Social Marketing
Nutrition and Physical Activity

CDC

Step 1: Analyze Information Gaps

IV: Strategy for ChangeIV: Strategy for Change

In the formative research phase, you will refine the strategy for change by identifying preliminary marketing mix strategies (product, price, place, and promotion) that may work with your audience and test those strategies/activities with the audience.

You may have information gaps about how to address one or more of the 4 P's. You can ask questions to determine what type of product, price, placement, and promotion will work for your target audience. The following questions address gaps you may or may not have. Take a look at them to see which apply to your situation. You may need to come up with others that are not on this list as well. These questions, plus others, are included in the planning questions document.

  • What social supports exist to help your audience do the behavior?
  • Does the audience believe they can do the behavior?
  • What will the audience need to give up to adopt the desired behavior?
  • Where does the audience do the desired behavior (or its competition)?
  • Where does the audience spend time?
  • Where does the audience get information about the target behavior?
  • Who would be a credible source of information to the audience about the health topic or about the behavior?
  • What does your audience value in their lives? What are their hopes and dreams? What do they want out of life?

Also, you could use formative research to test ideas from existing programs or concepts from behavioral theories with the audience (both identified in the problem description).