What do people want to see from your website? This should probably be the first question when designing a new website but many websites do not engage fully with their audience, the majority of people will always be able to find a criticism, so what do people really want to see on a website?

I’ve been reading over websites daily and reading through articles on the internet and here is my view on what people want to see on your website:

Firstly, people want to feel attracted to your website. You want to catch the audience’s eyes, you want them to look at your website and automatically feel satisfied that this is a website they can bare to look around, and that looks interesting. Nobody wants to read a boring, dull and full of facts website. Of course, a website needs to fit to the eyes of its audience, for example if your audience is young adults, your website needs to be colourful and get straight to the point with as little words as possible.

76% of people say that the most important factor in a websites design is that ‘the website makes it easy for me to find what I want’.

Your website needs to be easy to get around (navigate). It is recommended that it should take no more than 2 clicks for someone to find what they need, does your website do this? People get frustrated if they can’t find what they are looking for, or takes a long time to do so. Make buttons have easy navigable headings, so when people click on them they know what information it will lead them to. People prefer this as they can get what they need […]

Around this time last year, Steph and I began to talk about the possibility of recruiting another member of staff. We were very busy but were caught in a catch 22 where the idea of bringing in a new member of the team, inducting them and teaching them the job felt like too much (more) hard work! We were well aware that charities often struggle to recruit great fundraisers and so we felt as though our chances of doing so might be slim.

We work with numerous youth charities so are well aware of the problems young people face in finding employment and with university fees so high, many people are excluded from the opportunity to learn and develop once they leave school. The more we talked about the idea of an Apprentice, the more excited we got.

After some initial research we discovered that Rathbone offered a Fundraising Apprenticeship and once we’d seen the quality of the course there was no going back! The course content looked excellent and in a career where until recently there were very few people with recognised accreditations this seemed the perfect opportunity for us to help train and support the highest quality fundraiser.

The recruitment process was simple but the interviews were tough, I had forgotten how it feels to have to turn people down, especially when they are so keen and full of enthusiasm. The role of a fundraiser is demanding and we had to make sure we found someone who could cope with a heavy, varied workload but who could also show great understanding an empathy towards the charities we work with.

I am happy to say that we’ve found that person! Jess started working with us on the […]

For small charities media can be extremely helpful. Small charities can gain a lot of possibilities by simply having media sites. Websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram are fantastic ways to interact with people through social media. All these sites can be personalised so that they reflect your charities mission, allowing pictures, backgrounds and colour schemes.

Sites such as Facebook and Twitter allow you to comment on other posts, express feelings towards other things on your news feeds. You can retweet or like anything on Twitter and Facebook, retweeting is done when you agree with something after being retweeted it will appear on your own personal newsfeed; this is a fantastic way for charities to engage with other charities as it look like they will all share an interest.

Having social media accounts is also a fantastic way for small charities to see how many people are looking at what they’re doing,  and who is interested enough to follow you for recent updates.

It is a brilliant way for small charities to engage with people who support your charities cause. There are many ways to engage with followers by doing things such as launching like campaigns, Empower supporters to take action, build real relationships with social communication, Organize a twitter chat by creating a hashtag e.g #Jess’sblogsaregreat and  ask supporters to share photos or videos, create competitions to engage followers and finally treat your social networkers like V.I.P’s.

Creating a personal connection with your followers is very important, In a small charity it could be difficult to find the time for someone to pay attention to social media sites, but it is extremely important that if you have a social media site it should be checked, updated […]

Crowdfunding is an increasingly popular way to raise funds for specific projects. An excellent example of this is The Bicycle Academy, which raised £40,000 in six days. It’s worth noting though that not all Crowdfunding projects achieve their goals and not all projects are suitable for Crowdfunding so make sure that the project you chose is easy to explain and understand.

Bear in mind these 10 key points:

1. Crowdfunding only works if you can make a good connection with donors so be clear and specific – you may decide to make a short video to pitch your idea or a short but compelling narrative. This is your chance to get people interested!
2. Be realistic – don’t set your targets so high that they put people off
3. Be transparent – what is the money raised going to do? Include a budget
4. Plan your social media campaign – crowdfunding only works if you make the most of your online networks. Make sure that as many people as possible hear about your campaign, use Twitter, Facebook, your website, newsletter
5. What rewards will you offer in return for funding? (remember that this needs to cover the cost of using the platform and of honouring any rewards)
6. Pick the right platform – look at the costs and the audience –  this website is helpful www.crowdingin.com
7. Submit your pitch –Make sure you have checked and double checked for any errors. It’s worth asking someone who knows nothing about your work for their feedback. All pitches are checked before going live so expect a delay
8. Get others to help – word of mouth is what it’s all about. Approach your regular supporters first – crowd funding has a snowball effect – people are more likely to give if they see […]
   

Integrity comes in many forms, but honesty and openness are traits that are expected in most workplace situations, they are certainly traits any potential donor wants to see in a charity. Without responsible behaviour, distrust can make a working in a charity tense and even downright uncomfortable. Demonstrating a strong work ethic shows co-workers and potential donors that you’re reliable and take your responsibilities seriously. Polite communication, respectable behaviour and fiscal responsibility also help you stand out as a charity worth investing in.

We often describe ourselves as a values based organisation, we truthfully believe in our core values of openess, honesty and integrity and we look for these shared values in our own clients because we know that we can be more successful by working in this way.

How charities can build their ‘integrity capital’

A charity needs to present a united front. Not everyone will be supportive of a plan to change the status quo, but by preparing for a degree of resistance you can help to head off any negativity. The best way to do this is to say why the charity will benefit from being able to show integrity such as improved reputation and increased donations.

• Be consistent in your approach to tasks and responsibilities:

From trustee to entry level employee aim to demonstrate consistent professionalism.

• Bring to the table different skills, experiences and perspectives, and new solutions:

Make sure the skills you need to deliver your goals properly are available to you.

• Increase the organisation’s access to new knowledge, networks and connections, helping to open doors and increase the charity’s public profile:

Build networks and communicate a consistent message. Make it clear what you stand for.

• Bring unique characteristics to the organisation – for example, young people often help […]