Is it expensive to deliver a social marketing campaign?
Posted by TeamPC on 5 Jun 2017
One of the first things people ask when it comes to social marketing campaigns is: “How much?” It makes them feel like they are in control, so they can judge whether to proceed, and if a social marketing project is both feasible and affordable.
Is social marketing expensive to deliver?
There has been much written over the years about the powers of social marketing and behavioural change techniques. There’s certainly growing evidence to support the fact that a social marketing intervention can create sustained behaviour change, over time.
“It’s going to take time”
As soon as your social marketing agency starts to say: “it will take time,” it’s sure to ring alarm bells. If it’s going to take time, that probably means its going to cost lots.
It’s becoming increasingly clear, however, that if the healthcare sector, for example, starts to encourage people to make small, manageable changes over time, it can have an increasingly positive impact on their health and wellbeing. So have an understanding and awareness of the cost savings of a desired behaviour change. For example, your goal may be reducing the number of GP appointments missed by X %, if so what is X % worth in £‘s! It can take time if you want your scheme to bear fruit and deliver the goals you’ve set, but with clear goals and an awareness of the costs/benefit outcomes small steps over time can deliver big changes to people’s lives and an organisations finances.
Excellent social marketing can be completed on a shoestring budget
“While sustained change takes time, excellent social marketing achievements can (and are) being completed on a shoestring budget.”
Effective social marketing can be still be carried out if people are excited by a concept and are willing to put efforts into making it work, even on a limited budget. Getting communities involved, inviting stakeholders to participate and encouraging a wider involvement in social projects is a great way of bringing people together and, making a bigger effort - and keeping costs down.
Have short-term goals, but have in mind long-term aspirations too
Depending on the nature of the problems or issues you are wanting to change and the strategy you have agreed, it makes sense to create some short-term goals, but have long-term aspirations. That way, you can control costs, measure each aspect of the project as it is completed etc, so that you gain a complete picture of how effective the social marketing intervention has been.
Recognise that people go through different stages of change and that social marketing is not just about promoting initial awareness, although it may start with that, it’s about securing sustained change – how much change is down to the success of the campaign and what you are prepared to invest.
Is social marketing expensive? When you consider what it is capable of achieving, we don’t think so.
We’re Perfect Circle – an open and honest social marketing agency that delivers behavioural change for its customers. Visit us online at perfect-circle.co.uk
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