Pop (Culture) Quiz: “So no one told you life was gonna be this way. Your job’s a joke, you’re broke, your love life’s DOA. It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear …”
When did the tune start in your head? For me it is usually “your life’s DOAAAA” and the awkward moments of Ross and Rachael pop into my head.
Depending on your age, if I were to say “Where’s the beef!?” An image pops in your head of an old lady standing at a fast food counter bullying a young cashier. That old lady became a celebrity.
During the decade of the 80’s, non-profits leaned on celebrity faces like Jerry Lewis, Sally Strothers, and Danny Thomas. In recent years, charitable organizations have learned the value of moving client stories and the greater impact they have over celebrity endorsements.
The one thing these campaigns from back in the day had as an advantage was that they were everywhere: in the mail, in the paper, on the television, and posted in office and apartment buildings. Even though these campaigns were developed by huge advertising GIANTS, but the success was partially due to repetition and redundancy.
I often witness non-profits doing an amazing job creating unique and moving annual reports, direct mail solicitations, and on-line campaigns. As someone who literally reviews every communication I receive from a charity with intensity, I rarely see a long-term theme.
I am talking about a congruent theme that I see repeatedly with EVERY communication. There are 2 exceptions: 1) A signature event that will have a branded poster, branded invitation, social media posting and the brand included in every newsletter; 2) Higher Ed Advancement teams that create a campaign theme and every communication is centered around that theme. It has a simple message and I understand exactly what they are raising money for. Even if that money is going to 3 different places, I am confident how they will use my contribution whether it is $100 or $1000.
The Rule of 7 is a real marketing rule. This rule says that it takes 7 times of seeing your message to cause an individual to act. So why do our non-profits work really hard on their annual report, then on their holiday solicitation, then on their signature event without a unified theme. I don’t believe it is because we enjoy the stress. I think it is because non-profits are reactive and it seems quicker to create a new inspired theme, then to recycle a previous theme.
This is important for 2 reasons. The first is that if we want greater success on our campaigns, we need to be consistent in how we ask. Think about some major national campaigns. I know when I see a skinny dog, in the snow, behind a fence, the SPCA wants $19/month. When the cute kid in a wheelchair with the Teddy Bear blanket comes on, Shriners hospital wants me to make a difference. When I see a pile of debris and a red vest with the tag “text Hope to 90999”, the Red Cross wants $10 for their disaster operations.
The second reason is that marketing campaigns are very transactional, limited in their ability to raise more than what is asked for. They are necessary, but not the bulk of our revenue. However, they may take more time than we have. Having one theme (at least for 6 months) and cross applying it gives you time to do more fruitful things like prospect those that respond to your campaign and attempt to build a major gift relationship.
The old adage of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure applies here. Take some time to plan your campaigns and events with a singular message across all communication platforms. If you do this, I predict a few things could happen. You may have time to breathe or even sneak in a 20-minute power nap! Your stress level should go down and you should see a stronger response to your campaigns. If you use the extra time to cultivate campaign responders, you should see increased donor retention and organic donation growth.
And just maybe you’ll be able to move out of second gear. It will be your day, your week, your month and even your year. PB&J marComm will be there for you!
“Where’s the Beef?!”; Jerry Lewis MDA telethon, “Eat Mor Chickin”, “time to make the donuts” are all registered trademarks of their respective entities.
