Chapter 4 Results
4.5 Communication with public
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"When we have campaign, we are pushing it through 50 000 supporters of the PIN Club of Friends and also though the media. For getting the new donors, media play the key role indeed."
(Tomas Vyhnalek, Head of Fundraising Department)
Respondents identified TV as the most efficient medium for reaching the public. Most often, PIN cooperates with the Czech TV, public service TV that has had traditionally good relations. To some extent, there is also cooperation with TV Prima and TV Nova, two private channels.
"We cooperate a lot with Czech TV, it often has the role of the main media partner for many event. TV Prima is sometimes able to help us out as long as we have an interesting topic. "
(Tomas Vyhnalek, Head of Fundraising Department)
4.5 Communication with public
Apart from informing through the mass media, the NGO is utilizing other means of communication in order to inform the public about their activities and topics and gain more supporters.
"We are active on the website, social sites and some of colleagues are also write blog. We advertise through Google, through TV and also radio. "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department) Public events
By far the largest event organized by PIN for the broad public is the film festival One world, which is the biggest human rights film festival in Europe. It takes place in Prague and also in 34 other cities in Czech Republic. One world received honorable reference for its work on education of human rights by UNESCO in 2007. It has 16 years tradition.
"We have 100 000 people coming to the festival this year. This means we influence large group, and those people go for coffee with their friends where they discuss what they have seen.
So this is how we are bringing topic to the public sphere. "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department)
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Apart from One world, there are annual events organized by the People in Need Centre
’Langhans house’ in Prague. Usually, there are video projections, public discussions or lectures.
The center opened in June 2012. There are some events that are in the second largest city (Brno) among other cities, but they are not as regular as the events in Prague.
The websites
People in Need is operating a large number of websites – in total, there are 24 websites. This situation according to respondents reflects the reality in PIN – there is a broad variety of activities and topics covered by the organization.
"Actually, we are quite unhappy for the fact that we have so many websites – that the organization has such a broad portfolio that also communication is quite complicated. If there is a person who things we do humanitarian aid and he or she visits our website, they can see one article about human rights, one about social care in Czech republic, and one another about some campaign… There is space for improvement here, but this situation reflect the reality when there is several section who complete about which is going to be the most important one. "
(Tomas Vyhnalek, Head of Fundraising Department)
The presence of 24 websites under one organization can have some negative aspects.
Respondents showed concern that this can have a negative impact on the current donors as well as on people considering to donate, as they might not be able to imagine where the money would go.
"If there is some donor, who had good business and therefore decides to give 5 000 US Dollars to PIN, and he comes to our website, he might not be clear about what exactly will happen with his/ her money. If we were organization Light for World, he/she would know, that the money goes for eye operation of blind people and only for that. But if he gives the money to us, he does not know exactly, where the money would go. "
(Tomas Vyhnalek, Head of Fundraising Department)
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The main website (as well as the main Facebook site) is administrated by Matous Hrdina, employee of Media department. The head of Media departments identifies that it would be beneficial to include the news to websites more often.
"I think that news on our website should be updated more often and better displayed. For example the title article could have larger image. People check daily news websites and perhaps also their favorite travelling site, but there are not many people who would check our site in similar way. We would like to change that. "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department)
The traffic of the website has grown rapidly (from 900 unique visitors daily in 2013 it would increase to 1800 visitors in 2014). Part of the traffic is lead to the website from advertisement Google search. PIN, as recipient of Google Grant30, must not pay for this advertisement.
Social sites
Social networking sites provide an opportunity for NPOs to communicate with their supporters directly. PIN is aiming to reach the public on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Facebook. The communication with the last one is prioritized.
"It is a way for us to communicate with the most people with the least effort. We already have community surrounding us. "
(Tereza Hronova, Media Coordinator)
Although the number of supporters is growing31 the number of people who display its contents is sinking. The Head of Media department is ready to respond to this trend if continued:
30 Google grant provides NPOs with budget of 329 $ daily (approximately 10 000 $ per month). Google grant is available in 38 countries including Czech Republic and excluding Taiwan.
31 There was there was 17 074 on May 10, 2014
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"We have quite many fans on Facebook, but as well as all Facebook pages (apart from those dedicated to celebrities), the share of viewed posts is becoming smaller. If this trend continues, we will have to change the strategy. For instance, we could Twitter more. "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department) Paid advertisement
Another way utilized by PIN to approach the public is paid advertisements. Media houses in Czech Republic do have a non-commercial pricelist for NGOs. The advertisements of PIN are usually connected to some collection, either within a long-term campaign or SOS campaign. It is another way to let the public know about the project and ask for funds. The announcements then appears in the pages of newspapers and magazines.
"Media houses are asking nonprofits to pay between 25 and 75 US Dollars to pay for the advertisement. It is just all about getting the spot, as the space is limited… We are trying not to misuse it, and so we contact them four or five times a year. "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department)
One of the strategies in order to gain coverage within the limited advertisement space is to fulfill space after the client fails to deliver materials on time. PIN has several times received advertisement space after a client who would not deliver material on time or who cancelled in the last moment. The respondents noted that there are fewer and fewer advertisers and so the nonprofits have a bigger chance to gain the coverage.
Support
The support of the public is important for each NPO. The NPOs are trying to find new supporters as well maintain good relations with exiting supporters. PIN is creating a community of supporters called People in Need Club of Friends. Currently, it has 50 000 members. More than one third of them (about 15 000 members) donate to the organization on a regular, monthly basis (most often 10, 15 or 25 US dollars).
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"Those are quite VIP relations, when the donor already knows us personally, we have been to 5 meetings, drink coffee or beer together. In that moment, the personal relations start to be important more than our PR."
(Tomas Vyhnalek, Head of Fundraising Department)
One of the ways to find new members of the club is direct dialogue, when people are being approached on the streets and informed about People in Need activities. The communication between PIN and members of the club is usually via email and also phone. For the major donors, who contribute larger amounts, the fundraising section prepared more personalized communication.