Consulting for Charity CEOs

Charity Marketing and Communication Consultant

When providing charity comms, marketing, PR and fundraising support to directors and their teams, Rachael Bean converts the ’vision or mission into a marketing communication strategy (if it doesn’t already exist) and then a marketing road map. 

Charity marketing plan objectives

The marketing road map is converted into a realistic and transparent marketing activity plan designed to:

1. Deliver the charity’s tactical objectives

2. Move the charity towards delivering its strategic objectives

3. Improve messaging and targeting

4. Support the ’fundraising strategy by increasing awareness within its target audience

5. Increase overall marketing efficiency and ROI (Return on Investment)

Delivering charity comms and marketing plans

The ability to promptly deliver everything on the charity marketing plan, while responding to important unforeseen opportunities, is vital to a charity’s cash flow. Meanwhile, in-house marketing resource and experience varies wildly between organisations. As a charity marketing consultant, Rachael is frequently engaged by charities to help overcome challenges. For example:

  • a workforce that needs additional PR and marketing skills and wider experience;
  • lack of first-hand marketing experience of sustained organisational growth and development;
  • a fundraising function that does not have marketing communication support;
  • start-up charities that don’t yet have an in-house fundraising and marketing communications resource;
  • a key member of the marketing department needs time out or is leaving.

 

This sometimes means providing staff with PR and marketing training and bridging skills gaps or, where there’s no in-house resource, Rachael facilitates the marketing plan herself.

 

Solution Factors has provided outsourced PR and marketing management services, and charity communications support, since 2004. Rachael has been helping to grow organisations’ revenues for more than 20 years. 

Why do some in-house charity marketing departments lose momentum?

There are many reasons: however, they often involve one or more of the following:

  • Charity directors or heads of department become overloaded and need an efficient marketing manager to prioritise and deliver what is needed.
  • New recruits need relevant marketing training and on-the-job support.
  • Marketing output no longer aligns with the charity’s goals and vision and needs to be brought back on-course.
  • An in-house marketing director or manager may need to take time out, or resigns.
  • Sometimes there’s an unexpected external change which triggers uncertainty. 


These factors can impact a charity’s fundraising, public perception and marketing efficiency. Charities often engage Rachael as a PR and marketing consultant because they need:

  • to improve the charity’s marketing efficiency, to boost fundraising
  • expert support for their sales and marketing staff
  • to follow a charity marketing plan rather than being too reactive or becoming distracted
  • to ensure that the marketing department delivers projects on time, to avoid fundraising income from leaking out of the charity’s financial year-end.



How does engaging Rachael as a charity marketing and communication consultant help?

Although each scenario is different, the outcome is usually one or more of the following:

  • Marketing pressure on the director or head of department reduces, although they don’t lose control.
  • Charities attract the funding and support they need.
  • Income increases.
  • A sustainable structure and platform for long-term marketing is created.
  • The charity becomes more robust and meets its objectives.
  • Ineffective promotional activities and costs are weeded out.
  • Overall marketing and fundraising efficiency improve. 

Why have charities come to Rachael for PR and marketing support?

The short answer is that it makes things easier or makes objectives possible. These often include:

  • meeting strategic charity goals
  • improved marketing communication efficiency or effectiveness
  • raising awareness and increasing the supporter base
  • increasing more sustainable fundraising
  • adjusting the direction of the charity’s marketing.




If you would like to discuss engaging Rachael, please contact her on +44(0)1327 354 969 or info@solutionfactors.com


Supporting You

“Working with Rachael and everyone at Solution Factors has been a breath of fresh air. They provided an intimate service and were very supportive of our needs. I learned a lot and enjoyed our communications. More importantly, both my profile and that of the team increased across all areas of the media when working with Solution Factors, which gave us more opportunities to attract sponsors and raise funds.”


Public speaker, Winter Paralympian and World Cup gold medallist ,
British Disabled Ski Team

Strategic & Creative

“I have worked with Rachael on a number of projects across organisations – she provides strategic and creative marketing solutions that bring real results. Working in the charity sector, I have to be exceptionally budget-conscious, but Rachael was able to suggest viable, effective ways to promote both our brand and our cause well within our budget constraints – although I’m sure she also gave much of her own time for free. I would highly recommend working with Rachael if you are looking for marketing solutions that stand out from the crowd.”


CEO of Auckland Health Foundation 

Success

“Rachael was commissioned by the Leicester Children’s Hospital School to develop our PR, marketing and fundraising strategy from scratch. Rachael took the time to understand our setting and to speak to key stakeholders, including staff and children. Rachael is experienced in this field and was able to advise us on our strategy and help us to establish structures, processes and ideas to publicise the work of the school and to support our fundraising efforts. As a direct result of Rachael’s work with the school, we have made new partnerships with local businesses and the volunteering sector. She also enabled the school to receive increased financial donations through grants and business plans.”


Headteacher and LLE at Leicester Children’s Hospital School , Director of the National Association for Hospital Education (NAHE )


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