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2 UNIQUE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AT PERSUASION REPUBLIC

Due to recent growth, new work wins and increased impact, we are looking to recruit two bright, enthusiastic and interesting people for the following key positions.

Account Manager

Fundraising/Direct Marketing/Campaigns

The Account Manager builds and services strong and lasting client relationships by identifying and understanding client needs and ensuring we consistently meet them with great solutions. The role brings together both a day-to-day client/project management function and also, a higher-purpose, big picture, strategic insight role.

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Account Executive

Project Management/Direct Marketing/Campaigns

The Account Executive is essentially a key assistant to the Account Managers and supports the administrative and day-to-day project management work across various projects. You will be a helpful and available contact for clients and assist in managing the creative, print, data and production of client campaigns.

View Details >>

If you are interested in these key roles contact john@persuasionrepublic.ie.

Closing Date for applications: 5pm, Friday, December 1, 2023

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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

This role supports the administrative and day-to-day project management work
across various projects. You will be a helpful and available contact for clients and assist in managing the print, data and production of client campaigns.

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ACCOUNT MANAGER

The Account Manager services strong and lasting client relationships by understanding their needs and ensuring we consistently meet them with great solutions. The role brings together both a day-to-day client/project management function and also, a higher-purpose, big picture, strategic insight role.

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THE FUNDRAISER’S GUIDE TO DIGITAL

Persuasion Republic and Havas Media’s step-by-step guide to improving your digital fundraising

Two FREE 60-minute online workshops

Thursday 8th September at 12:00 pm &
Thursday 15th September 2022 at 12:00 pm

BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW!

The Fundraiser’s Guide to Digital

Digital is no longer an optional extra to any fundraising programme or campaign. It is now central to everything you and your organisation do.

Digital has now become the primary way many of your supporters communicate and engage with you.

With guidelines and functionality constantly changing the sheer volume, complexity and speed of the digital landscape can at times seem overwhelming.

But the key to everything digital actually lies in its simplicity.

The Fundraiser’s Guide to Digital is designed to demystify the whole of digital and help you identify the simple practical steps that you can take to improve your digital engagement.

Over the course of two workshops, we will take you on a tour of the digital landscape, updating you on the latest developments, identifying the simple way that each element works, explaining what each channel is capable of and how it can all benefit your organisation best.

The Fundraiser’s Guide to Digital, is designed to give you the insight and tools you need to build a step-by-step road map to improve your digital and, ultimately, raise more funds for the vital work that you do

The Fundraiser’s Guide to Digital

The Workshops

Over the course of the two 60-minute sessions you will discover how to:

·      Improve your website

·      Plan multi channel campaigns

·      Communicate more effectively across your channels

·      Increase recruitment, conversion and retention

·      Use testing effectively

·      Create better more effective content.

And ultimately raise more funds for the vital work you do.

Schedule

Two 60 minute on-line workshops.

Session 1

Digital Fundraising Strategy 1

Telling your story in a digital world

Paid Search

Making sure you are heard

Social Media

Fully utilising the tools at your fingertips.

Session 2

Online Display / Video

How to use the most effective tools in the most effective way.

Owned Media/SEO

How to expand the power of your digital.

Digital Fundraising Strategy 2

Building your road map to success

BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW!

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10th BIRTHDAY

2022 is a very special year for us.  Because, this year, we’re celebrating our 10th birthday.  And what a 10 years it has been.  

So, we’re going to spend a little time over the next month or two to look back on our first ten years and celebrate some of the extraordinary organisations, incredible people and wonderful causes we have had the privilege of working with.

We’re also going to take a moment to look forward to the next 10 years and chat about some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

But, right now, we simply want to say…

Thank you

Thank you to all the wonderful charities and organisations we’ve had the privilege of working with.

Thank you to every single member of every single team. 

Thank you for your patience and your trust.

Thank you for your inspiration and your guidance.

Thank you, most of all, for the vital work you do.

And a special word of thanks to all who have worked here over those 10 years. You know who you are.

Thank you for your hard work, creativity, passion and belief.  

Here’s to you all … and to the next 10 years.

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CHARITY ADVERTISING SNAPSHOT 2021

Last week we were delighted to publish Ireland’s first ever research into charity advertising.

Over the past two years, we and Havas Media have forged a partnership designed to develop a high-quality advertising service looking to add real value and insight to help you maximise the impact of your campaigns.

A dedicated team from both agencies has worked together on devising innovative successful strategies for both big and small campaigns in a marketplace dominated by large commercial advertisers.

Here’s a link to the report and to a presentation on it that we delivered at the Cii Heads of Fundraising Huddle.

We hope that this initial piece of research will generate enthusiasm for a more comprehensive survey in 2022, and with that in mind, we are very keen to hear from anyone who might be interested in supporting it.

Here’s some questions we are asking the research participants and other interested parties to send send us their thoughts on:

  • What charity advertising information would you like to get that would be helpful in your work next year? Would an update on the 2021 report/presentation with similar information suffice? If not, what other advertising information would be helpful and why?
  • Would you be open to participating in supplying some advertising information from you organisation, e.g. actual ad spends on various projects?
  • Apart from research is there anything else that would be helpful with your advertising work? One idea suggested was some training on digital campaigning, would that be helpful?

It would be great if you could take a few minutes and email your answers directly to John Sutton: john@persuasionrepublic.ie by COB Friday 10th December.

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UNMASKING THE FUTURE

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS

What we learned from 2020?

Like most of you, we at the agency are spending time analysing what happened in 2020 and are trying to get our heads around what might lie ahead this year.

At the outset of the Covid-19 crisis last March, there were several predictions of heavy impending losses in fundraised income in the Irish charity sector. Initially estimates ranged from a minimum loss of €180 million to a high of €450 million – out of an estimated total of €1.5 billion.

While we can’t yet say for certain what exactly happened in 2020, we can assume that overall income will have declined.

However, the crisis didn’t affect all charities the same.

 

Who did well and why?

Some charities did well despite the Covid challenges. Those are the charities who pivoted their propositions to Covid. They made a commitment to engage with their donors, especially on impact. They developed new ask programmes and used online and digital channels effectively.

Those that did particularly well are working on the key issues significantly highlighted in the Covid media coverage, such as mental health, domestic violence and homelessness.

We know that charities that did well saw significant increases in Q2, Q3 and Q4 from their warm and prospect appeals and, in a lot of cases, saw record response rates and average gifts.

They also saw significant increases in major gifts from individuals, corporates, trusts and foundations. This is especially true of frontline organisations in Q2 and Q3, and all sectors in Q4.

 

Donor fatigue – Is it real or just feared?

There was some worry in Q3 of 2020 about possible Covid fatigue in the lead up to Christmas. But all the evidence is that this was not an issue. In fact, Christmas appeals seem to have done well.

The background to this success comes from a number of factors. Most donors will have seen increases in their disposable income over recent years, and in 2020 this increase has continued alongside exceptional levels of savings.

It’s hard to imagine, but the Irish economy actually grew in 2020! 

But perhaps the key takeaway is that we were all reminded of the core values of all donors. Donors want to help. Especially in a time of crisis.

 

What lies ahead in 2021?

It is probably fair to say that the decline in the so-called ‘Covid bounce’ has already started. We will know more about the true extent of this when the Easter appeals are completed.

From our perspective, we think that what happened in 2020 in Ireland is that those charities who took some risk and engaged with their donors succeeded. And we have little doubt that the same will be true for 2021.

Meanwhile, here’s two things we thought would be helpful.

The first is a short talk by Danny McCoy, head of IBEC, speaking at a recent IAPI webinar. He gives a good overall view of the economy and what he thinks lies ahead this year. (His talk begins at 3:38).

The second is the Charity Benchmarks Covid-19 Impact Report from the UK. The researchers have compiled a host of really useful information on the fundraising impacts seen in the UK, and some of it is really helpful for us here in Ireland.

Here’s how they end their summary: “As Seth Godin memorably stated, ‘The cost of being wrong is less than the cost of doing nothing.’ As fundraisers, we need to resist the urge to retreat into survival mode, and instead use this opportunity to engage in a more authentic and rewarding way with a public that clearly wants to help.”

 

And we’re here to help.

As you turn your thoughts to 2021 and how to continue to navigate your way through this crisis, our team is ready to help with any fundraising advice and expertise you might need. Or if you are trying to frame your post-Covid marketing, we can help you to ensure that all of it is integrated, compelling and effective. Chat with John on 087 266 3168 or email him on john@persuasionrepublic.ie.

 

That’s all from us for now.

Stay safe and be kind.

From John, Susan, Charlie and Alan and all the team at Persuasion Republic.

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THE BOOK OF COVIDENCE 6

Welcome everybody, what an incredible year it has been. This time last year, nobody could have foreseen the extraordinary challenges and changes that lay ahead.

The last few months have been especially hectic and it’s been simply amazing and inspiring to watch how well you have all pivoted and adapted to this ‘new normal’. So we wanted to add our own personal message of congratulations to you all.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

All of this year’s Christmas appeals are now in the field, and we know that a lot is riding on them as you try to make up for the loss of funds back in Q2. So, we want to wish you the very best of luck and we hope that the results reflect the huge effort and dedication that goes into organising these appeals.
 
We are really hopeful that the results this year will be very strong, due to the amount of innovation and imagination that you have put into them.
 
This year has also made one thing very clear – your donors are extraordinary. Despite the many challenges we have all faced, donors have continued to support their charities in the most passionate and generous way.
 
Some of the results we have seen to appeals this year have been simply staggering.

More 2020 learnings 

A selection box of great research

As you can imagine, over the past five months there has been a lot of great research conducted. If we wanted, we could have filled an entire book or two.
 
What we have done instead is chosen to share four key pieces of research which we believe will be most helpful to you as you plan the details of your work in 2021.

Pandemic Fatigue – when will it end?

First up (not in order of any priority) is a great piece from McKinsey on Pandemic Fatigue. It asks the questions that are on all our minds. When will it all end? When will we reach the new normal – what they term the ‘functional end’ of the pandemic? Spoiler Alert: Their guess is Q3 2021.

Are donations rising?

Next up is nfpSynergy’s blog on CAF’s UK Research which shows that fundraised income has risen during the Covid-19 pandemic by £800m in the UK. We believe that Nfp has rightly called this research finding into question.

What are your donors really thinking?

Third is a great piece from Mark Philips at Bluefrog on what donors think now that we are eight months into the pandemic. Mark also recorded a short video summarising the findings. The bottom line is that things are changing fast and donors want their most trusted charitable partners to have their house in order. You need to show how you have planned for the next stage of the pandemic and are ready to deliver services to those in need. Remember that your supporters are counting on you to deliver key services – they don’t want to have to worry about you as well!

The latest consumer research – just in time for Christmas

Next, we believe it is really helpful to keep an eye on any current good consumer research, as here in Ireland current donor research is hard to come by. Want to know what consumers are up to this Christmas and see how it is relevant for your work? Check out Core’s latest research consumer report here.
 
Lastly, if you want to read some more reports, here are a few from the research selection box:
·      Big Give survey/Salesforce
·      Enthuse Donor Pulse
·      Probono tracker
·      Giving Ireland report
 

A warm welcome 

We want to end the year by extending a very warm welcome to the clients that have joined us this year – Pieta, Women’s Aid, Mater Foundation, ARC Cancer Support, Irish Youth Foundation, Inclusion Ireland and Kare Services.
 
We also want to say a special welcome back  to Burren Geoparks and Dogs Trust, who have returned to work with us. We are delighted and proud to be working with you.
 
We look forward to helping you continue your wonderful work in the new year, and you will be hearing more from us now on a more regular basis from now on.

New Year Plans– we’re here to help

As you turn your thoughts to 2021 and how to continue to navigate your way through this crisis, our team is ready to help with any fundraising advice and expertise you might need. Or if you are trying to frame your post-Covid marketing, we can help you to ensure that all of it is integrated, compelling and effective. Chat with John on 087 266 3168 or email him on john@persuasionrepublic.ie.

We got a new look– just in time for Christmas

You may have noticed we have given ourselves an early Christmas present by refreshing our brand. We hope our new look and feel reflects the colour, the passion and the flair we try to bring to all your projects.
 
We love it and hope you do too.
 
Remember brand and design is one of the key services we supply. So, if you are considering a new brand – or just want to refresh your existing brand, like we did – please give us a call and we’ll chat you through what’s involved.

Thank You

Lastly, we want to thank you all for your trust and incredible hard work over the last year. It has been a real honour and privilege to work for you and with you during this unprecedented time.

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THE BOOK OF COVIDENCE 5

As the country starts to open again we are all slowly – and carefully – returning to discover what exactly this ‘new normal’ will look like. What has been the effect of Covid-19 on the charity sector? What trends have emerged? How has public opinion changed? Where once the advice was to Stay Home, the key going forward will be to Stay Informed. To aid your journey, we thought we’d share the best research, roadmaps, analysis and insights from across the sector and the wider media.

Research and Insights

As the sector and the world comes to terms with living with Covid-19, we’ve gathered up the latest wave of research relevant to charities and the not-for-profit sector.

Counting the Costs

The Charities Regulator has shared the results of its survey on the impact of Covid-19 on Irish charities.

Lessons Learned, Habits Formed

Our media partners Havas published this in-depth report on changing media habits of Irish consumers in recent weeks.

My, how we’ve changed

Genesis have published their Now > Next report with lots of data on public habits, attitudes and implications of the recent crisis.

A healthy perspective

You can find detailed public opinion tracking research from Amarach for the Department of Health which looks at Behavioural Change, Emotional Well Being, Risk Perceptions, Policy Preferences and thoughts on Information and Communication.

Tomorrow is another day

Opinium look at the future of the charity sector in their report on how UK charities adapt to the impact of Covid-19.

Charity begins at home – everywhere 

Salesforce have released a report on trends in the NFP sector from across the globe.

Has everything changed?

According to McKinsey in their recent report A Transformative Moment for Philanthropy, the charity sector has demonstrated that it can and will pivot quickly in a crisis, and leaders must expand on this work.

The New-Normal Times 

There has been a large volume of media coverage on the sector in recent weeks and months, as we all settle into the ‘new normal’. We track these stories on a weekly basis and we thought we would share with you a number of  the recent ones. They range from inspiring stories of individuals in the community taking on fundraising challenges, to beneficiary stories, to charities calling on the new Government not to forget them as the country begins to open up again.

We’re here to help

If we can help you navigate your way through this crisis with fundraising, communications or marketing advice and expertise, our team is ready and well initiated in Covid-related campaigns. Or if you’re gearing up for post-Covid communications, we’re here. Chat with John on 087 266 3168 or email him on john@persuasionrepublic.ie

 

 

 

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THE BOOK OF COVIDENCE 4

Our (socially-distanced) High Five Highlights

So, here’s the top 5 Inspirational COVID-combating antibodies we encountered this week.

1. Awake at the Wheel

First up is the extraordinary success in winning government support for a €40m Stability Fund – no mean feat. Congrats to The Wheel, Cii and all their sector partners who drove this campaign. You can get all the details here. The supportive government response to our sector seems to be in direct contrast with the situation in the UK where their charity support package has been described as, amongst other things, a farce, according to the Directory for Social Change.

2. An infectious response 

The evidence is in – there has been a great response to Covid 19 appeals – donors are now really engaged with supporting charities’ work on the impacts of the pandemic. Persuasion Republic’s client appeals currently in the field are performing extraordinarily well. Evidence of strong donor support is also coming from the latest survey from NfpSynergy in the UK which states “After a slow start, the majority of the public now agree that charities are responding well to the pandemic. Perhaps most encouragingly, the overwhelming majority (68%) believe that charities should keep fundraising. Donors are happy to continue hearing from charities and few think it would be inappropriate for them to continue asking for money at this stage.” 

3. Virtually always learning

As an agency, we all took time out to attend the IFC online fundraising event on April 29 and 30, which hosted almost 30 sessions covering a whole host of topics. The three stand-outs for us were Nick Burne – How to get people fundraising for you on Facebook, Adapting regular giving recruitment for the digital world with Kathryn Holloway and Alex Agiddis from Friends of the Earth UK, and Chris Steeves –  Embracing Data-Driven Fundraising. Well done to IFC for staging the event and we are already looking forward to the next one. You can check out all the sessions here.

4. Caption Marvel

Tom Ahern’s quick tutorial but very long title:  How To Write a Donor-Centered 3.0 Caption Using ideas learned from Identity-Based Fundraising Research. As always terrific practical advice from Tom.
And finally – 

5. The Magnificent Seven

A really strong and useful guide from Tom Woods  – ‘Power through the Pandemic’ – seven ways to raise funds with major donors, corporates and trusts, even now.

If we can help you navigate your way through this crisis with fundraising or communications advice and expertise, our team is ready and well initiated in COVID-related campaigns. Or if you’re gearing up for post-Covid communications, we’re here. Chat with John on 0872663168 or email him on john@persuasionrepublic.ie