Great idea. But how does it work?
The “how-to’s” of social marketing were the topic of the 11th annual conference on Social Marketing in Public Health hosted by the University of South Florida in June 2001. The conference provided a snapshot of the basic principles of social marketing and showcased educators applying those principles. Conference Co-Chair Dr. Carol Bryant presented an overview of social marketing and its distinctive features–one of which is that it doesn’t happen overnight. Social marketing is about establishing a long-term relationship. When it comes to social marketing and public health, the goals are long term. Good things take time. So how do you begin? To start the process, Bryant explained, you need to identify your audience and your behavioral objectives for that audience. In other words: “Who do you want to reach; what do you want them to do?” Audience research is the first step in social marketing, the foundation on which everything else rests. In a session addressing “formative” research, the
