On Our Minds

Broadening the concept of Marketing
In the January 1969 issue of the Journal of Marketing, Kotler and Levy published an extremely controversial article, “Broadening the concept of Marketing”, stating that marketing is a pervasive societal activity that goes considerably beyond the selling of a widget or service. The further went on to recommend that the marketing concept should be expanded to include the nonprofit sector since marketing is a generic activity for all organizations.

Because of this article marketers turned their attention to improving marketing practices in public agencies and nonprofit institutions. Today, many government agencies, hospitals, universities, charities, transit systems, arts organizations, and social groups have successfully harnessed marketing strategies and techniques to create an image, drive business and receive funds.

There are 1.9 million registered nonprofits in the world today with 100 new non-profits forming per day¹. Here are some ideas on how to differentiate yourself!

Robin Hood Marketing 9 Rules²

1. Go beyond the big-picture mission and focus on getting people to take specific action.
2. The most important values are those of our audiences, not our own.
3. Recognize and react to the forces influencing our audience’s reactions and harness those that work in our favor.
4. Stake a strong competitive position in the minds of the audience. Focus on the audience first, and take into account the competition after that—not vice versa.
5. Build partnerships around mutual benefits or you won’t be partnering at all. Partners don’t have to be obvious “fits” with your cause. Sometimes the odder pairings produce the most buzz.
6. The reward, and not your own mission, most effectively makes the case to your audience to take action. Most people are not motivated by morality but are motivated by rewards.
7. Messages should do four things – CRAM:
1. establish a Connection
2. promise a Reward
3. inspire Action and
4. stick in Memory
8. To get to audiences, deliver to the precise physical, mental, and emotional location.
9. Approach the media as a target market.

¹ 800ceoread.com – 9 minds of marketing

² Robin Hood Marketing by Katya Andresen