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  2. Circular Economy

Creating Messages that Drive Behavior Change

Education alone rarely changes behavior. If your community is trying to create impactful educational materials that lead to behavior change, such as recycling right, consider applying social marketing approaches.

On this page:

  • What is Social Marketing?
  • Learn How to Create a Social Marketing Program

What is Social Marketing?

Social marketing is a discipline that aims to change behaviors for the good of society, communities, and people. Social marketing approaches can increase the effectiveness of communications and marketing efforts. To create meaningful and sustainable behavior change, organizations can deploy social marketing strategies to overcome barriers and provide people with personal, relevant motivators to act.

This is an image of two people standing with their hands in their pocket with the words "Show me - Education is enough for this group to change their behavior." Next to them are two people with their hands up in the air and the words "Help me - social marketing is the best return on investment for behavior change." and next to them are two more people with their arms crossed in a defensive stance with the words "Make Me - this group needs a law to drive behavior change."
Graphic developed by and used with permission from C+C. Click this image to enlarge it.

Learn How to Create a Social Marketing Program

Consider using these social marketing trainings when applying for Recycling Education and Outreach grants!

Check out other resources in our Model Recycling Toolkit.

The following training materials provide the framework to develop a new behavior change campaign. This training also shares examples of how recycling, composting, and food waste prevention programs have applied social marketing approaches to develop messages that change behavior.

Recorded Presentations

Module 1: Overview of Social Marketing (recording).

Module 2: Define Success. Research Behaviors. Identify the Barriers, Benefits and Motivators to the Desired Behaviors (recording).

Module 3: Developing a Message Strategy and Leveraging Partners. Pilot and Evaluate (recording).

Module 4: Case Study of Social Marketing Related to Reducing Food Waste (recording).

Presentation Slides

  • Presentation slides for all four modules listed above (pdf) (7.31 MB)

Guide and Worksheet

  • Social Marketing Guide and Worksheet provided by a behavior change organization. 

Questions

  • For questions about the training or social marketing, contact [email protected].

Circular Economy

  • Circular Economy Basics
  • National Recycling Strategy
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  • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Contact Us About Circular Economy
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on October 14, 2024
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