Informed Marketing Research for Beginners

Kalamali Katherine Liguori, MPHexpandyourimpact@gmail.comwww.expandyourimpact.org831-566-3105

Achieve Your Goals. Achieve True Change.

Importance of Marketing for

Positive Change

� Positive Change Marketing: marketing of solutions to social issues marketing of solutions to social issues and right action or causes

� Needed to expand impact of dharmic organizations

� Goal: Achieve positive change through effective, evidence-basedmarketing plans

What Evidence?� Comes from Formative Research

� Evidence-Based methods to discover:

� What it is about mission/purpose that will appeal to core values of target audiencecore values of target audience

� How to frame cause for success

� Based on scientific methods of data collection to draw conclusions about:

� What groups of people (target audience) will be more likely to support you. Why?

� What is their persona? Their needs? Questions? Aspirations?

� How can you best reach out to them?

Formative Research- Why?� The #1 Reason is that is un-biased information from

outside of your organization

� You will always learn something new or unexpected about your marketing messaging or strategiesabout your marketing messaging or strategies

� Provides deep insight/detail into the current needs of target demographic

� Learn about others in your field, and how to improve your own strategies based on your marketing niche

� Current outreach or communications in field

How?� Key informant interviews (gather expert knowledge of

individual in field, learn from their experience)

� Focus groups (in depth, specific groups opinions)

� Survey testing (test campaigns/frames, learn about � Survey testing (test campaigns/frames, learn about target demographic behavior)

� Framing Memo (analysis of communications in your org compared to companion orgs)

� News and media current events (how people talking about it, what frames are in public)

When?When?

� Beginning (ASAP) and Throughout!

� First: identify your core values and target audience

Stay updated on changing norms and perceptions of � Stay updated on changing norms and perceptions of the public surrounding causes and keep up with similar org’s communication campaigns

� Use the best framing techniques for changing times

Identify Your Target Audience� Pre-req to any outreach: focusing efforts on group of

people most receptive to your nonprofit

� Niche: Where focusing to reach target audience

� Learn about your niche through the results of � Learn about your niche through the results of formative research

� Evidence-based� talking to right people and using strategically-focused efforts

� =Big results, fewer resources

Yes No

Votes

Framing� Be creative about best way to frame cause to your

niche

� Achieve greatest support possible

� Most important piece of framing: core value

� e.g. freedom, unity, justice, equality, family

� Makes immediate connection to audience Love

Freedom

Support of Core Value� Evoke core value through effective tools in your

marketing:

� Messaging (content-driven)

� Imagery/symbolism or metaphors � Imagery/symbolism or metaphors

� Catch phrases/slogan

� Media relations (press releases, sound bites, public service announcements)

� Success= tools work together to support a clear, focused concept supporting core values

Ex: Which core value works better?

Health Or Love

Answer: Love, because it is more powerful, more valued. Other strong core values: freedom, equality, family, peace, joy, etc.

Case Study: Nike

In addition, their ads are:

Nike really sells sports wear, but what do they actuallyadvertise?

Deeply embedded core values that connect directly to our hearts.

In addition, their ads are:

� inspirational,

� entertaining,

� and funny!

And they have

� High quality, professional ads

� And a credible reputation that magnetizes success!

Creating a Marketing Plan

How to achieve positive change by using the most effective marketing messaging, based on formative research

Identifies :

� Target Audience & Core Value

� Marketing Objectives and related Activities

� Plan of Action/Methods

� Timeline & Indicators to Track Progress

Typical Plan of Action� Envisioning of Mission and Goals for Success

� Conduct Formative Research � Interviews

� Surveys� Surveys

� Framing Memo

� Build or Revise Marketing Plan� Target Audience

� Messaging Framework

� Niche

� Promotions & Outreach (Local-Level, Online)

With your Science-Based

Marketing Plan...

Now you are ready to Expand Your Impact!

Questions?Email

[email protected]

Or Visit: www.expandyourimpact.org for nonprofit marketing tips and templates