Putting the emphasis on digital awareness and talent in recruitment
It’s no secret that the digital landscape has revolutionised marketing as a discipline. The transformation has been likened to the beginning of the industrial revolution: Everyone knew the use of machines would impact the way we worked, but no one was exactly clear how wide-ranging or fundamental the changes would be. While the digital revolution has impacted every corner of the businesses landscape, the charity sector has arguably the biggest opportunity to gain from this shift in communications and consumption.
Effectively utilising social platforms is an extremely efficient way to maximise return on investment in terms of brand recognition and, ultimately, fund generation. Charities have – for the first time ever - the potential to reach millions of potential stakeholders without the overheads associated with traditional advertising spend.
You only have to look at the outcomes of campaigns such as #icebucketchallenge, #thumbsupforstephen and #nomakeupselfie to be inspired by the power and reach of online channels – but access to the tools is not enough. Charity leaders need to seek out millennial talent to unlock the possibilities that social media can bring.
Pipelining future leaders
In order to compete for share of voice, charities need to not only attract suitable candidates, but also retain and develop digital expertise to pipeline future leaders. Where skills historically associated with fundraising - such as experience in traditional media relations and the ability to build relationships with donors - are no less important than they have previously been, contemporary charity management requires an overarching understanding of today’s digital landscape.
The leadership talent crisis within the charity sector is a hot topic of discussion. According to Tony Elischer, leader of Think Consulting Solutions, a leading International consultancy dedicated to not for profit fundraising, it’s never been harder to find, and more importantly keep, great people. “As long as turnover remains high, we’ll never get the traction, respect and results that we need. The only solution to this problem is to grow, nurture and invest in leadership.”
Talent pipelining begins at entry level, and new recruits should begin by demonstrating a strong understanding of the digital marketing mix, working towards solid and measurable goals, whether that is driving traffic to a particular location (on or off-line), boosting sales, or increasing donations. Candidates should understand all channels and how they complement each other in order to develop an integrated approach to channel management.
Brand story tellers
Content creation ability should also be top of the wish list for charity employers looking for candidates who can act as a brand’s "story teller". Creativity is key - you do not have to have a huge budget to create powerful content.
Cancer Research UK recently reported that some of the most effective posts from the last year were photographs of staff members holding hand-written "thank you" banners to recognise donations. Similarly, Historic Royal Palaces introduced its poppy campaign by posting photographs from the factory where the flowers were being manufactured, inviting consumers in to experience the installation from the very beginning.
Digital natives – defined as those born or brought up during the age of digital technology and so familiar with computers and the internet from an early age – innately use their knowledge and their network to identify and prioritise the best platforms. This includes the ability to develop a channel strategy that moves away from brand "spam" and encourages more engagement; one which places high levels of importance on encouraging two-way dialogue with stakeholders by responding in a timely and personable manner.
Cancer Research UK’s feed, like that of many charities, is manned between the hours of 09:00 – 23:00 to ensure continued engagement. Likewise, the success of Historic Royal Palaces’ campaign to promote the poppy installation at the Tower of London was driven by sharing consistent photographic, video and visitor feedback across its channels.
Building future-proof teams
It is vital that we don’t underestimate the importance of social channels when building future-proof teams. The iconic #NoMakeUpSelfie hashtag, which took Cancer Research UK completely by surprise raising £8 million in support for the charity in just six days, is a case in point. However, social channels are - by definition - uncontrollable and unpredictable. Therefore, communications professionals must continue to respect the audience and continue to learn to be agile and responsive.
The Salvation Army capitalised on the trending #TheDress hashtag by aligning its "Why it’s so hard to see black and blue" campaign to the phenomenon. The charity capitalised on the debate as to whether an image of a dress was gold and cream or black and blue by drawing attention to domestic violence. This ground-breaking example of social marketing is indicative of both the level of creativity and pace of response that the most innovative talent can demonstrate.
The advent and growth of social and digital channels continues to transform how charity brands interact with consumers. We are in an era where these platforms are not simply a "nice to have" but rather form a crucial part of the overall communications mix. Consequently professionals in this space must constantly evolve and develop in order to keep up with the pace of change.
Inspiring engagement and action
Tomorrow’s leaders must inspire vision, conversation, engagement and action, both internally and externally. They need to drive the use of new channels and a new approach to communicating. Ultimately, they must be evangelists of new marketing communications practices.
Today’s pioneers have the potential to fill the leadership talent gap. However, it is essential that we recognise the skills of the next generation of talent - and allow room for them to experiment and flourish - if we are to retain and develop future-proof expertise. The success of charities depends on innovation in digital communications – fail to realise star talent and it could be lost to your competitors.
