CharityComms 2020

CharityComms 2020 ideas, inspiration and innovation for the next 10 years in charity communications a joint initiative from Bright and

foreword We’re only six months in to a new decade, but already we are seeing the charity landscape and the way we communicate changing dramatically. Social media tools are being adopted across all shapes and sizes of organisations, with charities often leading innovation in these areas ahead of the private sector. Meanwhile, changes in the political, economic and environmental climates, combined with increasing pressures on funding and resources, mean that you need to be thinking years ahead to make sure that your charity is equipped to deal with whatever is coming down the road. We’ve asked key figures in the charity communications field to write down the five trends they see as the most significant in the coming decade. These points are accompanied by an image that reflects their vision, giving you a snapshot of what each contributor thinks lies ahead. We hope that these ideas, inspiration and insights help your organisation communicate effectively over the next 10 years. Both Bright One and CharityComms will be with you along the way. Enjoy! Vicky Browning Director, CharityComms Ben Matthews Founder, Bright One

contributors
Stuart Witts, Marie Curie Cancer Care
Rob Dyson, Whizz-Kidz
Susan Farrington, MS Society
Jonathan Waddingham, Just Giving
Steve Bridger, Builder of Bridges
Vicky Browning, CharityComms
John Carnell, Bullying UK
Gail Scott-Spicer, The Scout Association
Ben Matthews, Bright One
Sue Fidler, Sue Fidler Ltd and CharityeMail
Gideon Burrows, ngo media
Adeela Warley, Friends of the Earth
Lynda Thomas, Macmillan Cancer Support
Zoe Amar, Lasa
Julia Cream, Timebank
Jaz Cummins, Amnesty International UK
Amy Sample Ward, AmySampleWard.org
Rachel Beer, beautiful world
Victoria Rae, UNICEF
Jude Habib, Sound Delivery
Joe Saxton, nfpSynergy

CHaRiTY Collaboration: Charities increasingly working together to pool ideas and resources. Honesty: Celebrating the wins and discussing, not hiding, the failures. Recklesness: Removing fear of new and untested ideas. Fail fast and fail often. Transparency: Allowing supporters to share in and suggest how their money is being spent. Yackety-Yak: More. Much more. Much, much more talk with, around and about supporters. Stuart Witts Social Media Evangelist Marie Curie Cancer Care www.mariecurie.org.uk @stuartwitts

Major national charities as we know them will not exist in the same form – the democratisation of brand, the crowdsourcing of effort, and devolution to the micro-local, will negate the need for 20 th century models of ‘charity’. The internet will be radically different – we will have amorphous and ubiquitous media that will make today’s “social media” look like Pong. Charities will harness microvolunteering, as it is now, seamlessly – and the Big Society (but not as the Coalition quite envisage it) will be interwoven into the fabric of our lives. A wave of scalps. There will be real tests - and fallout - for reputation managers and communicators, as charities and NGOs’ expenses and administration costs are wrung through the media - akin to MPs in the UK. There will be savage accountability and Government will step into the Charities Commission’s territory to enforce stricter transparency and communication. Co-production will finally be widely understood and adopted. Where we have seen pockets of user-led participation in the third sector, it will be viewed as primitive in the future to not have service-users involved in every stage of conception, planning, comms, and delivery. This will affect communications and marketing that relies on expressing ‘pity’ and paternalism today. As a product of both heightened transparency and co-production, charities will use the cloud increasingly and service provision will be delivered with even less requirement for bricks and mortar buildings. Fundraising will be largely crowdsourced, with less ‘ownership’ from grant-providers and major donors. Rob Dyson PR and Social Media Manager Whizz-Kidz @robmdyson www.whizz-kidz.org.uk

Developing conversations rather than simply delivering messages: The way in which we communicate will be very important. We will need to engage in conversations rather than simply pushing out information. It will be about building relationships with the consumer rather than bombarding them with messages. The ability to tell management what key stakeholders expect and demand will be just as critical as the ability to tell stakeholders what management wants them to know.
Greater focus on Active Listening: The need to be actively listening all of the time to our users, influencers and communities of people that impact on our business, will be essential in developing our marketing intelligence. Be this via blogs, message boards, wikis, directories, multi-media and social media
Recognising the importance of ‘citizen marketing’: Users and supporters will play an increasingly important role as brand champions, with the ability to build or break reputations
Need for improved metrics: There will be the need to develop superior metrics, ones that will measure the strength of the relationships that are created rather than those which solely emphasis reach & frequency.
The changing role of PR: Public Relations will have an increasing role to play in brand strategy and marketing, as the need for credibility with stakeholders’ increases. At the same time the division of responsibility for stakeholder engagement between separate functions – PR, brand management and marketing, will be become increasingly blurred.
Susan Farrington Director of Information & Education MS Society www.mssociety.org.uk

Distribution: You’ll have to use multiple channels to reach your audience, and make sure your comms are integrated
Targeting: The more people share online and with you, the better you should be able to target them with timely, relevant and interesting information
Mobile: As the proliferation of smartphones increases, making sure your content is optimised for mobile will be key
Impact: With even more competition for attention, how will you cut through the noise and get through to people?
Portability: As social networks become more entwined with the web in general, your content needs to be portable and able to be syndicated to any site or platform
Jonathan Waddingham Charity Champion, Just Giving @jon_bedford www.justgiving.com

The term ‘social media’ will sound just as dated as ‘information superhighway’ does today
Fragmentary movements of citizens - some global, some local - will mobilise around single-issues, seeking alliances with social change organisations, which they believe can help bring the change they want
In the web of ‘flow’, charities will catch people ‘in motion’ - when they are ‘goal orientated’ - and will give them the tools to reproduce messages through their own networks
Websites will become much slimmer, with the focus switching to curation, aggregation... and amplifying the 000’s of ‘small actions’ of others
Smart organisations will evolve their workforce for a networked economy and will trust a passionate community of employees to build relationships online using different platforms for different objectives
Steve Bridger Builder of Bridges stevebridger.com @stevebridger

We will create a stronger sense of community between charity comms professionals
There will be a greater recognition of the value of communications in the organisational mix
Comms will increasingly become a two-way dialogue, not just pushing information but engaging in social interactions
We will worry less about managing our brands and think more about connecting people to them using shared experiences
Technology will generate more new methods of communicating that will challenge comms professionals: the canny ones will make strategy drive their use of technology, not the other way round
Vicky Browning Director CharityComms www.charitycomms.org.uk

[ shared experiences ]

Mobile web explodes
Semantic web
Charities make their data open
Social media is the default media
Open collaboration at all levels from CEO to volunteers and stakeholders
John Carnell Founder & CEO Bullying UK www.bullying.co.uk

Personalisation/segmentation - charity communications will become much more personalised, away from mass and to the segment, if not the individual
Communicating mergers - mergers and other collaborations will become more regular and public, risk of public discomfort with costs of rebranding and confusion from name/mission changes
Transparency/impact - transparency will be required of charities as much as of MPs and banks, and impact requirements by funders and the general public will become more demanding and onerous
CRM embedding - the principles of CRM will be come more widely understood and accepted across the sector, beyond the large charities
Polarisation - communications will become more polarised, from charities with budgets and Board support for above the line activities, to those without this resource
Gail Scott-Spicer Director of Marketing and Communications The Scout Association www.scouts.org.uk

Superstar philanthropists emerge – serial social entrepreneurs carry a weight that exceeds that of individual organisations, e.g. Bill & Melinda Gates, Muhammad Yunus, etc
Actions become worth more than donations – support for your cause has a bigger impact than the donations towards it. Think small acts accumulating to create big change
Communicating efficiency is central as charities become more transparent – demand for openness and transparency from supporters means charities will discuss how they are spending funds where it matters most
Data visualisation becomes a core comms component – communicating the complexity of where support goes and impact created is more engaging when communicated through diagrams rather than lengthy text
‘ Real Life’ face-to-face contact still matters more than online communication – engagement only goes so far online and must be integrated with offline events for the greatest effect
Ben Matthews Founder Bright One @benrmatthews www.brightone.org.uk

[ contribute and comment ]

“ E" will become more central to the way charities communicate with supporters and donors as the internet generation becomes the core supporter base. From web and email to social networking and SMS - whatever the new inventions are, this will become the core communications mechanism
We will see this developing use of "e" cascade down through the sector from those very few at the top of the tree who are already moving in that direction to the smaller/local charities as supporter demand for "e" communications increases
Charities will increasingly offer more interactive sites and portals, inviting the public to contribute and comment on their content and charitable activity
Charities will need to become increasingly transparent as supporters demand more information about their spending and activity - requiring both more detail and more timely information via the web. It will be interesting to see whether the very charitable work of an organisation will be affected by the comments, responses and even donation options of the supporter base
Charities, and therefore their technology suppliers, must crack the issue of supporter "self management", integrating web, communications, donations, fundraising activities and campaigning actions with backend databases. If the sector does not at least try to keep up with the leading edge of personalisation as seen in amazon.com, ebay and the like our customer service will fall below what the public finds acceptable
Sue Fidler Sue Fidler Ltd and CharityeMail www.charityemail.co.uk @SueFidler

Charities will need to find new ways of delivering their news directly to users. Print media will wither further. Newspaper websites will almost definitely start charging which could mean a whole new generation of independent news websites for charities for charities to target
Online video is going to become more and more common – meaning boundaries between web and TV will blur further. This could open up a whole new supporter base for charities
Charities will have to find a way of managing their brand in the social media world. Social media works both ways. People expect interaction – supporters want to offer criticism, and demand results instantly. Charities which engage with social media have to be open to having a genuine conversation with supporters
For the best charities, the content of communications will become even more important. Charities still need great words, however they intend to deliver them. The challenge will be to avoid becoming too preoccupied with how to deliver messages (Twitter or Facebook? e.newsletters or online videos?) at the expense of what charities want and need to say. We still need to hone our key messages, keep them striking, simple and to the point
Charity communicators will need to think creatively about how to engage the 'the digital dispossessed' – people who can't afford, or choose not to have smartphones, digital cameras or an internet connection, who may feel increasingly left out of the communications loop. Charities who are thinking about making communication materials download only must remember that this automatically alienates older, poorer, less tech-savvy people who don't own a computer – possibly their own service users
Gideon Burrows Editor, ngo media www.ngomedia.org.uk

Adeela Warley Head of Communications Friends of the Earth www.foe.co.uk
The growth of digital media will force charities to create a consistent brand experience across multiple channels
The rise of social media will demand more inspiring and personal appeals for action
Supporters will expect an interactive dialogue with organisations - they will want to know they are being heard as well as responding to our asks
Organisations will need to respond to news instantly, using all appropriate channels
People will come together - more and more people will realise that the only way to drive positive change is for us to all act together

[ quality of content ]

Consumers will demand more from the brands that they engage with. Customer management will become everything and user experience will take over from quality of content in a world where consumers will simply move away from brands who don't live up to their expectations or deliver information in the way they want it
The way in which we communicate with consumers has changed - we've moved from broadcasting to listening, and now it's all about conversations with real people. This presents a whole new challenge, both risky and exciting, to balance managing the corporate line with the increasing need to keep things real and personal. This shift gives us a great opportunity to speak on behalf of our constituent audiences, but equally with a greater expectation placed on us by our customers than ever before
There will be greater creative expression from consumers as they are increasingly given more and more tools (ipad etc) to create both verbal and non-verbal communication about brands and charities. User generated content will grow and grow
Charities will need to increasingly offer ‘experiences’ rather than causes - for example, emulating the Vodafone donate yourself activity - giving people the opportunity to do more to change the world in a personalised way
The dominance of the digital era will continue and evolve in ways that we probably haven't even thought of yet. (Editors of both The Guardian and The Times have said that their current printing press is the last printing press their papers would buy)
Lynda Thomas Director of External Affairs Macmillan Cancer Support www.macmillan.org.uk.

Tighter budgets: They’re an opportunity to think about what really creates value - and where to cut waste
Results: Keep demonstrating exactly how your work is making a difference to your organisation’s bottom line and brand
Involvement: With donations and funding set to decline, you’ll have to get creative about other ways to keep these stakeholders engaged
Brand: More than ever you’ll need to differentiate your organisation’s vision and offering. There are many ways to do this inexpensively
Mobile: As use of landlines decline mobiles are set to grow as a research channel - what are the opportunities for you?
Zoe Amar Marketing and Business Development Manager Lasa www.lasa.org.uk @zoeamar

Go retro – pick up the phone, talk face to face
Let go – give up trying to control communications
Be transparent – open up how you work and the way you do things. This will become as important as your key messages
Get up close and personal – direct and personal relationships will be king as websites seem less and less important
Sustainability – it’s not going away!
Julia Cream Head of Communications Timebank www.timebank.org.uk

[ people to people ]

Feeling part of it – There will be an ever growing audience of maturing digital users who happily give their name / face / status / time / voice etc to causes, moments and movements they enjoy feeling part of
Slacktivism / Convenient charity – On the flipside to ‘Feeling part of it’, short attention spans, digital-campaign-fatigue and easy-click causes will result in often transient, shallower contributions from fluid, fickle audiences
Conspicuous digital giving - Desire to be seen as socially minded and balance indulgent 'me me me' culture, by using online persona to associate publicly with cause/s
Accountability & coalition - Demanded by the public to justify the scale and spend by big players, and seen as a smart move to boost strength of voice and efficiency
Glocalisation – Digital allowing real time contact with beneficiaries across the globe, making them feel like neighbours. Seeking of local beneficiaries, or volunteering of (especially professional) skills to nearby causes. A desire to give a unique gift, have a real connection
Jaz Cummins Web and New Media Manager Amnesty International www.amnesty.org.uk @jazcummins

Co-creation - of services, programs, campaigns
Flatter processes - less hierarchy in organisations, fewer steps in finding information and services
Portability - moving to the cloud; conversations and content moves seamlessly across platforms
Privacy and ownership - creative commons and other licensing can't support all the rules and options we'll need for the content we're creating and wanting to own
Personalisation - the more we create and the more we share, the more we expect to shape how we receive and browse
Amy Sample Ward www.amysampleward.org @amyrsward

The rise of the ‘autonomous supporter’: Charities will need to meet their needs better
Increase in supporter-generated initiatives: Individual fundraisers will develop their own ideas
Increase in networked fundraising (people to people): Charities must facilitate this and support this
Increasing income generation from micro-donations: Opening up new supporter audiences and the possibility to generate more sustainable income from more donors
Continued diversification of digital media channels: Charities must keep ahead and reach out via the channels supporters and stakeholders use
Rachel Beer Founding Partner beautiful world www.hellobeautifulworld.com @rachelbeer

[ closer connections ]

Of course it will be all about technology but it must also be about people. How can we (the inventors and users of technology) use the digital age to improve lives?
Technology means the world is getting smaller and closer. We expect instant access to information and everyone is a communicator
Information is real, raw, unpackaged and authentic
Conversely, closer connections may make global problems seem bigger. From wherever we are at any time, we will see and hear (and who knows maybe smell, taste and touch?) real lives of other human beings in real time
In 2020, it must be unacceptable to see a child scavenging on a rubbish dump and not in school. This photo galvanises me – we need to see the child not just the problem. This is wrong. We must and can put it right – www.unicef.org.uk/putitright
Victoria Rae Head of Communications UNICEF www.unicef.org.uk

Traditional, Social and Digital Media Platforms will continue to change at a rapid pace but good old fashioned STORYTELLING will remain at the heart of our communications. What will be key is WHO will be telling those stories and HOW they will be telling them
User-Led Storytelling: Our beneficiaries/users are becoming content creators telling their stories in their own words - becoming powerful communication tools in their own right
Supporter-Led Storytelling: Providing supporters with the tools to campaign and communicate on the charity's behalf delivering much more diverse results which are effective and emotive. Your supporters are often your best advocates, let them spread your message and further your cause in their own way
Staff-led Storytelling: Your best assets are the staff that work for you - give your entire team the tools to tell their stories - not just the communications department
Donor-Led Storytelling: Why do people give and continue to give? In a competitive charitable market place our donors will be given a voice to recruit others
Jude Habib Sound Delivery www.sounddelivery.org.uk @sounddelivery

A move to see communications work, including social marketing, campaigning and lobbying, as a cost-effective way of delivering an organisation's mission particularly set alongside traditional service delivery methods
Better integration of all key messages and brand image so that fundraisers, media teams, policy wonks and the whole gamut of communications all reflect the same core values and strategy for the organisation
Online and social media are dovetailed with other media and communications routes and not set apart from them or seen as the 'silver bullet' for changing communications overall
The importance of training, best practices and increasing professionalism will lead to improved emphasis on CPD and recognised professional qualifications, led by CharityComms of course
A recognition that the mainstream and online media fail to do justice to charities and non-profits by pigeon-holing them as saints or sinners. The current lack of a 'charities' correspondent, programme or web page in the BBC is but the most glaring omission in this respite
Joe Saxton Driver of Ideas nfpSynergy www.nfpsynergy.net

Join the conversation! What trends in charity communication do you see taking place over the next 10 years? How will some of the ideas described here affect your charity? Email your 5 trends and an accompanying image to ben@brightone.org.uk Or tweet your thoughts using the Twitter hashtag: #cc2020

Photo Credits
We have given all credit for images used in this presentation where possible. If a photo has been used that you own the rights for and you have not been credited properly, please contact us immediately.
Stuart Wiits | image by clickflashphotos | http://www.flickr.com/photos/clickflashphotos/2824142858
Rob Dyson | image by Lightmash | http://www.flickr.com/photos/lightmash/2393645062
Susan Farrington | image by ky_olsen | http://www.flickr.com/photos/ky_olsen/3133347219
Jonathan Waddingham | istockphoto | http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=download&id=115271
Steve Bridger | image by russelldavies | http://www.flickr.com/photos/russelldavies/375434178
Vicky Browning | image by uncultured | http://www.flickr.com/photos/uncultured/4252355555
John Carnell | image by carsten_tb | http://www.flickr.com/photos/carsten_tb/3372904703
Gail Scott-Spicer | image by brieuc | http://www.flickr.com/photos/brieuc/4225881624
Ben Matthews | image by stefanvds | http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanvds/3245687480
Sue Fidler | image by takomabibelot | http://www.flickr.com/photos/takomabibelot/4137481704
Gideon Barrows | image by juehuayin | http://www.flickr.com/photos/juehuayin/4556617846
Adeela Warley | organisation’s own
Lynda Thomas | istockphoto | http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=000004802507
Zoe Amar | istockphoto
Julia Cream | image by macinate | http://www.flickr.com/photos/macinate/2103215276
Jaz Cummins | image by sully_aka_wstera2 | http://www.flickr.com/photos/sully_aka__wstera2/3256633723
Amy Sample Ward | image by ikkoskinen | http://www.flickr.com/photos/ikkoskinen/309990286
Rachel Beer | organisation’s own
Victoria Rae | organisation’s own
Jude Habib | image by dalobee | http://www.flickr.com/photos/dalobeee/3182532650
Joe Saxton | image by certified_su | http://www.flickr.com/photos/certified_su/229016531

This work is licensed under a
Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
This work and its contents are licensed under a Creative Commons Licence.
The copyright statement we require you to include when you use our material is:
© Copyright 2010 Ben Matthews / brightone.org.uk & Vicky Browning / charitycomms.org.uk
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Under the following conditions:
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No Derivative Works — You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.
Thanks to all who contributed to this initiative and big thanks to Rudy De Waele at http://m-trends.org for the inspiration with Mobile Trends 2020 - http://www.slideshare.net/rudydw/mobile-trends-2020

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CharityComms 2020

by Ben Matthews on Jun 14, 2010

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