Twelve years behind the curve
Photo by Mike Kotsch on Unsplash.
In 2008 we had the privilege of learning about the digital tactics of the Obama campaign. At the time, some of what they were doing seemed way ahead of where we were. There was new thinking and new practice that seemed fresh and exciting. Things that we thought would change the way the UK charity sector did digital.
The 2008 Obama campaign was notable for talking to people where they were, for learning from data, for journey-building and for its digital planning and execution. Especially relevant to us were the fascinating, effective ways in which campaigning was used to bring in leads for fundraising.
And all the knowledge and experience that came out of that campaign was freely and generously shared with us as a sector.
But 12 years have passed and we still haven't caught up. Why is that?
Where we are
People still talk about digital fundraising as if it's something new and novel. Data flows inside silos rather than between them. Organisation structures are still a better fit for a pre-2008 way of doing things. Audience-centered planning, journey-building and finding new ways of bringing people in (and keeping them) does happen, but it's still not the norm.
Digital is still seen as a nice-to-have rather than essential. Some charities would still rather spend budget on traditional channels and tactics than on digital essentials like the website or Google ads budget. In 2016, 46% of the total UK spend on marketing went to digital. In the charity sector this figure was just 5%. And technology is being managed in old ways – staff are achieving things despite internal technology not thanks to it.
Reasons why we haven't made more progress
Looking back to 2008, the people who had the information and the insight didn't have the power to change things or implement the good ideas.
Change is hard. Especially when it challenges culture, mindsets and organisational structures shaped over many years.
Investment in digital in the charity sector still lags behind the rest of the world, and there's been a general lack of leadership. Too few people have graduated from digital roles into senior, strategic roles. And many senior leaders aren’t sure how to identify opportunities and implications of digital change for their organisation.
The prevailing attitude is still that digital change is about tech. That newer, better, shinier tech will fix things. It won't.
Why now might be the right moment
But all hope is not lost. GDPR has sharpened the focus on how people's data is being used. In turn that's brought the user/supporter/audience into focus in most strategy decisions.
There is increasing evidence that digital fundraising can bring in the money.
While old-school fundraising was still bringing in the cash, there was no real impetus to take the leap of faith that's needed. But there's a burning platform now. When I asked one director of fundraising what made them take a leap of faith and invest in digital fundraising, they said: “I knew it could not get any worse.” Chugging is no longer delivering. The legacy-giving, direct debit generation is dying off.
People who've put real expertise and budget into digital fundraising (Prostate Cancer, Cats Protection League, Oxfam, Greenpeace UK, Save the Children) have seen good returns and are forging ahead.
Time to catch up
Digital leads in the charity sector gain wide, valuable experience of campaigning, policy, external relations, retail, news and fundraising. These multi-skilled people are a huge asset for the sector.
We have talent and capabilities. We’ve been learning from other relevant sectors over the past decade.
What we need now is leadership fit for the 21st century, to quickly catch up and promptly get ahead of the curve. This doesn’t require leaders who are proficient in using and understanding digital tech. We need leaders who understand the principles of digital culture, people who are familiar with prototyping, agile and user-centered design. We need a culture that respects expertise and puts power in the hands of the people who have the knowledge.
2008 was a long time ago. But it’s not too late to learn the lessons.
Further reading
Our fundraising model is broken, digital can fix it
