Abstract:
In a developing country with extensive social welfare needs such as poverty, HIV / Aids, unemployment, increased population of the elderly, less residential care for the disabled and a high divorce rate, there is a challenge to the social workers and welfare organisations to adapt to the circumstances by creative ways of handling the problems and lack of funding. Terblanche (1999: 387) endorses this statement: “The noble role that non-profit organisations fulfil have not, however protected them from being exposed to the pressures that for profit organisations are confronted with continuously.” However ,even if it is not the main aim of the welfare organisation to make a profit, they must still identify goals and plan strategies to be effective in providing the needs of the community. In every welfare organisation there are sponsors, volunteers and clients who are part of the community being served; social workers are part of the planning of specific marketing strategies to reach marketing goals, on every level especially in the distribution and provision of services and welfare programmes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the knowledge of the social workers in the Waterberg district regarding the marketing of services and to draft a guideline to address the problem areas. In this literature study the importance of the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion, personnel, process and presentation) was accentuated, as well as the strategic marketing process and the influence of external factors on marketing. In the empirical study 21 respondents from welfare organisations in the Waterberg district were involved, 71% of them have a four-year B.A Social Work degree and 60 % of them have been working in the social work field longer than five years. Social workers in the Waterberg district are convinced of the importance of marketing but believe they are not theoretically equipped. The proposed guideline is based on the literature study as well as the empirical finding to increase the theoretical knowledge of the social workers regarding the marketing of services. It is, however, very important to remember that each welfare organisation is unique with its own mission and set of goals; the marketing mix and strategic marketing process will be the same in theory but must accommodate the differences. It is furthermore important to do a SWOT analyses before drafting a strategic marketing plan. The marketing mix must then be managed to be an effective combination for the target group. Kotler&Armstrong (2001: 67) endorse this: “Marketing mix is the set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market.” Evaluation must be a continuous process to see to it that the mission of the organisation and its goals are being reached, and if not, the necessary changes to the marketing plan must be done. Thereafter the process of marketing repeats itself. We suggest that a module in the undergraduate studies, workshops, or orientation of new social workers in the workplace, can address the problem of the lack of theoretical knowledge of marketing by social workers.
