Mountaineer Boys and Girls Club
Lesson 3: Industry Overview, Markets, Segments Industry Overview Every product or service has different groups of audiences that are recognized as the most likely to
need or want it. For this reason, promotions/communications need primarily be focused on these
audiences. Typically, these audiences are identified and defined by narrowing the market based on a
variety of factors. Primary and/or secondary research can help further narrow and define audiences to
help ensure message effectiveness.
As you may recall from previous courses, primary research involves the discovery of new or unique information that has not been collected before, such as information gained by the researcher through
interviews, focus groups, surveys, new political opinion polls, or audience observation. Secondary research involves finding information that has already been gathered or collected by others, such as sales data, magazine subscribers, television or radio audience numbers and engagement (e.g. Nielsen
ratings/data), government data (e.g. Census numbers, public health figures), previously conducted
public opinion or political polls (e.g. Gallup or Pew Research polls), etc.
Markets The total market for a product or service is an umbrella term that refers to the overall potential demand for a product or service. It is overly generalized with broad implications, so the total market
must be reduced to find the best audience for the product or service. For example, the potential market for a music video intended to spread the word about a specific artist would be anybody who enjoys hearing about new music. However, if the video will be available to view only online (like on
the artist’s website or on YouTube), then the market must be narrowed even further to the available market – that is, those from the potential market who have the financial means for, and access to, the product or service. In this case, it would be anybody who enjoys hearing about new music, who
also has access to the Internet.
But just because somebody enjoys hearing about new music and has access to the Internet, does not
mean that they will automatically see the music video the next time they open up a web browser.
Therefore, the market becomes even narrower, this time being reduced to the qualified available market – anybody who enjoys hearing about new music, who also has access to the Internet, and who also actively engages in at least one of the outlets in which the video will be available on (e.g.,
YouTube, Facebook and so on).
Finally, from the qualified available market, we can separate the group one more time to arrive at the
final audience whom the video is intended to reach – the target market. The target market would be anybody who enjoys hearing about new music, who also has access to the Internet, and who also
actively engages in at least one of the outlets in which the video will be available, and who has an
interest in the genre of music being featured in the video. If one of the members of the target market
does end up watching the video, then that individual becomes a part of the penetrated market – those in the target market who have purchased or engaged in the product or service.
Segments After figuring out which audience comprises the target market, there can be even smaller, more
specificgroups that can come from the target market. These groups are known as segments. Segments are a specific group of the market that has similar needs, purchasing habits, characteristics,
etc. Segmentation divides the market. It is an important concept to be cognizant of, because different
groups of consumers can have different desires and different perceptions for the exact same product.
For example, a target market of people who use body wash can be divided into distinct segments
whom all have similar characteristics to each other:
● How body washes generally market to women:
○ Pink or soft-colored bottles
○ Perfume or flowery scents
○ Moisturizing effects
○ “Shapely” bottles to appeal to them (notice how many bottles are shaped like
a woman’s figure)
● How body washes generally market to men:
○ Black, gray or dark-colored bottles
○ Ocean/water/rain or musk scents
○ Odor-blocking effects
○ Ergonomic or “tool”-shaped bottle design
● How body washes generally market to kids:
○ Bright, colorful bottles often labeled with a character
○ Fun, fruity, novelty scents
○ Tear-free formula
○ Swirling, playful bottle design
Note that segments are not always based only on such demographics as gender or age. They can also be based on the geography of the market (e.g., pepperoni rolls being marketed and sold in West Virginia or winter gear being marketed in Colorado).
In addition to demographics and geography, professional communicators need to think about more
individual characteristics as well (i.e., hobbies, interests, family type/size, political and religious
leanings, supported social causes). These more nuanced characteristics that involve a person’s values,
attitudes and lifestyles are called psychographics. Examples of these audience segments might include physical activities (e.g., shoes and how there is a different shoe for every different physical
activity or sport), desired social image (e.g., having an expensive, fast car or carrying a coffee cup
with the Starbucks logo) and so on.
Finally, there are behavioristic segments that are based on individual purchasing habits and usage behaviors. The different segments are detailed in more depth below, along with examples for each.
The main thing to look over here is the difference between the two concepts (markets and segments). After going through the process of identifying markets and narrowing it down to the qualified available and target markets, the different segments should be derived from whatever you
conclude (i.e., the different sets of groups that can be found in those markets).
The target market should receive the most focus, as those in the target market are most likely to be interested in or respond to a good or service.
However, those in the qualified available market are also interested in and eligible to obtain the good or service, too. They are not as likely to respond as
those in the target market, but they could still become customers. Therefore,
they should not be ignored.
Markets: A Walk-through with Example It's probably easier to understand markets after seeing one written out in an actual example. Let's use
the local Morgantown bar and nightclub Bent Willey's for illustration:
1. Total Market
Total market is comprised of all potential customers
This means any person who may or may not be interested in acquiring the good
or service... You are considering ALL potential / possible consumers. Any level
of interest from this market is not gauged at this point.
2. Potential Market
Potential market includes all people from the pool of potential consumers who actually express interest
in the product or service
In this example: Any person with an interest in evening/late night recreation
Keep the market broad here... You don't want to exclude too many people right
from the start.
3. Available Market
Available market includes all people who have interest, plus the financial means for, and access to, the
product or service
In this example: Any person with an interest in evening/late night recreation,
and has the discretionary income available to participate, along with a way to
get to the Bent Willey's establishment
Do they have the discretionary income to spend (meaning not only do they have
money, but do they have the extra money left over to spend on the good or
service after all bills and obligations are paid?). Discretionary spending typically
refers to non-essential goods and services; the "fun" things that we want but
don't necessarily need.
And if someone has the money to spend, that doesn't really mean anything if
they can't get to the place to spend it! So that is where access comes into play.
This doesn't always mean some form of transportation to get to a physical
storefront or establishment. If there's a product that someone wants available
only on Amazon.com, then access would be considered a device (desktop,
laptop, smartphone) with enabled Internet access.
4. Qualified Available Market
Qualified available market includes all people who have interest, financial means, access, and any
needed qualities to be eligible for the product or service
In this example: Any person with an interest in evening/late night recreation,
and has the discretionary income available to participate, along with a way to
get to the Bent Willey's establishment, and who is of required legal age to enter
the establishment
In this example, you could go even farther and specify that the person must be
of legal age with a valid form of identification.
QAM often deals with age as an eligibility requirement (e.g., 21 to purchase
alcohol, 18 to buy tobacco, 18/21/25 to reserve a hotel room [varies by hotel],
etc.)
The QAM is not always narrowed down by legal age requirements, though. For
example, a quality of the QAM for a political figure campaign could be "has a
current voter's registration card."
5. Target Market
Target market meets all criteria #2-5
Target market includes all people who have interest, financial means, access, eligibility, and would be
the most interested or most likely to respond.... Meaning, whichever market that makes the most
"sense" for the organization to focus on
In this example: Any person with an interest in evening/late night recreation,
and has the discretionary income available to participate, along with a way to
get to the Bent Willey's establishment, who is of required legal age to enter the
establishment, and who enjoys loud music, dancing, or an energetic
environment.
6. Penetrated Market
Penetrated market includes those who have purchased the product or have been served by the
organization
In this example: Any person who has paid admission to enter the establishment
and/orpurchased a product at the establishment
Segments: A Walk-through with Examples As detailed above, segments typically fall under 4 distinct categories:
1. Geographic Segments (location)
● By specific division
○ Country, state, county, city, borough, etc.
● By general location
○ Region, direction, route
● By quantifiable measurement
○ Distance, miles, radius
● By territory
○ License (such as a license to practice in certain states)
2. Demographic Segments (profile of a population--think statistics or census-related info)
● Age
● Gender
● Ethnicity
● Occupation or profession
● Employer
● Income
● Education
● Marital status
● Children
● Generation (Baby Boomers, Generation X, etc.)
3. Psychographic Segments (consumer lifestyles, preferences, attitudes)
● Leisure activities
● Hobbies
● Interests
● Personal values
● Political views
● Social causes
● Personality and character traits
4. Behavioristic Segments (purchasing habits and usage behaviors)
Why someone makes a purchase or engages in a service
● Buying laundry detergent (because you ran out of it and need to wash your clothes)
● Buying a car seat (because of the birth of a child)
● Buying a movie ticket (because you’re out with friends and that’s what they want to
do)
● Going to the doctor (because you proactively want a flu shot to prevent the illness,
or because you reactively need antiviral medication after getting the illness)
Loyalty & desired benefits
● Price-based (lowest price, discounts or rebates offered) ● Brand-based (reputation, perceived quality)
● Influence-based (positive reviews, word-of-mouth) ● Incentive-based (frequent shopper/rewards program, referral bonuses) ● Experience-based (previous positive experiences, strong customer service) ● Convenience-based (close location, open 24 hours, variety of selection)
Motivation
● Rational motivation (based in logic or reasoning; quantifiable or objective)
○ Motivators: Quality, practicality, efficiency, utility, security, savings
○ Decisions are influenced by: Reviews, testimonials, statistics, product
demonstrations
Examples:
○ Taking a vehicle in for service when a dashboard warning light comes on
○ Purchasing a pair of steel-toe boots after getting hired for a job in
construction
● Emotional motivation (based in feelings or perceptions; personal or subjective)
○ Motivators: Appearance, prestige, fear, empathy, happiness, habit, vanity,
insecurity
○ Decisions are influenced by: Feelings, emotions, impulses, reactions
Examples:
○ Donating to a humane society after seeing a sad animal commercial
○ Purchasing a pack of cigarettes because of habit and perceived need
Purchasing Behavior
How much planning (financial planning, price comparisons), research (reading reviews, asking for
opinions), decision-making (complexity of choosing between options, finding acceptable substitutes) is
involved?
● Impulse purchases
○ No conscious planning beforehand; spontaneous purchases
○ Example: Picking up a candy bar while waiting in line at a checkout register
● Routine purchases
○ Very little planning and decision-making involved; almost automatic
purchases
○ Examples: Milk, cleaning products, toilet paper
● Limited purchases
○ Occasional-purchase items; require some level of research and
decision-making
○ Example: Clothing—when, for example, you are familiar with what jeans are
but you are not familiar with a specific brand of jeans
● Complex purchases
○ Can be complex for a variety of reasons (unfamiliarity, expense of purchase,
infrequently purchased product, high commitment purchase); require
extensive research and decision-making
○ Examples: Vehicles, homes, college education
Lesson 5: SMART Objectives & Creative Strategy SMART Objectives To achieve success, one must define what “success” means and outline the specific steps needed to
achieve it. In previous lessons, you decided on your client, identified what their overall goal is, to
whom their messages should be geared to help achieve the goal, and what internal and external
factors might affect their success. Now that you have a better understanding of the what and whom of
your project, you can begin setting reasonable and obtainable objectives. These objectives should
directly support the achievement of your client’s end goal.
When setting your project’s objectives, you should follow the SMART acronym. SMART objectives
contain the following elements. They are:
● Specific
● Measureable
● Attainable
● Relevant
● Timely
Specific – Objectives should be clearly and specifically stated and include the “who, what and where” of your work.
Measureable – Objectives should be quantifiable, if at all possible. (If you can’t measure the results, how do you—or your client—know if the objectives were met?)
Attainable– The objectives should be reasonable and feasible. Even though, for example, a goal of raising $50,000 for a local rural hospital sounds better than raising “only” $5,000, one must consider
if a goal of $50,000 can be reasonably attained or if it is a bit too ambitious. If $50,000 is too much
given the size and income levels of the community, then you’ve set yourself up to fail. Conversely,
setting easily achieved objectives can undermine the purpose and effect of your project. Therefore,
while the objective should be realistic, it should also be challenging. Otherwise you bring little value to
your client.
Relevant – Objectives should directly support the client’s overall goal and align with its “brand personality” and overall mission or values.
Timely – Objectives should state a reasonable and appropriate timeframe. If it becomes apparent that they cannot reasonably be achieved, then they should be reassessed and revised.
Progress toward meeting objectives should be regularly assessed, and they should be adapted, if
necessary. For example, if a particular strategy/tactic is not having its desired effect, it’s best to
rethink and revise your approach before the objective deadline. Remember that communications are
fluid and dynamic: situations can change, which may necessitate new or different approaches. The
end result is the key: Your work should help move an organization toward its goals. Outlining SMART
objectives that support the goal will provide you with a road map and work plan to help ensure
success.
An example of how to develop a SMART objective follows:
Specific
● Simple goal:
○ I will write a fundraising plan.
● Specific objective:
○ I will develop a major fundraising plan for ABC Family Practice in Morgantown,
WV.
Measurable
● Simple goal:
○ I will write a fundraising plan to raise money.
● Specific, measurable objective:
○ I will develop a major fundraising plan to raise at least $5,000 in donations
for ABC Family Practice in Morgantown, WV.
Attainable
● Simple goal:
○ I will write a fundraising plan to raise money from donors.
● Specific, measurable, attainable objective:
○ I will develop a major fundraising plan to raise at least $5,000 in donations
from the local community and businesses for ABC Family Practice in
Morgantown, WV.
Relevant
● Simple goal:
○ I will write a fundraising plan to raise money from donors that will help out
my client.
● Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant objective:
○ I will develop a major fundraising plan to raise at least $5,000 in donations
from the local community and businesses for ABC Family Practice in
Morgantown, WV, which will enable them to extend free or discounted
services to the uninsured population in need.
Timely
● Simple goal:
○ I will write a fundraising plan to raise money from donors that will help out
my client this year.
● Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely (SMART) objective:
○ I will develop a major fundraising plan to raise at least $5,000 in donations
from the local community and businesses for ABC Family Practice in
Morgantown, WV, by June 1, 2016, which will enable them to extend free or
discounted services to the uninsured population in need.
Creative Strategy
Throughout the day, various forms of media and messages attempt to capture the interest of an
audience. Because there are numerous factors that can cause an intended message to be
ineffective—such as competing messages, pre-existing audience attitudes and perceptions, and other
mental and physical distractions—a message must differentiate itself from all of the noise if it is to
reach a desired audience.
With a variety of advertisements, promotions, solicitations and communications being presented to us
throughout each day, it is easy to become desensitized or disinterested. For example, how often do
you concentrate on the countdown timer to skip the ad preceding a YouTube video, while remaining
oblivious to the ad itself? How often is a television commercial break used as an opportunity to do
something around the house or to fast forward through it? How often do we continue walking past
someone handing out flyers in front of the Mountainlair (or if we do take a flyer, place it in the trash
as soon as we can)?
There are simply too many messages throughout everyday life for us to pay attention to all of them.
We actively and passively filter through them to process a relatively select few. Because of an
oversaturated media market, messages that employ a level of creativity often find a greater level of
success in capturing an audience’s attention.
In the Reinartz & Saffert (2013) reading assignment this week, the authors discuss the importance of
creativity in advertising and communications to boost a message’s effectiveness. While the article
gives primary focus to creativity within the realm of advertising, the points made are applicable to
reaching audiences in general terms. Please read Creativity in Advertising: When it Works and When it
Doesn’t by Reinartz & Saffert. It can be found in this week's reading collection.
The article uses the definition of creativity, “the extent to which an ad contains brand or executional
elements that are different, novel, unusual, original, unique, etc.” In an expandable supplemental
section to the article, “Predicting an Ad’s Effectiveness,” five predictors of a message’s effectiveness
are identified. These predictors include the following:
1. Originality – Is the message “out of the ordinary,” unique and/or a departure from stereotypical thinking?
2. Flexibility – Does the message contain different ideas that move from one subject to another?
3. Elaboration – Does the message contain numerous details and/or more details than expected? Does it make basic ideas more intricate?
4. Synthesis – Does the message connect objects or items that are unusual or that are typically unrelated?
5. Artistic Value – Does the message make an idea come to life in a visually or verbally distinctive way?
An example of creative strategy is a local one. Last year toward the end of Spring semester, a couple
of seemingly homemade and hand-drawn flyers were seen around the campus. One said:
“FOUND - MY SOULMATE at Bookholders last Wed. around 6:20.
He looks like Johnny Depp and Justin Bieber (THE PERFECT MAN!!) PLUS he was
super strong holding all those books.
COME BACK TO ME!! Email me at manofmydreams21@gmail.com”
What was even more eye-catching about this flyer was the illustration in the center that really wasn’t
very artistic, but showed that the flyer’s creator at least tried. Next to the illustration it said, “kinda
what he looks like.”
A similar flyer about “MISSING: The angel who rocked my world last night” asked for the girl to meet
at Bookholders on Friday at 4:30pm—and to “bring money or sell your books there too so you have
cash for drinks.”
These “missed connection” flyers posted around campus were part of a promotional / buzz marketing
campaign by the store BookHolders. While some people were immediately skeptical of the flyers upon
first impression, others actually thought that they were real. Photos were sent to friends and
circulated around social media. Some people probably messaged the email address and/or showed up
at Bookholders on Friday at 4:30pm out of curiosity. The BookHolders promo was a success because
of creative strategy. If it had just been a regular flyer that said, “SELL YOUR BOOKS BACK AT
BOOKHOLDERS!” the level of interest and audience reach would have been much less.
Drawing upon elements of creativity as they relate to your areas of study and expertise will enable
you to create an effective message for your client while demonstrating your unique personal skills.
This is what this week’s discussion will be based on.
References
Saffert, P., & Reinartz, W. (2013). Creativity in advertising: When it works and when it doesn’t.
Harvard Business Review (Online). Retrieved from
https://hbr.org/2013/06/creativity-in-advertising-when-it-works-and-when-it-doesnt
Lesson 7: Audience Analysis, Consumer Behavior Process
Audience Analysis Our next step is to make sure that the client’s message has the highest chance of reaching the
audience with effectiveness. This means that the message does not only reach the audience in terms
of being seen or heard, but the chances of the underlying idea provoking interest and action in the
audience are maximized.
Creating an effective message begins with consideration of the unique attributes of the audience. This
can be completed through an audience analysis. An audience analysis looks at the profile of a typical audience member—e.g., gender, age, lifestyle, preferences, timing, push vs. pull scenario and so
forth. For example, the profile of a typical audience member of the West Virginia Black Bears minor
league baseball team might be as follows (please note that the following is a hypothetical example for
illustrative purposes only):
● Gender – This is not necessarily specific for the Black Bears, as both males and females have an interest in the team and attend the baseball games. However, it
should be noted that on average, more males than females attend games.
● Age – This is also not specific for the Black Bears, as all ages can and do attend the baseball games. However, it should be noted that the target market for the Black
Bears is sport enthusiasts ages 18-24.
● Lifestyle – This means specifying different kinds of categories or generalizations for groups of the audience. In this example, groups of audiences could include sports
fans (people who attend because they enjoy baseball), families (people who attend
games for a family activity or as a reward for their children), socializers (people who
are not necessarily interested in the game or the team, but attend games because
their friends do), etc.
● Preferences – This indicates characteristics or offerings of the good or service that fulfill something a typical audience member is looking for. In this example, audience
preferences could be watching a sporting event in a live environment (as opposed to
watching it at home on TV) or attending a game because it fulfills a certain form of
entertainment need (e.g., affordable entertainment, family friendly entertainment,
entertainment within a certain distance from their home, etc.).
● Timing – This takes a look at when purchase or engagement decisions are made. In this example, the decision to attend a Black Bears baseball game can be determined
ahead of time with the audience member purchasing a game ticket in advance. Or
the decision to attend a game may be made spontaneously with the audience
member tagging along with friends who already have tickets and purchasing their
own at the gate (given tickets still remain).
● Push vs. pull scenario – Effective communication with the audience is imperative, as the Black Bears franchise is in a “push scenario”:
○ Push scenario: Sales and engagement are based on the organization or business “pushing” (marketing, promoting, encouraging use of) their good or service to the
audience. The Black Bears baseball team is in a push scenario because the baseball games
are not dictated by consumer demand; they go on as scheduled whether there is a large
audience or not, and they want to fill the available seats. The Black Bears must most often
rely on convincing an audience to attend their games through promotions and appeals to
fans and local residents.
○ Pull scenario: Sales and engagement are based on the audience “pulling” (requesting, needing, desiring) the good or service from the organization or business. The Black Bears
baseball team does not fall under a pull scenario because they do not provide their service
(i.e., the experience of a live minor league baseball game) in response to consumer
demand, as iTunes does, for example. (When people want to purchase a particular song,
they access the iTunes website and they receive the product (song) on demand.
Please read the brief Robertson article, “Difference Between Push & Pull Marketing” as well as the
Marketing-Schools.org article, “Pull Marketing,” which includes related job titles and salaries. Both are
included in this week's reading's collection.
Consumer Behavior Process The individual portions of an audience analysis can collectively provide an improved idea of overall
consumer behavior—the mental and emotional processing of evaluating and selecting goods and services, and the physical act of purchasing, using or engaging in a good or service. Consumer
behavior typically progresses through the following processes:
1. Problem recognition: The consumer identifies a physical or emotional need or desire
that he/she wants to satisfy. Can be provoked internally or externally.
○ Example: Looking for something to do on a Saturday because you are bored at home (internal), or
looking for something to do on a Saturday because your friend texts you and asks if you
want to do something (external).
2. Information search: The consumer locates and researches options that might satisfy
the problem. This also involves internal processes (i.e., the consumer using what is
already known) and external aspects (i.e., the consumer seeking new, outside
information).
○ Examples: You find out that a new movie you’d like to see in IMAX is playing in an IMAX theater in
Pittsburgh in an hour. However, you already know that it will take you at least 90 minutes
to get there, so that option is out (internal information).
You are interested in possibly checking out a new restaurant that just opened up in town,
but you aren’t sure if it’s any good, so you research them online and read customer reviews
(external information).
4. Alternative evaluation: The consumer evaluates all options and chooses one. The
process of choosing an alternative can be compensatory (finding the optimal choice)
or non-compensatory (settling on something that will do).
○ Example: In your external information search, you find out that there’s a Black Bears baseball game
in the evening that you and your friend can both get to on time, it’s affordable, it’s
something that both of you are interested in checking out, you can get food from the
concession stand, etc. (optimal choice).
You can’t make up your mind on what to do that evening and end up taking a nap instead
(not ideal, but will do).
5. Purchase decision: This involves the actual act of the consumer purchasing a good or
engaging in a service, which can be affected by last-minute external factors.
○ Example: You go up to the gate at the baseball game and successfully purchase your admission
ticket.
You go up to the gate to purchase a ticket and hear thunder in the distance. You reconsider
your decision to attend the game because now it seems like it might rain.
6. Post-purchase behavior: The consumer evaluates how the purchase satisfied the
original problem, which can result in loyalty to the good or service, or dissatisfaction
and poor word-of-mouth for the good or service.
○ Example: You attend the game and have a great time (and it doesn’t rain). You end up attending
more games in the future.
You attend the game and have an awful time (because the loudspeaker for the announcer
wasn’t working, or the crowd and fellow spectators around you were obnoxious, or because
you perceived the game to just be really boring and slow). You end up wishing that you had
chosen a different option for something to do on a Saturday evening, choose not to attend
another Black Bears game in the future, and/or tell others that going to a game is not
worthwhile.
Here is a different example of consumer behavior, this time with a good or product:
● Problem recognition: You consider getting a snack because you feel hungry (internal);
You consider getting a snack because a friend asked you to walk over to the Mountainlair
convenience store (external).
● Information search: You’re searching for a snack that is 300 calories or less, and you already know that certain
convenience store offerings have high calorie contents (accessing internal information). However,
with snack offerings that you are not familiar with, you read the nutritional labels for more
information (external information search).
● Alternative evaluation: You find a snack that’s 300 calories or less and satisfies whatever food craving you’re having
(optimal), vs. you find a snack that only satisfies either the desired level of calories or the specific
food craving, but not both (not ideal, but will do).
● Purchase decision: You go to the register and successfully pay for your snack.
You go to the register to pay but consider putting the item back on the shelf after your friend says,
“Those snacks are terrible!”
● Post-purchase behavior: You buy the snack anyway and think that it’s great, so you continue to purchase more in the future.
You buy it and end up agreeing with your friend that the snack is terrible. You feel buyer’s remorse
for having wasted your money and warn others to spare themselves and avoid purchasing it.
These are examples of the processes involved in consumer behavior. For a more detailed description
of what is involved, please see this week’s reading, “The 5 Stages of Consumer Buying Decision
Process” by Perreau. It can be found in this week's reading collection.
References
● Johnston, E. (2016, May 18). 5 steps to understanding your customer’s buying
process. B2BMarketing. Retrieved from
https://www.b2bmarketing.net/en/resources/blog/5-steps-understanding-your-custo
mers-buying-process
● Marketing-Schools.org. (2012). Pull marketing. Marketing-Schools. Retrieved from
http://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/pull-marketing.html
● Robertson, T. (n.d.). Difference between push & pull marketing. Houston Chronicle.
Retrieved from
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/difference-between-push-pull-marketing-31806.html
Lesson 9: Qualitative and Quantitative Measures Measurable Objectives and Results In the lessons for weeks 5 and 6, we discussed the importance of setting realistic goals and SMART
objectives. As you’ll recall, the “M” in SMART means that your communications efforts should be
measurable, so you may justify your work by demonstrating results that help move your client toward
the organization’s goals.
When developing any communications plan or campaign, it is important to learn, to the best of your
ability, the following:
● What does my target audience already KNOW about my
organization/product/service/political candidate ….
● What do they think/feel about it? (In other words, what are their ATTITUDES toward
it? Are they positive, negative, or neutral/no opinion?)
● What are they currently doing or not doing? (In other words, what BEHAVIOR or
action do you want people to take (such as volunteer, donate, buy a product, vote
for a candidate, take employee training…) or not do (such as smoke or eat junk
food)?
This knowledge can help you further segment your target audience. For example, people who are
already doing what you want them to do (your call to action from lesson 5) may not need to be
reached. Those who are already negative about your organization/cause/issue, etc. may be tough to
change. Those who are neutral may be a good segment on which to focus, for they might be
persuaded to think well of your organization and to act, if they can be reached repeatedly with a
message that resonates with them. But how can we know if our communication is effective?
In today’s lesson, we’ll discuss some of the most common forms of communication measures. These
include both qualitative measures, meaning results that can’t be expressed by numbers, and
quantitative measures, meaning results that are expressed numerically. Let’s look at some examples
of each.
Qualitative Measures Before and after an advertising campaign, a professional communicator might ask local residents what
adjectives they would use to describe a local community college. They might hold focus groups of 6 to
12 people before and after the campaign or use an “intercept” survey, stopping people at the local
mall to gain some idea of its success. Or they might ask before and after a promotional campaign
what two local nonprofits are “top of mind”—meaning what organizations are thought of first—and
what people know about them to see if their campaign made a difference.
Such research is not scientifically rigorous (i.e. you can’t be certain that what you learn from a few
people in focus groups, or from people who happen to be at the local mall on a certain day, represents
the feelings of everyone in your target audience). Although this qualitative information isn’t
scientifically valid, it is nonetheless better than no information at all and can give you insights into
whom your ad campaign actually reached and whether or not it had an influence.
For example, if your campaign’s key messages state that the local nonprofit “cares,” “is always there,”
and “improves lives” and people use these words more often to describe the group after the
campaign, you can have some assurance that the messages got through to some people. You also
might get an idea as to whether the campaign reached your target audience or not, based on the
types of people who used those descriptors before and after the campaign. In such a scenario, you
might also ask whether people recalled seeing/hearing any ads about the nonprofit, and if so, what
they recall about the ads. Although using small focus groups or convenience intercept samples will
never be a scientific method, such information is better than no information and can provide you with
indicators of success. One just has to remember its limitations and not make sweeping claims about
success that cannot be justified.
Other forms of qualitative measures could include public observation, where, for example, you might
watch to see what people purchase or examine in a grocery store before and after a point-of-purchase
promotional display, or how residents use a pubic park before and after local and social media
coverage that featured the park’s new facilities.
Some large companies pay for ethnographic research, whereby people are observed in their natural
environments over a period of time, with their knowledge and consent, of course. They may be
observed in their own homes and/or when they are in bars or restaurants or socializing with friends.
Such research is highly expensive, as you might imagine. Videos are made and researchers then
analyze the many hours and days (and sometimes weeks) of observation to discern patterns of
audience behavior over time—patterns the audience members themselves might not even recognize.
One example of this type of research was a pharmaceutical company who manufactured diabetes
medication and was trying to understand how people ate and what foods they purchased before they
took training to learn how to better control their diabetes and then again afterward to see if people
actually changed their behaviors.
Although the company could have given a questionnaire to participants, people do not always
recognize their own actions and often may respond in a way that makes them look or seem “better” in
the eyes of others. (This is called social desirability bias, and it’s important to be aware of this when
you develop questions about potentially sensitive topics and when you analyze responses to such
questions.)
“Taste tests,” where you gather information about how your product is described and/or how it
compares with other similar products, are another qualitative measure commonly used to inform
marketing campaigns. Other qualitative research measures include in-depth interviews with people in
your target audience to learn what they know about your organization/product/service, their attitudes
toward it, and their current or intended behaviors relative to it. Researchers typically conduct in-depth
interviews of up to 90 minutes with people who represent the target audience and continue
interviewing people until nothing new is being heard/learned. This might occur after only six people
are interviewed or after 20! In-depth interviews can also be used to gain initial insights prior to
developing a standardized survey.
Analyzing media coverage or social media mentions also can be a form of qualitative research. You
might read an article that mentions your organization and determine whether that article contained
your key messages, included any competitors’ messages, and whether it was positive, negative or
neutral overall toward your organization. Companies or sports teams that have experienced crises of
reputation (or losing seasons) might want to engage in image campaigns to try to enhance their
reputations among key consumer audiences to help retain—or rebuild--support. In such a case,
demonstrating more positive media coverage and social media mentions after a campaign would be
one way to document indicators of success. Of course, the ultimate measurable indicator would be
rebounded sales, which are numeric, and that leads us to quantitative measures.
Quantitative Measures Whereas qualitative measures deal with words (e.g. feelings, attitudes, sentiments, and why people act the way they do), quantitative measures deal with numbers (e.g. how many, how much, how much of a difference). Common quantitative measures used in assessing communications objectives
include the following:
● sales
● donations
● volunteers
● special event sponsors
● votes
● attendees/participants
● increased knowledge about your organization, cause, issue, etc., measured through
scientific surveys
● improved attitudes about your organization, cause, issue, etc., measured using
scales, such as Likertor semantic differential scales, on scientific surveys
● media placements
● media impressions, which reflect the number of potential viewers/readers/listeners
(i.e. if the Daily Athenaeum published a feature story about your organization, the
impressions for that single media placement would equal the paper’s circulation
figure; media outlets reveal their circulation or broadcast reach, typically based on
Nielsen ratings, to people who wish to advertise with them; they also do the same
for their media websites and can break down the demographics of their media for
you).
● social media presence (number of posts)
● social media engagement (number of “likes,” “retweets,” etc.)
● health or safety statistics (after public health campaigns or training)
● legislative votes cast (after lobbying or public affairs campaigns)
Quantitative & Qualitative Examples
Let’s say you work for a national advocacy group that is about to undertake a national advertising
campaign to increase its membership, finances, and visibility. With a nationwide media buy (the cost
of which is very expensive), it makes sense to understand before the campaign is developed not only
who your target audience is, but what they already know about your organization, their attitudes
toward it, whether they actively or passively support the organization’s ideals, and whether they might
respond to your call to actionto join the group, donate to the cause and/or speak out on its behalf, if
you are able to reach/educate them through media they use and through messages that resonate with
them. (As mentioned previously, these three types of objectives—knowledge, attitudes, and most
importantly, behaviors—typically make up the heart of what matters to most clients, and, therefore,
are important to measure, as our resources allow.)
A nationally based, scientifically rigorous survey may cost $50,000 or much more, depending on
whom you hire to conduct it and whether the population you want to learn about is broad and easy to
reach (e.g. anyone over 18) or narrow and more difficult to reach (e.g. health care professionals who
earn more than $250,000 a year). Our large, nationally based advocacy group may be able to afford a
scientific nationwide survey (i.e. one that uses a random sample and obtains an adequate number of
responses to warrant confidence in the results and a relatively small margin of error) before the
campaign to help it better segment its target audience and develop key messages, strategies and
tactics that are likely to be effective. Such pre-campaign research helps ensure efficient use of dollars
in the ad campaign itself and its cost is small relative to the amount of money to be spent on
nationwide media buys.
However, the group might opt to conduct focus groups instead of a nationwide survey to gain insights
into possible target audiences and/or to test possible key messages and emotional and rational
appeals. They might even decide to do both: to use focus group findings to inform what types of
survey questions to ask! Pre-campaign research is always important to help communicators have the
best possible chance at success in reaching, informing and/or persuading their audiences.
However, the advocacy group’s objectives (1. to increase membership, 2. to increase financial
contributions and 3. to increase visibility) could be easily measured numerically (quantitatively)
whether or not pre-campaign research was done quantitatively or qualitatively. They only need look at
the following:
● numbers of members before and after the campaign
● amount of contributions typically received in a certain number of months and the
amount received during/immediately after the campaign of like length
● the number and types of media placements and number of impressions; the number
of new website hits; the number of new social media followers …
You can see that it should be easy to assess whether or not the advocacy group’s campaign objectives
were met, as all of their objectives are easily measured.
However, a small local business or nonprofit may not have the resources to conduct even a short,
local advertising campaign, let alone conduct scientifically based research before or after its
communications. Does this mean, then, that the smaller organization should not develop strategic
communication plans? No: It simply means that they must recognize their limitations and find other
ways to gather helpful information prior to communicating; to communicate in creative, low-cost
ways; and to use indicators of success, when necessary.
Therefore, communication professionals need to keep in mind their resource limitations when they set
their SMART objectives. For example, it is relatively easy to measure media coverage (placements,
impressions, sentiment, hashtag mentions, etc.), donations/sales, number of attendees or sponsors at
a special event; however, it is another thing to state you will improve knowledge within a target
audience by 35%. If you cannot conduct scientific pre- and post-tests (or conduct a census, where all
members of your population are included), then you cannot confidently state that you improved
knowledge by that percentage across the population.
Success Indicators So how does a smaller organization handle such challenges? In these cases, you will have measurable
objectives, where possible, and more general objectives when statistical differences can’t validly be
computed. For example, you might state that you intend to increase knowledge about a local
hospital’s new treatment capacities as part of an overall awareness campaign to attract new patients.
Because you cannot afford to conduct scientific surveys before and after the campaign to establish a
baseline of knowledge and how much it increased, your measurable objectives should instead relate to
increased media placements and impressions that contain the key messages about the new treatment
options; increased treatment web page visitors; and enhanced social media presence and interaction.
These CAN be measured before and after, and although we won’t know for sure that knowledge
increased (as we can’t ask a random sample the questions that would let us know this for sure), we
can assume that the increases in the activities above would lead to greater knowledge in the
population overall. Therefore, meeting these objectives would provide us with success indicators.
To try to further demonstrate increased knowledge among your target audience, you might conduct
intercept surveys in a community square or just informally ask people at various locations around
town if they had heard about the new treatment options. Again, because these methods are not
scientific, the information would be anecdotal and not definitive; however, if some people within your
target audience said they had heard about the new treatment options—and they could accurately
recall them—you would have an additional qualitative success indicator that knowledge did indeed
increase.