Like every other sort of transaction, charitable giving is being revolutionized in the digital realm. With platforms like Giving Digitized, it’s easier than ever for individuals to donate to local causes they care about.
But the other end of the transaction may be harder to manage. How do you fully engage stakeholders in your project? Do you even need to? Why not just deliver a final report after your campaign has run its course?
In 2021, supply drives such as those for school equipment or clothing in deprived communities, natural disaster relief and more, are no longer “hit and hope” strategies. When stakeholders are engaged in the process, it tends to be better organized and the chances of success are hugely increased.
4 Ways to Improve Stakeholder Engagement
1: Agree Your Goals and Outcomes
These must be concrete, measurable, and agreed by all parties. This builds ownership and accountability and locks in the campaign as something that everyone wants to succeed.
The SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) rubric for goal setting applies very well to charitable drives. Put a little work into defining very precisely what you’d like to achieve, and your campaign stands a better chance of catching everyone’s imagination.
2: Use Measurable Metrics
It’s about more than just a single target. If you want to see how your in-kind or fundraising campaign is progressing, it’s hugely beneficial to apply the same attention to detail you would for a product marketing campaign. You want to track your campaign’s progress, identify mistakes as they are made and implement a change in direction when necessary.
Giving Digitized has built a platform to deliver such metrics, putting you on top of your in-kind drives, and delivering ongoing feedback to your stakeholders.
3: Solicit Feedback – and use it!
Ask your stakeholders how they think your charitable drive is going, and when they feedback with constructive criticism, implement change, and let them know how helpful they have been. We all find it flattering when we’re solicited for our opinions, but it can be frustrating when the valid points we’ve made are roundly ignored, or if we hear nothing at all thereafter.
Transparency is therefore key – keep the lines of communication flowing throughout the campaign. Let stakeholders know when you hit important milestones or implement the changes they have recommended.
4: Ensure Engagement Before you Commit
Finally, and it may seem a little obvious, but the points subtler than it might seem, make sure your stakeholders really are fully on board before you hit “go”. It’s easy for busy executives or harassed administrators to pay lip service to a charitable idea, without fully knowing what it entails.
Make sure stakeholders of all kinds know about any disruption to normal business the drive will necessitate (staff time, physical drop-off points) before everyone commits.
The Take-Away
If you take the above four points on board, you’ll builds far better stakeholder engagement for your charitable campaign, which in turn will improve its chances of success.
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