Non-profit PR Should Not Be an Apology
When it comes to twirly mustache cartoon villains in our culture, nothing quite fits the bill as politicians and attorneys. Seems like everyone thinks they’re Bad Guys. Until they need one, of course. Then it’s all: Please, please, you’re my only hope! Well, add another unlikely scoundrel to that list. Nonprofit fundraisers. On the surface, it seems logical. Charities need money to do good work, so they put on events and manage fundraisers to acquire those funds. The more funds they get, the more good work they can do. Again, that seems simple. Until you get a call in the middle of dinner. Jim or Bob or Flo with the fraternal order of whatever is raising money for something, and you just want to finish your meal in peace. Then there are the robocalls and rumors of sweaty call centers where poor unfortunate saps huddle over phones under the lash of their Paid On Commission boss man. Suddenly, charity fundraising is right up there with tobacco commercials and drug side effects on everyone’s list of Julie Andrews’ LEAST favorite things. Worse, from a PR standpoint, most charities are choosing the Ignore It And Hope It Goes Away form of response. Instead of