How A Comprehensive Marketing Plan Helped Raise Money for Some Furry Friends [Case Study]
Throughout my career, I've seen so many people talk about marketing with the mindset that its all about selling. It's all about making money. To that I say, no. Sales revenue and profit are a side effect of successful marketing and CAN be the driving factor behind a marketing campaign. Marketing at its core is about people. More specifically, its about connections.
This case study will take a look at that idea in action by dissecting our process in raising awareness for a fundraising event from a nonprofit organization focusing on animals.
About the Event
The Humane Society of Eau Claire is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing, sheltering, and finding homes for homeless and neglected animals. Supported by community donations and volunteers, the organization works to create a compassionate and safe environment for both animals and people across the area.
Each year, the organization hosts a dog and family-friendly fundraising event called the Fido and Friends 5k. The event is designed to raise awareness and generate donations through community participation and peer-to-peer fundraising efforts.
The Challenge
While the Fido and Friends 5k had a strong foundation, the event faced several challenges common to nonprofit fundraising efforts. Attendance on the day of the event tended to peak very early in the day. The "5k" label deterred some audiences who felt intimidated by the idea of running in the event. Additionally, late registrations close to the day of the event made it difficult to predict the final turnout. The organization also needed to continue growing corporate sponsorships while keeping marketing costs low and maximizing community engagement.
Based on those challenges, the campaign needed to balance 3 primary objectives:
- Increase attendance throughout the day
- Drive new corporate sponsorships
- Grow public donations through peer-to-peer fundraising
What We Did
To address these goals, we developed an integrate marketing campaign focused on clear audience segmentation, targeting, and positioning, made use of low-cost, high-impact communication channels, and aimed to foster community driven fundraising.
Our research led us to target 3 specific audiences:
- Local families with pets looking for accessible, family and pet friendly activities
- Local dog owners and animal lovers passionate about animal welfare and community involvement
- Corporate sponsors interested in community visibility and long-term partnerships
Each audience received tailored messaging, was reached through specific communication channels, and was targeted through the use of incentives designed around their motivations and barriers to participation.
For corporate sponsors, the strategy emphasized personalized outreach, value alignment, and visible event participation. The goal was to secure at least 5 sponsorships who would contribute at least $5,000 each through direct email outreach and in-person relationship building efforts.
For attendees, the campaign leaned on social media, flyers, and local community partnerships with schools and athletic teams. Additional on-site activities such as yard games and face painting were planned to make the event feel less like a race and more like a community gathering.
Public donations were supported through a Facebook-focused fundraising strategy, QR code donations, and continued encouragement of peer-to-peer fundraising leading up to and during the event.
What Worked
The Fido and Friends 5k Fun Run ultimately raised $12,000 through peer-to-peer fundraising alone, reinforcing the strength of community-driven campaigns when participants are actively engaged, feel connected, and are motivated to support a cause they care about. The campaign strategy aligned fundraising goals with audience motivations by:
- Making participation feel welcoming rather than intimidating
- Giving sponsors clear visibility and community involvement and recognition
- Encouraging supporters to raise funds on behalf of the organization rather than just to donate
By focusing on targeted outreach, low-cost media channels, and meaningful community engagement, the plan was able to support both financial goals and the Humane Society's overall mission by fostering a meaningful connection with the community.
