Community based social marketing: effective tool in influencing behavior

When the social marketing theory was formally conceptualized by Kotler during the 70s, nations, government agencies, NGOS, private institutions, as well as communities used the concept and applied them to create advocacy over an issue.There are many pressing concerns that citizens can participate in right in their own communities. Why communities based? First, they are easier to get in touch with and people know one another so they can easily encourage others. Besides, controlling and monitoring participation is easier on a community level. This is why community based social marketing fits well in such scenario. There are so many issues that a community can participate in like environmental awareness by making the planet greener through reduced carbon footprint. Another good issue would be sustainability so that the next generations would still inherit a resource abundant planet. Regardless of the goal for community based social marketing, it is always worthwhile. Furthermore, citizens are familiar with neighbors and start building a more active community. Isn’t that wonderful?

To have a more direct understanding of community based social marketing, it is good to familiarize yourself with some tools that are often used in creating campaigns. For example , many programs that concerns sustainability have turned to community based social marketing as a vehicle since this is effective in reaching out to the public. For one, this type of promotion is more personal and can handle queries from the public thereby producing a higher rate of behavioral change. The following tools are known as valuable in launching as community based social marketing:

• Prompts – are effective but simple reminders that can regularly tell people to do somthing, usually in the form of stickers or signs in public places that promote an advocacy

• Commitments – this can be in the form of a pledge that people can sign

• Norms – these are usually dictated by society or culture, teaching young people to recycle can be a norm

• Compelling communications such as gruesome or striking images that can act as a deterrent to negative behavior like drunk driving
There are still many approach to community based social marketing aside from what’s stated; nevertheless, they all produce behavioral change among people.