This is a phrase we use a lot at The Charity Hub, but what does it mean?
Recently, we welcomed the fantastic Vicki Beevers from The Sleep Charity, who gave a talk to our members (you can watch this in the Member's Lounge). She articulated what professionalising its marketing did for her charity.
For so many good causes, their marketing is either an afterthought or a luxury they cannot afford. This means that there is never any consistency behind their brand, as their marketing barely exists. This is (sort of) fine if you're a new charity that’s trying to build an audience; having a basic presence will at least help people find you. When you try to grow your organisation and seek funding, however, or to attract corporate partners and sell your services, it begins to be a problem if your marketing is sporadic and all over the place. It actually becomes a huge hindrance.
Psychologically, when we’re the ‘customer’, we always choose the organisation that resonates with us the most. The one that projects a professional image - the one that looks like it knows what it's doing.
Imagine that you’re house-hunting. Woud you buy the house where the gate’s hanging off, where the garden is overgrown and there are lots of paint chips on the outside? What if, next door, for the same price, there was a house that was pristine on the outside with a well-kept garden. Which one would you make an appointment to look at?
This same premise is relevant to your marketing. The inner workings of your organisation may be top-notch and you may be making a huge impact in your field, but if your online presence and your organisation’s relevant ‘frontage’ is poor or AWOL, people will not connect with your charity. They may never hear your story or understand what you do (which is crucial when it comes to recruiting potential beneficiaries!).
We’re aware that, for many good causes, it’s not a question of apathy when they think of their marketing, it comes down to costs. This is where Vicki’s talk became even more interesting. She referenced quite a few websites on which you can find professionals that are looking to donate their time to good causes. For instance, The Sleep Charity worked with a graphic designer to build their brand, a software engineer who helped build their online training, and other professionals who provided invaluable help and skills that the charity wouldn’t otherwise have been able to afford. As a result, the organisation now looks like a professional outfit. All of a sudden, Vicky started winning more grants and funding. The Sleep Charity also attracted corporate sponsors and began selling its own training courses.
It was a pleasure to listen to Vicki’s talk and I recommend you all do so. However, the message here is to recognise the importance of professionalising your marketing. If you go to the right places and ask the right people it does not need to be expensive to get the right foundations in place. From those foundations, you can build your ‘house’ however you like. You just need to start thinking about your marketing on a strategic level, rather than worrying about whether you have a social post going out that week. Your marketing goes much, much deeper than this.
If you would like help or advice around your marketing, we will be providing on-demand online and in-person training over the next few weeks.
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