Why innovation is so important in the charity sector

There is one charity for every person living in Australia; that is a high density rate. This means that charities have to work hard to attract donations in what has become a crowded market. They need to focus on attracting the attention of younger people, as many volunteers and contributors come from the older generation.

One of the best ways to do this is to make full use of the digital world, when it comes to marketing and communicating with people. Marketing experts like The Media Precinct's Glenda Wynyard bring their strong intuitive and analytical skills to the party. They help charities to make best use of electronic data and application development to get to know their audience and communicate with them in a way that works.

The ability to donate online

One of the most influential innovations for the charity sector, is the ability to donate online. There is still a place for collectors with buckets on the street. However, people often reach saturation point when they are approached by various people wanting money; sales professionals as well as charity collectors. Online giving enables people to make informed choices about the charities they wish to support, and donate without having to leave home. Professional marketers can help clients to use online giving in conjunction with media campaigns.

Making use of data

Marketing professionals can also help the charity sector to make better use of the data that is available to them; something that they have not done to any great effect in the past. Advances in technology have made it easier to analyse data, making it a less time consuming process. The benefits of this type of analysis can be significant.

Charities are able to identify which sections of the community are most likely to offer them support. They can then target these people with relevent social media advertising.

The use of lotteries and raffles

The concept of using raffles and lotteries to raise money for charity has grown in popularity over recent years. One of the biggest innovations in this area has been the creation of the 50/50 charity raffle which makes use of an app that enables attendees at events to buy tickets. It's a great example of technology joining with gaming to help charities with their fundraising efforts. Of course, charities have to pay attention to fundraising regulations when they are planning this kind of activity.

Using apps in the charity sector

Most people use mobile devices to access the Internet which means it makes sense for charities to use apps to communicate with their audience and promote giving. The charity sector has been somewhat slow to make best use of apps in its work, but apps like Share Your Meal from the UN World Food Programme, and Oxfam's use of this type of technology as a major means of communication, show that the charity sector is starting to catch up.

Anyone who is trying to raise awareness of, or raise funds for, a charity in Australia, faces stiff competition from others in a crowded charity sector. Making use of the latest innovations is a good way to get ahead of the pack.

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