Social Marketing For Business, What To Know, What To Do
By Mark Sarner & Janice Nathanson
102 Pages. $US24.95. Published by Manifest Communications, (416) 593-7017.
Designed to help corporate executives reap the rewards of a well-planned marketing partnership, Social Marketing for Business can be equally helpful to nonprofit organizations that want to understand how corporations will address social issues in the future. Written by two of the principles at Manifest Communications, a 15-year-old company that specializes in social marketing, the book outlines seven principles for establishing an effective program. It follows a clear path, from evaluating an appropriate issue for your organization - or whether you are ready to begin a campaign at all - to targeting audiences, establishing partnerships and turning strategy into action.
Tightly focused, the book does not include a history of social marketing or detailed descriptions of basic marketing concepts. It does build on these concepts, however, and distinguishes between such closely related concepts as cause-related marketing, issue marketing and marketing-related philanthropy. Each chapter is divided into two main sections: what to know and what to do. This handy structure is then followed up by a point form review at the conclusion of each section. While the chapters themselves are not very long, the chapter summaries still offer a tidy reference for important points.
Although you may find the liberal use of typefaces a bit distracting at first, the book is easy to follow and has several hints that are helpful to nonprofits as well as corporate readers. It offers suggestions for establishing and maintaining a productive relationship as well as a simple checklist of criteria for partnerships. It outlines the need for mutual benefit and shared expectations, as well as effective strategies and communications plans for implementing the program, all the while using real examples from Canadian cases.
As the chapter on building partnerships explains, "it is becoming increasingly clear that no single organization can bring about widespread social change on its own... what's required is a collaborative, collective effort for social change that extends far beyond the capabilities of one or two organizations." Social Marketing for Business is designed primarily for the business partner, but it offers valuable insights into the process of partnership building and the planning elements of a successful social marketing venture.
