Abstract

In 1952, Gerhard Wiebe asked the question ‘Why can’t you sell brotherhood like you can sell soap?’ Since then, the charity sector has developed high levels of expertise in marketing and fundraising communications. Backed by other elements of the charity’s strategy, these now play an important role in triggering, and shaping, the donation decisions of millions of people who, each year, give time, money and other forms of in kind support to an array of causes. Donors learn about charities and the causes that they support via communications from a variety of sources, and charities cannot directly influence all forms of communication about their organization or cause. However, it is vital that, where they have a degree of control, they develop communication strategies that effectively serve to trigger giving and are conducive to sustainable donor support.