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| Carol J. Williams, Editor |
On Sales, Marketing, and Social Work Education
One of my very first jobs, at the age of 16, was to sell four year magazine subscriptions door to door. My high school history
teacher had a business as a sales manager for our county, and in the summer following my sophomore year in high school, a
number of us embarked upon our first sales experience by working for him.
I was paired with a partner who was a twenty-two year old parent who had not completed her high school education. We walked
around the neighborhood where we were taken and knocked on every door. We each had our carefully memorized sales pitch to
deliver to the residents who opened the door. Did it make sense? I have no clue. I memorized it anyway and faithfully repeated
it to anyone who came to the door. As we finished our discussions with residents of the area, we compared notes. At the
end of the first day, my partner had sold two four year subscriptions while I had sold none. However, tomorrow was another
day.
On my second day in sales, I found myself listening to residents concerns and problems much more than they listened to
my carefully prepared sales pitch. Was this a hint I should consider social work rather than sales? Maybe it was, but I
was thrilled when I finally sold one subscription that day. Unfortunately, the customer was a fifteen year old minor, and
my sale was voided. My partner again sold two valid subscriptions.
On the third day of my sales job, I was stopped by a police officer, who informed me that I was soliciting without a permit.
This sounded quite scary. I ran back to my high school teacher, and reported the incident. He turned to his colleague and
said "See? I told you they wouldn't do anything to students." We were taken to another neighborhood to begin again.
That day, my partner sold several subscriptions, while I again sold none. At the end of the week, I was dismissed from the
job. I was very relieved not to have to continue with this arduous (and probably illegal) process.
During the week of my sales career, I attempted to analyze the work of my partner and myself. One major difference between
us was that she loved magazines, while I did not. Another difference between us was that she believed the four year subscription
was a great deal, while I was not so sure. I found that I was always wondering if residents could afford to subscribe to
so many magazines. This thought never occurred to my partner who was, herself, sold on the product.
At the end of that week, I decided I just wasn't cut out for sales work. Now, looking back on this experience, I realize
that I have some excellent marketing skills. However, I can only market something in which I strongly believe myself. To
me, that is the difference between the term "sales" and the term "marketing". To me, marketing is about
promoting something in which I believe, while sales is trying to convince customers to purchase something that they may or
may not really want. The issue of motivation on the part of both the seller and the customer is what separates "sales"
from "marketing".
As a professor of research, I have had to do marketing from the day I taught my first research class. I have had to explain
to students that research skills are important to their social work careers, to the development of critical thinking skills,
and to their ability to assess their own practice. This is something I strongly believe, so it is easy and natural to make
these assertions.
The type of marketing I now do in my classes is quite different from my sales job. I begin with individuals who have
already made a commitment to the social work profession and who, therefore, are more open to my message than the strangers
I met when I walked door to door.
I believe that there are several keys to marketing the BSW. First we have to feel passionate about BSW education and
the particular program we are marketing.
Secondly, we have to take our message to a receptive audience. Rather than "going door to door," we want to
approach individuals who already have an interest in working with people. This may include students in human services or
social science programs at a local community college. It may also include paraprofessional staff members at agencies where
our current students complete their field placements. Market research techniques can help us to discover the correct target
audiences for our particular BSW program.
Third, we have to make our BSW program attractive and welcoming to potential new students. In going to a local community
college to market our BSW, I have always found it helpful to take along one of our current students who is a graduate of that
community college. The student can share vital information, including "back roads" that will cut the time spent
in commuting, ways to find a spot in our crowded parking lot, and other survival tactics. Applicants then feel more comfortable
to make the step from their familiar surroundings to a new academic experience. If the visit to the community college can
be followed by a group visit of students from that college to our BSW program, the technique is even more successful.
Throughout this process, I am sharing information with potential students that I feel will benefit them. I am not just
selling something. I am offering future professionals a new and valuable opportunity!
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