Editorial Articles

For not-for-profit organisations, having a solid digital presence has become a necessity. Traditional marketing methods, while still important for building awareness must now work in harmony with direct response opportunities driven in the ‘virtual’ world.

Here are a few guiding principles:

Don't forget the basics
There are now so many ‘free’ systems out there to do the majority of the heavy lifting, that having what appears to be an enterprise-level infrastructure is within the reach of even the most conservatively funded not-for-profits. So much so, there is no longer any reason not to have an easily accessible, updateable site that allows online and mobile donations and is search and web 2.0 friendly. Don’t forget to couple this with a CRM system with which to offer an easy to use, personalised newsletter sign-up with robust reporting and campaign management.

Develop Distribution Points not Destinations
While you must ensure your website is the prime destination for authoritative information, you must enable that knowledge to be disseminated. Empower your supporters with the ability to represent the issues wherever they can. Not only is this now a mandatory requirement in the connected social world, it’s also far more cost-effective to enable outside advocates than to constantly undertake traffic-driving initiatives.

Many Campaigns One Supporter
One of the major issues facing the not-for-profit sector is competition for attention within the same organisation. Consider working across departments to develop a coherent campaign framework, as opposed to having multiple destinations that dilute your audience. Most supporters are interested in the broader activities of the organisation, not just the single-issues.

Two Objectives One Execution
Any internal competition between campaigning and fundraising is meaningless to supporters. When planning communication it’s best to work through user journeys that coherently integrate both campaign and fundraising objectives practically and creatively. It’s an easier sell when they are already actively engaged in the issue – just be careful to maintain the balance.

Be realistic about what you can expect from supporters
The more you ask people to do, the fewer will respond. However their output is likely to have more credibility and creativity so it is important to get the balance right - especially in terms of social media - as to what is too little or too much. Ideally you should plan a hierarchy of activities that ranges from simple 'voting', through 'campaigning' all the way to 'creating'.

It’s a two way street
Not-for-Profits, as with many consumer brands, can fall into the trap of believing their very existence is reason enough for people to engage. This is mostly not true. Even when the object of the exercise is to change the world for the better, the social contract between you and your audience needs to be defined and adhered to. More than ‘what can they do for you’, ‘what can you do for them?’ is the new mantra.

Appreciate your activists
If you have asked your supporters to campaign there is nothing more soul destroying for an active supporter than their efforts not being recognised. There are many methods now to help your most active users feel good among their peers from simple forums through to complex points systems. The more these people feel part of the movement, the more you can ask of them – and their networks.

Networks are great, if you can access them
Be very careful about investing time and money into developing off-site communities. A typical example is the development of Facebook groups. There are literally millions of not-for-profit single-issue groups already. The problem comes when you want to either change the topic or communicate outside of facebook. Whenever you create or simply support offsite activity ensure there is a simple mechanic that opts supporters in for communication at a later date. You’ll be glad you did.

So what’s next for Not for Profit?
One thing is clear: this is about your advocates, your supporters and not just your agenda. With so much clutter, you need to distance yourself from the internal politics, become open with your structures and engage in honest dialogue with your followers to remain credible and respected.

Organisations must use available technology to transform their presence online beyond simple information sites into compelling digital engagement. Don’t just offer advocates an opportunity to sign-up – provide them the tools to express and share their passion over and over again.

It is becoming clear organizations that embrace these principles will be the ones to benefit most.