Water conservation is an important aspect within the state of Florida. Florida is surrounded by several bodies of water, including thousands of lakes, many streams, and rivers. Although this water surrounds the state, many citizens are unaware about the constant need to conserve water (FDEP, 2002). In order to alleviate existing problems and sustain water resources, water conservation technologies, and practices need to be disseminated to the public, such as installing irrigation controlled systems (EPA, 2012). To ensure that future generations have an adequate supply of water the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) must target these populations through the use of audience segmentation. CES can engage individuals with water conservation behaviors
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Audience segmentation “can help decision-makers better understand how social, economic, and environmental factors shape behaviors observed in specific segments of the population” (EPA, 2014). Audience segmentation is a significant element in behavior change that contributes through a social marketing approach. In the 1970s, social marketing approach has demonstrated real developments in behavior from various topics of public health, safe driving, adolescent tobacco use, job-related safety, and natural resource conservation (Kotler et al., 2002; McKenzie Mohr, Lee, Schultz & Kotler, 2012; Monaghan, Bryant, Baldwin, Zhu, Ibrahimou, Lind, Contreras, Tovar, & McDermott, 2008). The element of segmentation is noticeable in marketing aspects that acknowledges diversity between target audiences, and recognizes the “likelihood that they will clump together in meaningful ways” (Andreasen, 2006, p. 105 Individuals can be segmented into groups using different characteristics, such as behavioral characteristics (patterns of behavior ,or decision-making types), socio demographic attributes (education, income, age, social class), and psychological profiles (attitudes, character traits, motivations, values) (Kotler & Roberto, 1989). Furthermore, audience segmentation is …show more content…
Extension professionals are highly aware that behavior change is an important component of sustainability. It has been noted that when conveying information about environmental concerns, “simple education that invokes this information is often insufficient to move people to action” (Shaw, 2010, p. 109). Recognizing that most environmental challenges are caused by human behavior, it is critical to focus on making changes in behavior over increasing knowledge alone (Bickman, 1972; Shaw, 2010). However, many approaches to behavior change require substantial time, and specialized research skills that may not be immediately available to the Extension practitioner. The goal of this project is to explore factors that affect homeowners’ water use, and engagement in conservation efforts throughout Florida, and package the resulting information in an easily usable format for Extension professionals so they can better target their programming to specific
Audience segmentation “can help decision-makers better understand how social, economic, and environmental factors shape behaviors observed in specific segments of the population” (EPA, 2014). Audience segmentation is a significant element in behavior change that contributes through a social marketing approach. In the 1970s, social marketing approach has demonstrated real developments in behavior from various topics of public health, safe driving, adolescent tobacco use, job-related safety, and natural resource conservation (Kotler et al., 2002; McKenzie Mohr, Lee, Schultz & Kotler, 2012; Monaghan, Bryant, Baldwin, Zhu, Ibrahimou, Lind, Contreras, Tovar, & McDermott, 2008). The element of segmentation is noticeable in marketing aspects that acknowledges diversity between target audiences, and recognizes the “likelihood that they will clump together in meaningful ways” (Andreasen, 2006, p. 105 Individuals can be segmented into groups using different characteristics, such as behavioral characteristics (patterns of behavior ,or decision-making types), socio demographic attributes (education, income, age, social class), and psychological profiles (attitudes, character traits, motivations, values) (Kotler & Roberto, 1989). Furthermore, audience segmentation is …show more content…
Extension professionals are highly aware that behavior change is an important component of sustainability. It has been noted that when conveying information about environmental concerns, “simple education that invokes this information is often insufficient to move people to action” (Shaw, 2010, p. 109). Recognizing that most environmental challenges are caused by human behavior, it is critical to focus on making changes in behavior over increasing knowledge alone (Bickman, 1972; Shaw, 2010). However, many approaches to behavior change require substantial time, and specialized research skills that may not be immediately available to the Extension practitioner. The goal of this project is to explore factors that affect homeowners’ water use, and engagement in conservation efforts throughout Florida, and package the resulting information in an easily usable format for Extension professionals so they can better target their programming to specific