EUConsult Information Service
2005 September
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Member Profiles
Ramses Man
Name: RAMSES MAN
Position: Director
Company: DELPHI FONDSEN- EN LEDENWERVING
e-mail: r.man(at)delphi.nl
Web: www.delphi.nl
FACT FILE | |
Main business areas: Long-term, full-service fundraising campaigns and specialist services such as: legacy marketing, strategy, research, focus groups, direct mail, etc. | Date business started: 1995 |
Number of consultancy staff: 6 | Countries of operation: Netherlands, Germany, UK and South Africa |
THE BUSINESS
What range of clients do you serve?
We mostly work with larger organisations, mainly charities, although about 20% of our business is with membership organisations.
How has your business evolved since it was started?
We have developed very gradually, building up our client base over the last 10 years. We now have 20 people working for the company. We started by offering full-service fundraising programmes. However, over the last couple of years we have developed specialist services which we now offer separately, e.g. legacy marketing, recruitment programmes and direct mail.
Where will your consultancy be in a few years time?
In the future, we want to focus even more on the bigger organisations. Of course this is hard when you are just entering the market, but now we have the depth of experience and reputation to show that we can deliver. In concentrating on the larger clients, we will be in a position to both continue and develop our full-service, long-term consultancy work. Of course we also work with medium-sized organisation too. However, with the smaller companies it is even more important that we provide an all-round fundraising service. Although we have now introduced our specialist services, we make sure that our clients know that the aim is to work closely with them on all aspects of their fundraising activities, in a close, long-term relationship. Another aim for the future is to become much more international, so that we can increase the opportunities for working with major organisations.
Which opportunities and threats do you see for your work in the sector and for the development of NPOs?
An opportunity for us is that what we are seeing in Holland is that there are fewer subsidies available, so more and more organisations need to do private fundraising. But at the same time this also presents a weakness for our business, because many of the organisations that have just started fundraising are afraid of doing bigger things, so we really have to put a lot of effort in. Many of the clients who are very hesitant are not really ready for us.
Can you recommend any sources of information that you find useful in your business:
I can recommend a book that was given to me by Roger Craver when I first joined Delphi. It is a fascinating book dealing with the business side of running an agency:
Managing the Professional Service Firm
David H Maister
(Available in paperback from Amazon)
And anyone interested in online fundraising should visit: www.npadvisors.com.
EUCONSULT MEMBERSHIP
Why did you join EUConsult?
When I joined Delphi the company was already a member of the Association. However, I particularly like the opportunities for networking and the Code of Ethics is also an important factor.
With which other EUConsult members have you found the opportunity to cooperate on projects?
e are cooperating with the Fundraising Company – we draw on each others services and thus offer our clients value added. We have also drawn on the specialist knowledge of Daryl Upsall Consulting International for particular clients.
BACKGROUND INFO
Where and what did you study?
I first studied law in Amsterdam and then went on to a business school, a school for entrepreneurs, in Harlem.
How did you first get involved in NPO consultancy?
I started a company together with Jaap Kalff, my friend and colleague at The Fundraising Company. We set up Solidaid Online in 1999, introducing online fundraising in Holland. The funny thing is that the business was based on a business plan drawn up by Roger Craver and I had to confess to this to him when he interviewed me to work at Delphi. Setting up Solidaid was our way of making sure that the charity sector also benefited from the internet. After selling the business in 2003, I went on an internship in Vietnam, which enabled me to complete my business school course. In Vietnam I worked for several charities, training field workers in fundraising, which was a totally new concept for most of them. I also worked in the field, which enabled me to develop projects which would attract support from organisations in Europe.
What interests you most about staying in the field?
Mostly not having the experience to go and work in any other branch! It is very satisfying to be able to rely on the networks I have been able to build up and to use my knowledge of the sector, so moving to another field never really comes into question. I also like the tension between the non-profit and the profit worlds – I’m interested in the possibilities this can lead to. A charity has to make money, like any business, but with the aim of helping people – it’s an interesting mixture.
What do you do to relax and forget your consultancy work? At the moment all my time is taken up with the plans for my wedding in September, which will be taking place in the south of France, where Susan’s parents live. I really like that part of the world and we’re there 3-4 times a year.
