Climate Showcase Communities
   Local Climate and Energy Program
                                Effective  Practices for Implementing Local
                                Climate and  Energy Programs:
                                Community-Based Social Marketing
 Lessons Learned by Communities for Communities
 The views expressed in this document are those of the Climate Showcase Communities grant recipients. U.S. EPA does not endorse any
 products or commercial services mentioned.
WHAT IS IT?
Community-based social marketing (CBSM) uses direct neighbor-to-neighbor communication
and influence to promote behavior change. In-person communications are often
complemented by electronic social media tools.
WHY DO IT?
•   Using existing, trusted community networks and relationships can inspire cost-effective
    "viral propagation" of messages.
•   CBSM encourages and rewards peer advocates.
•   A focus on small steps leading to bigger steps can create sustained behavior change
    overtime.

WHAT WORKS?
•   Choose one action that you would like community members to take and focus the CBSM
    campaign on this action.
•   Identify community members who are already taking the action. Learn about their
    challenges and tell the stories about how they overcame them.
•   Develop a message that is appropriate for the community by working with
    neighborhood organizations,  using stakeholder groups, or conducting pilot projects.
•   Ask community leaders and volunteers to spread the word.
•   Create "buzz" in the community through neighborhood events; friendly competitions;
    and free resources, such as events and materials.
•   Show what others are doing through testimonials, yard signs, and other highly visible
    illustrations of community members taking action.
•   Use personal pledges and be  persistent with reminders (for example, send postcards).
•   Make participation in your program easy and accessible.
WHAT SHOULD YOU WATCH OUT FOR?
•   Beware of not fully implementing your strategy (for example, not keeping current with
    online posts and using static content instead of dynamic content).
•   Avoid losing control of the content if your methods allow "open source"
    communication.
WHAT RESOURCES HAVE PROJECTS FOUND TO BE USEFUL?
•   Fostering Sustainable Behavior, website and book by Doug McKenzie-Mohr:
    www.cbsm.com
                                                                 "Keep them accountable:
                                                                 Leverage the 'social
                                                                 contract' and peer
                                                                 pressure."
                                                                 Lindsay, Eugene SmartTrips,
                                                                 Oregon
                                                                 "Too many items
                                                                 communicated means that
                                                                 nothing is communicated.
                                                                 Focus your message."

                                                                 Randy, New Jersey Sustainable
                                                                 Energy Efficiency Demonstration
                                                                 Projects, Cherry Hill
£EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
                                         April 2015
EPA-430-F-15-004

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