Digital Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofit Marketing Leaders in (1).pdf

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Section 1: Foundation of the Study

From 2010 to 2015, the number of grants and other financial awards given to

nonprofit organizations by the United States government dropped by 28.5% (United

States Department of the Treasury, 2016). Nonprofit organizations are faced with funding

challenges and must implement strategic marketing plans to generate donations (Hu,

Kapucu, & O'Byrne, 2014; Sokolowski, 2013). Digital marketing strategies offer a cost-

effective alternative (Bennett, 2014) to traditional marketing. Unfortunately, many

nonprofit organizations lack the skills to implement a digital marketing campaign

2014). Digital marketers analyze the online behavior of users to contextualize the

marketing message for each recipient (Stone & Woodcock, 2014). Digital marketing

influences social behavior through audience engagement (Kabadayi & Price, 2014).

Digital marketing is often less expensive and more effective than traditional marketing.

Small organizations seldom possess the resources necessary for large, traditional

marketing campaigns (McGovern, 2012). Nonprofit organizations require marketing to

generate donations but frequently struggle to generate enough income for any marketing

strategy (Bennett, 2014). Nonprofit organizations can benefit from digital marketing

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strategies, but often lack the skills to execute them (Bennett, 2014; Management Team,

2013). Research exists on digital marketing strategies, but very little focuses on the use of

digital marketing by nonprofit organizations to increase donations.

Problem Statement

As funding decreases in the nonprofit marketplace, organizations must seek new

funding sources, including international donors (Management Team, 2013). In 2010, the

United States government awarded 110,063 grants and other financial awards to

nonprofit organizations (United States Department of the Treasury, 2016); in 2015, the

2016). The general business problem is that while leaders of North American nonprofit

The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to determine the digital

fundraising strategies that nonprofit healthcare marketing leaders use for international

donors. The population consisted of marketing leaders from five nonprofit healthcare

organizations from North America that successfully employed international digital

fundraising strategies. The findings from this study may effect social change by helping

nonprofit healthcare organizations generate funding from international donors. By

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increasing donations, North American nonprofit healthcare organizations will have more

resources to fund education, research, and science in the medical field.

The study was a qualitative exploration of the digital fundraising strategies

successfully employed by nonprofit healthcare organizations. The focus of a qualitative

study may be the experiences of others and the underlying themes of those experiences.

Through direct interaction with subjects, researchers gain insight into their subject’s

experiences (Anderson, Leahy, DelValle, Sherman, & Tansey, 2014). Researchers use the

as compared to quantitative research methods (Anyan, 2013). Researchers use the

documented strategies, making qualitative research a better choice than quantitative

research. In this study, the subjects were marketing managers for nonprofit healthcare

organizations. A challenge when using mixed method research is establishing real and

meaningful connections across different types (Venkatesh, Brown, & Bala, 2013). One

difference between qualitative research and quantitative research is the type of questions

asked in interviews and questionnaires. Questions in qualitative research are usually

open-ended, while questions in quantitative research are closed-ended (Zohrabi, 2013).

This research consisted of interviews, a qualitative data type. Mixed method research

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contains both qualitative and quantitative data (Venkatesh et al., 2013), making it

unsuitable for this study. When conducting mixed method research, researchers often find

it difficult to establish meaningful connections between the results of open-ended and

closed-ended questions (Venkatesh et al., 2013). Additionally, because mixed-method

research contains separate qualitative and quantitative components, researchers must

decide if their study is primarily one or the other. The primary method is the foundation

of the research and the secondary method supports the primary (Morse & Cheek, 2014). I

identified strategies employed by marketing leaders by analyzing their experiences. A

The research was a multicase study of five North American medical organizations

of a limited number of important figures or organizations in a given field (Lewis, 2015).

Unlike other research designs, the case study is effective for presenting scenarios in

which the researcher has no control over events, but must analyze details behind real-life

situations (Ardhendu, 2014).

I chose the multicase study over several other potential models, including

phenomenology and ethnography research designs. In phenomenology, researchers

explore a single experience shared by multiple parties (Tomkin & Eatough, 2013), which

was not appropriate for this study as I sought to understand strategies each participant

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employed for success. Researchers use the ethnographic design to focus on the collective

experiences of a group and how those experiences shape them as a demographic (Wall,

2015). Ethnography was an inappropriate approach here because this study was not about

marketing managers as a group, but rather about the digital marketing strategies they

deploy internationally.

The central research question was: Which digital fundraising strategies have

nonprofit healthcare marketing leaders used to generate funding from international

4. How did your digital fundraising strategies need to change in different

international markets?

5. What common cultural barriers have you encountered when using digital

fundraising strategies to market internationally?

6. As an international organization, how do you build trust through digital

fundraising strategies?

7. How are digital fundraising strategies different for medical nonprofit

organizations?

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8. What additional insights can you share on digital fundraising strategies for

international markets?

The conceptual framework for this research was marketing systems theory,

pioneered by Layton (1968). In this theory, a marketing system is a network of people

with common needs and those who provide solutions to meet those needs (Layton, 2011).

In a marketing system, buyers and sellers connect socially (Layton, 2011). The cultural,

economic, and social aspects of this connection affect how buyers and sellers interact. I

digital marketing creates as part of the greater marketing system.

value of marketing efforts. Within this framework, marketing performance is a

combination of marketing effectiveness and marketing efficiency. Marketing

effectiveness refers to how successful marketing activities are in achieving organizational

goals; marketing efficiency is how well organizations use resources to execute marketing

activities (Gao, 2010). Effective marketing supports the success and growth of an

organization, while efficient marketing saves the organization money. The goals and

resources of the organization dictate the optimal balance of these two concepts (Gao,

2010).

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Digital fundraising: Any fundraising technique that utilizes digital media to

generate funds from an audience (Sargeant & Jay, 2014).

Digital marketing: Any marketing technique that utilizes the internet to connect

with an audience (Leeflang, Verhoef, Dahlström, & Freundt, 2014).

Digital media: Any media delivered via the internet or mobile computing

technology (Jensen, 2013).

Nonprofit organization: An organization legally required to spend financial

on services for members (Topor & Boroiu, 2011).

Some assumptions regarding the nature of nonprofit organizations were necessary

for the conduct of this research. The study was subject to certain limitations based on

sample size and participant availability. The delimitations of this study are geographic

restrictions and the roles of the chosen participants within their organizations.

Assumptions are things considered true in the context of the research. If the

assumptions are not true, the research cannot succeed (Lips-Wiersma & Mills, 2014;

Simon & Goes, 2013); for example, a researcher analyzing the positive effects of

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vacation time on employee performance might assume that all participants enjoy time

away from work. Not including assumptions may negatively impact the validity of

research (Leedy & Ormrod, 2013). A key assumption for this study was that the

participating nonprofit organizations require funding. As the focus of this study was

digital marketing strategies for internationally-funded nonprofit healthcare organizations,

another assumption was that each region in which the nonprofit organizations attempted

to generate funding required the services provided by those organizations. Another

assumption was that each participating organization had successfully established a North

recognition. The final assumption was that participants in the study had an understanding

Limitations

out of the control of the researcher (Simon & Goes, 2013). One limitation of this study

was the sample size. Using the minimum of five participants could create an uneven bias

in results. However, the issue of uneven bias due to sample size is more significant to

quantitative research than qualitative (Marshall, Cardon, Poddar, & Fontenot, 2013). The

number of available participants and the time participants commit to interviews was also

a limitation. Another limitation is that not all strategies shared by the participants were

considered best practice. Finally, due to the pace at which digital marketing evolves,

some results may no longer be applicable.

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Delimitations are boundaries within the control of the researcher (Simon & Goes,

2013). For example, a delimitation of researchers studying the habits of migratory birds

are the number of birds they see. Another delimitation of the same study would be the

region researchers choose to watch. The first delimitation of this study was geography;

participants had to be in North America. Another delimitation was the position held by

interviewees. The focus of this study was only on marketing leaders, but other individuals

in the participating organizations may be responsible for international digital fundraising

new sources of funding (Clark, 2012), understanding how to reach new markets could

make a difference to their continued success.

Contribution to Business Practice

Although research exists on digital nonprofit marketing and international

marketing, very little exists on the two together. This research may help nonprofit

healthcare organizations make informed decisions about marketing to international

audiences through digital media. This research may also give nonprofit healthcare

organizations digital marketing tools to raise funds internationally in a cost-effective way.

(Mason, 2014). Traditional marketing systems are not equipped to anticipate the rapid

changes of modern, turbulent marketplaces (Mason, 2014). Complexity theory specializes

in understanding interactions within a complex, changing system (Mason, 2014).

Marketers can thus use complexity theory to understand evolving marketplaces (Mason,

2014).

Chae (2012) used complexity theory to explain the intricacies of service

innovation. Service innovation is the practice of developing and sharing new services

with an audience (Chae, 2012). Traditionally, products and product information have

service marketing has emerged as an alternative marketing strategy (Gummesson &

than innovation in other fields (Chae, 2012; Gummesson & Grönroos, 2012).

Organizations in the healthcare field practice service innovation and marketing because

their business model is providing services (Gummesson & Grönroos, 2012). As providers

of services, nonprofit organizations practice service innovation and marketing. Chae

explained that services provided by organizations evolve based on the reaction of

consumers and the landscape within which consumers and service providers interact.

Service innovation follows the laws of complexity theory, in which consumers, services,

and organizations are interacting agents within a system (marketplace) that grow and

evolve based on those interactions (Chae, 2012). As organizations and consumer needs

continue to evolve, services evolve to meet new needs. At the same time, the evolution of

services changes the interaction between organizations and consumers, leading to the

evolution of both agents (Chae, 2012). Organizations must respond to the evolving needs

of consumers with new services or risk negative feedback (or a loss of consumer

interest).

Opposing Theories

Dixon (1989) was one of the world’s leading researchers on marketing theory

scenarios and championed the idea that marketing theories should be less theoretical and

can be financial or involve barter, reciprocity, or redistribution. Dixonian marketing also

applies to other, nonprofit-based exchanges (Tamilia, 2011). Services marketing and

other mutual exchanges also fit this definition. According to Dixon and Wilkinson

(1989), marketing theory should be practical and focus on the actual transaction between

marketer and consumer. Unlike marketing systems theory or complexity theory, the focus

of Dixonian marketing is the practical application of marketing techniques rather than the

abstract concept of networked connections or relationships (Tamilia, 2011).

According to resource-based theory, a company’s ability to prosper in a

marketplace comes from the uniqueness of their resources (Grant, 1991). Resources are

any asset that a company uses to make a profit or reduce costs. A resource must be

difficult for competitors to acquire or use to be advantageous in a marketplace (Grant,

1991). Therefore, the most valuable resources are rare, costly, or difficult to exploit. If all

companies have access to a resource, that resource does not provide a competitive

advantage. Resources can be physical, like a specific building material or a talented

employee. They can also be intangible, like an emotional attachment to a brand or

Researchers frequently apply resource-based theory to the field of marketing.

create a competitive advantage in a marketplace (Kozlenkova et al., 2014). Researchers

who have applied resource-based theory to market-based resources have found that

intangible assets like brand recognition provide greater value and advantage to companies

than tangible assets like material goods (Kozlenkova et al., 2014).

The focus of Dixonian marketing is the actual exchange between marketer and

consumer (Tamilia, 2011). The focus of resource-based theory is the exploitation of a

limited resource to create an advantage within a market (Kozlenkova et al., 2014). These

theories differ from marketing systems theory and complexity theory because they do not

address networks, connections, and relationships.

Nonprofit organizations grow out of many causes and support different needs.

The common denominator among American nonprofits is that they are legally required to

spend financial earnings on individuals other than those who govern the organization

(board members) or on services for members (Topor & Boroiu, 2011). This restriction is

what makes an organization nonprofit. The goal of the organization must be to provide

Many nonprofit organizations develop in response to a lack of government

agencies face, making them abler to implement different problem-solving strategies

(Topor & Boroiu, 2011). Often government will support nonprofit organizations because

they can provide services more efficiently and effectively than the government; however,

most nonprofits cannot exist solely on government support (Clark, 2012), and thus their

main challenge is a financial one. Nonprofit organizations need further funding to

provide services to their members and patrons.

The three major nonprofit organization funding categories are organizations that

receive most of their funding through donations and grants, organizations that receive

funding from revenue-generating services, and organizations that receive funding via

membership dues (Primoff, 2012). Most organizations fall into one of these categories or

are hybrids of two or three (Primoff, 2012). By definition, nonprofit organizations have

tax-exempt status, which means they must provide documentation to the government on

income spending (Topor & Boroiu, 2011). Smaller nonprofit organizations are financially

simple; as they increase in size, they become more complex. Government scrutinizes

larger organizations for financial compliance (Primoff, 2012). However, government

funding of nonprofit organizations often helps to increase philanthropic donations

from private organizations come with legal restrictions, especially when the donations are

organizations navigate the complex process of obtaining funding from government

(Primoff, 2012).

Reliance on government support is a problem for nonprofit organizations (Clark,

2012). The tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations also creates challenges in the

form of heavy government oversight (Primoff, 2012). Fundraising from donors would

help nonprofit organizations alleviate the need for government funding. However,

nonprofit organizations lack the skills and resources to connect with donors (Bennett,

2014).

Government funding of nonprofit organizations changes based on economic

fluctuations and political agendas. In the 1980s, following a recession, the Reagan

administration cut funding to nonprofit organizations by 25% (Norris-Tirrell, 2014). In

the 1990s, government funding of nonprofit organizations became popular again,

particularly for organizations providing social services (Norris-Tirrell, 2014). Despite

government support, legal restrictions and complicated administrative requirements have

made it more difficult for organizations to acquire governmental funding (Norris-Tirrell,

2014; Primoff, 2012). Many nonprofit organizations that formerly relied on government

(Acton, Mammano, & Fagan, 2012). Large organizations to be particularly financially

as small, grassroots movements often grow to become large institutions (Norris-Tirrell,

2014). The needs of a large, professional nonprofit are different from those of a smaller,

less professional one (Norris-Tirrell, 2014). The workforce supporting the organization

grows as well (Norris-Tirrell, 2014), as volunteers give way to professionals. These

larger nonprofit organizations compete for skilled workers, driving up staffing costs

(Norris-Tirrell, 2014). Some nonprofit organizations also compete for resources with for-

profit companies. Nonprofit organizations can often provide the same services as for-

profit businesses by using a fee-based membership model (Park & Kim, 2014). Nonprofit

organizations reinvest what would be profit back into their services and organizational

needs. Therefore, they can focus on improving their offerings (Park & Kim, 2014), which

may force competing for-profit companies to react by improving quality and reducing

costs, thereby creating healthy marketplace competition. Competing with for-profit

companies, however, requires resources, which is particularly problematic for small

organizations.

Smaller nonprofit organizations face the challenge of making financial ends meet

and struggling to expand without the professional resources that larger organizations have

nonprofits need to engage in strategic planning (Hu et al., 2014; Sokolowski, 2013).

long-term success. However, developing and implementing a strategic plan requires

resources as well. Nonprofit funding typically follows a crowding model in which the

donation from one party leads to donations from additional parties (Sokolowski, 2013). A

strategic plan can help map out this expansion of growth.

Another problem nonprofit organizations face is a focus on day-to-day operations

as opposed to long-term plans (Hu et al., 2014). Small nonprofits have the benefit of

agility due to their size, which helps them react quickly to short-term events (Norris-

Tirrell, 2014). However, in a recent study of 20 small nonprofit organizations, leadership

agreed that strategic planning is beneficial to long-term success (Hu et al., 2014). Leaders

of those organizations believed that the early investment of resources in a strategic plan

led to more growth and stability (Hu et al., 2014). Some nonprofits combine with other

nonprofits to pool resources and implement sustainable long-term strategies for survival

(Acton et al., 2012). Focusing on day-to-day operations keeps nonprofits functioning in

the short term, but without strategic planning, nonprofits reduce the likelihood of long-

term success (Hu et al., 2014).

Part of strategic planning is program development. As opposed to creating

development to create programs with long-term strategies for success (Trzcinski &

community (Hu et al., 2014). However, organizations that invest in program planning

consistently report higher levels of growth than organizations that do not (Trzcinski &

Sobeck, 2012). The best program plans account for uncertainty in the future, which

allows the program to react to unplanned trends and events (Trzcinski & Sobeck, 2012).

Another factor contributing to nonprofit organizational growth is a willingness to

change (Trzcinski & Sobeck, 2012). Organizations that are open to change in strategy

and direction grow more than organizations that do not (Trzcinski & Sobeck, 2012).

Comfort with change signifies an entrepreneurial perspective in an organization’s culture

(Nesbit & Lam, 2014). Entrepreneurs embrace new opportunities rather than resisting

them. Organizations that empower lower-level employees to formulate or implement

changes create a culture of change and adaptability (Nesbit & Lam, 2014). Acceptance of

this philosophy at all employee levels is important to creating a change-friendly

organization (Nesbit & Lam, 2014). Particularly with small nonprofits, this attitude

creates growth and allows the organization to meet new membership needs quickly

(Trzcinski & Sobeck, 2012).

Corporations frequently collaborate with nonprofit organizations to improve

2013). Cause-related marketing promotes a partnership between corporations and

Heyes & Liu, 2013). The Energizer Company and the Susan G. Komen Foundation

aligned the Energizer motto “Keep Going” with the Susan G. Komen initiative to

encourage cancer patients through treatment. The resulting Keep Going Spirit campaign

was successful for both Energizer and the Susan G. Komen Foundation (Percival, 2014).

Consumer perception of these alliances can be fickle, however (Myers et al., 2013). The

relationship between a corporation and a nonprofit organization must appear logical to

consumers. If the relationship does not appear to make sense, it can damage public

perception of the nonprofit and the corporation (Liston-Heyes & Liu, 2013; Myers et al.,

2013). However, the right combination of nonprofit and corporation can generate positive

public reactions for both sides (Kang & Hustvedt, 2014).

Unfortunately, the relationship between companies and nonprofits is not always

advantageous to the latter. Corporate partnerships can create unwanted conflicts for

nonprofit organizations. Traditionally, corporate agendas conflict with those of nonprofit

organization agendas (De Bakker, Den Hond, King, & Weber, 2013). When a nonprofit

accepts resources from a corporation, it often relinquishes some control (Al-Tabbaa,

Leach, & March, 2013; Lefroy & Tsarenko, 2013; Liston-Heyes & Liu, 2013), and

& García, 2015). Corporations may expect nonprofits to behave in a certain manner or

forces the corporation to reflect the views and mission of the nonprofit giving the

nonprofit an advantage in the relationship (Lefroy & Tsarenko, 2013; Liston-Heyes &

Liu, 2013). But this advantage does not necessarily resolve the conflict. Nonprofit

organizations need resources for things like marketing, which companies can provide, but

those resources often require compromise.

As government funding decreases, nonprofit organizations must seek new funding

sources (Hu, Kapucu, & O'Byrne, 2014; Sokolowski, 2013). When the government does

fund nonprofit organizations, it requires those nonprofits to follow complex rules that can

social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter as well as mobile marketing to send

their message (McGovern, 2012). Marketing via social media gives nonprofit

organizations the ability to develop complex, two-channel relationships with an audience

(Krueger & Haytko, 2015). This approach has proved more cost-effective than traditional

marketing while also connecting with a large international audience (McGovern, 2012).

Organizations using social media marketing realize increases in donor support and

engagement (Krueger & Haytko, 2015). Marketers also use social media to connect with

audiences through content marketing, which is the practice of generating content relevant

sharing relevant content with users, marketers generate trust with the audience. That trust

resources to employ marketing professionals (Chad et al., 2014). When this happens, the

responsibility for marketing often falls on the CEO or some other senior manager

(Bennett, 2014). In a study of 26 small nonprofits in this position, Bennett (2014) found

that, without a marketing background, managers use personal judgment to create

marketing plans. Bennett showed that this leads to problems with prioritizing audiences

and determining prices for services. Many nonprofits often elect simply to break even.

Managers reported that the experience of stepping up as marketing managers showed

them how essential marketing is to their organizational success and how little they knew

about it (Bennett, 2014). Digital marketing strategies compound this issue because they

are often foreign to the uninitiated (Krueger & Haytko, 2015).

Due to the nature of the benefits they provide, nonprofit organizations rely on

service marketing to generate funds (Lages et al., 2012). Most marketers have less

experience with service marketing than with the more traditional product marketing

(Kauppinen-Räisänen & Grönroos, 2015). Because marketing for nonprofits is

specialized, less research exists on the subject than on marketing for corporations

(Wymer, 2013). Nonprofit organizations do not have the resources to invest in expensive

Ideally, marketers at nonprofit organizations would employ relationship marketing,

techniques (Chad, et al., 2014).

Healthcare Professional Marketing Challenges

Portegies and Waaga (2014) conducted a study of 51 healthcare professionals and

their response to the marketing of medical devices. The researchers asked medical

professionals to rate which concepts in marketing messages had the strongest impact on

them. Some of these concepts were price, peer recommendation, patient outcomes,

innovation, and education. Most medical professionals in the study said that patient

outcome and education were very significant factors in their decision-making, while peer

recommendation and price were not as important (Portegies & Waaga, 2014). A study of

443 medical professionals also showed that medical professionals place a high value on

education (Siverbo, Eriksson, Raharjo, & Moonen, 2014), and the majority of participants

reported improved attitudes towards work following training (Siverbo et al., 2014).

When marketing within the healthcare community, companies, and nonprofit

organizations must also consider the ethical implications of their marketing strategy. The

marketing of some products in the medical field, such as pharmaceuticals, poses ethical

concerns (Al-Hamdi et al., 2012). It is unethical for pharmaceutical companies to offer

Sismondo, 2013). However, pharmaceutical companies can offer free samples, gifts, and

may also raise public awareness of the products by endorsing them (Sismondo, 2013).

Pharmaceutical companies use incentive marketing to target key opinion leaders in the

medical field (Sismondo, 2013). Pharmaceutical companies also use incentive marketing

to influence medical students. Recent medical school graduates targeted by such

incentive marketing prescribe the marketed pharmaceuticals more frequently than those

who do not receive such incentives (King, Essick, Bearman, & Ross, 2013). Physicians

respond to marketing strategies that fill their needs. If a physician has educational or

professional development needs, it is likely that he or she will prescribe medication from

a pharmaceutical company that helps him or her meet those needs (Al-Hamdi et al.,

2012). While regulations prevent financial incentives in developed nations, in developing

nations physicians often prescribe medication for financial gain (Al-Hamdi et al., 2012).

International Marketing Challenges

A truly global organization can provide the same set of goods or services to

different countries with minimal changes to the product, keeping costs down and quality

consistent (Ukey, 2014). Pricing, distribution, and marketing, however, are different for

each region (Czinkota & Ronkainen, 2013; Ukey, 2014). For example, most of the world

market. However, Coca-Cola does not cost the same in each country, and the manner in

2013). Native populations take these expectations for granted but become aware when

they are not met (De Mooij, 2013). It is up to a marketing team to provide messaging that

directly connects a product – such as Coca-Cola – with specific audiences. Marketers

need to understand how consumers use their products in each country (Ukey, 2014).

Depending on the country, people will want a given product for different reasons and

marketing must speak to these unique needs (De Mooij, 2013; Ukey, 2014). People may

consume products at different times or different locations. Marketers need to understand

these patterns to reach the audience at the appropriate time and place (Ukey, 2014). This

is often difficult because the international cultural landscape constantly changes (Ukey,

2014). Social media is often helpful in overcoming international cultural differences

because marketers use it to interact with international communities in a direct way (Ray,

2014). The anonymity of social media also frees people in more oppressed cultures share

and consume knowledge, making social media platforms ideal for marketers seeking to

penetrate those audiences (Ray, 2014).

The international market challenges companies with frequent, dramatic shifts in

the marketplace. Economically, countries develop and decline. These changes affect

(Ukey, 2014). Social media can be used to predict product sales and market demands

social media analysts who speak different languages or can translate social media

content, which takes up valuable response time (Zhang & Vos, 2014). Social media can

also bring disparate international audiences together. Consumers from different cultures

can easily connect via social media, helping marketers to bring people from different

cultures together around shared experiences with a product (Okazaki & Taylor, 2013).

In some areas, the challenge is not connecting with just one group, but with many

(Demangeot, Broderick, & Craig, 2015). Instead of specializing marketing to target

individual smaller nations, such as those in Europe, organizations may attempt marketing

to the region as a whole (Demangeot et al., 2015). Marketing to a multinational region

requires adherence to the laws and cultural norms of each nation (Ukey, 2014). The

different politics of nations can create issues for marketers (Ukey, 2014). For example,

certain governments block social media platforms like Facebook (Demangeot et al.,

2015), cutting off potential marketing channels. Cultures in such areas tend to mix,

creating a need for marketing cohesion that spans the cultures (Demangeot et al., 2015).

Combining target audiences means that the task of crafting messages becomes more

complex (Demangeot et al., 2015). This same challenge sometimes occurs within the

those of the overall nation; New York City, for example, is a melting pot of many

sensitive to their unique cultural preferences (De Mooij, 2013). Regional cultural and

economic changes make it difficult for marketers to stay current (Ukey, 2014). Social

media can help marketers stay connected to audience needs and react quickly to cultural

change (Tuarob & Tucker, 2013), but this requires an investment in social media

professionals (Zhang & Vos, 2014).

Overview of Digital Marketing

In 2012, 73% of Fortune 500 companies had official social media accounts

(Okazaki & Taylor, 2013). The new, digital-driven economy changes the way in which

consumers discover and purchase products (Constantinides, 2014). Previously small

markets expanded through digital channels. Audiences expect tailored marketing

experiences based on personal preference and consumption (Umrez, 2014). Formerly

domestic products now have an international consumer base (Umrez, 2014). Digital

marketing helps companies gather market information, develop customer relationships,

and provide feedback to customers (Tiago & Verissimo, 2014). It also helps companies

predict and react to market events (Kalampokis et al., 2013). Even nonprofits, which have

been slower in adopting digital marketing (Krueger & Haytko, 2015), are getting

2013 (Krueger & Haytko, 2015). One reason for this is that these technologies represent

(Magee, 2013). While digital marketing can be traditional – for example, a static website

– it can also be direct. Targeted email communications, social media campaigns, and

mobile marketing are all forms of direct digital marketing (Stone & Woodcock, 2014).

The data in digital platforms make digital marketing an inherently strong direct marketing

tool (Stone & Woodcock, 2014). The direct marketing capabilities of digital platforms are

powerful, but they are not the only strength of digital marketing; digital platforms change

marketing from single-direction communication to a conversation between the company

or organization and its audience (Mata & Quesada, 2014).

Early on, social media was a platform for sending information to users, much like

traditional websites (Mata & Quesada, 2014). The Internet has since moved from a flat,

one directional communication platform of companies sharing information to an

interactive platform for user-driven content creation (Constantinides, 2014; Mata &

Quesada, 2014). This shift is the move from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 (Mata & Quesada,

2014). As users become more comfortable with social media, marketers must change

their tactics. Traditional marketing tactics that push content to a large audience are no

longer effective (Constantinides, 2014). However, marketers who embrace the shift to

strategies use two-way communication between users to create marketing buzz and

companies and consumers; it helps consumers shape their public identity through the

sharing of their brand decisions; and it provides a connection between consumers that

allows them to share their experiences (Okazaki & Taylor, 2013). Social media can cross

geographic and cultural borders (Ray, 2014). The connection between consumers and

companies opens new avenues for international marketing (Okazaki & Taylor, 2013).

Customers now expect a connection with almost any company via social media, putting

pressure on companies to adopt social media strategies (Tiago & Verissimo, 2014).

Social media interaction can positively shape customer perception (Dijkmans,

Kerkhof, & Beukeboom, 2015); however, social media marketing also poses unique

challenges. Discussions grow rapidly in social media channels, and organizations

maintaining social media profiles need to implement monitoring strategies to detect these

discussions quickly (Constantinides, 2014). Protecting a brand via social media is

difficult because users with negative opinions have an open forum for sharing those

opinions. Companies must respond quickly and publicly to protect their image (Dijkmans

et al., 2015; Zhang & Vos, 2014). Negative feedback can present opportunities, though:

a positive public reaction (Malthouse, Haenlein, Skiera, Wege, & Zhang, 2013). Another

data, giving marketers a different context from traditional market-trend data. Digital

marketing data reveal consumers’ opinions and behavior (Evangelos, Efthimios, &

Konstantinos, 2013). Companies use data mining techniques to generate predictive

analytics about future market trends (Evangelos et al., 2013). The statistical model of

prediction, where analysts review existing social media to identify trends and calculate

how those trends will continue, is the most successful (Schoen, Gayo-Avello, Takis

Metaxas, Mustafaraj, Strohmaier, & Gloor, 2013). Other models of data-based predictive

Klout to measure social media influence (Bacile, 2013). Marketers use Klout to analyze

the online activity of a person or company and generate a score that reflects their level of

influence in the social media world (Bacile, 2013).

The use of digital technology in marketing creates new marketing strategies,

which require the support of information technology and information management.

Businesses using digital technology in marketing must align their technology and

marketing departments to better work towards the shared goal of connecting with

consumers (Bharadwaj, El Sawy, Pavlou, & Venkatraman, 2013). Barbu (2013)

digital data for market research, handling big data, digitally monitoring user behavior,

input of others to validate purchase choices (Hudson & Thal, 2013). Behaviorally,

engaged customers tend to be emotionally engaged in a product, as illustrated by

gamification techniques (Barbu, 2013; Harwood & Garry, 2015). Passive monitoring of

digital activity shows user trends such as satisfaction or annoyance, determined by how

much time customers view a website or their level of topical engagement on social media

(Barbu, 2013). Internationally, developing nations on the cusp of adopting new

technology are ideal places for pioneering new digital marketing efforts.

al., 2016). Although over 93% of nonprofits use social media (Guo & Saxton), many of

them lack the resources to do so effectively (Bennett, 2014; Management Team, 2013).

Nonprofits need cost-effective strategies to generate revenue. Digital marketing

provides nonprofits with the ability to connect with their intended audience and generate

revenue through personalized interaction. However, nonprofit organization professionals

often lack strategies to implement digital marketing effectively. The purpose of this study

was to explore successfully implemented international digital marketing strategies for

background, and explore the existing literature on this topic. In Section 2, I explain how I

The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to determine the digital

fundraising strategies that nonprofit healthcare marketing leaders use in international

markets. Nonprofit organizations often lack the funding to implement traditional

marketing strategies for fundraising; however, digital marketing strategies offer a cost-

effective alternative (Bennett, 2014). Unfortunately, many nonprofit organizations lack

the skills to implement a digital marketing campaign effectively (Bennett, 2014;

Management Team, 2013). In the previous section, I reviewed the background of this

problem. This section includes (a) the purpose statement, (b) the role of the researcher,

The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to determine the digital

fundraising strategies that nonprofit healthcare marketing leaders use for international

donors. The population consisted of marketing leaders from five nonprofit healthcare

organizations in North America that successfully employed international digital

fundraising strategies. The findings from this study may effect social change by helping

nonprofit healthcare organizations generate funding from international donors. By

increasing donations, North American nonprofit healthcare organizations will have more

resources to fund education, research, and science in the medical field.

The role of the researcher in qualitative research is to observe and collect data

(Merriam, 2015; Yin, 2014). In doing so, the researcher becomes an instrument of the

study (Merriam, 2015; Yin, 2014). This research was a multicase study of the

international digital fundraising strategies successfully employed by five medical

nonprofit organizations. I interviewed marketing leaders from each of these

introductory questions, interview questions, and conclusion dialog. I recorded the

which strategies the organizations shared. In compliance with the Belmont Report (U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services, 1979), I informed all participants about the

purpose of the work and their rights as participants in a written consent form. I also

adhered to the Belmont Report standards for ethical treatment of research subjects

Working in the nonprofit field provided me with some advantages as a researcher

on this subject. I understood the context of the subjects addressed in interviews, and

interview subjects are more apt to be comfortable and truthful with an insider (Unluer,

2012). That same familiarity had the potential to damage objectivity if I was too close to

the research subject. However, my role in the nonprofit world is web development; I am

not responsible for marketing strategy, which was the subject of this research. I mitigated

bias by using participants from organizations other than my own and with which I had no

relationship. I did not make any comparisons between these organizations and my own,

nor did I discuss the activities of my organization with the interview participants. I also

employed bracketing to identify areas related to the research with which I had opinions

and preconceived notions. Bracketing helps a researcher determine aspects of their

research that might contain bias by providing the researcher with an outlet to explore

I utilized the bracketing practice of memoing, in which the researcher writes reflective

In an interview setting, participants provide detailed responses to open-ended

questions, so the interviewer has an insightful account of their experience (Anyan, 2013;

Merriam, 2015, Yin 2014). Therefore, interview participants must have experience

relevant to the research question (Anderson et al., 2014). The participants were nonprofit

healthcare organization marketing leaders who have successfully implemented

international digital fundraising strategies. Participants were at the marketing-manager

level or above to ensure that they were strategic marketing decision-makers within their

organizations and able to answer the interview questions. My work in the medical

nonprofit field connects me to staff in other nonprofit medical organizations. Through my

connections with other nonprofit medical organizations, I arranged interviews with the

marketing leaders of those organizations. After receiving consent for interviews, I

arranged interview places and times convenient to the participants. I established a

working relationship with the participants by sending them an invitation email (see

Appendix A) that explained the purpose of the research, the participant involvement, and

the interview structure. During the interview, asking conversational introductory

questions helps cultivate the relationship between interviewer and interviewee (Merriam,

participants to ask questions in advance via email if they had any concerns.

Research Method and Design

Research Method

experiences of others and identify underlying concepts (Anyan, 2013). Through direct

interaction with participants, researchers gain insight into their experiences (Anderson et

al., 2014). Researchers use the qualitative method to provide a deeper understanding of

behavioral choices and motivations than with quantitative methods (Anyan, 2013).

Researchers frequently use qualitative studies to answer questions regarding shared

processes (Garcia & Gluesing, 2013).

Quantitative research methods would not work on this research topic. Quantitative

methods are good tools for scientifically testing hypotheses (McCusker & Gunaydin,

2015). However, qualitative methods are more effective than quantitative methods for

discovering new hypotheses and knowledge (Anyan, 2013; McCusker & Gunaydin,

2015). The purpose of this study was to identify effective digital marketing strategies, not

to prove the effectiveness of already documented strategies, making qualitative research

is a better choice than quantitative research. Qualitative methods allow for the

exploration of personal experiences in a manner that quantitative methods cannot match

(Anyan, 2013).

The combination of qualitative and quantitative methods in mixed method

establishing real and meaningful connections across different research types (Venkatesh

it difficult to establish meaningful connections between the results of open-ended and

closed-ended questions (Venkatesh et al., 2013). The nature of this research necessitated

open-ended questions to uncover successful digital marketing strategies, which made

qualitative research a better option than quantitative. Mixed method research contains

separate qualitative and quantitative components. Researchers must decide if their study

is primarily one or the other. The primary method is the foundation of the research, and

the secondary method supports the primary (Morse & Cheek, 2014). I identified

strategies employed by marketing leaders by reporting their experiences. A quantitative

component of mixed-method research would exceed the intended scope of the study.

In qualitative methodology, the researcher is the data collection instrument of the

study (Merriam, 2015; Yin, 2014). Qualitative research has an exploratory aspect that

gives researchers flexibility in the areas of the topic they investigate and the way in

which they conduct research (Graebner, Martin, & Roundy, 2012). By using multiple

subjects or drawing from multiple studies, a researcher identifies common themes. This

approach prevents the perspective of the researcher from skewing results towards a single

connect back to your study.

et al., 2012) as qualitative research. Mixed method research contains both qualitative and

quantitative components (Morse & Cheek, 2014). Qualitative research was best for this

study because the goal was to explore the experiences of marketing professionals who

successfully employed digital fundraising techniques for nonprofit organizations to

identify common themes.

Research Design

I chose the interpretive research paradigm for this study. With this approach,

research comes from interactions with and observations of subjects based on their

environments and experiences (Oliver, 2004). An alternative would be the positivist

research paradigm; however, the positivist paradigm uses only measurable data and

observable facts (Oliver, 2004), which makes it unsuitable for this research topic.

Positivist research leaves no room for exploration of concepts and causes. I conducted a

multicase study on five medical organizations that have achieved success in international

digital marketing. In this multicase study, I focused on the digital marketing used by each

organization. Because case studies allow deep exploration into the experiences of a few

important subjects (Ardhendu, 2014).), they were a better choice for this study than other

Unlike other research designs, the case study is an effective design for scenarios in which

al., 2013). However, this study required more flexibility in interview questioning. In

phenomenology, researchers identify the roots of a single experience shared by multiple

parties (Tomkin & Eatough, 2013). Using a phenomenological approach, a researcher

defines why a shared experience occurs, but cannot explain the different strategies each

participant employs for success. Researchers use ethnography to focus on a specific

group of people (Wall, 2015). It could make sense to use ethnography because this study

exclusively involved marketing managers; however, ethnography is about the collective

experiences of a group and how those experiences shape the group as a demographic

(Wall, 2015). This study was not about marketing managers as a group, but rather about

the digital fundraising strategies they employ.

Data saturation is when there is enough information in a study for it to be valid

and replicable (Fusch & Ness, 2015). In this study, I conducted five interviews.

According to Guest, Bunce, and Johnson (2006), five interviews should provide the

majority of common themes among participants. When using interviews, one way to

achieve data saturation is to ask all the participants the same questions (Fusch & Ness,

2015). I ensured that all participants were asked the same questions by using an interview

demonstrates data saturation (Ando, Cousins, & Young, 2014). I identified themes from

Population and Sampling

Qualitative researchers employ purposeful sampling to choose subjects that possess an

understanding of the research problem and central ideas (Suri, 2011). Robinson (2014)

stated that to accurately identify common themes, participants must be selected using the

same sampling method. Therefore, I did not use any other sampling methods.

Researchers use the snowball approach because people within a field know which

individuals are rich in experience and knowledge on a subject related to that field (Suri,

2011). Data saturation is the point at which the full range themes are identified across all

the participants (Toles & Barroso, 2014). Interviews with people experienced in a subject

are one method for achieving data saturation. (Fusch & Ness, 2015). In this case, research

subjects needed experience using digital marketing techniques to expand nonprofit

healthcare organizations internationally. Although many companies employ digital media

strategists, the responsibility for digital marketing in nonprofit organizations often falls

on marketing leaders (Krueger & Haytko, 2015). Therefore, the subjects of this study

were nonprofit healthcare organization marketing leaders who successfully implemented

international digital fundraising strategies. I included marketing managers from five

medical nonprofit organizations. According to Guest et al. (2006), five interviews should

common themes supports data saturation (Fusch & Ness, 2015). Suri (2011)

Following The Belmont Report guidance, I selected participants fairly, and they

joined the study willingly to participate, as recommended by Mikesell, Bromley, and

Khodyakov (2013). I selected participants based solely on their role in organizations as

marketing leaders and their success in using digital marketing to expand membership

internationally. By following the informed consent process, the researcher protects the

rights of the participants (Kumar, 2013). Participants verified that they understood the

study and their rights as participants by signing the informed consent form. In this

The trustworthiness of qualitative research is a measure of the reliability and

validity of the data. Standards for this measurement include the dependability, credibility,

transferability, and confirmability of the study results (Elo et al., 2014; Houghton et al.,

2013). I followed the recommendations of existing research from Cope (2014) and

Houghton, Casey, Shaw, and Murphy (2013) on study reliability and validity.

Houghton, Casey, Shaw, and Murphy (2013) recommend member checking to

ensure data dependability. I employed member checking during the interviews by

transcripts of each interview with the participant to ensure their responses were accurate.

document review. Audio recording increases the accuracy and dependability of interview

data (McGonagle et al., 2015; Neal et al., 2015). Additionally, by taking notes to

supplement the audio recording, I documented the interview in greater detail, and

therefore increased the dependability of the data (Neal et al., 2015).

Methodological triangulation is the process of comparing data from multiple

sources to ensure credibility (Morse, 2015). The credibility of research increases when

data from multiple methods support the same conclusion, (Houghton et al., 2013;

Hussein, 2016; Taylor et al., 2016). I reviewed annual reports from each organization to

compare them against the interview data results. I reviewed international engagement

numbers in the annual reports and international digital marketing efforts in the

interviews. I also created an audit trail of my notes and assumptions as I progressed

through the research to give my process transparency and create credibility, as

recommended by Cope (2014).

By member checking my results, I helped to verify data saturation. Because data

summarized through interviews filters through the perceptions of the researcher, the

researcher must verify their understanding of the participant responses to ensure accuracy

after completion of the research to confirm that the findings are accurate and valid. A

confirmability is using quotes from interview participants to illustrate specific themes

(Cope, 2014). I used rich text interview quotes on key themes to show how I identified

them as significant. Sharing the audit trail with peers for review is a good research

practice for confirmability (Cope, 2014).

By making research transferable, the researcher presents their research in a

manner that the audience can apply to other contexts (Noble, 2015). For this to happen,

the audience must have a deep understanding of the data, research subjects, and

conclusions (Cope, 2014; Houghton et al., 2013). Following an interview protocol helps

create transferability by ensuring that the same questions are asked of each participant,

therefore making it easier for the audience to understand the data (Marshall & Rossman,

2016). My interview questions were open-ended and designed to encourage detailed

responses, which will help the audience better understand the research subjects.

This research is a qualitative multicase study about international digital

fundraising strategies for nonprofit healthcare organizations. In this section, I explain my

role in the research, information on the participants, the research design, and research

for ensuring the reliability and validity of the data. Through semistructured interviews

my personal biases by following questions in an interview protocol. By transcribing the

interviews and notes into a two-column Word document, I kept the data organized. To

analyze the data, I identified themes in the transcripts and notes. I employed

methodological triangulation by comparing the interview data against a document review

of annual reports and other documents relating to digital fundraising strategies for each

organization from the last five years. In the next section, I share my findings,

implications of the results, and potential applications of the results as well as make

recommendations for future research.

The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to determine the digital

fundraising strategies that nonprofit healthcare marketing leaders use for international

donors. The data came from interviews with marketing leaders from five nonprofit

healthcare organizations with successful experience in international digital fundraising.

Data also came from the review of annual reports from each organization. The most

common recurring themes from the interviews were about culture, partnership, language,

and targeted messaging. The findings of this research are that nonprofit healthcare

audience, translate messages into the local language, appeal to the emotions of the

nonprofit healthcare marketing leaders used to generate funding from international

donors? Several key themes emerged. One was the importance of understanding the

culture to which an organization is appealing. By understanding culture, organizations

produce marketing that feels more genuine. Another theme was translating and crafting

messages specifically for the local audience. The participants agreed that sending

messages in the local language and customizing message content for each region

produces a more favorable audience response. Use of email was a consistent theme

among all participants. The participants found email to be the most effective method of

digital marketing. Finally, a key theme was partnering with local organizations. By

partnering with local organizations, the participating organizations had an easier time

connecting with local audiences. Annual reports showed that income from fundraising

increased for all five organizations over the past five years.

Theme 1: Culture

Most of the participants in this study agreed that understanding culture is

important for marketing success. By taking the time to research and understand

international cultures, the participants made their international campaigns more effective.

international markets. Modern audiences expect more than direct, informational

communicate to make sure that they feel that their needs are being addressed...

regardless of where they come from.

To communicate emotionally with an audience, a marketer must understand the culture of

that audience (Adab & Valdés, 2016). Culture-specific marketing demonstrates to an

audience that the organization is speaking directly to them (Ukey, 2014).

Showing insight into the culture of an international market builds trust with the

audience (Samaha, Beck, & Palmatier, 2014). For example, Participant 2 said that “in

many countries, like Latin America, an introduction by a peer or by somebody either via

email or via telephone is very important.” Participant 2 used their knowledge of Latin

American culture to ensure that their initial message was shared through a culturally

appropriate channel and that the message was culturally respectful. Trust improves

communication between the organization and the audience and makes the audience more

receptive to marketing messages (Graca, Barry, & Doney, 2015). When an audience

perceives that the cultural message is incorrect, they lose trust in the source, which

damages the credibility of the organization (De Mooij, 2015).

When consumers perceive a message to be written in a culturally authentic way,

cultural-specific messages were genuine, some participants employed locals from other

the areas where you're trying to market or target is very important.

This strategy of partnering with local people and organizations was shared by two other

participants in the study. By doing so, they were better able to create cultural specific

marketing messages that resonated with their international audiences.

In marketing systems theory, the conceptual framework for this research,

consumers align according to social grouping, culture being a significant factor (Shaw,

2014). The experiences of the participants regarding the importance of cultural

understanding align with this marketing system theory concept. Each market has its own

unique culture and audiences expect marketing messages to reflect an understanding of

that culture (Czinkota & Ronkainen, 2013; De Mooij, 2013). By understanding the

culture of a group within a system, sellers can better connect with the needs of the group

(Layton, 2011).

Theme 2: Language

The experiences of the participants confirm the existing knowledge that language

in international marketing should be translated and culturally informed or, at the very

least, clear and concise. Translating marketing materials into the native language of the

the five participants addressed the importance of translating messages. Participant 4 said,

and have it be your native language, and then it's obvious. Of course, you get it,

you know? You speak my language, literally.

By translating messages, marketers increase consumer interest (Blakeman, 2018).

Translating marketing messages also helps to build trust for the organization. According

to Participant 5, “People see information in their native language, they may be more

receptive of opening it and reading it.” Audiences respond more favorably to marketing

in their native language than marketing in a foreign language (Blakeman, 2018).

Translation alone is not enough to write marketing messages that connect with

international audiences. Considering the meaning of words in other countries is also

important. In a study of advertising students at Kazan Federal University, Gorelova

(2014) showed that an understanding of culture helped marketers write more effective

translations of marketing copy. Even though a message is translated, the recipient may

mistake the intended meaning (Blakeman, 2018). One participant in this study used the

word authoritative as an example. A medical journal produced by an organization may be

an authoritative source. However, the word authoritative takes on negative connotations

Finally, when it is not possible to translate into the native language, it is best to

communicate ideas and build a connection with the audience more effectively than words

when translation is not an option.

Instead of kind of sending out a card with ‘Thank you for your donation’ or that

type of thing,” said one participant, “we were able to put [images of donation

recipients] up on the website and send that out to them. ‘Here's what your

donations have gone to, here's why you're giving money to this is because of

XYZ. (Participant 4)

By using images, the participant showed the audience the importance of their donations.

The use of images in international marketing is stronger when the images reflect the

audience (Bazzo et al.). One participant said, “We generally include a quote and a

photograph of an award recipient who's from that region or country, just to really connect

with them.” Participants in the study agreed that using images not only helps overcome

communication barriers but also helps create an emotional connection with the audience,

especially when the images are relevant to the culture of the audience.

Communicating in the local language is necessary for marketers to connect with

themselves part of a regional social group, which makes consumers in that group more

Out of all the discussed marketing platforms, email was consistently the most

recommended for international fundraising. One participant said that “In terms of our

email marketing, we do actually have a higher open rate among our international

members than we do among our US members.” Participant 1 felt that email is better than

other digital marketing platforms because it is easier to target specific audiences. They

said that they want their targeted messages to say to their audience, "We are speaking to

you. You're not just one in a huge group of people, and we don't care who responds back.

We are actively trying to recruit you and people like you." Regarding targeted email

marketing, another participant said, “We do send a lot of emails to promote applications

for grants, and we target people very specifically through those.” These results extend the

existing knowledge that email is an effective targeted promotional tool by demonstrating

its effectiveness for non-profit organizations in an international setting. In a 2014 study

(Sahni, Zou, & Chintagunta), targeted email promotion produced a 37.2% increase in

customer spending over non-targeted email promotion. With email, marketers also have

access to important data like open rates and user actions (such as clicking links).

chances of success. This is another area where an understanding of the culture helps the

information and when is the best time to send it to them.

By knowing when the audience is most receptive to receiving email, marketers make it

more likely that their message reaches and connects with the audience (Samaha, Beck, &

Palmatier, 2014).

According to existing literature, audiences expect marketing messages tailored to

their specific needs (Umrez, 2014). The experiences of the participants regarding email as

a digital marketing platform support this concept. Email allows marketers to send

with local organizations; (f) tell stories that resonate with the audience; (g) appeal to the

emotion of the audience.

This study will be disseminated in several ways. Researchers will have access to

the study through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database. All participants in this

study will receive a copy. Anyone else interested in the study may request a copy by

writing to the author.

This study may lay the foundation for future research in related areas. The

nonprofit organizations outside the field of healthcare. Additional research on marketing

change based on medical specialty. For example, a pediatric medicine organization might

apply these fundraising strategies differently than an orthopedic organization.

Most of the participants reported the successful use of storytelling in their

international digital fundraising. One research possibility is the role of storytelling in

nonprofit organization fundraising. How can nonprofit organizations use storytelling to

develop emotional attachment?

Because digital platforms and technologies evolve rapidly, this study is limited by

time. The digital marketing tools marketing leaders will soon have access to may be

different than the ones used today. Therefore, this subject should be revisited in the future

to document new digital fundraising strategies for nonprofit healthcare organizations.

This study gave me the opportunity to view digital international nonprofit

healthcare through the lens of marketing leaders. My experience in nonprofit healthcare

has been with the development of websites, but not the strategy behind reaching

international audiences. The most interesting result to me was the value of partnering

with local organizations. I always expected this to be the case, but it was gratifying to see

asked any direct questions about partnering with other organizations.

exposed to digital marketing strategies they may not have tried. This study may

encourage all participants to collaborate with local organizations and use emotional

appeal in their fundraising strategies.

Funding in the nonprofit sector continues to decline as government support

becomes more limited (United States Department of the Treasury, 2016). Nonprofit

organizations need marketing to help increase fundraising revenue but lack the money for

large-scale marketing campaigns (Hu et al., 2014; Sokolowski, 2013). Digital marketing

strategies are a cost-effective alternative to traditional marketing (Bennett, 2014). As

competition increases for funding, nonprofit organizations need to find new sources of

revenue. International markets provide fundraising potential for nonprofit organizations,

but they come with their own set of challenges, including language, culture, and trust

building (Czinkota & Ronkainen, 2013; De Mooij, 2013). Unfortunately, marketing

leaders at many nonprofit organizations lack the skills to implement a digital marketing

campaign and the experience to connect with an international audience.

The results of this multicase study show that nonprofit healthcare organizations

marketing strategies. Nonprofit healthcare organizations should understand the language

play a role in a larger strategy. Nonprofit healthcare organizations should take the time to

build an emotional connection with their international audiences through multiple points

of contact. Emotional engagement should be the goal of nonprofit marketing leaders

seeking to raise funds from international audiences.