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The focus so far of these tools has been firmly on getting the
right message, about the right idea, to the right people, at the
time and place. Those familiar with marketing theory will recognise
a similar type of language. The emphasis is firmly on understanding
the state of the market audience, those to be targeted with a social
change message or policy innovation, and developing the innovation
or message so that it is fills their needs.
Modern marketing, strategy and business administration techniques
have revolutionised business in the developing world, and they are
well on the way to revolutionising politics too. The most successful
campaigns and influencing strategies have a firm grip of modern
marketing strategies, and the most successful think tanks understand
well that the clear analysis and prioritisation of product, customer
and promotion are just as central to selling an idea to a politician
as they are to selling a trainer to a child.
The Marketing Revolution
Some think tanks may be uncomfortable with such language, after
all they may be more concerned by social justice, academic rigour,
and getting their message across. Lattimer points out that this
was the way companies acted too, once upon a time:
'Company salespeople in the first half of the century were encouraged
to think of themselves in much the same way. They travelled around
the country spreading the message, finding as many converts as
possible for their product or brand. Quiet simply a market for
the product didn't exist. But by the fifties, even as the culture
of 'salesmanship' reached it height, a new approach was rapidly
gaining adherents. Competitive pressures had forced managers to
look more carefully at what consumers really needed or wanted.
And to try and develop products that met those needs. In doing
so they stood the role of missionary on it head. From now on the
voice of the audience was to come first. This was the marketing
concept: innovation driven by the needs of the consumers, rather
than the convenience of the producers...It was much easier to
sell people a product they thought they needed than to push on
them something they didn't want.' (p349)
The implications of this marketing revolution are to put the analysis
of the needs and wants of the customer firmly in the driving seat.
It is a conceptual leap to realise that a think tank is also producing,
marketing and selling something to a customer. If the leap can be
made, a wide range of analysis and strategic tools exist to help
the think tank.
So what is marketing? At its heart marketing is about meeting the
needs and wants of customers. It's a business-wide function, not
something that operates alone from other business activities. It's
about understanding customers and finding ways to provide products
or services which customers demand. There are many different definitions
of marketing. These include:
- The all-embracing function that links the business with customer
needs and wants in order to get the right product to the right
place at the right time
- The achievement of corporate goals through meeting and exceeding
customer needs better than the competition
- The management process that identifies, anticipates and supplies
customer requirements efficiently and profitably
All of these could equally well be applied to a good communications
and influencing strategy of a think tank in which the market is
the policy community or audience, who 'buy' the convincing range
of messages and ideas from the think tank.
Marketing Functions and the Think Tank
 The
table illustrates some of the main functions associated with marketing.
After thoroughly researching the market, the next step is product
development. At this stage, think tanks develop the content of the
research, evidence and innovation on the issues they are working
on. Distribution and promotion follows (with networking, negotiating,
publicising and campaigning all being important, as well as the
style of selling). Pricing and sales functions are less obvious,
but no less important. Pricing is the act of deciding how controversial
or confrontational to make the message or demand. It equates to
the political cost or price and how easy it will be for a government
to accept it. Most think tanks try to produce ideas that have very
low political costs, or at least as much political reward as cost.
'Sales' - usually outside of the marketing sphere - is the end point
in a business. For a think tank, this is the point at which a case
is made or won. This is almost always followed by the parties sitting
around the table to discuss exactly how a new policy or programme
will be implemented.
 As
any lobbying firm will tell you, many companies have also evolved
hybrid sections of their marketing departments to deal specifically
with developing and 'selling' messages to the specialist interest
groups and policy communities. The 'public relations' department
is geared towards shareholders, the media and the public at large,
and often stretches to include message not directly aimed at creating
sales. The 'public affairs' department tends to be geared directly
towards policy circuits, and will aim to ensure a conducive policy
environment (regulations, taxes etc) for their core product.
The figure (right) gives an overview of the core marketing processes
of market audit (analysing and segmenting the market and developing
a strategy), market research (canvassing opinions and testing products)
and marketing mix (where the unique combination of product, price,
place and promotion strategy are decided). Similar ideas are followed
in many of the next sections and the avid marketer should take advantage
of some of the excellent tools and resources available that, with
some adaptation, provide a useful input to planning for the think
tank issue influencing process.
Resources
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