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STEP 5: Choosing Tools of Change

In this section you will identify Tools of Change that might assist your program in achieving its objectives.

You will:

Consider how to motivate people to make the desired changes.
Choose ways to help them remember to do the new actions.
Find ways of making it easier for people to take each next step.
Decide how you will build motivation and social momentum over time.
Create an effective marketing mix by carefully choosing appropriate combinations and sequences of the tools.

For a definition of each tool and tips on when to use it, see the Tools of Change referred to below.
Note for Health Promoters

1. Decide how you will motivate people to start doing the activity.

Examples

Resource Alert for Canada and the U.S.A.: Considering offering a consumer and/or sales-person incentive program? Canadas EnerGuide for Household Appliances Program, and the US Energy Star Program can help you identify eligible (more energy efficient) appliances.

Women who due to physical, financial, emotional or other circumstances were considered to be at particularly high risk were offered an initial home visit by the Montreal Dietary Dispensary.

We're Toxic Free used a simple, non-confrontational questionnaire to engage residents. Of the people they approached in this manner, 6 out of 10 agreed to participate further.

The AIDS Peer Education Program engaged students to influence slightly younger students.

Your Program

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	Use incentives -- see the Tool Financial Incentives and Disincentives)
	Appeal to norms -- see the Tool Norm Appeals
	Use vivid, personalized messages -- see the Tool Vivid, Personalized Communication
	Involve individuals personally -- see the Tool Building Motivation Over Time
	Involve school children as change agents -- see the Tool School Programs that Involve the Family
	Approach people through their work places -- see the Tool Work Programs that Influence the Home

2. Choose ways to help people remember to do the action.

Examples

The Get in the Loop - Buy Recycled campaign used "shelf talkers" to identify specific recycled-product choices on the store shelf. A "shelf talker" is a simple marker placed on the edge of a standard retail shelf, below the product.

Many waste reduction programs have successfully promoted recycling by making it easy to put recyclables at the curb for collection at the same time as garbage. In addition, Quinte Regional Recycling linked composting with recycling by putting decals on people's Blue Boxes that said, "We compost too."

The Montreal Dietary Dispensary encouraged clients to drink sufficient milk to feed their baby. To reinforce this habit, women were encouraged to write B for baby on bottles of milk.

At Marley Station Mall, a sign was placed on an easel beside the escalators, to remind people to take the stairs.

Your Program

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	Provide reminders (decals, tags, etc.) in places where the action, or the decision to take action, occurs -- see the Tool Prompts
	Make a link to activities people are already doing -- see the Tool Building Motivation Over Time

3. Find ways to make it easier for people in your target groups to take each next step.

Examples

The AIDS Peer Education Program provided students with specific strategies for maintaining abstinence or regular condom use.

Go Boulder decided that it was cost effective and critical to build more bikeways, as well as overpasses and underpasses for bikes and pedestrians, gradually over a number of years. To make their business transit pass more attractive, a Guaranteed Ride Home program was devised.

The Environment Networks starter kit for household hazardous wastes (HHW) contained samples of non-toxic cleaning products - a toilet bowl cleaner, dishwashing soap and cream cleanser. It also included an information card and reminder decals provided by the Environmental Hazards Management Institute. The decals - to be placed on hazardous waste products in the home - suggested what to do with them ("use up," "recycle" or "save" for proper disposal at the HHW depot). During the visits, several decals were placed on products in the home.

Peterborough GreenUp provided ongoing workshops on sustainable gardening, and left residents with a list of repair and retrofit priorities.

Your Program

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	Address the key situation-specific barriers identified in "Getting Informed" -- see the Tool Overcoming Specific Barriers
	Provide, at each step, attractive opportunities to take further steps -- see the Tool Building Motivation Over Time

4. Decide how you will build motivation for continuing the action, and sustain momentum over time.

Examples

Follow-up meetings provided ongoing support for clients at the Montreal Dietary Dispensary. Every time a client visited the center, she received a ticket for a monthly prize draw. Women also had access to knitted baby wear and hair styling donated by volunteers. These approaches helped keep dropout rates as low as 5%.

Go Boulder arranged for an average of two stories each month in the local newspaper, featuring stories of individual success and community participation. Five video presentations were run repeatedly on the community television channel. Additional feedback was provided through promotions, special events and presentations to community organizations.

Those employees participating in The Clean Air Commute pilot, who had undertaken an activity that they were already accustomed to doing, were asked to commit to an additional activity for the three-month period. Those who had undertaken a new activity were asked if they would be willing to extend this behavior for the same period.

Your Program

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	Make a link to actions that people in your target groups are already doing
	Recognize and reinforce their current motivation regarding related actions and issues, and
	Involve them personally in further steps -- see the Tool Building Motivation Over Time.
	Obtain an oral or written commitment to take the desired action -- see the Tool Obtaining a Commitment
	Increase the visibility of participation -- see the Tool Norm Appeals
	Enhance word-of-mouth communication of your participants involvement, enthusiasm, and benefits gained -- see the Tool Word-of-mouth
	Provide recognition and feedback -- see the Tool Feedback

5. Select the communication channels and vehicles you will use to reach your audience

Examples

Your Program

	Home Visits
	Mass Media
	Neighbourhood Coaches and Block Leaders
	Peer Support Groups
	School Programs that Involve the Family
	Work Programs that Influence the Home

Note for Health Promoters

These tools support the development of Personal Skills, Healthy Public Policy, Community Action, and Supportive Environments. They are closely tied to theories of individual and social change which social marketers draw upon.