How are you reaching your stakeholder segments to deliver your value (think communication, distribution, sales)?
The Commercial Dimension
Communication, distribution, and sales channels comprise a company’s interface with customers. Channels have five distinct phases. Each channel can cover some or all of these phases:
Awareness - How do we raise awareness about our product(s)/service(s)?
Evaluation - How do we help customers evaluate our value proposition?
Purchase - How do we allow customers to purchase specific products and services?
Delivery - How do we deliver a value proposition to customers?
After sales - How do we provide post-purchase customer support?
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The Impact Dimension
The five phases are equally important for social enterprises, and a few other questions are raised in the process, e.g.,:
Awareness - Do we raise awareness of products/services AND impact?
Evaluation - How do we help customers evaluate our impact value proposition? What evidence and stories can we/should we share?
Purchase - Can we extend the way customers find and purchase our goods/services?
Delivery - How can we connect our customers more effectively through our delivery mechanisms?
After sales - How can we ensure that they will champion social enterprise?
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Professor Sarah Soule explains the goal of the Channels block, and poses questions for you to consider as you think through strategic options for your venture. She will discuss the example of Equal Opportunity Schools, a national nonprofit organization with both earned income and philanthropic support. (1:56)
We can distinguish between direct channels (e.g., sales force, website) and indirect ones (e.g., own stores, partner stores, wholesalers), as well as between owned channels and partner channels.
More about The Impact Dimension
Beyond Customer Channels
As the organization carefully crafts its relationships with all stakeholders, incl. volunteers, beneficiaries, employees, suppliers, and impact customers (foundations, philanthropists, governments), communications and delivery channels need to be thoughtfully considered and selected to reach these constituencies.
