Online Consultancy | Online Marketing | Services for Charities

Services for Charities

Having worked in the charity sector both as a freelance consultant and Director of a small charity I have an acute awareness of the particular challenges facing the sector. I have consultancy experience with five charities and an additional four years in the public sector as a business analyst / web consultant.

I offer a wide range of services to charities at discounted rates that include online strategy development, online marketing, online fundraising and Content Management Systems that enable charities to manage their own websites.

Online Strategy Development

Charities go online for a number of reasons. In a highly competitive market for funding an online presence is expected and, with changing patterns of giving, without an effective website you are missing out on an important channel for fundraising. A good website is key to both generating new relationships with potential donors and the stewardship of existing supporters. Taking full advantage of the medium can enable you to develop powerful and engaging messages for both fundraising and advocacy. Depending on the charitable objects of an organisation, having an online presence can also contribute to service delivery, improve the overall quality of service and add both efficiency and economy.

As with other organisations, strategy development for a charity can be vision led or in response to a particular opportunity or business need. Charities operate in a unique environment and so it is important that the challenges and requirements of the sector are taken into account in developing online strategy.

Online Fundraising

Online fundraising consists of a series of interconnected strategies that are designed to build awareness of what you do and to sufficiently engage your audience so that they take action. Strategies to promote your message to a wider audience include online marketing and integrating your online and offline activities. Newer tactics include social networking and cause related marketing.

Once people actually reach your site a well thought out site structure and engaging and up to date content are important to develop interest and encourage people to take action. Online fundraising is not just about encouraging people to make donations online, it is also about the development of potential donors and the management of existing supporters. For example, getting people to sign up via your website for a newsletter enables you to build up a relationship with a potential donor over time. Similarly, relevant and up to date online activity can keep existing supporters informed and limit attrition rates.

A payment gateway is necessary to actually take donations online. In choosing a donation service it's important that it is easy to use and that it can capture additional information such as whether donations include Gift Aid or whether the donor wishes to receive updates from the charity. Additional factors to consider include costs, flexibility of the service, reporting facility and customisation available. Organisations differ in their requirements and so certain services maybe more suited to a particular charity and less so to another.

Contact

For further information please email me at info@chrisanders.co.uk

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