Communications vs fundraising: the battle of the brand.
By The Team 03 Dec 2009.
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Brand Vs Fundraising
In some charities, brand and fundraising work together as a seamless mix. But in our experience that’s rare. The battle lines between communications and fundraising can be fierce; like squabbling ugly sisters with the true needs of supporters cast aside like Cinderella. Fundraisers often see branding as a constraint, and communicators (among others) can view fundraising as a necessary evil.
In reality internal structures are of little or no relevance to a supporter. Yet how the two disciplines work together is absolutely critical to a charity’s success.
A fundraising perspective…
There has never been a more competitive time for charities, with fundraising competing against every other form of communication vying for the attention of the reader, the surfer, the blogger, the viewer and the listener. Successful fundraising can cut through this clutter, demanding attention from your audience and securing a slice of the public purse.
Fundraising have a secret weapon that helps us understand supporters; how to reach them and what they want to hear – the database. This gives us the insight to create a brand that not only represents who we are as an organisation, but also one that stands out from the crowd and provides potential donors with a compelling case for support.
A branding perspective…
There is growing recognition across the sector that a brand is much more than just a logo. Words, shapes, colours and images all have a role to play. Put together effectively they can communicate a charity’s unique personality.
We all know the more we see something or the more we hear it the more likely we are to remember it. Consistency is the cornerstone of any successful brand regardless of sector, whether its o2, Easyjet or the NHS.
The truth is if people know who you are, what you do and trust in your ability to deliver they are more likely to support you and put their hands in their pockets.
The ideal world…
Branding and fundraising should work in harmony. A strong consistent brand can help to build awareness, recognition, understanding and loyalty, which can in turn be translated into donations. We’ve experienced this first-hand in some of the UK’s most successful charities; perhaps the ugly sisters of Fundraising and Brand can kiss and make up.
