Tuesday, January 30, 2018

How do you get above the crowd noise of charities?

Have you ever been to a stadium with screaming fans, a packed restaurant where you can barely hear or a concert with extremely loud music?  I’m sure you have.  You can’t even hear yourself talk and definitely can’t hear the person next to you. 

Well, what do you think is going on in the charity world?  Now imagine this – can you imagine being at a stadium filled to the top with standing room only and even people in the parking lot, the hallways etc. and all of them add up to 104 million people in one place.  Can you imagine that.  Now add this in – all of them are screaming at the top of the lungs – their screaming would drown out all the other screams until its an unrecognizable roar.  Now, add this, there is some Rockstar standing on the field, surrounded by millions of people and everyone is trying to get his or her attention, it would be impossible to pick out one voice.  But what does that have to do with fundraising?

These are the current statistics of the “Crowd Count” or how many charities there currently are in the United States:

Current registered U.S. Non Profits:    104 Million
Many charities have chapters:              50 Million chapters (*sub charities)
Benefit Fundraising Events:                 50 Million (**non charities)

Total rounded evenly:  200 Million charities – This ladies and gentlemen is your competition.

(* Sub charity means an entity raising money separately to give to the mother charity – NAACP, Ducks Unlimited, Chamber of Commerce etc.)

( ** Benefit Events are events held for a cause such as someone is sick and family and friends are raising money to pay hospital expenses, a house burns down, a storm hits and cause damages)

If there were 10 people involved in each charity, there would be:
2,000,000,000 = 2 Billion people

With all of these charities screaming to potential donors while other charities use their donor money to produce TV Commercials, Ads, in store donation drives etc., how in the world do you get your charity even noticed “Above the Crowd Noise”?

How to get heard above the Crowd Noise

With 200 million charities fighting to get potential donors or supporters attention, many of which are the same fighting to get the same dollar – how do you get noticed?
This is a very real life story and a charity client of ours asked.  So here is the answer whether you like it or not.

The reality of it is this.  People have become “numb” to being asked to donate or hearing this charity and that charity.  So now, they drown them out.  Every single person has their “Pet Charity” or the one they like and support and then they don’t care about the others no matter how hard you try to get their attention.  They just don’t care.

The Solution

About 50% of our clients listen to us in regard to this approach and the other half, well they don’t and their event fails because simply put – they put themselves back in the crowd noise. 

You have to accept the fact that there are other charities out there that are exactly like yours, your forcing people to pick.

So how do you get heard above the crowd noise?  You don’t get in the crowd!!!  You take a completely different approach and here it is.

What do we all have in common?  We all like to eat, well we have to, but we all like to eat, drink and have a great time with our family and friends.  We all like to go to nice places and either win stuff or just relax and have fun. 

When you are advertising or talking about your “Fundraiser”….you DO NOT refer to it as a “Fundraiser.”   When you are posting information about on the Social Networks, you DO NOT talk about your charity!!!  Now I understand that you absolutely love your charity and you do have your supporters, but the goal here is to attract NEW supporters and guests right?

In order to get above the crowd noise, you come at them from the angle of this incredible event with awesome food at a fantastic place, with great items to win, how fun its’ going to be, the live and silent auction and raffles if you plan to do them.  You take that approach.  Everyone loves a great party right?  Well, tell them about this great party you are having…not the charity.

You may disagree but the events we plan, manage and host that our clients do exactly what we tell them routinely have over 500 people there.  It’s all about building excitement, building “Hype.”

You have to use a very descriptive “WOW Factor” description when talking about your event in order to gain their attention.  Furthermore, you need to post and repost and repost over and over again.  Albert Einstein proved that people need to see something seven (7) times before they react.

Be excited, give them the WOW factor and not “It’s going to be great, good food, drinks etc.  Wanna buy a ticket?”

Follow my advise and watch what happens…success!!!


BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising would love to help you plan, manage and host your next event and give it the “WOW Factor” it deserves.  Contact us at www.BWUnlimited.com.

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