Though all their efforts, both in terms of branding and advertising, might bear fruits, the key to long term success for an NGO is still held by the level of transparency it maintains in its operations. Anibrata Pramanik, Network Co-ordinator, Griha Adhikar Mancha (a Kolkata-based NGO) explains, “If we are not transparent, we can not function at all. True governance, transparency and accountability are our main flanks.” In fact, going a step further, NGOs are now increasingly adopting new transparency measures like social accounting and audit to establish higher credibility. So much so that over 240 NGOs have published their annual reports for the last year, and all these were actually published voluntarily. As per Sanjay Patra, Director, Financial Management Services Foundation, “Governance is another issue that plays a critical role. Earlier governance was not given much importance, but the time has changed. Today an NGO can also promote itself in terms of having good governance.”
Despite all, there are still many who believe that if NGOs go down the marketing path, they will lose contact with the grassroots in favour of formulating strategies and campaigns, which are geared towards the country’s middle classes. “NGOs should stick to their roots and do what they do best – focus on empowering the disenfranchised, and encourage mass mobilisation to hold the government to account,” says Nicola Macnaughton, a volunteer with Voluntary Service Overseas (an international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries) in her blog. This perhaps might be the reason that many NGOs in India still shy away from using marketing tools due to its links with capitalism. Still, one cannot deny the fact that most of them are now increasingly drawing on marketing techniques, be it paid advertising, branding, celebrity endorsement programmes, and audience profiling, to project their messages and to raise funds.
As more NGOs mushroom within the country, the time has arrived when a mere tag that one is operating in the social sector is not enough for subsistence. This clearly calls for the creation of a positioning statement (both in the minds of the donors and the beneficiaries), be it in terms of branding, recall, transparency, or governance. And that can only come if these modern day Robin Hoods start embracing innovative marketing tools in their fund raising strategies and acting more like cutthroat marketing corporations than like pure and simple social service organisations. Clearly, Sisters of Charity – however committed – is not necessarily an example of what other NGOs today wish to become. A war was never won on an empty stomach... neither was social transformation.
For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India
IIPM: Planman Stars – Event management made easy
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
IIPM Related Links
Social Networking Sites have become advertising shops
Despite all, there are still many who believe that if NGOs go down the marketing path, they will lose contact with the grassroots in favour of formulating strategies and campaigns, which are geared towards the country’s middle classes. “NGOs should stick to their roots and do what they do best – focus on empowering the disenfranchised, and encourage mass mobilisation to hold the government to account,” says Nicola Macnaughton, a volunteer with Voluntary Service Overseas (an international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries) in her blog. This perhaps might be the reason that many NGOs in India still shy away from using marketing tools due to its links with capitalism. Still, one cannot deny the fact that most of them are now increasingly drawing on marketing techniques, be it paid advertising, branding, celebrity endorsement programmes, and audience profiling, to project their messages and to raise funds.
As more NGOs mushroom within the country, the time has arrived when a mere tag that one is operating in the social sector is not enough for subsistence. This clearly calls for the creation of a positioning statement (both in the minds of the donors and the beneficiaries), be it in terms of branding, recall, transparency, or governance. And that can only come if these modern day Robin Hoods start embracing innovative marketing tools in their fund raising strategies and acting more like cutthroat marketing corporations than like pure and simple social service organisations. Clearly, Sisters of Charity – however committed – is not necessarily an example of what other NGOs today wish to become. A war was never won on an empty stomach... neither was social transformation.
For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
IIPM Lucknow – News article in Economic Times and Times of India
IIPM: Planman Stars – Event management made easy
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
IIPM Related Links
Social Networking Sites have become advertising shops
