3. Context for your Social Marketing Plan

A series of contextual considerations for your social marketing plan are listed below. These considerations will be important when choosing activities and seeking partners.

3.1 Organizational Considerations

Identify each organizational consideration you believe represents a strength or a weakness.

• Current mission statement
• Existing long-term social marketing plan
• Personnel skills in the planning and delivery of social marketing activities
• Approach to communications
• Decision-making processes
• Policies (e.g., partnerships/sponsorships)
• Resources
  • Human
  • Material
  • Financial
• Current partners (list them)
• Access to networks and channels (formal and informal access to audience/segment)
• Production capacity and expertise
• Other

3.2 Environmental Considerations

Identify environmental considerations that you feel represent an opportunity, threat, or constraint.

• Type of competition
  • Competition for attention
  • Opponents of the cause
  • Competition within your field
• Ethical issues (e.g. confidentiality)
• Legal issues (e.g. municipal by-laws)
• Social issues (e.g. poverty)
• Political issues (e.g. elections)
• Economic issues (e.g. closing of a major plant)
• Demographic issues (e.g. aging of population)
• Technological issues (e.g. nicotine patches)

3.3 Implications

Based on your observations, ask yourself the following questions:

1. How can you build on your strengths?
2. How can you overcome your weaknesses?
3. How can you use the opportunities available to you?
4. How can you reduce outside threats?