How partnerships can help charities overcome coronavirus

• Strengthen your proposition

Coronavirus means that we all have much more time on our hands. So how can you use this time to articulate your partnership offer in a more compelling way? We suggest you organise a virtual meeting with your colleagues to identify compelling problems you face that companies can help you solve. Once you’ve got this information you can hone your proposition until it sends shivers down your spine! If you don’t feel the shiver, you need to keep on sharpening your message.

• Shift your activity

Traditionally so much of our activity happens in physical spaces, but we live in the digital age now. So how can you make your partnership activity virtual? With so many people working from home we need to engage employees and consumers digitally. Suggest digital campaigns, online cause-marketing promotions and simple employee fundraising people can do remotely.

• What’s in it for them?

This is our most important recommendation. Right now, the main concern for companies is survival. They are having emergency meetings creating their survival plan. You need to meet that need. How is your partnership activity/opportunity going to help them sell more, reach more and keep colleagues motivated? You want to make your partnership opportunity part of their survival plan.

• Prospect virtually

Engage your corporate prospects via phone, email and social media. Hold meetings via Skype/Zoom/Teams. It is totally possible to engage a prospect online if your message is powerful, simple and based on shared purpose.

We hope these recommendations give you confidence and a suggested way forward. As Helen Keller said, “A bend in the road is not the end of the road… unless you fail to make the turn.”