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Among all the services we offer to the charity sector, the one that receives the most demand is help with fundraising at the strategic level. Charities want to know how they can raise their profile, get their message across, attract new donors, improve their relationship with existing donors… the classic disciplines of marketing and communications. Yet oddly, we are rarely asked for help with marketing.

“Marketing is so often seen as an unnecessary ‘nice to have’,” says Action Planning Associate Clare McIntosh. The determination to bring money in often precludes the strategy of spending money to bring in more. In this article we begin a series of commentaries by Action Planning Associates on specific aspects of marketing and communications that are crucial for the non-profit sector.

Marketing and fundraising – what’s the difference?

“Fundraising is the end goal, marketing is the strategies and tactics to get there,” says Clare. “It is essentially rethinking what your charity is from the point of view of the donor.

“Often charities are full of experts who intricately understand the purpose of the charity, but the donors they hope to attract initially often know nothing about the cause. How do you make them aware of it? How do you increase their consideration of it? How do you get them to choose your cause instead of the many other charities and commercial businesses vying for their money? And how do you keep nurturing that relationship for ongoing support?

“The cash through the door is fundraising, but these wider strategic questions are marketing. It involves us really understanding who your donors are and what makes them tick. It requires you to get into their shoes and think about what media they consume, what organisations they have relationships with. It challenges you to think about how you can get their time and build a successful ongoing relationship with them. It requires you to stop thinking of them as the object of your activity, but as partners you hope to recruit.

How you reach potential supporters is becoming increasingly complex and requires serious tactical consideration. “So many of the key channels for fundraising are saturated, or increasingly closing to us,” says Clare. “Trusts are inundated. Social media advertising is spiralling in cost. The GDPR has made direct mail very challenging.”

So while all these channels still have a place in the market, you need to be absolutely sure that you can reach your audience through your chosen channel if you are to do so in a targeted and cost-effective way. That means rethinking consumer behaviours and finding new opportunities for donors to give.  

Shaping the relationship with donors
“You might have heard marriage counsellors talk about ‘working on the relationship’,” says Action Planning Associate Naomi Buckler. “Long-term relationships take effort – they don't happen by accident. So why should your charity’s relationship with donors be any different? This is why branding and marketing are so important. They help to shape the relationship between you and your donors in a process that is deliberate, positive and measurable.”

Every transaction we make in life triggers an emotional response. These can range from negative (eg paying a parking fine) to satisfactory (eg buying food) to positive (eg buying a new pair of shoes). In order to build lasting relationships with donors you should aim to make their donating experience off-the-scale positive.

“Giving should be a blessing and a joy,” says Naomi. “So what are you doing that makes that possible? Are you telling stories that touch their hearts in a way that brings a smile to their faces and a compassionate response? Are you speaking to them in a voice that tells them you love them and value them, not just their donations? Are you making sure that donating is easy and satisfying? Are you enhancing their sense of community?

“This means sending out materials that are well planned, well targeted, well written and attractively produced. It means sending them at times that are neither too often nor too infrequent? It means fostering two-way communication so that they feel heard, and that this a real relationship. It means saying ‘thank you’ in a way that is not formulaic, but is genuine and heartwarming?

“It also means showing that you know them as individuals, so far as you can. For example, you can show that you know their gift aid preference; or if they give regularly, or substantial amounts. You can offer ways for them to engage not just as donors but as advocates, volunteers, perhaps even beneficiaries.

“A feeling of love for the charity is important, particularly for legacies. Every touchpoint is an opportunity to build commitment and loyalty, so don't miss any of them. Even something as prosaic as a gift aid form is a chance to build this relationship.”

Your marketing plan is where you identify these touchpoints and define the messages you want to deliver at every step, in order to generate the response and build the relationship you want.

And as a final piece of advice, Naomi says, “Make sure you are a donor yourself, and take note when any charity does something that either leaves you cold or really touches your heart. That will help you to learn how to make your own charity's comms work even better.”

Does your charity need marketing support? We can help with individual aspects of your marketing plan and with your overall marketing strategy. Call 01737 814758, email [email protected] or send an enquiry using this form.

Clare McIntosh is a strategic consultant and freelancer with over 25 years of experience driving transformational change and growth in the charity and corporate sectors. She started her career as a strategic management consultant at Edgar Dunn & Company before moving into various senior leadership roles at British Gas and O2. As CEO of St Francis Leprosy Guild, Clare tripled the charity's income through strategic initiatives. Recently, Clare has provided strategy, marketing, fundraising, innovation and management support to a wide range of charities, including those focused on disability, poverty, hospice care, homelessness, faith and the elderly.

Naomi Buckler is a fundraising communications specialist who has been involved with Christian charities all her life: as volunteer, GAP year student, donor, staff member, trustee, diocesan giving adviser, and consultant. Her experience includes supporter acquisition, supporter retention, appeal writing, telephone campaigns, setting up a regular giving programme, GDPR and legacy promotion.