I’ve got some suggestions for the Impact Sourcing stakeholders working to launch the next global Impact Sourcing brand. I’ve written previously about the Impact Sourcing sector’s need for marketing. Let’s dive deeper into what a marketing plan for Impact Sourcing could look like, drawing upon current developments within the Impact Sourcing industry.
A recent Rockefeller Foundation blog post proposes six initiatives to scale the industry. Key stakeholders convened to develop these initiatives and work is ongoing. Marketing the practice of Impact Sourcing and building an industry brand are among their proposals. We share in their vision for the industry.
In 2013, people interested in Impact Sourcing needed a brand to bring knowledge, spur discussion and share resources. That’s why I founded Impact Hub. Over the past year we’ve run digital experiments and I’ve personally consulted with 100+ enterprises to raise awareness of Impact Sourcing and its value proposition. What did we learn?
A centralized online presence for Impact Sourcing is paramount. Buyers need easy access to information and one-on-one guidance.
As the Rockefeller Foundation continues to build support for Impact Sourcing, they’re planning to spearhead the creation of an Impact Sourcing industry organization–a “global coordinating body.”
Impact Sourcing is Global. So should it’s next brand.
The introduction of this forthcoming organization’s brand and the roll out of it’s marketing campaign will require the development of a new website. Imagine an online experience that:
- Serves as the ‘home base’ for Impact Sourcing and its marketing activities
- Offers a comfortable venue for buyers, funders, partners, talent and ISSPs to discover and explore the Impact Sourcing business case
- Profiles industry players and ISSPs and their capabilities
- Handles inquiries from investors and buyers
- Eases navigation of industry resources and best practices
- Includes a learning portal to develop talent, including links to existing, relevant MOOCs
The act of launching such a web presence can help establish the industry organization’s brand. A proactive team will be necessary to publish fresh content in an engaging, seamless and usable online experience. This will help the organization’s brand achieve an important first step towards marketing Impact Sourcing.
Expanding upon this in my next post, it’s all about execution. I urge those involved in this launch to borrow best practices from the world of startup companies.