A whistle-stop tour of great online legacy promotion
Melanie May | 17 February 2021 | News
Legacy promotion is as important online as it is offline, but what works best? Here are some examples of different charities’ approaches.
The Donkey Sanctuary
The Donkey Sanctuary’s approach is warm and engaging. Its Legacy page, found in its Support Us section, sets out at the top clearly what a legacy could help the charity do, and then inspires with a supporter story, where one donor explains why she is leaving the charity a gift in her Will. The page also offers practical advice including a legacy guide that can be downloaded or ordered, and clear contact details for both individuals and legal teams. It also has a separate Donate In Memory page, setting out the different ways people can pay tribute to the life of someone special, such as funeral or memorial collections, and in memory tribute funds.
Alzheimer’s Support
Alzheimer’s Support covers everything in its In Memory Giving section. Working with people with dementia as well as their families, friends and carers, it places more emphasis on different ways to donate in someone’s memory. There are lots of ideas including a sweet idea of a Meadow of Remembrance where you can donate to plant a virtual flower in memory of a loved one along with a message. Its Leave a Legacy page starts with a thank you for thinking about the charity, and a clear message of understanding that looking after one’s family comes first with any gift someone feels able to give after that very welcome. The charity gives examples of what two unexpected bequests have enabled it to do, and how a legacy received last year has helped it weather the pandemic. It then asks you to help that good work continue with a gift of your own, explains how, and finishes with a promise of how the charity will treat any questions or wishes.
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BHF
The British Heart Foundation takes a very clear, practical approach with its Leave a gift in your Will page. It’s straight to the point, with sections on why to consider the charity, the types of gifts that can be left, and what they can do, which includes a link to a video highlighting the range of conditions connected to the heart and circulatory system, and an inspiring quote from a heart patient. There are also clear links to request a free Wills guide, along with help for solicitors and executors.
Guide Dogs
Guide Dogs starts its Leave a Gift in Your Will page off with a case study to show the difference having a guide dog can make to someone with sight loss. It then has a very clearly laid out page with links, such to click to request an information pack, or for information on the free Will writing service. There’s also a link inviting people to come and meet them. In more normal times, Guide Dogs highlights, it offers Reception Days – a chance to discover how gifts in Wills support its work and to meet staff, volunteers and some of its dogs, including hearing from a puppy walker, one of its trainers and from a guide dog owner.
Bristol Old Vic
Just over a year ago, Bristol Old Vic launched a legacy campaign with two new film showing the impact individuals can have when they decide to leave a gift in their Will, featuring actor Tim West, as well as newcomer Joe Langdon. Its legacy page is simple – a short message on the theatre’s history and how legacy gifts have helped it, followed by clear contact details. It brings the value of legacies to life with the campaign films, which ask people to #ChangetheFuture by leaving a legacy. The first explains how Langdon has benefitted from the Bristol Old Vic’ support, going from doing a drama class whilst in prison to appearing in numerous productions as a professional actor, and the second is an interview with West on the history of the theatre and the importance of ensuring the next generation of artists are nurtured and supported.
A selection of legacy-related tweets
Leaving a legacy in your Will is a great way to support essential conservation in #Galapagos for years to come. You can choose to leave a gift towards a particular conservation project or aid the projects which are most in need at the time.
Find out more: https://t.co/XNX06iw7z3 pic.twitter.com/uLGTeB4UYL
— Galapagos Conservation Trust (@galapagossip) February 1, 2021
From homelessness to hope, see the difference a Poppy Legacy makes to a veteran like Donald.
To find out more about legacy giving and how to leave a gift in your Will visit https://t.co/2rx9yxXv8v pic.twitter.com/OPEFf2BCAn
— Poppyscotland (@poppyscotland) February 8, 2021
https://twitter.com/OxfordshireMind/status/1350051511427084288
Leaving a #legacy in your Will to charities like ours can really help us to make a difference. #Cancer pic.twitter.com/B5qeOOT0li
— Sussex Cancer Fund (@SxCancerFund) February 14, 2021
Trevor has left a gift in his Will in memory of his wife Ros because he wants the community care team that looked after her to be able to care for many more patients in the future. Visit https://t.co/mDDeQYRO5Q to find out how you can leave a gift in your Will #giftsinwills pic.twitter.com/2lBqismfuQ
— Cynthia Spencer (@CynthiaSHospice) January 22, 2021
We are able to care for one in four of our patients thanks to gifts left in Wills. Would you leave a gift to Oakhaven in your Will? https://t.co/zc8dyOLfYr’
— Oakhaven Hospice (@OakhavenHospice) January 26, 2021
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.