I went back to uni this weekend to attend the Strategic Marketing module, as part of Bayes Business School’s extremely effective alumni programme – and it’s not just lectures, there’s even a lounge with aircon on the 7th floor!
One of the most engaging talks was by Jayne George from the RNLI who spoke to us about its success with integrated fundraising campaigns.
Her explanation of how they go to the core mission statement of “To save every one” was really empowering and I’d highly recommend getting to hear her in person – I couldn’t do it justice here.
There were also some fab ‘takeaways’ from the rest of her talk and here are a few of them:
1 It starts with creating a unified mission that values fundraising as much as the operational activities – each relies on the other. A great deal of work has been done on the internal comms side of things to embed this culture.
2 Developing strong, inspirational messaging is also crucial. RNLI’s “Perfect Storm” campaign is a prime example of effectively communicating challenges and needs. Engaging donors with personalised and heartfelt communications that connect emotionally has boosted engagement and support.
3 They used a multi-channel #strategy combining direct mail, digital media, press inserts, and door drops, to maximise reach and impact. Tailored communications to specific donor segments, improved engagement and led to significant increases in donations.
4 Data-driven strategies are essential. Leveraging qualitative research to understand donor motivations and barriers provides valuable insights for campaign development. Tracking and analysing campaign outcomes allows for refining strategies and improving effectiveness.
5 Revitalising legacy fundraising with a donor-centric approach has made a significant difference. Shifting to clear, simple and emotionally-resonant messaging landed well with their audiences. Consistently embedding legacy messaging in various donor communications has ensured reinforcement throughout the donor journey.
The impact has been significant – over three years, RNLI has seen improvements in advertising awareness, positive recall, likelihood to donate and actual donations, demonstrating the power of a well-executed #communications strategy.
Question for my non-profit friends: how effective are integrated multi-channel strategies for your fundraising and how well can you measure its performance?
Bonus content: check out the RNLI's 200th anniversary campaign – https://lnkd.in/ewqUm_4X
#nonprofit
