What are its key features?

The following features and concepts are key to understanding social marketing. We have incorporated these into our ‘customer triangle’ model and benchmark criteria.

• Customer orientation - A strong customer orientation, with importance attached to understanding where the customer is starting from, their knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, and the social context in which they live and work.
• Behaviour and behavioural goals - A clear focus on understanding existing behaviour and key influences upon it, alongside developing clear behavioural goals. These can be divided into practical and measurable stages, phased over time.
• Theory - Using behavioural theories to understand human behaviour, and to build programmes around this understanding.
• Insight - Gaining a deep understanding and insight into what moves and motivates people.
• Exchange - Understanding what is being expected of people, and the real cost to them.
• Competition - This means understanding factors that impact on people and compete for their time.
• Intervention mix and marketing mix - Using a mix of different interventions or methods to achieve a behavioural goal. When used at the strategic level this is referred to as the 'intervention mix'. When used operationally it is described as the 'marketing mix'.
• Audience segmentation - Clarity of audience focus using segmentation to target people effectively.