Swimming Within the Social Marketing Environments (DF 4 Learning Blog)

I picked this image as an illustration of how disastrous it is when one does not know what to do in a disaster. Disaster Risk Reduction is the topic I used to illustrate the lessons I learned in module 4 of DEV 208. Image courtesy of my favorite crafts blogsite : http://mmmcrafts.blogspot.sg/

 
DF4 opens and ends with me zooming in and out the different factors that affect a social marketing plan.


My "heavy-weight" reading material blinks with the words

1) Social marketing
2) focus
3) Environment
4) SWOT

and goes to say "have" to "Map the internal and external environments".  I seriously did not understand the usage of environment in this subject until I painstakingly read and reread the stack of reading materials.

"I thought that "purpose" and "focus" were the same".  "I thought that "background" and "rationale" are the same too". I had to mentally ask myself these questions and had to find my own answer to be able to start mapping my answers.

I think I did with the best of my ability and understanding and with the help of the given resources, my classmates at DEV208, and of course the internet where it serves a plethora of information. THANK YOU cyberspace!

So what did i exactly learn out of  module 4?

1) Social Marketing wears two skins - internal and external environments

For any social marketing campaign, it is important how well you know in both the internal and external environments of the campaign.  This is important to have a good grasp of the both environment since most if not all social marketing campaigns though specifically directed to a specific audience, takes the entire community to move for the campaign to be more than just a one time event.  Social marketing campaigns are directed towards societal gains.

2) The Macroenvironment holds the baton

Looking at the illustration at figure 5.2 where it illustrates the factors and forces influencing the target market and the effectivity of the campaign efforts, one can almost conclude that planning for a campaign can be like swimming from shallow shores to the deep crease of the ocean. There are simply layers and layers of factors that one need to manage before the campaign is able to fully manage the target audience.

While the rings of influence encircles the target audience, it is noticeable that the government / political leaders is placed at the outermost ring from the target audience alongside factors such as nature, culture, and technology (generally categorized as the macroenvironment).  From the illustration they look far from the target audience - which is usually in the case of an ordinary citizen but its influence affects all and holds the sustainability of the campaign. This is such because the government makes governmental policies.

3) A social marketing campaign should deliver what it promises

Knowing that a social marketer has to balance both internal and external environments it may be so easy to get lost within the layers of messages that permeates within the ring of environments.  As such, this is where the science and best practices of marketing takes in full picture.  At social marketing campaign should not be overtaken by the complexity of a social issue that's being addressed by the campaign itself but rather it should be able to approach its goals in a very systematic way.

 

Nothing? Say Nothing to Communicate

A digital painting that I did in 21st February 2010.  That moment when I got nothing to say but I ache to make it known. 

"If you have nothing to say, say nothing." - Mark Twain


That was quite profound! It feels so deep when you don't have anything to say but you still have to say it  - well at least say nothing so that people around you would know that you got nothing to say.  Oh the beauty of communication captured like fireflies by Mark Twain.


Why pick such a tone of ambiguity when writing a blog on the beauty of communication?  And why communication?


It has been a month and four days to be exact of my second semester with the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU).  Nearly eight months ago, I joined the queue of working professionals who are pushing for more learnings.  Thanks to distance learning, UPOU is able to take me in while in Singapore. Now I am in my second semester doing Masters in Development Communication. Easy? No not at all I had mountains of adjustments.  Like having to study four times the speed of seconds.  Like having to master the art of speed reading.  Like having to force yourself the discipline of time management when work demands 101% of your time, when family expresses their love by surprise week long visits and you just have to reciprocate by being with them... when you are married and your spouse silently wages war to get your attention, top it with school timelines, tons of readings, learning blogs ... the list just goes on and on.  It seems endless but surprisingly I see it adjusting into the kind of fit that I have in mind, hearth, and will.  


So why blog about communication?


I do because of three reasons ...


Firstly, I find it easy to start my class participation in my subject DEV202 - a study on Development Communication, Concepts, and Approaches,  by writing my thoughts on communication as a student of development communication.  


Secondly, I do because I think I am a natural communicator.  Yes I talk a lot and I have difficulty stopping even if I got nothing to say.  But please don't get me wrong, I am not talkative (ask my friends) I just like to talk, listen, and exchange thoughts especially on topics that  touch the heart, like topics about family, home, children and topics that bring in creativity like nature, food, music, and the beautiful world.


Thirdly, I do because over the 12 years of my career in the nonprofit world, I have seen the  immense power in communication.  I work for an international relief and development aid agency.  I am part of the marketing team of my organization and my specific role requires me to help keep engagement touchpoints for our supporters.  There are a lot of engagement touchpoints that we do but in all of these the common ingredient is communication or the need to communicate. I communicate development.  We communicate development so that it spreads inspiration and gives opportunity for our supporters to be moved to action.

Trying to relax my chin and muscles before hosting a  special gathering for  our organization's supporters 

So, in this blog I won't use what the title of this blog says because I got something to say.

I want to learn to communicate ... communicate for development... that's why I am writing this blog.

Cheers :))