Charities must address the DMO skills gap

Charities must address the DMO skills gap or risk losing out to more innovative competitors warns The Principle Partnership

Charities have never been more competitive in their quest to win share of wallet amongst donors and direct marketing is a fundamental tool deployed by charities in order to help achieve this objective. Most charities are competing for share of wallet not only with other charities but with the private sector, therefore direct marketing needs to be competitive and stand out from the rest. It stands to reason that direct marketing professionals working in the sector need the innovative, creative approach that will achieve this.

According to The Principle Partnership there is currently a skills shortage for Direct Marketing Officers (DMOs) in the charity sector, which could go some way to explaining some of the difficulties organisations have. So how can charities exploit this skills gap as an opportunity to recruit people who possess the skills needed to inject some pizzazz into what has traditionally been the poor relation of corporate DM? And what should they look for in a DMO?

Core skills for a DMO should include imagination, energy, a good eye for detail, excellent communication skills, the ability to liaise with colleagues and donors and to manage key suppliers. But in addition to this, most charities insist on marketing experience in the charity sector which has closed the door to those candidates who possess the innovative qualities needed. Frequently private sector DMOs have what it takes but find it difficult to get a foot in the door because of a lack of experience in the field.

This shift is changing slowly across the board and some larger charities have recognised that private sector experience is invaluable if the sector is to evolve in line with the modern day consumer.

Diabetes UK for example has recently appointed Douglas Smallwood, managing director of corporate banking at HBOS to be its chief executive, while Oxfam appointed a top executive from Nike as its regional director for West Africa.

Appointments like these can only help the cause, but there is still some way to go before this approach filters down to the marketing department.

A proven interest in the charity sector, which extends to more than simply ëwanting to make a differenceí, is of course important, but the balance is shifting. If the sector is to evolve it needs fresh blood, new ideas and innovative approaches. And this means that many charities will have to take a leap of faith into the private sector skills pool in order to reap the all-important share of wallet needed.