Non-Profit Revenue / Branding

I’ve been asked to speak about branding, revenue and leveraging relationships at the Crime Stoppers USA Annual General Meeting in August. Over the last several years, my interests have shifted from traditional media (largely radio) to providing broadcasters with online strategies that make sense…to providing non-profit groups with some tools and resources inherent in larger organizations.

Crime Stoppers is a remarkable organization. The concept began with a single person deciding to ask for help…nothing more. Since that point, they’ve amassed an amazing, successful and progressive record of solving crime using the public’s help. Now here’s the problem: they haven’t really adjusted the model since the program’s incarnation. Yes, most have an online presence and many are using a great application called TipSoft to manage incoming communications and a few groups are using SMS to collect information. But the nuts and bolts that connect the 1200 groups and the ways they engage donors/sponsors/partners hasn’t really moved beyond a reliance on local business contributions.

Not long ago, a business supported charities because the business believed the expense was part of being a good corporate citizen. It was also understood that people would commit their time to philanthropic causes for similar reasons. That was then. When households are holding down two or three jobs (or none) and business has been tightening to weather the current economic “adjustment”, time and money are precious commodities. Maybe for the first time, businesses and individuals are looking beyond the “warm fuzzies” and measuring their commitment of time/money against the return.

It means the non-profits have to become unique and compete. They need to develop relationships with their sponsors and volunteers and build rewards for everyone in the relationship. Paramount in the success of those relationships is the ability to compete for a share of the public’s attention; let’s face it, we’re hit with an amazing array of offers that will cost us either time and money (or both). The non-profit, in a broad sense, has to be in the entertainment business. The public should, for their investment of time or money, be engaged (with relevant information, relevant offers, contests, etc.) beyond what they perceive as a fair return. Volunteers, too, are attracted to viable, engaging ways to spend their time.

The real trick is providing the public the content desired, leveraging that relationship with viable partners…and doing it on a diminishing budget built on an expired revenue model.

The meeting is on a cruise ship which I believe is a terrific way to say “thanks!” to the volunteers…and save the organization some dough (the cruise is far less expensive than hotels, meals and conference rooms).

If you’re attending the AGM, or have questions concerning your own causes, let me know if there’s topics you’d like to see covered? Just leave a comment or send a quick email (doug@3winsconsulting.com).

If you have time...Flurkey: Non-Profit Charity Case