Rebranding to increase funds

Bridget GardinerDirector of Fundraising and Marketing

Karen CornesMarketing and Digital Manager

Outline of session

• Brief background to Epilepsy Society

• Objectives for our rebrand

• How we achieved buy-in / overcame opposition

• How we delivered on a modest budget

• Effect rebrand has had on fundraising income

• Top tips and ideas for re-engergising your fundraising

• Largest medical epilepsy charity in the UK

• Information, care, support, assessment, research

• Change of focus and funding in last 5 years

• Turnover c. £17 million

• Voluntary income = 17%

• Residential care and supported living – 53%

• Medical care and assessment – 15%

Epilepsy Society

Do you know anyone affected by epilepsy?

Misunderstanding and stigma

Crowded market place

120 years old

Old brand

www.epilepsynse.org.uk

Rebrand objectives

• To increase awareness of our charity, leading to increased funding and more support for people affected by epilepsy.

• Make ourselves known and recognised, as there are around 30 epilepsy charities in the country competing for attention and funds. We needed to maintain and ultimately increase fundraising income.

• To reinvent the term ‘society’ by building on our history but at the same time broadening and modernising ourselves, so that we reach out to more people across the varying levels of severity of epilepsy.

It takes time to rebrand!

It took us over three years!

Overcoming barriers

62% of responders to questionnaire in 2008 saidwe should not change our name

‘Younger people come into a company or society and immediately want to make changes, but there is no point in change for

change’s sake’

‘just because it is trendy to do

so’

How we got buy-in

Epilepsy Society

Social Media

How we delivered on a modest budget

Fundraising income

2009/10 2010/11 2011/120

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

Voluntary income excluding legacies

Fundraising costs

2009/10 2010/11 2011/120

100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000700,000800,000900,000

1,000,000

Fundraising expenditure incl. support costs

• Individual giving up 12% to end of October compared with 2011

• Community, challenges and sporting events up 28% to end of October compared with 2012

How are we doing in 2012?

• Take it slowly

• Deal with concerns & capture the praise

• Demonstrate economies

• Keep reminding stakeholders why you are doing it

• Decide on your priorities

• Focus on your supporters

Top tips – rebrand external

• Make it fun

• Involve and engage

• Demonstrate / visualise the brand

• Make it relevant to staff and volunteers

Top tips – rebrand internal

• Visualise the brand• Choose a colour which people are happy to wear• Low cost merchandising items and giveaways to

reinforce the brand• Spread costs across three financial years• Energise supporters to promote the new brand• Celebrate success in all communications and on

website• Dovetail with a proactive and detailed programme of

stewardship

Top tips – fundraising and rebrand

Top tips – fundraising and rebrand

Top tips – fundraising and rebrand

Top tips – fundraising and rebrand

Any questions?