangible goods or services to help target audience perform behavior

Although tangible goods such as tablets and services like tobacco quit lines, may be considered an
optional component social marketing effort. They are sometimes exactly what is needed to help the
target audience perform or sustain the behavior, provide encouragement or remove barriers, they can
also enhance opportunities for branding campaign messages and measuring impact. Wiebe concluded
from an analysis of more than four social changes campaigns that “The more a campaign resembles a
commercial product campaign, the more successful it is likely to be”

8. Consider non-monetary incentives in form of recognition and appreciation

Pricing strategies in social marketing can utilize traditional monetary incentives such as discount
coupons for certain product, services or goods. It is also noteworthy that there are also effective ways
to encourage changes in behavior that don’t involve cash incentives and don’t cost a lot of money.
These non-monetary incentives typically provide something else the target audience value –
appreciations or recognition. You will notice that most convenient store provide reward points or loyalty
points or similar in nature. In Starbucks, during the Christmas Season they have a promo wherein you
collect specific number of stickers in exchange of a limited edition planner.

9. Make Access Easy

In a society that places a premium on time; convenient access can be a deal breaker. Successful social
marketing efforts provide target audiences easy ways to sign up (e.g., organ donation online, pet
adoption online), Convenient Location to acquire tangible object (e.g., “mabibili sa suking tindihan”,
“Available in all major supermarkets nationwide” and receive services (e.g., Flu shots available at
grocery store) and reasonable hours and days of the week for accessing services (e.g., Natural Yard and
Garden hotlines open on Saturdays and Sundays, when homeowners are most likely doing their
gardening)

10. Have little fun with Message

Using humor to influence public behaviors can be tricky, especially if a governmental agency is the
messenger. There are times when humor just isn’t appropriate for the target audience (e.g., “Nakatikim
ka na ba nang kinse anyos?”, or with San mig light commercial “Mahaba habang inuman, San might
light” wherein they emphasized less alcohol content of their product.
11. Use media Channels at the point of Decision Making

Many social marketers have found that an ideal moment to speak to the target audience is when they
are about to choose between alternative, competing behaviors. With your desire behavior in one
direction and their current behavior, or a potential undesirable one, in the other. Presenting the offer at
a target audience’s point of decision making can be powerful, giving you one last chance to influence
their choice, even the choices of those around them.

One good example is the campaign done by the Health Promotion Board in Singapore in 1998 wherein
majority (70%) of Singaporean ate out at food court and Hawker centers, this is where the agency
execute their National Healthy Lifestyle Program Messages.

By September 2002, 5,736 stall holder at Hawker centers and 1,600 stall holders in the food courts in
Singapore were carrying point-of-purchase tent cards for tables, stickers and poster with brander labels
including “Ask for more Vegetables”, “Ask for less gravy”, “ask for less sugar”.

It appears that Singaporean enjoyed this campaign and when the first-ever Great Singaporean Sales
cane, Scott’s Picnic Food Court take advantage and offer a 10% discount to customer who will request
healthier food. Because of the action done by the Health Promotion Board, people get used to demand
additional vegetables or healthy option for their dish.

12. Try for Popular/Entertainment Media

Successful campaigns use media vehicles and formats that effectively reach target audiences with
appealing spokespersons, sponsor setting.

13. Get commitment and pledges

Obtaining commitment and pledges to perform behavior has been proven surprisingly effective;
increasing the likelihood that you target audience will actually follow through with good intention.
AT&T is one of the largest telecommunication company in the US they introduce a campaign called
Teleworking as a response to the new Clean air Act wherein they believe that it is a good way to achieve
family balance, increase productivity, save money and protect the environment.

In 2000, reports indicated that since the program start 56% (36,000) of AT&T staff had teleworked from
home at least once a month. Consider the estimated environment impact of the program during the
year alone:

 110 million fewer miles of driving to the office

 5.1 million fewer gallons of gas
 50,000 fewer tons of carbon dioxide emissions

And although up-front costs are incurred to setup Teleworkers. AT&T estimates that those costs are
recouped within a year. Through savings in real estate and related costs (e.g., Energy) and the 15% to
20% increase in productivity due to enhance morale and fewer meetings and interruptions.

14. Use prompts for sustainability

Visual or auditory aids which remind us to carry out an activity that we might otherwise forget. The
purpose of a prompt is not to change attitudes or increase motivation, but simply to remind us to
engage in an action that we are already predisposed to do. In other words, it works to address the most
human if traits – simply forgetting and it can be a simple life-saving intervention.

NDRRMC is one good example of this, the main objective of the agency is to decrease casualties when
natural calamity comes. They use text messages to give us a warning that a strong rain will occur using
rain fall warning category.

15. Create Plans for Social Diffusion

Social diffusion, diffusion of innovation is a model that describes the diffusion or spread of an idea or
behavior through population. “Tara kain tayo dito”, “This a good book to read”, “Panuorin natin ung the
how of us” what is the common denominator for these lines? They were influence by our friends, family
members and colleagues. With these you are encourage to take advantage of this “Natural Force” and
create a plan that supports diffusion of the desired behavior you have in mind.

Feet First was a pedestrian activist group that launch a pilot program in Seattle Washington, funded by a
grant from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to increase physical activity by making personal shopping
carts a norm. The funding was used in part to purchase 90carts, brander “Go! Cart for Groceries” that
would be sold at a minimal cost ($15) to promote user buy-in, or distributed at multi-unit housing
establishment for residents to share. Feet First’s choice of the Westwood Neighbourhood was strategic
because of its dense housing, two grocery store close by, and high visible sidewalks and crosswalks that
would see others rolling their groceries home.

Focus group and personal interview revealed barriers (e.i., “I don’t walk to the store because my canvas
bag gets too heavy to carry all I buy”), highlighted potential benefits (e.g., “Oh, I can take this on the bus
and go up to the farmer’s market’).Those living in the single-family area, for example expressed
concerns about “looking like a bag lady” and wanted a cart that would be “hip” for these residents. Feet
First found an urban and fashionable cart made from a French Company. Elderly and low-income
residents did not care about the aesthetics and just wanted a cart that was functional, large, and stable.

16. Track results and make adjustments

Successful campaigns establish ways to monitor progress and make important adjustments so that
current or planned strategies support objectives and goals. This effort is obviously most important when
there is still time to alter the plan. In the following example, a campaign’s target audience and objective
were altered when research on audience perspective raised insurmountable barriers to desired
behavior.