Marketers using cheap flyers may have 'a lot to learn from charities'

Charities' focus on effectiveness and long-term thinking is successful, it has been claimed.

Companies that use cheap flyers as part of their marketing strategy may wish to look to charitable organisations for inspiration, following recent comments.

In a piece for Marketing Week, Richard Madden stated while the generally-held view is that charities have a lot to learn from commercial firms, in reality it is the other way round.

He noted not-for-profit organisations have demonstrated that "focus on effectiveness, long-term thinking, openness and behavioural economics has proved a successful strategy."

Mr Madden said charities take return on advertising investment very seriously, while they see securing future value potential as a measure of success rather than immediate income.

Furthermore, fundraisers are willing to share their ideas with those from other organisations, which he sees as a sign of maturity rather than naivety.

Conversely, MaryLou Costa recently remarked in an article for the same publication that charities need to become more commercially savvy if they are to fight for survival in today's tough economic climate.