MARKETING ON A SHOE STRING

I'm currently lucky enough to be working with a group of University students as they prepare a low budget campaign to reduce cigarette butt litter. The students are working in groups to come up with a targeted campaign that Council's could possibly implement.

I've come in as a guest to assist the students with their campaign ideas, work out target markets, and how to get your message across with limited funds.

"We really have to rely on the power of PR and our networks to help get the messages out to the community."

The students were surprised to hear that Council's marketing budgets are extremely low, and we really have to rely on the power of PR and our networks to help get the messages out to the community. Of course social media helps too, it's all about creating interesting content that people will like and share.

The students are coming up with some really great ideas in terms of how to get to some of the worst cigarette butt litter offenders. It's simple really, think about where do the majority of smoke during the day. At their place of work somewhere right?! Or waiting for public transport.

It's the same with any targeted campaign, really think about where your target market hang out, what they read, what they listen to and so on. For example when I'm promoting something like the local Senior's Festival I would be placing brochures in pharmacy's, doctors surgeries, community hubs, bowling clubs and so on.

On the other hand if you're promoting something to mums with young children, then play groups, kinders, maternal and child health centres, facebook, online event sites are definitely the way to go.

"It's the same with any targeted campaign, really think about where your target market hang out, what they read, what they listen to and so on."

The great thing about "going back to Uni" so to speak, is that it has reinforced the theory behind what we do and why we do it. Nowadays for me it all comes so naturally, it's like basic instinct, backed up by research of course, but when you know your stuff, you know your stuff.

One of the first things they teach you in marketing is the four P's - Product, Price, Place, Promotion. Thinking about the cigarette butt campaign, we're not selling a product, we're actually trying to change behaviour, which is very different to marketing a product. This is social marketing, making 'binning your butts' part of the social norm, like putting on your seat belt. We still have to think about place and promotion through. But we also have to think about local laws, enforcement, and providing infrastructure to help people to do the right thing and put it in the bin.

"As marketers, we need to think for them, be one step ahead, to help make their lives easier, and at the same time achieve our marketing goals and objectives."

One thing I've realised over the years is that people have so much going on these don't like to have to think about other things. So, as marketers, we need to think for them, be one step ahead, to help make their lives easier, and at the same time achieve our marketing goals and objectives.

I'll be interested to see what the students present to us in a couple of weeks time. I'm hoping for some exciting fresh ideas, that really target the right demographic and are easy to implement on a small budget, but will effectively help to achieve the overall goal.

So until next time - happy marketing - and don't forget about who you're marketing to and make the message relevant to them.