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5 Lessons on Growing Membership from Surfers Against Sewage: Insights for Charities
Are you a charity looking to grow your membership base and increase engagement? At Farrer, we’ve had the privilege of supporting Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) over the past three years as they’ve significantly expanded their member base. Here are five key lessons we’ve learned from their success that can help charities like yours grow, engage, and retain loyal supporters.
1. Community Engagement: Empowering Your Audience to Act
One of the most valuable lessons from SAS’s success is the power of community engagement. SAS actively empowers their community of “ocean activists” by providing tools and opportunities to get involved in campaigns, beach cleanups, and environmental advocacy.
How your charity can benefit: Offer your supporters clear, actionable ways to contribute to your cause. Whether it’s volunteering, participating in events, or sharing their own stories, creating pathways for engagement will strengthen their connection to your charity. By fostering a sense of belonging, casual followers are more likely to become committed members.
2. Emotive Creative Content Drives Membership Growth
SAS’s ability to evoke strong emotional connections has been instrumental in their growth. Their messaging focuses on how environmental issues personally affect individuals and their communities, which motivates people to take action. Emotional storytelling taps into people’s values and makes them feel more deeply connected to the cause.
How your charity can benefit: Invest in creative content that emotionally resonates with your audience. Highlight the personal impact of your work and tell powerful stories about the people or causes you support. Emotional connections drive engagement, leading people to sign up for memberships, donate, or get involved in other ways.
3. High-Profile Partnerships Boost Visibility and Credibility
SAS has successfully partnered with high-profile figures and organizations, helping amplify their message. Their invitation to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding was a testament to the power of high-profile connections. While not every charity will have access to such events, strategic partnerships can still play a vital role in boosting visibility and credibility.
How your charity can benefit: Collaborate with well-known figures, brands, or influencers who align with your mission. These partnerships can help your charity reach new audiences and give your cause more credibility. High-profile collaborations can also open doors to new funding and media opportunities.
4. Membership Benefits Keep Donors Engaged
Offering tangible benefits to members helps keep them engaged and connected with your charity over the long term. SAS offers perks like exclusive content, early access to campaigns, and discounts on merchandise, which adds value to membership and helps retain supporters.
How your charity can benefit: Provide exclusive benefits to your members. This can include early access to events, newsletters, or discounts on branded merchandise. Perks, even small ones, make supporters feel valued and encourage continued engagement with your charity.
5. A Strong Digital Presence Expands Membership Reach
SAS has successfully utilized digital tools to grow their reach and engage new members. Their Safer Seas & Rivers app allows users to monitor water quality in real-time and report pollution, giving them an interactive and impactful way to stay involved with the cause. This digital tool has helped SAS connect with more environmentally conscious individuals locally and nationally.
How your charity can benefit: Invest in digital tools and strategies to engage potential members. Whether it’s through mobile apps, social media, or targeted digital advertising, having a strong online presence can significantly boost your reach. Additionally, optimizing your website for search engines (SEO) can help your charity appear in front of individuals actively searching for causes like yours.
Bonus Tip: Leverage Google Grants to Drive Website Traffic
Google Grants is an underused tool for charities that want to drive more traffic to their website. SAS has effectively used the Google Grant program, which provides up to $10,000 in free search ads each month to nonprofits. By optimizing their search campaigns, they’ve attracted a wider audience interested in environmental advocacy.
How your charity can benefit: Apply for the Google Grant and use paid search ads to promote your charity’s causes. This can help you reach people actively searching for issues you address and increase membership sign-ups. A strong paid media strategy can drive more traffic and support your charity’s growth goals.
Why Partner with a Paid Media Agency?
If your charity is looking to grow membership, increase donations, or improve engagement, leveraging digital marketing tools like paid search, social, and high-profile partnerships can make all the difference. As a paid media agency specialising in helping charities, we understand the unique challenges you face and can help craft strategies that deliver results.
Ready to grow your charity’s impact? Contact us today to learn how we can help you optimize your digital strategy and grow your member base.