05: A for Audacity
A Story - Rejection and Celebrities.
Dear NGO Founder,
Once upon a time, there was a charity project manager who was feeling super creative and audacious that she made a big move. She was thinking of fundraising for one of her projects, then she thought to execute an idea that had been lingering. I have to admit speaking in third person is weird, I was that charity project manager and here was what I did.
I know that global fashion brands donate to charity and some create collections just for that. I have gotten clothes with tags that state that a particular percentage goes towards a charity cause. So I thought why not Nigeria? Anyone who knows me knows how much I love ‘made in Nigeria’ fashion brands like Orange Culture, Andrea Iyamah, Mai Atafo, Ladymaker, Zephansandco, Tubo etc. In 2021, I sent cold mails to over 20 brands. I created a campaign named “Slay and Serve". I stated what the project set out to achieve and how we were requesting two dollars ($2) (less than ₦1000 at that time) per sale for a month.
What happened next? Well, I never got a response to any of the mails. I felt confident about the plan and it was a bright moment in my mind. I was sad for a while that it did not play out as planned but I had to move to the next strategy. By the way, I bear no grudges against the fashion industry. I have learnt recently through books that the fashion industry in Nigeria faces issues like high production cost, shortage of skilled labour and a limited access to credit. So I know that even though you think they charge a lot, it doesn't necessarily translate to a lot of profit.You can check out the screenshot below and tell me what you think about how my idea was communicated.
Now, that's not the only big leap I've taken. I have taken a lot, some were successful while others failed. An organisation I once worked with, reached out to influential people and celebrities to either share our flyers, make a video, attend our fundraiser, or donate. We got positive responses and lots of rejections too. I have watched celebrities personally gravitate towards some NGOs because of a compelling social media story. So what exactly am I driving at ?
Dear founder, influential people or celebrities can add value by amplifying the work you do or by donating, but manage your expectations. They get a ton of messages about charities, so it's understandable when they reject or don't respond. A different approach will be to research companies/organisations in Nigeria and abroad to see what Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities they engage in (pro tip: check their website), and you can shoot your shot along these CSR activities. Before you do, make sure you're proposing an innovative solution to the problem(s) your project aims to solve.
If you are in Nigeria, I hope you went out to exercise your franchise. It is our civic responsibility.
This week's question -
Are you going to shoot any shot(s)?
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Bye.
Great article right here!
My POV: I think this audacious step would have been more grandeur if:
1. The author of the mail had started by introducing the problem which their solution aim to tackle.
2. There was no proper introduction of the authors initiative, the goal of the project (why was painting an old classroom block necessary? Why should the organisation support in buying books for a library) except if otherwise stated in another addendum attached to the mail.
3. Like the author of the article said, visiting the websites of these companies might help to know about their CSR policies. But the "if" in the mail for me signifies that the author of the mail is not sure if they are communicating with the right organisation or not. Maybe a statement "telling how your project truly aligns with the organisation's mission of xxx would have helped . " if not then alternately...
4. Try convince the client about the benefits they will get from supporting or sponsoring your program, so that way its a win win situation for both parties.
In general, I think the author didn't really engage neither were they persuasive in selling their cause to their prospective partners.
What do you think? This is just my own view. But in general thanks for this great content, I learnt more about companys' CSR.