Alberta Business Marketing

Together with my colleagues on the CMA Not-for-Profit Council, we've customized these FAQs for charities that clarify the rules governing the use of the National Do Not Call List Service (NDNCL) and other telemarketing regulations.

The key message is that as a registered charity, you do not need to use the National DNCL for your own telemarketing activities. However, you do need to maintain numbers on your own do not call list for a period of 3 years and 31 days from anyone requesting not to be called. Additionally, you still must comply with all other telemarketing regulations (see FAQs) and be aware of and comply with additional registration and regulations that each province may have.

While the regulatory framework may seem restrictive and maked it more challenging to raise money for important causes, the rules benefit both consumers and businesses. The telemarketing regulations are the best practices that a reputable agency or charity would want to follow any way. After all, these are your donors we are talking about. They deserve to be treated with these common sense courtesies.

By following the rules and best practices that help maintain a “clean” market place, our goal should be to improve telemarketing so that it is generally accepted as having a positive and helpful conversation with your donors.

P.J. VanAuken
Vice President of Client Services, Wyers Direct Communciations

Tags: Ethics / Legal, Not-for-Profit
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off

One of our clients, Lupus Canada, has found a way to raise both awareness and cash on Facebook.

They’ve accomplished this by partnering with Jergens Canada on a campaign called ‘SHED LIGHT ON LUPUS ‘. It’s an online campaign that saw Lupus Canada receive $1.00 for the first 5,000 people who became fans of Jergens Canada on Facebook and wrote “Shed Light on Lupus”.

This ongoing campaign is geared to drive people to the Jergens Canada Facebook page and from there includes a link to the Skintervention Campaign site where there is more detailed information about lupus, the campaign and where you’ll find the videos shot by the charity’s celebrity ambassadors Colin Mochrie and Debra McGrath. You can also follow along on Twitter@Skintervention.

Even though the funds raised are small (if you visit the site, you’ll see they’ve already received their 5,000 visitor goal), they have found a way to generate revenue and in addition, receive much needed public awareness for a charity that has a tough time competing in a space with much larger and more recognized health charities.

What about [other] examples of successful Facebook campaigns involving charities?

Angie Mackie

Tags: Not-for-Profit
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off

The importance of engagement.

I revently had the opportunity to participate in a retreat as a new board member of the MS Society of Canada.

The first day of the retreat included a session led by an expert facilitator (recipient of the Order of Canada) with expertise in volunteer engagement. Several of the topics which she discussed have direct relevance to corporate Canada and successful internal branding practices.

The session started with a discussion of the core values of engaged volunteers which included the attributes: helpful, committed, caring, motivated and team oriented. Indeed these are several of the key values which corporate Canada promotes to engage its employee base. However, the non-profit sector does have an advantage in that their employees and volunteers also possess a passion for their cause.

Non-profits acknowledge that volunteers are the glue of their organization. Their focus is not about how to manage volunteers but how to engage volunteers. If only corporations could take more of this type of focus with their employees. Imagine if employees were passionate and engaged in their work and treated more as a customer and less like human capital; a resource to be managed and measured.

With a re-newed emphasis on Employer of Choice status, several corporations appear to be moving in this direction. Or are they?

Patricia McQuillan

Tags: Not-for-Profit
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off

Recently, Cornerstone concluded a study of our Fundraising Clients’ 2009 mailing activity versus 2008. Results from early in the year showed a significant decline in mailing levels – particularly in the area of new donor acquisition. Overall, our clients mailed 12% fewer solicitations in 2009 than in the previous year, including both prospect and house file mailings. Although mailing levels increased to previous levels for existing donors by the end of the year, prospect mailings continued to be significantly reduced.

So what will be the impact of that decline in volume? The good news is that response rates and revenue per donor increased in 2009 for both prospect and house file mailings, indicating that fundraisers have a stable base of high quality current and future donors. However, those fundraisers who severely curtailed their prospecting activity in 2009 will be in a weaker position in 2010 due to smaller growth in their house files – which represents the most lucrative source of ongoing donation revenue available.

Moving in to 2010, we recommend that Fundraising Clients start prospecting more aggressively again to make up for this shortfall. Results from 2009 demonstrated that Canadians are clearly willing to give and smart fundraisers will want to benefit from their generosity.

For Cornerstone’s complete 2009 Direct Mail Performance Analysis, click here.

By Kamy Zarbafi, Vice President, Publishing Services/Fundraising Services, Cornerstone Fundraising Services and Chair of CMA’s Not-For-Profit Council

Tags: Not-for-Profit
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off

That’s the question on every fundraiser’s mind right now. So what impact has the global recession had on direct mail fundraising in 2009? Recently, we undertook a study of our Client’s 1st quarter acquisition and retention activity to find out and there were some interesting results.

The first significant finding was that our Clients reduced their efforts to acquire new donors via direct mail during the 1st quarter of 2009. Total outbound solicitations dropped 42%, while responses and donation revenue dropped at an even greater rate of 73% and 60% correspondingly. One bright note however – those prospects who did respond donated more on average. While the reduction in new donor acquisition likely saved fundraisers money in 2009, it could have a significant impact on their ability to fundraise in 2010 and beyond.

Surprisingly, there were 13% fewer solicitations to house files in the 1st quarter of 2009 versus 2008. Those donors that responded contributed more than in previous years. The average gift climbed by almost 3%, resulting in an increase in the gross revenue per mail piece. However, as with prospects, existing donors responded less frequently than in previous years – although the decline in response was no where near as severe as with prospects.

So what can we take away from these results? There seems to be no question that fundraisers were cutting campaigns in early 2009 as a result of the recession. However, given the results from the mailings that did occur, it’s unclear whether that strategy was the right one. In the case of house mailings, response rates stayed relatively consistent with the previous year while average gift increased indicating that those fundraisers who cut back on their house programs left money on the table. In the case of prospect mailings, results were down. However, those fundraisers who did prospect will be in a much better position to take advantage when the recession ends as they’ve added to their house file. So while it appears that Canadians are giving less in 2009, those organizations who continue to fundraise will stand to benefit during a recovery when Canadians begin to open their wallets again.

Authored by Kamy Zarbafi, Vice President Publishing Services/Fundraising Services at
Cornerstone Fundraising

Tags: Not-for-Profit
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off