# What will be your 'business as unusual' strategy for 2009?

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/01/08/what-will-be-your-039business-unusual039-strategy-2009/
- Published: 2009-01-08T23:05:34+00:00
- Author: Guest Blogger

**Every winter break I pick a good book from my shelves, dust it off and spend a
day or two re-reading it. As it happens this year I picked up Anita Roddick’s autobiography‘
[Business as Unusual](https://fundraising.co.uk/books/business-as-unusual-the-journey-of-anita-roddick-and-the-body-shop/).’
And I truly got inspired and challenged by the story of this amazing ‘gutsy’ woman
who changed the way we think about ethically responsible business and the role women
can play in it.**

But, that is not what I want to focus on today. Anita’s insights and comments about
The Body Shop’s success got me thinking about: what does ‘business as unusual’ means
for charities in 2009? What does it mean for your charity?

Does ‘business as unusual’ mean simply cutting down on fundraising staff, your charity
programmes and initiatives or your promotional budgets? The accountants would certainly
approve of such decisions but what about the rest of us?

## Advertisement

One of my McConkey Johnston colleagues in the US said something recently that has
stayed with me – the charities that are going to weather these financial storms,
he said, are those who will do all they can to keep their cause in front of their
supporters… those who will think creatively and act decisively to stay on the top
three list of charities people would like to give to in 2009?

Now, as you embark on implementing your fundraising plan for this year – what is
it that you are going to do differently? What is it that you are going to invest
in wisely and promote passionately? What will make your charity stand out from the
crowd and be your unique trademark of ‘business as unusual’?
_**Redina Kolaneci**
is Senior Fundraising & Stewardship Consultant at [McConkey/Johnston International (UK)](http://www.mcconkey-johnston.co.uk)._

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