Organization Focus
Focus is primarily on the organization and how it is doing.
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Customer Focus
Focus is primarily on the customers and what they need.
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Primary task is persuasion - getting people to
"buy" what the organization is doing.
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Primary task is research and delivery - finding
out what is going on inside the minds of the people you're trying
to reach so you can deliver what they will use.
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Organization's mission is seen as inherently good.
Tasks flow from the presumption that the mission is worthwhile
and should be supported.
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Organization's mission is seen as bringing about
behavioral change by meeting the target market's needs or wants.
Tasks flow from the presumption that the mission must start
from where the customer is now.
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Customers are the "problem" standing
in the way of achievement of mission because of their ignorance
or lack of motivation.
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The solution, rather than the problem, comes from
the customer. The problem is finding out what the customer wants
and needs, and building a behavior change strategy based on
that.
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Marketing is primarily a communications function.
Lack of success is attributed to not getting enough information
out, not being persuasive enough, or not selling the value of
the mission adequately.
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Marketing is more than communication. Lack of
success in achieving the mission is recognized as being because
of problems in one or more areas of marketing: the product,
its price, the place where it is delivered, the public targeted,
the production or promotion of the product.
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Marketing research has a limited role, usually
oriented just to communications concerns, such as making sure
messages are understandable and determining impact of messages
on the public.
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Marketing research is vital and ongoing, seeking
to understand barriers to action, influences on behavior, consumer
perceptions, and whether desired behavior change was achieved.
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Customers are treated mostly as a mass. Segmenting
is often done from a sales perspective, focusing primarily on
demographic factors.
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Customers are grouped in segments. Segmenting
focuses on factors that impede or encourage changed behavior.
Past behaviors or lifestyle factors are often used to segment
the target market.
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Competition is largely ignored or, at most, seen
as a minor factor to be considered.
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Competition is seen as pervasive. For example,
for every new behavior sought by a nonprofit, it is necessary
to prevail over one or more alternative behaviors. The organization
identifies these competing behaviors, studies their appeal,
and develops a responsive strategy.
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Marketers are chosen primarily for their communication
skills.
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Marketers are chosen primarily for their knowledge
of the customer or their ability to gain that knowledge. They
understand the customer’s mindset and the importance of thorough
and ongoing research to keep in touch with the customer's needs
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