‘Save the Cows’ video shows fundraisers the perils of compromising on their messages
Howard Lake | 4 July 2016 | News
Alan Clayton Associates are today launching a humorous video designed to help fundraisers understand why they shouldn’t compromise on presenting their powerful message.
‘Save the cows: the compromise salami’ is being unveiled at the Institute of Fundraising’s National Convention at the Barbican Centre in London.
The film recognises that many fundraisers are forced to weaken their creative campaigns due to one factor: internal conflict. Poor communication, silo-working and a lack of understanding of the roles of different departments are the key causes of this tension.
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Clayton explained:
“Hundreds of fundraisers have told us that they can’t stop the compromise salami because other departments don’t understand the effects. So we invented Save the Cows to give fundraisers a tool to demonstrate the income limiting effects of compromise. The organisation is invented, the story very true.”
The result of such compromise, argues Clayton, is that fundraisers raise less money and their charities’ ability to achieve their mission is diminished.
The solution? Having watched and worked with successful charities, some of whom were featured in the Great Fundraising report, Alan Clayton Associates argue, while all departments including the board should be involved in fundraising, the final call, and refusal to compromise, “must come from the chief executive”.
Clayton argues:
“When communications are put together by committees, conflict and the search for consensus always leads to compromise. The best ‘C’ to stop the compromise salami is the CEO, who is best placed to make the call on focussed, powerful communications.”
The video and other resources can be found at Alan Clayton Associates.
Alan Clayton is speaking at the National Convention on 4 July at midday.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.