A charity organization devoted to eliminating illiteracy worldwide has hired you as a marketing manager. Your job is to develop a marketing plan to achieve the annual goal of $5M donated funds for your division. Supported by data and realistic assumptions, your plan should highlight the following:
A summary of the budget including administrative costs. Since the $5M should cover all the organizational costs as well as be given away for your cause, decide what percentage of the estimated funds should be allocated to each category. In particular, of the organizational costs, what percentage will be spent on marketing considering the core function of the organization. Present your budget breakdown in a table or graph. You must include at least 5 categories of expenses in your budget.
As the marketing manager, you have control over the marketing budget. How would you allocate the marketing budget? Develop a promotion mix including at least 5 components (e.g., fundraising, online donation platforms, adverting, etc.). Based on the principles of segmentation, targeting, and positioning, explain and illustrate (using data, evidence, etc. as much as possible) why each component in your promotion mix will be effective. The promotion plan should be detailed enough to be made into an action plan.
Pick one of the tools in your promotion plan. Explain what psychological principles of consumer marketing can affect the design and implementation of this promotion tool. Examples would include: selective perception of potential donors, reactions to positive versus negative marketing messages, how potential donors perceive opportunity cost, the positioning of the cause, donor loyalty effects, donor-charity attachment.
Points to consider:
More than half of the budget is going towards the charity, the more you give the more people recognize you and you would have positioned your organization in the best way. Lets assume 2,800,000 is going towards charity and what is left is for the budget to run the organization with five expenses including marketing which will range around 60% of the remaining budget. Under marketing budget, you will have a promotion mix and what percentage of the budget is each going to take.
Try defining the scope of the charity (e.g., geographically) so your promotional messages will not be too broad
Develop a profile for the donor segment(s) you are considering, the promotional elements will be effective to the extent that they fit the segments
Be convincing with your budgeting estimates; use the industry averages to guide your plan
Make sure you include tools that are effective in "closing the sale" while considering the long-term donor relationships
Are you missing anything obvious in your plan? Is the plan feasible?