Grassroots Advocacy & Word of Mouth Improves Nonprofit Fundraising

Over the past year I have written about many nonprofit fundraising and engagement channels that help nonprofits grow their donor and supporter base. With technology and social media constantly advancing, it’s easy to forget basic outreach tactics like face-to-face and word of mouth marketing. These types of grassroots advocacy can still be very effective provided that it is part of a well-thought out plan and involves a cause that can garner attention and compassion.

An example of this comes from one of Miratel’s very own Customer Relationship Agents, Amanda, who has been with us for almost a year and a half representing many charitable lottery fundraising programs and other telephone fundraising campaigns. Amanda is great at what she does. She is dedicated and always gives 110% to each and every (potential) supporter because she truly enjoys her work. Amanda also has epilepsy, a condition she was diagnosed with over 25 years ago. She carries a medicALERT card with her which she also keeps at her desk that gives first aid instructions in case of an attack which can be a scary experience for Amanda and those around her.

Amanda had originally chose a career working with kids but she faced discrimination based on her condition and had been let go from three previous employers consecutively. Ten years ago, frustrated and having lost all confidence, she looked for a group to share her personal experience and to help her with feeling alone. She found Epilepsy Toronto, a nonprofit organization that has supported people living with epilepsy for over 50 years.

This small community-based organization helped Amanda by providing her with a forum to interact with others who have faced the same challenges, guidance to build her self-confidence, assistance with her resume and acquiring another job. They have essentially helped her learn how to live with her condition. The mothers group also helped alleviate her concerns about having children as that was a worry for her at that time. Epilepsy Toronto’s support of Amanda is what inspires her to actively and passionately promote them by word of mouth to family, friends and coworkers and through social media.

Official Purple Day logo

As March is Epilepsy month, Epilepsy Toronto is promoting Purple Day on March 26th which is “an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide” and Amanda approached Miratel about holding a fundraising event at our office and we happily agreed. Purple Day at Miratel will mean that everyone is encouraged to wear purple and a prize will be given to the most outrageous outfit. Donations will be collected from staff in support of Epilepsy Toronto and Miratel will match those donations dollar for dollar. Epilepsy awareness materials will be available throughout the office and our intranet. Miratel has also been promoting this initiative on our Facebook Fan page, Facebook Employee private group and Twitter as well. All of this is thanks to Amanda. Her word of mouth reach has now expanded to her over 350 co-workers and (hopefully) to their social media and word of mouth networks. That is quite an accomplishment for one person fueled only by loyalty and passion for a cause that is very personal to her.

Smaller nonprofits may not have the financial resources to expand their reach through costly marketing and engagement channels but they probably have people like Amanda that are grateful for the support or aid that they received and are therefore personally invested in the cause. This important group of people and their loved ones really are the best ambassadors for their causes with raising awareness and funds and ultimately creating a grassroots advocacy movement. Three effective strategies to keep in mind include:

• Encourage ambassadors to share through word of mouth and social media networks like Facebook and Twitter to spread awareness and gain the support of their network of friends, family and coworkers.
• Create low-to-no cost programs or events for these ambassadors to promote to their community like Purple Day – a simple concept that is also simple to execute and participate in.
• Provide your ambassadors with the proper tools to succeed like training on things they may not know about the cause, coaching on how to approach their various networks and promotional material to support the program or event and the cause.

Today Amanda keeps a positive outlook, despite the negativity she has previously encountered. She has a healthy 3-year old that knows what epilepsy is and her and her family continue to be advocates for the cause and spread awareness through their support of Epilepsy Toronto. Excellent job Amanda and we’re only too happy to support you! To learn more about Epilepsy Toronto, visit their website.

Photo courtesy of Amanda

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Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services and mail house operations and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.