SOCIAL MARKETING

As defined by Andreasen, social marketing is "the application of marketing technologies developed in the commercial sector to the solution of social problems where the bottom line is behavior change" (Andreasen. 1995. p. 3). This is increasingly being looked at in our ever expanding, chaotic and global world. Although I had originally thought of social marketing with horror, I can now see its point, at least a little bit. The idea of competition does not seem right when you are working to better people's status', and positions in the the "real world," and enable them to function in a not-as-vulnerable environment. As Hardcastle and Powers (2004) say in the book, as adherents to the view of marketing, as "unprofessional and inhumane" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 323). They assume that those using marketing skills as consumers are ignorant and possessing of low consciousness levels. Educating clients and consumers about the products and services that they need and use is one of the reasons for a market technology. Social marketing has three defining traits: (1) "to benefit target individuals or society, and not the marketer; (2) the means of achieving improved social welfare is through influencing and...bringing about behavior change; and (3) the target audience is the core determinant of marketing strategies and processes" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 330). The book talks about conservative, political right-wingers, use techniques such as "staging" and "false front interest groups" to sway the public over to their side (Hardcastle & Powers, 2004. p. 332). There are six components to a clever marketing scheme. They are: (1) Probing; (2) Purchasers; (3) Products; (4) Price; (5) Place; and (6) Promotion. (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 333). TMS, or Target Market Segments, have as their most important people "the purchasers, donors or resource suppliers" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 336).
A belief in the products and services that produce gains, for example my going back for an MSW at this time in my life, has been an interesting experience. My life has changed. I no longer see friends as often as I did, money is tighter, but most of all, my sleep has changed tremendously. I am up all hours of the day and night, trying to get assignments done and read the texts and many papers associated with the texts. This has been a lifestyle price. I also have some psyche price that I am paying. As an older graduate student, I have taken on a role that I love to play-as a student. But, I did not realize the repercussions that I would experience as an older student. Although the class accepts me somewhat, there is a segment of the class that just ignores me. Is it worth the psychic pain that I experience? Yes, I would say so. For I realize that I am not going to school to have experiences that the other students have, but to learn how to serve others-a long-time goal of mine.

References

Andreasen, A.R. (1995). Marketing social change: Changing behavior to promote health, social development, and the environment. In Hardcastle, D.A. & Powers, P.R. (2004) Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers. p. 522. New York: Oxford University Press.

Hardcastle, D.A., & Powers, P.R. (2004) Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers. New York: Oxford University Press.