Motivational Perspective Of Marketing Theories For Blood Donation

Motivational Perspective of Marketing Theories

Target Market

Discuss about the Motivational Perspective of Marketing Theories.

Blood is considered to be the “gift of life” (Di Angelantonio et al. 2017. Donation of blood is recognized as the noblest of activities carried out by mankind. After the occurrence of events like natural calamities and other disasters massive blood donations are required. Apart from this, there is always a need for blood for emergencies. Insufficient supply is always experienced during the winter months or during holiday seasons which leads to a rise in the imbalance in the blood market. This paper illustrates how this noble act of blood donation has been influenced by the economic forces which includes supply and demand. In recent times, there exists a major challenge in the blood markets with regards to sufficient supply especially after occurrence of disasters. However it is believed that the economic approach to handling this problem, accompanied by the marketing strategies will help in increasing the supply and improving it to meet the demand balance even with the presence of supply by volunteers and with the absence of market prices.

Here the target market are the persons who are willing to donate blood voluntarily and also the previous donors who needs to be retained. The subjects were mainly the “long-lapsed” donors within the age group of 23 and 60, and who last donated between the period of 27 and 43 months prior to the study (Beerli-Palacio and Martín-Santana 2015). Additionally the non-donors were targeted who are quite eligible for donating, yet do not turn up for donations.

Although several studies have been carried out which states that psychological aspects should be taken into consideration for addressing the problems of blood donation and donor retention, there are several barriers that can hinder the working out of the same.  Impersonal approaches such as outdoor advertisements fail to provide direct solicitation to the target market (Faulkner, Romaniuk and Stern 2016). There is no such benefit in providing specific donor instructions because they end up in creating altruistic behaviours. The recruitment efforts should minimise the procedures of such implementations and highlight the humatarian benefits of blood donation in order to promote good intentions.

Based on the Ajzen Theory of Behaviour, a theoretical framework was designed which consisted of an integrated model design. The most important determinant of the framework was the behaviour with the intention of performing a given specific action. This model was a result of the various intention parameters such as the concepts of attitude, subjective norm and perceived social behaviour (Montano and Kasprzyk 2015). Regarding the adoption of behaviour, the concept of subjective norm is seen as a subject perception. The definition of behavioural control is that the amount of ease or difficulty with which the act of behaviour can be applied. The latter of the variables are considered as indirect measures considering the control of beliefs that are defined as facilitating factors. Apart from these, there are additional psychosocial variables which are known to be the contributing factors of behaviour and intention related of blood donation. Descriptive (or behavioural) norm is illustrated as the prevalence of the behaviour which plays an important role in one’s social environment. The satisfaction level toward the last blood donation was measured according to these theoretical proposals (Hyde, Knowles and White 2013). The idea of the theory deals with the nature of variables that could have a determining influence during the maintenance phase, in contrast to the adoption of a new standard of behaviour. Lastly, personal obligation toward accepting the behaviour is determined by a moral norm. Although it can be seen that the concept of anticipated regret has not been explored in the context of blood donation. However, the altruistic characteristics of such kind of behaviour was expected and that anxiety coming out of regret would result in failure of adoption of the likely behaviour. There are also other parameters which are taken into account such as the age, sex, level of education, and civil status which influence intention or behaviour. Behaviours from the past and different parameters related to the personal experiences in context of  blood donations are supposed to be considered as external parameters (Wevers et al. 2014).

Literature Review and Framework

According to Hyde, Knowles and White (2013), the theory of Self-efficacy was applicable to a wide range of human behaviours illustrating that an idea of self-efficacy can bring about a difference in the ways behaviour should be projected. In recent years, the concept of self-efficacy has turned out be quite appealing to psychologists and health experts, in particular, that it has been taken into account as part of most health behaviour theories. It was found out that attitude, subjective norm and perceived control together accounted for proximately 60 % of the total variance in intention of behaviour. While this study has been debatable, there is an existence of a strong evidence of a direct link between the observed behavioural control and intention, not mediated by attitude and the subjective norm.

The term social marketing is relevant for the marketing strategies, which can be proposed in order to promote the noble act of blood donation (Balegh et al. 2016). It is a marketing strategy which used marketing theories and techniques to convince a target audience to accept or reject voluntarily a behaviour which can benefit an individual. The main objective of social marketing is to bring about a change in the social behaviour in the target audience. 

In order to design marketing strategies to help promote blood donation and retain the existing blood donors, focus should be given to certain aspects like creating awareness and interest among the population. Additionally factors like change in attitude, motivating people through change in behaviour and empowering the people to act, should also be addressed (Masser et al. 2016).

Firstly, marketing strategies could be developed like door-to door campaigning for blood donation or even reaching the footsteps of the houses by mobile blood collection equipment. This is of importance because the process of blood donation already might be a bit difficult to achieve, so the easier the process for the donor, the more chances will be increased of getting their blood (Menezes, Sousa and Cunha, 2015). In context to the theory of planned behaviour this is quite important because the donors should be reminded of the need for blood. The campaigning at their doorsteps will provide immediate cues to as their behaviour towards the act. Although limitations can be posed if there is no proper education and awareness among the masses about the donation programmes.

Secondly, telerecruitment can be done. Telerecruiters who are dedicated in work and have good communication skills can be hired in order to encourage a repeated voluntary donation, management of relations to also to handle the complains and grievances of the people which they can communicate via a phone call. An integrated software for managing a donor database can also be developed to maintain the follow-ups (Polonsky, Francis and Renzaho 2015). Use of telephones addresses the individuals directly hence provides an impact on their change of behaviour according to the theory of planned action.

Theories

Lastly social media can be put into use like Facebook, Watsapp and Linkedin in order to help propagate the concept of voluntary donation and create a mass awareness (France et al. 2017). These social media act as giant platforms to discuss such issues of social need and provide an instant help. These platforms are easily accessible to everyone and information can also be passed on from far off places in order to start a mass movement. Through the media correct messages should reach the masses as use of incorrect message can create fear and focus on altruism. This can be a disadvantage.

Conclusion

Even with many failures in the process of the blood donation and donor retention, the system can bring about greater benefits for the society. The concept of theory of planned behaviour, in the context of blood donation has suggested several practical recommendations. In order to recruit individuals who are  non-donors, the non-profit organizations should engage in several techniques to increase the self-efficacy of the individuals via training or framework modelling. For the retention of the previous donors a sense of empowerment should be implemented in the individuals should introducing various loyalty schemes.

Although marketing strategies like door to door campaigns and use of mobile blood donation equipment are important, but focus should also be given to educating the masses in the first place. There should be a powerful urge to education and convince in order to retain the donors by designing several loyal schemes. The donors re willing to get a certificate of recognition hence if this is given to them they will feel more empowered.  In order to establish long-lasting relationships with the blood donors, retention strategies should also be designed will in turn will have an impact on the blood donation process.

References

Balegh, S., Marcus, N., Dubuc, S., Godin, G., France, C.R. and Ditto, B., 2016. Increasing nondonors’ intention to give blood: addressing common barriers. Transfusion, 56(2), pp.433-439.

Beerli-Palacio, A. and Martín-Santana, J.D., 2015. How to increase blood donation by social marketing. International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, 12(3), pp.253-266.

Conner, M., Godin, G., Sheeran, P. and Germain, M., 2013. Some feelings are more important: Cognitive attitudes, affective attitudes, anticipated affect, and blood donation. Health Psychology, 32(3), p.264.

Di Angelantonio, E., Thompson, S.G., Kaptoge, S., Moore, C., Walker, M., Danesh, J. and Ouwehand, W., 2017. Efficiency and safety of varying the frequency of whole blood donation: randomised trial of 45,000 donors.

Faulkner, M., Romaniuk, J. and Stern, P., 2016. New versus frequent donors: Exploring the behaviour of the most desirable donors. Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ), 24(3), pp.198-204.

Fonte, D., Blondé, J. and Girandola, F., 2017. How to encourage non?donors to be more willing to donate blood? Testing of binding communication based interventions. Transfusion Medicine, 27(3), pp.207-212.

France, C.R., France, J.L., Carlson, B.W., Frye, V., Duffy, L., Kessler, D.A., Rebosa, M. and Shaz, B.H., 2017. Applying self-determination theory to the blood donation context: The blood donor competence, autonomy, and relatedness enhancement (Blood Donor CARE) trial. Contemporary clinical trials, 53, pp.44-51.

Hyde, M.K., Knowles, S.R. and White, K.M., 2013. Donating blood and organs: using an extended theory of planned behavior perspective to identify similarities and differences in individual motivations to donate. Health education research, 28(6), pp.1092-1104.

Masser, B.M., France, C.R., Himawan, L.K., Hyde, M.K. and Smith, G., 2016. The impact of the context and recruitment materials on nondonors’ willingness to donate blood. Transfusion, 56(12), pp.2995-3003.

Menezes, A.G., Sousa, C.V. and Cunha, G.R., 2015. Motivational aspects in blood donation: an analysis under the perspective of marketing theories. Bus Manag Review, 4(5), pp.330-41.

Montano, D.E. and Kasprzyk, D., 2015. Theory of reasoned action, theory of planned behavior, and the integrated behavioral model. Health behavior: Theory, research and practice, pp.95-124.

Papagiannis, D., Rachiotis, G., Symvoulakis, E.K., Anyfantakis, D., Douvlataniotis, K., Zilidis, C., Markaki, A. and Hadjichristodoulou, C., 2016. Blood donation knowledge and attitudes among undergraduate health science students: A cross-sectional study. Transfusion and Apheresis Science, 54(2), pp.303-308.

Polonsky, M., Francis, K. and Renzaho, A., 2015. Is removing blood donation barriers a donation facilitator? Australian African migrants’ view. Journal of Social Marketing, 5(3), pp.190-205.

Wevers, A., Wigboldus, D.H., Baaren, R. and Veldhuizen, I.J., 2014. Return behavior of occasional and multigallon blood donors: the role of theory of planned behavior, self?identity, and organizational variables. Transfusion, 54(3pt2), pp.805-813.

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