A dozen direct response fundraising vendors have launched an ad-hoc organization to promote the use of integrated marketing by the broader charitable sector. The concept is to share best practices and to develop ideas for challenging issues.

The concept is to establish a wiki-type web presence and blog where challenges can be aired and ideas can be exchanged, said Michael Johnston, of the firm hjc in Toronto and chairman of the group, which calls itself the Integrated Marketing Advisory Board (IMAB).

Members of the IMAB are Amergent, Avalon Consulting Group, Barton Cotton, CDR Fundraising Group, Convio, Donordigital, Grizzard Communications, hjc, Merkle, Russ Reid, SCA Direct and Thompson Habib Denison. Several of the organizations are related companies and many have clients in common.

“We’re looking to engender discussion and dialogue across the sector, as well as provide insight and best practices into integrated marketing, so nonprofits have access to the ultimate resource,” said Chris McKinley of Grizzard, vice chairman of the IMAB. “We will be working very closely as a team to leverage the entire range of expertise this broad coalition of organizations represents.”

Integrated marketing is not a new concept. In fact, one of the largest direct response conferences is the Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference, held each year in and around Washington, D.C. Johnston said the organization’s website will include “foundational information” for nonprofits seeking help. It will also share data collected by the member organizations.

The main interface with the sector will be through IAMB’s blog (www.IMABgroup.net), where integrated marketing practitioners from the 12 organizations will regularly share insights. In addition, IAMB will host webinars, give presentations at various conferences and possibly commission surveys and studies, said Johnston.

The IMAB convened for the first time this past October during Convio’s Annual Summit in Baltimore, Md. Convio Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder Vinay Bhagat was one of the group’s key founders.

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