What role does branding and advertising play in NGOs fund raising strategy?
Effective branding helps an NGO show how they are different from other organisations and reinforce their credibility. If a nonprofit looks like it threw together its logo, website, or other materials and sends inconsistent messages, the idea communicated to donors can be that the organisation isn’t buttoned up. I’m generally not a fan of advertising: it’s useful to change perceptions on an issue (for instance, why you shouldn’t drink and drive) but it’s not a cost-effective way for most nonprofits to increase their own fundraising or visibility. These days, social media seems to be a much more effective way to raise visibility – by having something meaningful to say. Staffing for social media and developing a clear strategy can be hard, but it’s definitely more cost-effective to implement.
How can they ensure brand recall? What strategies can be adopted to break through the clutter and ensure that people and authorities notice their efforts?
Being consistent is probably the best way to develop brand recall. Using the same logo, colour, style of images and messages over and over and over again helps ensure that donors and other audiences realise they are all coming from the same organisation. If I visit your website, read your newsletter, get invited to your event, hear your staff person speak – all those points of contact should reinforce the same ideas.
There are several celebrities that can be seen associated, both directly and indirectly, with some or the other NGO? Do such associations really help?
Whether a celebrity is helpful or not depends on a few variables. First, how committed is the celebrity to the cause? Are they willing to work to represent it accurately and thoughtfully? Secondly, is the celebrity appealing to the nonprofit’s target audience? The best use of a celebrity to advance a cause I’ve seen in recent years is Alicia Keys’ support for an organisation here in the US called Keep A Child Alive. She’s been a tireless advocate for their cause and has helped raise over a million dollars by asking her fans to text in a donation on their mobile phones at her concerts and television appearances.
There are cases where NGOs have been accused of misusing funds? Doesn’t it make the role of a genuine NGO difficult?
Yes, scandals in the nonprofit sector are rare but they can have deep impact because they make donors more wary of giving. In the US there are several charity watchdog groups that allow donors to see how a credible third-party assesses the organisation such as Charity Navigator or the Wise Giving Alliance. I encourage all nonprofits to be as transparent as possible about how they work with their donors.
Sarah Durham is the Founder of US-based Big Duck, a communication agency for non-profits, and the author of “Brandraising: How Nonprofits Raise Visibility and Money Through Smart Communications”
For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India
IIPM: Planman Stars – Event management made easy
IIPM enters into media education
Social Networking Sites have become advertising shops
Effective branding helps an NGO show how they are different from other organisations and reinforce their credibility. If a nonprofit looks like it threw together its logo, website, or other materials and sends inconsistent messages, the idea communicated to donors can be that the organisation isn’t buttoned up. I’m generally not a fan of advertising: it’s useful to change perceptions on an issue (for instance, why you shouldn’t drink and drive) but it’s not a cost-effective way for most nonprofits to increase their own fundraising or visibility. These days, social media seems to be a much more effective way to raise visibility – by having something meaningful to say. Staffing for social media and developing a clear strategy can be hard, but it’s definitely more cost-effective to implement.
How can they ensure brand recall? What strategies can be adopted to break through the clutter and ensure that people and authorities notice their efforts?
Being consistent is probably the best way to develop brand recall. Using the same logo, colour, style of images and messages over and over and over again helps ensure that donors and other audiences realise they are all coming from the same organisation. If I visit your website, read your newsletter, get invited to your event, hear your staff person speak – all those points of contact should reinforce the same ideas.
There are several celebrities that can be seen associated, both directly and indirectly, with some or the other NGO? Do such associations really help?
Whether a celebrity is helpful or not depends on a few variables. First, how committed is the celebrity to the cause? Are they willing to work to represent it accurately and thoughtfully? Secondly, is the celebrity appealing to the nonprofit’s target audience? The best use of a celebrity to advance a cause I’ve seen in recent years is Alicia Keys’ support for an organisation here in the US called Keep A Child Alive. She’s been a tireless advocate for their cause and has helped raise over a million dollars by asking her fans to text in a donation on their mobile phones at her concerts and television appearances.
There are cases where NGOs have been accused of misusing funds? Doesn’t it make the role of a genuine NGO difficult?
Yes, scandals in the nonprofit sector are rare but they can have deep impact because they make donors more wary of giving. In the US there are several charity watchdog groups that allow donors to see how a credible third-party assesses the organisation such as Charity Navigator or the Wise Giving Alliance. I encourage all nonprofits to be as transparent as possible about how they work with their donors.
Sarah Durham is the Founder of US-based Big Duck, a communication agency for non-profits, and the author of “Brandraising: How Nonprofits Raise Visibility and Money Through Smart Communications”
For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India
IIPM: Planman Stars – Event management made easy
IIPM enters into media education
Social Networking Sites have become advertising shops
