Donor development : relationship marketing in the charitable sector

This paper seeks to explore and review the applicability of Relationship Marketing (RM) theory within the context of the Australian charity sector. The literature of RM, with particular emphasis on consumer related RM, is explored with a view to understanding the nature of the role RM may play in non-profit marketing. Although exploratory in nature at this point, the contribution of the study lies the in the exploration of the role and implementation of RM in a non-traditional context. The results of an exploratory study are presented which provide evidence of the extent of use of RM techniques amongst charity marketers and their conceptualisation of the nature of RM, before more closely reviewing the means by which these concepts may be implemented. The study also discusses the range of benefits the charities perceived the RM approach offers both themselves and their donor base. The findings indicate areas of difference in the understanding and application of RM from that of the commercial sector thus highlighting the need for RM strategies to be adapted to the specific requirement of the non-profit marketing situation.