I’m putting together a course specifically for charities and non-profits. This piece is part of a collection of materials that you can get as handouts, but I’ve also posted it online because even though it was made for the Building Value program, it could be useful for lots more people.
The RACE framework is a way to think about digital marketing in four key steps: Reach, Act, Convert, and Engage. It’s like a game plan for how to grab people’s attention online, get them interested in your cause, encourage them to help out, and then keep them connected and involved over time. Here’s how it breaks down for charities and non-profits:
- Reach: This is all about getting your message out there. You want to make sure as many people as possible learn about your charity and what you’re doing. This could be through social media posts, online ads, or getting mentioned on websites and blogs.
- Act: Now that people know about you, you want them to show some interest. Maybe they click on a link to learn more about a project, sign up for your newsletter, or follow you on social media. It’s about getting them to take that first small step.
- Convert: This stage is where you encourage people to do something more significant to help your cause. This could be making a donation, signing up to volunteer, or participating in an event. It’s about turning their interest into action.
- Engage: After someone has helped out, you don’t want to just say “thanks” and forget about them. You want to keep them interested and involved. This might mean sending them updates about how their donation was used, inviting them to more events, or just keeping the conversation going on social media.
Example: Let’s say there’s a non-profit called “Clean Ocean Initiative” that’s focused on reducing ocean pollution.
- Reach: They start a campaign on social media using eye-catching images and facts about ocean pollution to grab attention. They also use hashtags to spread the word further.
- Act: On their website, they have a quiz about ocean health and ask visitors to sign up to learn more about how they can help. People who take the quiz feel more connected and are likely to engage further.
- Convert: They organize a beach cleanup event and use their social media and email list to invite people to join. They make signing up easy and offer incentives like a free t-shirt.
- Engage: After the event, they send a thank-you email to participants with photos from the day and share stories of the difference they made. They also invite feedback and suggestions for future events, keeping the conversation going.
Using the RACE framework helps charities like “Clean Ocean Initiative” plan out their digital marketing efforts, making sure they not only attract attention but also build lasting relationships with their supporters.