Introduction

In Phase 1, you defined your health problem, collected information about it from experienced colleagues and the published scientific literature, and drafted a preliminary definition of your target audience.

Now, in Phase 2, you will conduct market research to understand the audience better and refine its definition. You will:

• spell out your market research questions
• select research methods to answer those questions
• take full advantage of data that were collected for other purposes
• collect supplementary data
• summarize your research results

Market research has two basic parts:

• audience research
• assessment of your program’s environment

You can conduct the research in-house or seek outside assistance. (See Market research in Definitions)

Your market research priorities should be:

• filling in gaps in Phase 1 information
• confirming key findings from Phase 1
• gathering practical information to inform your marketing strategy

You will use these market data later, in Phase 3, to make final decisions about which audience segment(s) to target, behavioral objective(s) to pursue, and intervention(s) to implement.

Don’t skip this phase even if your budget is limited or there is pressure to mount a visible campaign quickly. Market research is the backbone of social marketing. Basing your planning decisions on market research will make your program more effective and save time and money in the long run.