This is the most powerful and most demanding, in terms of personnel and time, form of marketing. In general, there are four basic goals for marketing communications, or four possible states of mind you can achieve with a given target audience. The primary tool for achieving each goal is mentioned below, but successful marketing requires a mix of many different methods, as indicated on the Relationship Marketing handout. The first is awareness. This means that a the target audience will recognize the name of our organization and be aware that we are at work in the community.
Mass media can be a useful tool for creating awareness among the general public.
The second is understanding. Understanding means that the target audience is not just aware of the Extension presence in the county, these people also know what we do and why. Targeted media are the best methods of creating understanding among the members of an audience. Those with whom we will achieve understanding are likely to be our clientele. The third state of mind is preference, or conviction.