Tag: nonprofit

No-Show Events A Bow to Busy Culture

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I recently received an invitation from an area non-profit organization that really caught my eye. It was for a ‘No-Show Gala.”

I was cordially invited “NOT to attend.”

“No need to hire a sitter. No meed to buy a new outfit. No need to remember how to tie a black tie. We’ve got NOTHING planned!” So went the hilarious copy.

Then, of course, came the response card.

“Don’t go out. Send it in.”

I loved it, partly because of the creativity. But also because it seemed to acknowledge a feeling that I have and suspect is not unique–I’m busy, I’m overwhelmed with invitations and requests to get involved and sponsor and support and attend.

In fact, a simple Google search on “no-show gala” yielded quite a few images of similar invitations. This is now what the young people call “a thing.”

As a  PR professional and professor, I know of the value and purpose of events. But my skeptical side often says, what a lot of hullabaloo when you’re really just asking for a donation. This latest direct mailer cut to the chase and I felt it was refreshing.

But it also is a cautionary tale. If people are so overwhelmed then it gets more and more challenging for PR pros to break through and not just get attention, but foster relationship and earn involvement and support.

So while this invitation I received acknowledges that society is busy, it also caves in to making the appeal a simple fiduciary relationship. And we all lose something there, something simple yet big. We lose a sense of meaning and human bonding. We lose the essence of PR–relationship.

My advice to non-profits and businesses and political candidates and others is to stop thinking of events as mass appeal and think of them as intimate opportunities. Also, stop thinking of events in terms of an occasion to make the case for a cause and use them as a venue to celebrate achieving it. Have interesting speakers, positive messages about what has been done. Make it feel-good, not fill-the-bucket.

People might then send it in later with greater feeling of connection, and possibly therefore in larger amounts. If you tell them “don’t go out” too many times they may just go away.

Considering the Optics of Your Nonprofit PR Person

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Some time ago a local nonprofit executive asked me an interesting question. They lead an organization that advocates for a particular type of medical condition, not unlike the many specific disease-affiliated associations and nonprofits that are out there.

The question was this: they were hiring a marketing director (don’t get me started on why the position is called marketing vs PR–a subject for another blog post) and wondered if I know anyone who is actually affected by the medical situation for which this particular nonprofit raises awareness and support.

I can see the logical basis for this question. It is easier and more genuine for a person to advocate for a cause in which that person clearly has a stake. But I also had a bit of a negative reaction. Does, say, the Lung Association spokesperson need to have lung disease? (The organization in question had nothing to do with the Lung Association).

Certainly, if it works out that way, fine. But I would think any organization would want to hire someone with the best communication skills, someone who knows how to advocate regardless of their personal situation. Also, someone promoting a health related cause who is not themselves affected by a particular disease can have another compelling effect on those who hear the message. If someone who has cancer is encouraging donations for cancer  research, that would seem logical. But if someone who does NOT have cancer is making the case, it makes the issue seem mainstream.

I may be wrong here, but I also think the instinct  to have a “patient” be the PR focus can border on exploitation. The public may not know why the person was hired, or if non-patients were considered for the job. But I wonder about the culture of the organization, resulting communication strategies, and the eventual employee’s sense of confidence and respect if they were given preference  because of their medical condition. I hear all the time from personal acquaintances that they do NOT want their disease to define them.

As always, let me know what you think about the issue by leaving a comment.

From the Journals: Ad Avoidance, User-Generated Content, Nonprofit Twitter Use

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Continuing my periodic review of academic journal articles for public relations students and professionals who read my blog, I found three articles in recently published journals that I think will be of interest. Here are citations and key finding summaries:
Lovejoy, K; Waters, RD; Saxton, GD. “Engaging stakeholders through Twitter: How nonprofit organizations are getting more out of 140 characters or less.” Public Relations Review , 38 (2):313-318; JUN 1 2012
A review of 4655 tweets from 73 nonprofit organizations showed that the nation’s largest nonprofits are not using Twitter to fully engage stakeholders. Instead, they use social media mostly as a one-way communication channel.  Less than 20% of total tweets demonstrate conversations;  only 16% demonstrate indirect connections to specific users.
Baek, TH; Morimoto, M. “STAY AWAY FROM ME Examining the Determinants of Consumer Avoidance of Personalized Advertising” Journal Of Advertising , 41 (1):59-76; SPR 1 2012
People concerned about privacy or simply irritated by ads in personal media are more likely to avoid ads altogether. But, if they perceive the ads have been personalized to their needs and interest consumers are less likely to avoid ads. In other words, it’s not the channel of mobile or social media, but the ad content itself that makes a campaign successful or not.
Christodoulides, G; Jevons, C; Bonhomme, J. “Memo to Marketers: Quantitative Evidence for Change How User-Generated Content Really Affects Brands” Journal Of Advertising Research, 52 (1):53-64; MAR 1 2012
The findings indicate that when consumers perceive they are co-creating brand content, part of its community, and have a positive self-concept they are more likely to be involved in user-generated content (UGC.) This in turn positively affects consumer-based brand equity. They key is building deeper relationships between consumers and brands in the age of social media.

The ‘PR in Practice’ Project–Nonprofit PR

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I am on sabbatical this fall to work on an instructional DVD for use in my “Fundamentals of PR” course. I am interviewing public relations practitioners in a variety of settings to show students that PR is a broad field, practiced in a variety of contexts. Hence the name of the DVD: “PR in Practice.”

As I complete sections of the DVD, I will be posting them to YouTube, with links and embeds on this blog. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel (penningink) or at any time click on the YouTube button at right. Alerts will also go out via Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
First up is Keri Larsen (now Kujala–got married after filming). A GVSU alumna, she works at St. Mary’s Hospital and its fundraising arm, the Doran Foundation. Her title is Coordinator of Special Events and Donor Relations. Her job has her doing lots of different types of PR work, but the emphasis on events makes her a popular target for PR students who want to do internships with her.