Social marketing uses the principles of marketing for the purpose of social benefit, rather than commercial profit. Practitioners of social marketing use commercial marketing techniques to discover the benefits and barriers that people associate with certain health behaviors and use this information to encourage positive behaviors that support a social good.
As part of a national collaboration funded by the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASHA developed Strategies for Change, a field guide to social marketing techniques for school health professionals.
Chapters include:
- Establishing a Blueprint for Change
- Clarifying Roles, Responsibilities and Influence
- Seeing Things from the Audience's Perspective
- Crafting Your Message
- Making the Most of Your Message
- Different Ways to Use Social Marketing in Schools
Easy-to-use worksheets help you to:
- Build the Framework to Pursue Your Goals
- Identify Benefits and Barriers
- Identify Target Audience Perceptions
- Brainstorm Ways to Promote Your Message
- Develop an Effective Message
ASHA offers technical assistance to states and school districts on how to use social marketing techniques to build support for school health programs at the district and community level. For further information, please contact Marcia Rubin, Director of Research and Sponsored Programs.
Other resources developed by the national collaborative include:
- Building Business Support for School Health Programs: An Action Guide, developed by the National Association of State Boards of Education.
- The School Heath Starter Kit, developed by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.