Introduction
This is my true story about my relocation to India with the idea of doing some social work. I have been supporting two service industries for the last five years. Firstly, in regards to tailors is digitalizing NPO with an e-com website with little automation and a mobile application. Secondly made them realize the importance of social media being more cost-effective. Tailoring NPO passion grew more and as it was tested and researched for success.
Subsequently, I was approached by a differently-abled group (DAG) NPO who found going was tough with their day-to-day activities. They suffer because they lack basic needs like a wheelchair or caliper or are unable to commute and work, so some have been unemployed. DAG had only two or three actively working members who faced less manpower, communication, mobility, and fund issues. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure where to start from as everything needed attention. Subsequently, the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity Threat (SWOT) analysis helped us to understand more. Let’s go into detail and how DAG executed it.
NPO Strength Analysis
DAG – the NPO compassion in handling differently-abled members for the last 20 years in India was a synergy. DAG started in small numbers most of them are not literate, nor plan for anything they. Their policy was simple “To help as much as they can with No caste or No Creed differences”. DAG members first get the list of members who need help like calipers, tri-cycle, wheel-chair, etc, as their basic needs. Then they support by collecting donations from the public and from the state government to help.
DAG policy was simple and visionery.
NPO Weakness Analysis
DAG – NPO does its best, but the number of people who need support is unlimited as they go. The reason behind this is that they get donations only from known donors. Another reason is the lack of volunteers, skills in marketing / IT / Strategic planning. Primarily not registering themselves as a society was another reason. The social service activities are not known even among themselves or to the public due to the lack of social media platforms. Moreover, all of the members have communication and transportation issues.
NPO Opportunity Analysis
In fact, DAG – NPO needs to strategize with infrastructure developments, get central government help, and use social media to its best. Empowering the use of E-com with an amazing automation/ digital drive for NPO will save time and effort.
NPO Threat Analysis
More members are joining along with that expenses multiplying. DAG – NPO has fewer volunteers, donors, members, and social media support. The funds they get are not good enough to meet their needs hence they are unable to publicize themselves. Active DAG members are working and doing this social service as a part-time service which makes it tough.
Strategic Planning
Infrastructure
Firstly is to get DAG – NPO as a registered society then get a bank account and get tax exemption with 80G was the plan. Currently, NPO seeks assistance from the state government alone they need to seek the central government’s support.
Digital marketing strategy
Secondly, E-com supports a membership automation system that is to collects a membership fee. Social media campaigns, email, and direct marketing will generate income with an easy payment gateway system.
Educating Donors
Thirdly, is to collect funds like how they are doing manually. Instead should go online and get donors through their E-com website so their volume will go high. If this has to happen more exposure to social media with donation campaigns will support it. Finally, another method is to get funds from corporate social responsibilities.
NPO Digital Marketing Strategy
To help NPO with e-com, automation, and digital marketing. I have partially funded the infrastructure with information technology before my joining IIDM. The strategy I followed are as follows:
NPO – Digital planning
It is a highly competitive funding environment, the non-profit sector faces new challenges in maintaining, building human and financial support. The effective use of digital technologies has a huge potential to enhance engagement and build effectiveness. However, NPOs need to be mindful to provide technology that matches what their givers are looking for.
NPO – Digital strategy
DAG – NPO digital strategy flows from the vision and mission of the organization. It reinforces the perception that recruiting volunteers and funders are integral to its operations. Digital strategy is a strategic conversation NPO leaders which they can take forward.
NPO – DAG structure
It comprises of President, Treasurer, General Secretary, and 18 board members. They are the key persons to foster innovation, ensuring investment in financial and staff resources. A survey revealed that they favored E-com and digital platforms along with infrastructure developments.
Board members at all levels (cities, towns, and districts ) have the skills, training, and capacity required to engage with social media platforms. Technology allows the organization to know and serve its supporters better. About 80 % also use their website to receive donations and fundraise activities.
NPO – Donors
Supporters want to know what happens as a result of their donation, be it time or money. Firstly, DAG sends a thank you email with a letter for tax exemption when they file their income tax. Secondly, they publish their donor details on the website and a video clip on the youtube channel, this works big time.
The “Donate Now” icon encourages visitors to our website. Optimizing the website with links for whats app, youtube, Twitter, Facebook have become important since it increases the recommendation.
NPO – Reports
Information technological services are of great use to maximize the technology for building a donor database for ongoing volunteer and financial support. Reports are generated as and when required so the virtual office is the backbone for the NPO.
Getting feedbacks are a very effective tool for getting more people talking about the cause or the issue. It is particularly effective for peer-to-peer campaigns and online volunteering. It also facilitates various forms, reports for continuous track and trace optimization framework. This digital experience ensures it meets the KPI ( key performance indicators) be it web traffic or staff.
NPO – Social Media
Mobile phones are the most commonly used, and about half of the people who visit an NPOs website do so from a mobile device. Furthermore, mobile-friendly websites yield 34 % more donations than non-mobile-friendly websites. Mobile communication helps, whether through SMS or e-com enabled websites for the digital trends set.
Social media breaks the ice for example a video clip on youtube on how to fill the digital form, pay their membership fee, and acknowledgment sent to their email within minutes. This has become viral with easy penetration in all districts, towns, cities and is very cost-effective. This suits the NPO like DAG as they save their time, can continue what they are doing. Besides they don’t need to travel from one place to another for campaigns, etc. Click on a button they provide service and get support.
NPO – Results
An increase in the membership by helping themselves in collecting fees. An easy network formed in the state, districts, and towns. An increase in virtual volunteering. Personalized engagement and donor accountability with social media updates and web displays if donors wish to. An ability to tap into the need to respond immediately to causes. Increased transparency about events or donations received or marketing. Above all, differently-abled NPOs feel that they are taken care of, and technology is within reach.
Conclusion
DAG – NPO digital runs a virtual office and can get any details about members or donors at any time, upload to any social media from their web page or edit their web page with minutes. Firstly, DAG is self-reliant by raising money through its membership. Secondly, support from donors, CSR, state and central governments – enables them to serve more. Thirdly, meeting NPO goals and visions as they are going with time and technology. They are proud to show what they are capable of. Thanks to Digital strategic marketing, social media connect, and 24/7 web availability.
ABOUT
S.K Perumal is the IIDM Digital Marketing Analyst at International Institute of Digital Marketing™ and a Strategic consultant for two non-profit organizations for the unorganized sector in India. I have been part of providing IT solutions and application development. Perumal is a former banker in New Zealand who loves innovation and incorporates them into his professional career.