Driving In Traffic

It was a late night last night. We had our quarterly board meeting for Our Pal’s Place where I presented some of what I’ve learned from Robin Hood Marketing.

The purpose of the presentation was to educate the board about concept of focusing on getting an audience to take a specific action and putting the evangelism to the cause on the back burner. My expectation was that I would come out with a list of key audiences and actions we want them to take (I did, but that’s not the real story).

I honestly thought that the point of focusing on changing behaviors would be a slam dunk– you know the type… the ones that you get everyone nodding yes seconds after you say it. However, I was really surprised at the reaction I got when I suggested that we put the cause second. It only took a few moments after I said it for one of the board members to chime in and say: “I understand what you are saying. I know you are right, but I sure don’t like it. I really like thinking that we can change the way people think.”

Now admittedly, I have my passions and my feelings of a calling, but I am a very task and goal oriented person. Subsequently, I tend to approach things very methodically and with a business perspective. Experience has taught me to have a keen appreciation for the fact that you cannot make people think, feel, or do things that they really do not want to. This has taught me to celebrate when people actually behave in the ways that I want them to and to pay no attention to making them agree with me. However, I think that many folks out for a good cause believe that the only permanent solution to a social problem is to make someone agree with them.

The discussion that ensued focused on the role of behaviors in changing attitudes and beliefs. Since we have rescued many animals with behavior problems, we had an easy metaphor to use. From time to time we get dogs that don’t like men. Since we have no real insight into the inner feelings and thoughts of animals (after all, they can’t talk) the only real solution is to shape behaviors through appropriate rewarding for the behaviors we want. Eventually through this process we teach the animals to be more comfortable around men.

According to the basic premise of Robin Hood of focusing on behaviors first and cause second, this is really the function of good nonprofits. By shaping behaviors, we open the door to changing values, beliefs, and outlook.

Now, I’m not suggesting that you let go of the dream of drawing people to the cause. Instead I’m suggesting that you consider the role of changing behaviors in the process of changing minds. The natural conclusion for me is that if you’re really good at changing behaviors then perhaps you can begin to influence attitudes and social values. As this occurs, you will certainly draw people to the cause.

I welcome your thoughts, insights and examples.

Tags: nonprofit, nonprofits, Robin Hood Marketing, Katya Andresen, nonprofit marketing

Powered by Qumana

Nonprofit organizations are concerned:

• The cause (the people, places, things, or issues the organization wants to help or change)
• Donors (the people and companies that contribute resources to help the cause)
• Volunteers and helpers
• The media

Each of these groups interacts with the nonprofit organization in its own unique way.  Subsequently, nonprofits need to develop their organizational personality in ways that they can develop meaningful relationships with these audiences.

One of the first tenets of Robin Hood Marketing is to not preach and evangelize about the cause or the organizational mission.  Instead, take a page from the Nike marketing book and ask each group for a specific action. 

At first blush, this seems counter-intuitive.  It does seem that you need to convince people to believe in your cause and become as passionate about it as you are.  However, after taking time to think about it, I see the wisdom.  Afterall, one good verbal sparring with an opinionated friend will teach you that it is easier to change human behavior than it is to change the human mind.

This is not to say that you shouldn’t educate about what your organization does.  Instead it means that you should have the courage to let go of the passion behind your mission when asking for help. 

So keep it simple.  Tell folks how they can help you.  Ask them to pledge.  Ask them to volunteer 1 hour a week.  As them to donate x amount toward a certain endeavor.  Then take time to thank folks and convey to them how they have made a difference.

Technorati tags:nonprofit,Katya Andresen, Robin Hood Marketing, marketing, nonprofit marketing

As many of you know, I sit on the board of a local all-volunteer animal rescue organization. We are entering our third year of existence, so we are still a baby. However in those three years, we have been able to develop our feeding, caring and adoption procedures such that the organization pretty much runs like a well-oiled engine. With that in place, now it is time to grow. We need more money, more volunteers and more adopters so that we can rescue more dogs from the county shelters.

Needing some guidance, I picked up Katya Andresen’s new book Robin Hood Marketing: Stealing Corporate Savvy to Sell Just Causes.

I have found this book to be an amazing help. It covers 10 marketing principles taken from the corporate sector and guides the reader on how to use these in the not-for-profit arena. I think the reason that the advice rings true is that within the first few pages you quickly learn that the book is written by a person who has “been there, done that” in the nonprofit industry.

As a self-proclaimed “do-gooder” herself, Andresen also takes the time to talk about the characteristics of individuals who have found their “calling” to work for just causes. I think this is why information in this book seems poignant. She clearly conveys passion for her calling with which I can identify. Subsequently, the book is more like getting advice from a friend rather than reading a treatise on marketing.

The irony of the whole this is that once that I identified with her as a fellow do-gooder, she asks me to put it away and to look at things differently. According to Andresen, marketing your cause requires you to step back and be dispassionate and objective. As a businesswoman, I completely understand that. However, being a do-gooder is an intensely subjective outlook. It is a heart-set rather than a mind-set. Subsequently, objectivity is a bit hard to come by. However, deep down I know she is right.

So…… now, I’ve got to learn to wear two hats at the same time. Passion and dispassion. Subjective and objective. Just Business and True Calling. At first blush, it seems like she’s asking you to wear stripes and plaids at the same time. However, thankfully, this book gets to the point quick and then spends the rest of the time giving you a lot of food for thought on how to develop some new skills so that you can balance these two seemingly dichotomous characteristics.

It’s a good thing that I like to noodle around ideas, decide on how they can help me progress, and then develop and implement a plan to get me to where I want to be. Because I know that she is right, I intend on implementing some of the ideas presented in Robin Hood to help with my do-gooder endeavors.

So as my first exercise in wearing two hats at the same time….The businesswoman in me wants to use this space to chronicle and share my experiences here, so as to expand the conversation. And this may be quite sappy, but I’m going to say it anyway… and… The do-gooder in me wants to share my experiences so that others can benefit.

How’s that?

Ok…ok…I’m definitely wearing stripes and plaids and my outfit doesn’t match, but the important this is that I am thinking in a whole new way.

Technorati tags: nonprofit, Katya Andresen, Robin Hood Marketing, Marketing, not-for-profit