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What are the characteristics of Red Cross' target volunteers, employees, and Funders?
The goal is to start with the top few types of prospects and really get to know their needs and wants... how we can use them... and, more importantly, how they specifically benefit from participation with the Red Cross.
The best organizations provide an environment that is fun and inspiring - so, what are the characteristics of a great job? Here is a list of Glassdoor's 50 Best places to work. The Red Cross has some steep competition to attract the best and brightest. See my previous video post about what really motivates people (it's not salary and catered lunches... it's Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose).
Since our goal is to understand and attract a younger audience, the first step is research accurate Personas... We will put them up on a wall to put a face on our prospects and inspire our communications and how to address their needs.
Creating a Persona is writing up a profile of everything you know about your prospect. Make sure you think beyond our agenda and understand their simplest desires and bigger picture concerns. See an overview on Persona creation and a template from Hubspot.
For example, students want resume-building experiences... Can the Red Cross provide these elements? Such as: Digital badges of accomplishment for their public profiles, internships with relevant skills to their agendas, letters of recommendation, etc.
This is a mock-up example of what we should have for each of our stakeholder categories - "Samantha" is an advanced student:
Here is a breakdown of three major groups. Below are reports on those really cool kids we call Milennials... and their attitude about Causes...
Amp Agency digs deep into research for their clients. Go here for their recent summary for Bostinno about the mindset of the "Generation Stuck" 20-somethings.
Get a summary here of the report that Amp produced with Boston University called,"How the Class of 2016 Will Change the World of Marketing." (Also, remember to check out the previous post on this site about the Role of brand in the Nonprofit Sector.)
These are the 4 topics Amp covered...
More on Millenials and Their Causes...
in 2006, Cone, Inc and Amp Agency presented a detailed study on The Millennial Generation - Pro Social and Empowered to save the world. Here is the full report. Below are the main points from Greenbook...
The Millennial Generation is by far the most analyzed, most marketed to and most intriguing generation to date. It is a generation that is comprised of individuals who are extremely ambitious and not only have high expectations for themselves, but also for those around them including their friends, families, communities and brands. It is also a generation that has been shaped by tragic world events such as 9/11 and natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. The result is a group that has developed a strong social conscience amplified by technology.
As you will read, Millennials are a generation of young people accustomed to choices and options. They are acutely aware of their marketing power and influence. They demand customization and instantaneous feedback. And their demands are usually answered. As the sheer number of media channels and advertisements has risen, it has become harder and harder to reach Millennials. We found that Cause Brandingsm has emerged as an effective tool for reaching and communicating with this complex generation.
Cone Inc., a strategy and communications agency that develops and executes leadership causerelated initiatives for companies and nonprofits, and AMP Insights, the strategic planning and consumer insights division of AMP Agency, set out to discover exactly how corporate cause-related initiatives can use these findings to influence Millennials as consumers, employees and citizens.
In particular, this study found that when a cause message is linked to a brand in an authentic and relevant way, it can gain the attention and respect of young people today. Furthermore:
- A shared passion for a cause can foster a strong personal relationship between a brand and its target consumer.
- Millennials are ready to reward or punish a company depending on its commitment to social and/or environmental causes.
- Cause marketing should be considered as a loyalty strategy for engaging Millennials.
This report will not only continue to explore the themes mentioned above but also discuss key characteristics of the Millennial Generation and examine Millennials as consumers, individuals and employees. Additionally this report will profile some of today’s most effective brand ambassadors “the Doers” and define the Millennial Cause Engagement Paradigm.
The exact start and close dates of the Millennial Generation are much debated. While some believe this generation ended with the start of the new Millennium, others argue that the generation has not yet closed. However for the purposes of this research, the Millennial Generation is defined as consisting of individuals born between the years of 1979 and 2001. Specifically, this report looks at Millennials who range from young teens to young adults, ages 13 - 25 years-old.
It is estimated that there are 78 million Millennials in the United States alone. As a group, the Millennial Generation embodies a spirit of optimism and cooperation. Experts believe that this group is better educated as well as more disciplined and achievement-oriented than the generations that have preceded them.
In fact, survey respondents described themselves in terms that are consistent with the generally accepted persona of the Millennial Generation. They see themselves as friendly, open-minded, intelligent, responsible, socially minded and informed. Figure 1 highlights the Top 10 self-selected descriptors.
There are high expectations for this generation and Millennials are happy to take on this challenge. Specifically, they believe that, as civic-minded and active participants in today’s world, it is up to them to assume the responsibility of making a lasting, positive impact on the future.
Technology has made this participation easier than for past generations. For Millennials, there is no life before computers or the Internet. As a by-product of being reared in a culture of speed, technology and choice, they are savvy early adopters who quickly master whatever new programs that come to the market. Growing up with the Internet has exposed Millennials to an entire Global Community and increased their awareness of news and world events.
Millennials have numerous ways to readily learn about world affairs, and it can be argued that this facility has made them not only more aware but also more involved. More than one-third (37%) of survey respondents stated that natural disasters have had a significant influence in their involvement with their community.
So... who are we?
So... who are we?
BONUS Links:
Glassdoor - Top places to work (and real reasons why)
Boston Globe - Social Media and HR
Forbes - 10 Reasons your top talent will leave you
