What is it?

Identifying the resources or assets you will need.

An audit of the assets (including existing services) which can be made available for the social marketing intervention. An analysis of the quantity and quality of resources is the basis for the strengths and weaknesses elements of a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis.

Resources can be classified in a number of ways. They should include an assessment of intangible assets, such as goodwill, as well as relationships with actual and potential suppliers of resources. A new intervention is likely to make use of existing services, although these may need to be re-designed.

Why do this?

A resources and assets audit will help:

  • Assess the feasibility of potential interventions
  • Assess the need to acquire/mobilise assets
  • Identify limiting factors – such as those assets which, if in short supply, will prevent implementation
  • Establish priorities
  • Identify resources, for example services in relation to specific communities

Assets mapping helps you make the most of existing resources. It enables you to:

  • Identify the services currently available for the target audience(s)
  • Find out what services the target audience(s) currently access
  • Identify if the project crosses over with any other, and if resources could be drawn from other budgets
  • Assess the potential of commercial sector partnerships and/or sponsorship

How might you do this?

  • Categorise and describe the resources available in relation to your intervention
    • Human - staff numbers, qualifications, expertise, skills, creativity, experience (employees/secondments/ volunteers).
    • Financial - dedicated budgets, cashflow, timescale, additional income, for example, through sponsorship.
    • Physical – buildings, location, fitness for purpose.
    • Systems - communication channels (internal and external), information, management.
    • Intangibles - organisational culture, goodwill, knowledge, reputation – (for service quality, for example).
    • Relationships – internal and external relationships with employees, customers, funding providers, communities (community spirit – the buzz factor).
    • Current products and services - hotlines, clinics, mobile services, availability and quality.
  • Map out the assets available in the community. This should include available products and services, as it is often better to improve existing ones than to develop from scratch
  • When mapping relationships and partnerships, think of them as potential assets. There may be representatives of these organisations on the steering group

Tips

  • Try to collect information about asset quality, such as customer satisfaction with a service. This can be used in the development phase
  • Make sure your focus is on the current challenge, as resource and asset auditing and analysis are potentially far reaching and time consuming
  • Recognise one important asset as the buzz factor – for example, what people value in the community; what is currently happening that you could link into
  • Remember that resource availability will determine to some extent the nature of the social marketing work which can be undertaken.As more becomes known about the target audience and the exact nature of the intervention, resource availability can be re-assessed and new sources accessed
  • You may also need to consider your budget and how much you have available to spend on each stage of a social marketing programme.

Output

  • A Resource Audit
  • An Assets Map
  • A chart showing relationships and partnerships as sources of resources

Intended Outcome

  • A clearer understanding of the available (and potentially available) resources
  • Actions to acquire additional resources