LEAD STORY
Why Campaigns Fail
by Douglas Spencer
There are any number of reasons why campaigns fail—from underfunding to bad timing. However, the biggest reason is often an insufficient messaging runway.
Before diving in, let’s clarify what a campaign means. For the purposes of this post, we’re thinking of campaigns as any extended effort intended to get a specific group of people to take an even more specific call-to-action (CTA). Some examples:
- A concerted effort to increase newsletter subscribers, social media followers, or event attendees.
- An end-of-year fundraising campaign for nonprofits or a sales push in the case of for-profits.
Purchases made on Instagram after one too many glasses of wine do not count. Or, so I've heard.
Regardless of what your organization does, it’s unlikely it is immune to having campaigns fail.
Branding Your Event
Two organizations recently came to us looking for help with their event branding. Many organizations put a theme to their events for no other reason than they’re supposed to. But why?
There are eight fundamental reasons why your events—whether those are conferences, fundraisers, team meetings, or customer events—need a specific theme or brand. The right one will:
- Frame your event’s content and the conversations people have about that content in consistent and memorable ways
- Keep the event focussed
- Attract those best suited to attend your event
- Help it stand out from other events your audience might want to attend…
MISSION DRIVERS
Social Impact Advisors Network
In this recurring feature of Focal Point, we profile people and organizations on a mission! If you have someone to suggest, let us know!
The Social Impact Advisor Network (SIAN) is a community of purpose-driven experts ready to help nonprofit or social impact organizations grow and thrive.
SIAN offers a partner directory for nonprofit and social impact organizations in need of professional advisors—be they experts in fundraising, law, accounting, marketing, investment, or IT. For those partners, SIAN offers monthly discussions with a broad cross-section of social impact leaders, investors, professionals, and philanthropists about today’s critical social issues.
For more information, visit socialimpactadvisornetwork.com.
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Well Said
“A weak foundation destroys the work.”
—Latin Proverb
Point us in the right direction?
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