What common problems faced by HMIS can social marketing be used to address?

Tentative Answer

Marketing programs can address a variety of internal and external factors determining the sustainability of micro-insurance schemes.

Internal Factors:

• Increase membership size
  • A market analysis can identify potential target markets for the scheme¿s package.
  • A product positioning strategy can assist the institution in better defining how beneficiaries perceive the insurance package and how it is delivered.
  • Promotional activities can raise awareness among beneficiaries of the insurance package.
• Reduced drop-out rates
  • A marketing programme allows the micro-insurance institution to monitor and analyze customer behaviour in order to anticipate potential problems and address them proactively before members leave the scheme.
• Improved premium payment rates
  • Member analysis can identify the causes of low or inconsistent premium payment rates (for example, inappropriate package design, poor delivery channels) so that appropriate solutions can be put in place.

External Factors:

• Political/regulatory environment
  • Market research can pinpoint policies and regulations that could affect the price a scheme should set its premiums at, its partnerships with healthcare providers, etc.
• Economic environment
  • Market research can highlight factors affecting the local economy that could affect members¿ ability to pay premiums.
• External Shocks
  • A marketing programme allows a scheme to analyze any potential shift in demand because of catastrophic changes, such as disease outbreaks, economic crises, war, etc.
• Competition
  • A marketing programme monitors the competition and analyzes its effects on members so that the scheme can stay ahead of competitors.