Utilization of Strategic Marketing in Nonprofit Sector - Evidence from Turkish Nonprofit Organizations

Abstract

Marketing has always been an important research topic for researchers and practitioners where it often focuses on the private sector and commercial businesses, marketing of non-profit organizations is gaining more importance recently. The reason is non-profit organizations are competing with each other in order to attract new volunteers, allure financial donors and build up their reputation. To achieve these aforementioned objectives, strategic marketing is an invaluable concept that can be utilized by non-profit organizations to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Within this context, aim of this paper is analyze how non-profit organizations in Aegean Region in Turkey incorporate strategic marketing aspects into their organization’s marketing plans. To achieve this aim, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with the chair boards, managers and marketing managers of non-profit organizations located in Aegean Region in Turkey. Overall, 6 in-depth interviews were conducted. Result of the study revealed that non-profit organizations in this study are aware of the strategic marketing concept and utilize some of its aspects in their marketing activities albeit not deliberately. Findings also indicate that internal situational analyses are widely used while planning marketing activities, but not external ones. Numerous suggestions and managerial implications are provided for better utilizations of strategic marketing concept. Limitations and future recommendations are mentioned.