Building a sustainable naturopathic practice Health Biz Expo, National College of Natural Medicine September 26, 2008

Outline Sustainability and socially responsible business People-centered marketing Building a sustainable practice Service marketing mix

Sustainability and socially responsible business

People-centered marketing

Building a sustainable practice

Service marketing mix

Sustainability “ [meeting] the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” --Brundtlant Report, 1987 Holistic view: sustainability beyond the environment

“ [meeting] the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” --Brundtlant Report, 1987

Holistic view: sustainability beyond the environment

Socially responsible business... ...considers its impact and measures its success not only on financial performance, but also on its social and environmental performance.

...considers its impact and measures its success not only on financial performance, but also on its social and environmental performance.

Socially responsible business Triple bottom line: Profit People Planet Value-driven business “ Doing well by doing good.”

Triple bottom line:

Profit

People

Planet

Value-driven business

“ Doing well by doing good.”

What is marketing? Understanding your audiences and designing your business to meet their needs Core of business strategy “ It's not about you, it's about your customers.”

Understanding your audiences and designing your business to meet their needs

Core of business strategy

“ It's not about you, it's about your customers.”

Sustainable marketing Designing and implementing the marketing mix in a sustainable way to achieve business sustainability Core business ethos Focused on the triple-bottom line Centered around people

Designing and implementing the marketing mix in a sustainable way to achieve business sustainability

Core business ethos

Focused on the triple-bottom line

Centered around people

People-centered marketing Satisfy the needs of individuals Cultivate long-term relationships and trust with customers, i.e. communities Hearts and minds Vertical communication: B2C/C2B Horizontal communication: C2C = niche marketing

Satisfy the needs of individuals

Cultivate long-term relationships and trust with customers, i.e. communities

Hearts and minds

Vertical communication: B2C/C2B

Horizontal communication: C2C

= niche marketing

Service marketing mix People Product/service Price Place Promotion Process Physical evidence

People

Product/service

Price

Place

Promotion

Process

Physical evidence

Marketing plan Goals and objectives Situational analysis Niche/target audiences - People Positioning/differentiation Marketing mix

Goals and objectives

Situational analysis

Niche/target audiences - People

Positioning/differentiation

Marketing mix

Situational analysis Internal factors Strengths Weaknesses External factors Opportunities Threats/challenges = SWOT analysis

Internal factors

Strengths

Weaknesses

External factors

Opportunities

Threats/challenges

= SWOT analysis

Understanding target groups Pains and frustrations – current experience with competitors Needs Analyze along Maslow hierarchy of needs, addressing all levels Focus on self-actualization – personal identity level Wants – ideal experience with you

Pains and frustrations – current experience with competitors

Needs

Analyze along Maslow hierarchy of needs, addressing all levels

Focus on self-actualization – personal identity level

Wants – ideal experience with you

Maslow hierarchy of needs

People as messengers Customers Employees Business partners Vendors and suppliers Nonprofits Community members

Customers

Employees

Business partners

Vendors and suppliers

Nonprofits

Community members

People as messengers Develop trust Cultivate relationships Build community Promote sustainable practices

Develop trust

Cultivate relationships

Build community

Promote sustainable practices

Positioning Goal: differentiation in marketplace Determines marketing mix Vision, mission, values Core competencies Core idea/promise Positioning statement Unique selling proposition

Goal: differentiation in marketplace

Determines marketing mix

Vision, mission, values

Core competencies

Core idea/promise

Positioning statement

Unique selling proposition

Design customer experience Visual, verbal and behavioral identity Remaining 6 Ps Product/service Process Price Place Promotion Physical evidence

Visual, verbal and behavioral identity

Remaining 6 Ps

Product/service

Process

Price

Place

Promotion

Physical evidence

Product/service Guide through process Highlight benefits Consider products used Materials Packaging Reusability/recyclability Feedback loop Customer support and follow up

Guide through process

Highlight benefits

Consider products used

Materials

Packaging

Reusability/recyclability

Feedback loop

Customer support and follow up

Process Customer experience Reservations / appointments Waiting: time, room Customer service Service delivery Follow up Information and education Meet expectations, satisfy needs

Customer experience

Reservations / appointments

Waiting: time, room

Customer service

Service delivery

Follow up

Information and education

Meet expectations, satisfy needs

Price Creates expectation Allows customers to satisfy their needs Reflects practitioner values Meets financial goals

Creates expectation

Allows customers to satisfy their needs

Reflects practitioner values

Meets financial goals

Place Green building/office Green practices Energy: sources and use Janitorial Waste: recycling, composting Transportation Offsets

Green building/office

Green practices

Energy: sources and use

Janitorial

Waste: recycling, composting

Transportation

Offsets

Promotion Focus on personal identity level Highlight benefits not process Communicate values B2C + C2B + C2C Communication with customers Create forum for customers to communicate among themselves – build community

Focus on personal identity level

Highlight benefits not process

Communicate values

B2C + C2B + C2C

Communication with customers

Create forum for customers to communicate among themselves – build community

Promotion Green practices Consider necessity Sustainable graphic design Green printing Reusable and recyclable promotional materials Communicate sustainability of promotion and business practices

Green practices

Consider necessity

Sustainable graphic design

Green printing

Reusable and recyclable promotional materials

Communicate sustainability of promotion and business practices

Cost-effective promotion tactics Customer service Referrals Word-of-mouth Earned publicity Piggybacking Joint marketing Internet marketing

Customer service

Referrals

Word-of-mouth

Earned publicity

Piggybacking

Joint marketing

Internet marketing

Physical evidence Service can't be experience before delivery Helps “preview” service Place + Process prior to delivery Case studies Testimonials Education materials

Service can't be experience before delivery

Helps “preview” service

Place + Process prior to delivery

Case studies

Testimonials

Education materials

Basic rules Narrow focus 3-4 effective strategies Consistency Results/benefits, not process Delivery on promise Community building Listen – learn – adapt

Narrow focus

3-4 effective strategies

Consistency

Results/benefits, not process

Delivery on promise

Community building

Listen – learn – adapt

Contact [email_address] www.semiosiscommunications.com 503.816.2900 Skype: peter.korchnak P.O. Box 42111, Portland, OR 97242

[email_address]

www.semiosiscommunications.com

503.816.2900

Skype: peter.korchnak

P.O. Box 42111, Portland, OR 97242