Marketing agencies do more pro bono work for NFPs than you might think. In fact, the practice is growing as part of agencies’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities.
CEO of Bastion Brands, Simon Davies, argues that pro bono work is an essential component for an agency’s survival.
But what makes pro bono work so important, especially if agencies aren’t necessarily profiting monetarily from it?
We live in an age of strong community values, where your reputation rides on how sustainable and moral your practices are. Agencies will often argue that they do pro bono work for the public good; that is, to benefit society in a positive way.
In turn, ‘fighting the good fight,’ so to speak, makes you stand out from your competitors and leaves an imprint on your clients and the general public. But there are many other benefits for both NFPs and agencies to speak of.
So what is pro bono work exactly, and how can both client and agency benefit from a free expert service?
What is Pro Bono Work?
The term pro bono comes from the Latin phrase ‘pro bono publico’, meaning ‘for the public good.’ The practice is therefore almost always focused on a good cause that can benefit society in some way.
Importantly, pro bono work is different from volunteering. While almost anyone can volunteer and contribute their time and effort to a project or movement, pro bono work requires expertise.
For example, a non-for-profit needing an attorney would not hire an unqualified volunteer, but rather a certified lawyer that could provide them with expertise they do not possess themselves.
In the context of the marketing-agency industry, David S. Waller from the Journal of Advertising Research defines pro bono work as:
‘the provision of creative, production, and/or media placement services by agencies to community or non-profit organisations at a reduced or no fee.’
Pro Bono Benefits for Non-for-Profits
NFPs have a lot to gain from enlisting an agency that is willing and able to do pro bono work for them.
First, smaller organisations might not have the budget for adequate marketing and advertising. If an agency decides to work for them pro bono, it could mean tens of thousands worth of professional marketing services offered for free.
It could also mean a significant boost in quality of design, amount of content produced, and of course outreach, excelling an NFPs campaign to a different dimension completely.
Second, NFPs can get the most out of a pro bono service by specifying with the agency what the deliverables are and developing a plan to reuse those same resources for other campaigns in the future.
Pro Bono Benefits For Agencies
It might look like non-for-profits have more to gain from pro bono work than agencies do, but that is far from the truth.
In fact, pro bono work is highly advantageous for agencies for these four reasons:
- It increases agencies’ CSR reputation
- It provides creative opportunities that agencies might not find anywhere else
- It serves as a valuable tool to motivate staff
- It increases valuable exposure in the industry
By carrying out pro bono work, an agency can do two things: produce high quality, award winning work and gain credibility, thereby increasing its exposure to industry stakeholders and attracting new clients and holding down existing ones.
Creative opportunities also run abound in that agencies often have more say in the type of work they want to produce.
Of course, attending to the client’s needs first is key, but some constraints that agencies experience with paying customers simply don’t apply in pro bono work, and give staff members a chance to really shine and show off their talents.
Pro bono work can be a way to set the refresh button for staff members, increase morale and enhance their skills.
Tips and Considerations
If you are a marketing or advertising agency looking to offer pro bono services to a non-profit, there are a few things you should first consider.
Above all, agencies should be cause-focused when choosing their clients. Investing in a cause you believe in and focusing on the client’s outcomes will most surely result in good outcomes for you, your team, and the agency as a whole.
Next, make sure to communicate your parameters clearly with your client so that you specify your capacity, budget and intentions. This is important in order to maintain structure and prevent burnout or over-spending.
Oftentimes, although grateful for your services, NFPs might not be aware of the true value of pro bono work. To stay on the same page, agencies should consider integrating an educational piece into their services so their clients can understand the value an agency brings and gain the most from the work you provide.
Final Thoughts
Pro bono services facilitate deep and positive relationships between marketing agencies, non-for-profits and local communities.
If you are an agency that is trying to increase your reputation, make a positive impact or broaden your creative portfolio, pro bono work might just be the perfect fit for you.
In fact, most agencies that experience a high level of success offer pro bono services, and even integrate it into their annual budget.
By fulfilling your civic responsibility and increasing your chance to engage talent, your company will see new doors opening in no time.
So in case you were hesitating to turn that lock…
Don’t. Open that door and see what pro bono work can offer you and your agency today.