According to the Centre of Philanthropy at Indiana University “people give in response to being asked to give” therefore the charities that effectively use PR campaigns to shine a light on the difference they make are the ones that raise the most donations. In a crowded marketplace, we are increasingly seeing charities using an array of different approaches to getting their voices heard.
One example is a small grass roots charity in Scotland that hit the headlines when 12 year old blogger made global news. The young blogger rose to fame when her local council banned her from posting photographs of her school dinners online, in the hope of encouraging healthier meals for fellow students. The controversial blog pulled heart strings worldwide and she managed to raise over £120,000 for her chosen charity, Mary’s Meals in less than three months.
A friend of mine recently decided to give up sponsoring one particular charity and instead sponsor her friends who were undertaking their own fundraising appeals for charities close to their hearts. This is a bright idea. A broad range of charities get covered, plus value for money is included in this transaction because on top of helping a good cause, seeing friends endure gruelling marathons and swimming miles in the cold is always satisfying!
The friends that receive the largest donations are the ones that promote themselves the hardest. Regular Facebook status updates and emails asking for donations, ideally with photos of 6am runs through driving snow, are an effective way to show donors the commitment people make to raising money for important causes.
It just goes to show, effective PR comes in many different forms.
