Prep Flashcards
What attracted you to apply for a role at Mencap and what do you know about our work?
Passionate about empowering people with learning disabilities. Admire their person centred approach and excited to join the legacy marketing team. Men caps core values resonate with me.
What do you know about our work?
We know they offer holistic support to people with LD. including a helpline, support workers and carers. They carry out key research and have been part of the campaign to reform the mental health act to help prevent people with LD from being locked away in mental hospitals.
This team focuses on supporting with stewardship of supporters who have left a gift in their Will or given an in memory gift – do you have any experience of this type of fundrasing? If you don’t have direct experience, what do you know about these areas?
Acknowledge lack of experience but highlight strong relationship building skills with other departments, beneficiaries, external suppliers and local partners.
Huge value in acknowledging and thanking all supporters and keeping them updated on the impact of their gifts. This plays into the sustainability and legacy of mencap and is integral to the work they do.
Part of this role is acting as the point of contact for enquiries with supporters. What experience do you have delivering customer or supporter service? Can you give us an example of when you’ve given excellent customer or supporter service, how you know it was really good and what was the outcome?
Patent champions addressed cost of living booklet concern. You consulted parents on drafts, were able to manage priorities and provide clear communication and updates.
Outcome: parents were grateful that we had listened and been able to create a more accessible version with simplified wording and that was relevant to what local families could access
What do you think would make for an excellent supporter experience with Mencap on the phone or on email?
Personalised, empathetic communication. Respect preferences, timely responses and proactive solutions. Always ensuring the same brand messaging and voice and professionalism whilst being empathetic.
What strengths or transferrable skills can you bring to this role based on the requirements of the job description?
Soft: relationship building, organisation, experienced juggling projects, passion for charity work.
Hard: campaign execution, writing copy, project management- e.g. videography programme
Can you tell us about the best marketing campaign that you’ve been involved in? It can be a fundraising based campaign, or a general marketing one. Tell us why it was the best campaign you’ve been involved in and what were the metrics you measured?
Autism awareness week: discuss campaign and what kind of content went out. Aim was to improve brand awareness and awareness of autism
14% referral increase - reported by the research and evaluation team in line with their regular reporting that was done just after the campaign ran, 25% web traffic increase (through Google analytics), 35% social engagement through Facebook and Instagram insights.
What strategies did you use to boost engagement on social media for the autism awareness week campaign?
Created shareable content (graphics and videos)
Used relevant hashtags
Encouraged user generated content
Engaged with comments and messages promptly
How did you ensure the autism campaign reached the right audience?
We targeted parents through Facebook ads
Focused on local families needing SEND support
What challenges did you face with the autism awareness campaign?
Standing out amid the national campaign. We were able to focus on our unique local services though
What would you do differently next time with the autism awareness campaign?
Test different content formats (A/B testing)
Incorporate more video content
Part of working at Mencap is aligning to our values, which includes a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work. Why do you think EDI is important for Mencap and it’s people?
Aligns with Mencap values, particularly the do you see me? Campaign. It addresses inequality and ensures inclusive services and workforce
Can you tell us about a campaign or communication that you have found inspiring from another charity? What makes it so inspiring and what lessons could you take from it?
Shelter’s world of our own Christmas campaign which has emotional impact, personal storytelling and strategic timing. The lesson learnt is that the personal connection creates that strong call to action along with the big top line statistics on homelessness.
What are your weaknesses?
I’m overly self critical. Which means that I can take longer to do some content tasks because I want to get the best I can out of everything. - however I’m trying to find a balance between me wanting to get more out of my work and just an inner imposter voice that isn’t helpful. So I’m learning when to dismiss being overly critical.
What motivates you?
Working with a great and understanding team where everyone’s voice is heard
Results that implement change - as much as I’m more of a creative than data driven person I’m super passionate about creating measurable campaigns especially where the wider cause means so much to me.
Tell me about a time when you failed. How did you learn from this experience?
The healthy start video- I learnt so much from this process, discuss more about how ABSS is a test and learn programme and how that ethos has really enabled you to grow. You now have watertight briefs which are signed off by everyone before proceeding with any shoots.
What’s been the most challenging hurdle in your career and how did you overcome it?
Managing burn out, and having the courage to speak out and get my work load shared and WFH for a period of time.
