Social marketing was introduced when Philip Kotler and Gerald Zaltman realized same marketing principles were used to sell every product. Social Marketing is distinct from other marketing techniques and targets social behavior of the audience. The technique is highly successful in international health programs, and is commonly used in the United States.
Consumer is the primary focus just like other forms of marketing. Social Marketing tends to understand the needs of a consumer focus on it and fetch results. It focuses on conception of a product, price, distribution, sales, and promotion. A social marketing production may not be always a physical offering. It can be anything ranging from intangible to services. Price here may be money or something intangible like effort, time etc. Place is where the consumer gets the product and the way he adopts to reach the product.
Promotion consists of elements like advertising, public-relations, personal selling or entertainment modes. There are also a few additional P’s in social marketing such as Public, Partnership, Policy, Purse Strings. Public here refers to both external and internal public. The target audience, policy makers etc are external public while people involved in the cause are internal public. A partnership is important when it comes to social marketing programs. Policy changes are necessary and important to develop motivation and support needed for a long run. Organizations conduct program through creating funds, governmental grants etc. and this is known as purse strings.
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