But for two reasons, Extension has, at times, neglected this essential marketing step. First, promotion is often erroneously considered to be synonymous with marketing. Knowing your customer is frequently overlooked in the rush to promote Extension programs. Second, because Extension is an older agency, we tend to believe that after all these years, we know our audience. This attitude overlooks the fact that people change, move, and use time differently.
Information sources change, and new sources emerge.
Unless we're willing to continually reassess our audiences, our entire marketing effort may be targeted toward a mythical creature of the past - a traditional consumer who may no longer exist. From 1982 through early 1988, a series of events made Colorado State Cooperative Extension realize we hadn't kept up with our changing publics. In 1981, a legislative audit reviewed Extension's role and mission. Then due to decreased funding and guidelines from the Colorado state legislature's joint budget committee, CSU Extension in 1983-84 drastically reduced its community and resource development program. In fall 1985, a futures subcommittee of the Focus Committee recommended implementation of a marketing effort as a top priority.