Social marketing is a discipline that uses the philosophy of listening to the needs and desires of the target audience. This technique has been successfully used by commercial marketers. Now even public service departments are riding this bandwagon to make their announcements. It is a sophisticated approach that cares for people. It is customer centric. This approach makes you sensitive to people's needs. You achieve your own targets by helping people meet their needs. It is a win-win situation.
Social marketing involves in-depth research into your niche consumer base. It also involves constant feed back from your target audience and continuous evaluation of that feedback. Research and evaluation form two important pillars of this process. The principles remain universal. So the very same tools that are used to sell products can easily be used to sell ideas and attitudes. These tools can alter behaviors as well. The greatest advantage of social marketing is that, it benefits the society at large.
The primary focus of social marketing rests on understanding the wants and the needs of the consumer. You do not overtly try to persuade them to buy your product. Your sales pitch is always subtle. Here you talk to the people and this talk is more people focused, not product focused.
Social marketing is not only about some physical product. Products, services, practices, and non-tangible ideas, all can be marketed successfully using this platform. People have to first perceive and know their problem. They must also feel that your offer is going to solve that problem for them. That is where the role of research comes in.
In social marketing, 'price' is not always about money. Your offer may require some intangible price to be paid by the consumer, such as their time and effort. The key to successful marketing is that the cost should never outweigh the rewards. It is all about perceived value though. You may think that your offer is great, but the consumer may not perceive it to be so. That is where your writing skills are put to test!
Many factors play a role in determining the pricing of your product. If you price it low or decide to provide it free of cost, people may not value it. But if you price it too high, people may not be able to afford it. You must balance your price well. Research into your target market and people's perceptions help you achieve this balance in your social marketing.
Using various promotion vehicles to create and sustain demand for your product is the key to success. You need to find the most effective and efficient promotion strategies for your social marketing endeavor. Reaching the target audience is of paramount importance.
As you hone your social marketing skills, you grow in your business. So go ahead and use these strategies.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Q&A Powered by:
More from Rickie Smith
The Affiliate Guide to Earnings
By: Rickie Smith | 18/04/2008 | Affiliate Programs
Before promoting any product on the online market, you must be well versed with the affiliate programs as well as the market value of the products up for promotion. The affiliate guide to earnings provides information on how to collect information about keyword promoting and other marketing strategies.
9 Article Writing Mistakes to Avoid
By: Rickie Smith | 18/04/2008 | Article Writing
Language represents human behavior and is never stagnant. Thus, language usage can change with time. The spoken usage often differs from the written word. Article writing demands that you be aware of the usage at all times.
5 Advantages of Affiliate Marketing
By: Rickie Smith | 02/04/2008 | Affiliate Programs
Affiliate marketing has many advantages ranging from effective advertisements to opening up of new global avenues. However it is best to see if the program works for you by doing a thorough research on what goes with the affiliate program.
6 Questions About Adsense Website
By: Rickie Smith | 02/04/2008 | SEM
Google AdSense is the program that can give you advertising revenue from each page on your website with a minimal investment in time and no additional resources.
Social Networking & Web 2.0 Applications
By: Rickie Smith | 28/03/2008 | Online Promotion
Social networking sites help people to share and exchange photos, music, video clips as well as TV clips. Becoming aware of the target market and their various likes and dislikes helps you to gauge more about the kind of products and services they prefer.
How Can Social Bookmarking Software Help Your Online Business?
By: Rickie Smith | 28/03/2008 | Internet Marketing
Social bookmarking software is a good friend to a busy webmaster. Even one good article that is shared and tagged with an anchor text link keyword phrase across many social booking networks will help a webmaster find a place in the top 10 searches in search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN.
7 Important Things to Look for in Home Business Opportunities
By: Rickie Smith | 27/03/2008 | Home Business
Before giving a nod to a home business opportunity, make sure it's really an opportunity and not bait used by someone to make money from you!
Tips on Press Release Submissions
By: Rickie Smith | 27/03/2008 | Online Promotion
A press release submission can be a great tool for websites to spread the word and help boost traffic. The key is to be sure it conveys the message, creates a lot of interest, and catches the eye of the media companies that are responsible for spreading the word.
Marketing 
