A little idea that could make a big difference

Like most of my internet embracing, social media loving marketing and communications colleagues I am always trying to dream up new ways to make use of the internet as a communications channel.

My public relations background started at Comic Relief, a brilliant charity that uses humour, or at least the excuse to be a bit silly, to leverage immense good will and raise valuable funds for projects in the UK and Africa.

It occured to me this afternoon that for many in this massively competitive sector, a strong marketing and comms strategy can be the difference between a great campaign and one that fails to generate more than a few cursory ripples. And increasingly, a good internet strategy can be the difference between creating a buzz and getting lost in the ether.

I was wondering if anyone in this community would be interested in being part of a loose collective of marketing and communications professionals who may be able to offer their expertise free of charge to charities that don't have the odd £30,000 to £50,000 to spare on hiring a digital strategist or social media planner or whatever new meeja name we all go by these days. Charities in need of expertise could get in touch and we could offer our thoughts on a free consultancy basis.

If you are anything like me you probably have a fair amount on your plate already and wouldn't have the time to nip off to a brainstorm at the offices of a charity. But thanks to the joys of modern communication you probably wouldn't have to.

A charity wishing to get some free advice could simply pitch in with the details of their campaign and we could fire off a few suggestions, perhaps giving them some solid advice and putting them in touch with people who can help them achieve their aims.

Do get in touch if you think this could be something you'd like to get involved with. At this stage it's just an idea I'm chucking out there, but if there's enough interest we could take the idea a bit further and create a kind of 'ideas factory' for charities looking to try some new tricks in order to rake in the cash.

Do let me know if there is anything similar out there already and I will get in touch with them to stick my two penneth in!

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1. At 21 Feb 2008 13:16, Philip Sheldrake wrote:

Great idea Ben. Our UK office has just started doing some pro bono for a UK charity, but there's always time for a bit more less formally.

Do you envisage something like a PR equivalent of Expert Exchange where charities can ask questions or present their challenges and we can pile in with the comments / advice?

Count me in.
2. At 21 Feb 2008 19:50, Busy Body wrote:

Ben, thanks for this idea. I'll suggest to Lucy that it goes in tomorrow's end of week Roundup :-)
3. At 22 Feb 2008 08:55, Lucy Middleton wrote:

Great idea Ben... featured in today's Friday Roundup :-)

Let us know how we can help. Guess charity marketers can join MarCom Professional and post to a not-for-profit community here that we can track and feature to garner responses. Is this what you had in mind... or real world face-to-face stuff as well?
4. At 22 Feb 2008 21:27, Ben Ayers wrote:

Hi guys, thanks for the encouraging feedback. I think that getting more charities involved in this community is a good way forward...As for whether the discourse happens here or offline, it totally depends on what works best. I know that I would be keen to chip in wherever. Off on holiday but will return full of vim and vigour etc etc...!
5. At 25 Feb 2008 09:07, Alex Lacey wrote:

I'd be up for this Ben - sounds like an excellent idea, and apart from anything else, a great way to refresh a brain that's too dug in to hard-core Tech and needs a creative break!
6. At 3 Mar 2008 18:32, Philip Sheldrake wrote:

Well that's 1 ITV and 2 Racepoint Group. The rest will just have to be followers.

I'm away for a couple of weeks so why don't we get together end-March / early-April?
7. At 24 Apr 2008 10:35, Ben Ayers wrote:

I haven't forgotten about this...busy redesigning my blog, juggling a few balls, trying to sell a house (yep, it's a nightmare!) blah, blah...Will be back online soon! Thanks again for the enthusiastic response :)