Give us a smile
Comic Relief's record-breaking fundraising total of almost £60m last week...
...was, according to co-founder Richard Curtis, down to ‘the unrelenting support and ingenuity of our supporters’ and the fact that ‘in more difficult times, people seem to understand the need increases for people whose lives were impossibly tough in the first place’.
One could argue that with the might of the BBC and all that celebrity support, plus the unforgettable red nose brand, that Comic Relief is in a unique position to reach the parts of the UK donors’ pockets others can’t. However, there are some basic principles ingrained in this highly successful campaign that all charities could usefully adopt – and they don’t require large marketing budgets. Some of these are helpfully set out by Peter Gilheany in this issue, such as involving your audience and consistency across communications (see his article 'The Grand Canyon?'). The sheer breadth and cross-generational appeal of the Red Nose Day campaign is also part of its success: in schools, workplaces (including your editor’s offices) and on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
The UK public needed a bit of cheer, a bit of good news – something Comic Relief is rather good at. Lindsay Boswell of the Institute of Fundraising made the point in Charity Funding Report that ‘what we need to do is create the mindset where giving to charity is the accepted normal practice among the general public’. And that means calling on the positive attitudes of the extraordinary individuals who work (as employees and volunteers) in the sector. Tom Peters wrote in his essay, Creating the Curious Corporation, that a good organisation makes you ‘want to go to work on Monday morning, even if you had a terrific weekend’. The sector needs to hang onto its passion.
Vince Cable’s talk at the NCVO Annual Conference a couple of months ago reminded delegates that diminishing income and resources, coupled with rising need and a leap in the expectations of what the sector delivers, sums up its main challenges. History demonstrates that economic shocks often precede the creation of a new social, political and economic landscape (see this issue's news review).
So, there couldn’t be a better time to take a look at how charities can do things differently; this magazine has already covered practical measures such as cost reduction, joint working and reserves management. Nobody knows when the recession will end (despite the various predictions in circulation), but it is crucial that the sector retains its unique ability to inspire and heal in tough times. And that means keeping a smile on its face.
Author: Clarissa Dann
Clarissa Dann was the editor of Caritas as well as an HR and management online service,he People Bulletin until July 2011.
She is now the editor of the specialist trade finance magazine, Trade and Forfaiting Review which can be viewed at www.tfreview.com but does write on charity finance and investment from time to time.
Clarissa has a background in legal and professional publishing, as well as business journalism and holds an MBA from
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