Strategic Messaging, Positioning & Content Transformation

Strategic Repositioning & Transparency-Led Marketing for Donately

A Transparent Challenger Campaign To Win In A Red Ocean Market

Repositioning Donately as a Transparent Challenger in a Saturated Market

Services Offered

In the crowded world of fundraising platforms, where most blur into feature parity and questionable pricing, Donately had a powerful product—but it wasn’t breaking through. With just 8 qualified leads per month and a goal of reaching 18–80, the team realized they were falling short not because of the product itself, but due to poor market positioning, lackluster content, and generic messaging.

Their agency partner had failed to drive growth, and they lacked a coherent way to stand out against major competitors. That’s when Donately turned to Axelerant for a strategic, go-to-market reboot—anchored in transparency, competitor-focused content, and a new pricing narrative.

The Problem

Underperforming Lead Pipeline and Lack of Differentiation in a Saturated Market

Donately was a capable fundraising platform with strong nonprofit roots, but its pipeline was underperforming. The team needed to scale from 8 to 80 qualified leads per month but faced strategic, positioning, and execution gaps that limited growth.

Inadequate Lead Volume

  • Stalled Pipeline Growth: Monthly lead volume was stuck at ~8 qualified leads, far short of the 18–80 target needed for revenue growth.

  • No Scalable Inbound System: Existing organic and paid efforts weren’t driving meaningful results.

Weak Market Differentiation

  • Red Ocean Competition: Donately operated in a crowded space with better-funded, more aggressive competitors.

  • Aspirational Strategy Misalignment: Leadership was banking on "blue ocean" innovation while ignoring immediate positioning battles.

  • Generic UVP Messaging: Existing brand and product messaging lacked urgency, clarity, and resonance with nonprofit buyers.


Ineffective Agency Support

  • Low-Impact Execution: The incumbent agency was not delivering content or campaigns that moved the needle.

  • No Performance Visibility: Donately lacked insight into how (or whether) their content and campaigns were actually working.

Transparency Gaps in Industry Narrative

  • Opaque Pricing Across Competitors: Other platforms used misleading fee structures, often obscuring real costs from nonprofits.
  • Limited Donately Storytelling: Despite offering fair pricing and nonprofit-first models, Donately wasn’t communicating this clearly or consistently.

The Solution

Strategic Repositioning, Transparent Messaging, and Competitive Content Framework

Axelerant partnered with Fifty & Fifty to deliver strategic leadership, messaging clarity, and full-funnel execution tailored to Donately’s unique market challenges.

Messaging Overhaul and Strategic Alignment

  • Donately Battle Plan: Developed a positioning and go-to-market strategy that emphasized contrast with competitors, grounded in market realities.

  • Internal Stakeholder Alignment: Engaged with the CEO and Director of Customer Success to co-create messaging and prioritize short-term wins.


Competitor Comparison Strategy

  • Comparison Page Framework: Built and optimized pages contrasting Donately with platforms like Classy, Fundraise Up, and Givebutter.

  • Verified, Transparent Pricing Breakdowns: Added clear disclaimers and citations to reinforce credibility.

  • FAQ Customization: Tailored objections and responses by competitor to improve page conversion.

 


Transparency Content Initiative

  • Pricing Narrative Development: Proposed a long-form article titled “Pricing Transparency in Donation Platforms” to take a thought leadership stance.

  • Team Video Discussion: Recommended a filmed internal discussion breaking down the research process and pricing decisions.

  • Case Study Documentation: Positioned this initiative as both a lead gen asset and a product marketing portfolio piece.


Internal Coordination and Creative Execution

  • Agency Transition Support: Supported the shift from BOL to Fifty & Fifty + Axelerant for seamless delivery.

  • Page Content & Feedback Loops: Reviewed and revised comparison content, suggesting structure, language, and trust signal improvements.

  • Fact-Check Framework: Ensured that every stat or claim on public pages was backed by source links and reviewed regularly.

The Impact

Clear Market Positioning, Transparent Messaging, and Strategic Direction

Donately is now equipped to compete with better-funded rivals through positioning clarity, transparent pricing, and a more informed internal team.

 

 

Messaging and Market Clarity

  • Repositioned as a Challenger Brand: Donately now owns the narrative of being a transparent, nonprofit-first alternative.

  • Strategic Shift from Aspirational to Competitive: Leadership aligned around a red-ocean strategy grounded in urgency and market realities.

 


Strong Foundation for Content and SEO

  • Comparison Pages Optimized: Pages now feature structured objections, transparent pricing breakdowns, and source-based citations.

  • Thought Leadership Pipeline Built: Pricing Transparency narrative and case study draft ready to anchor ongoing campaigns.



Team Enablement and Internal Confidence

 

  • Cross-Functional Alignment: Leadership, content, product, and strategy teams now working from a unified positioning playbook.

  • Portfolio Value Created: The initiative not only improves lead generation—it also showcases Axelerant’s ability to execute high-stakes product marketing transformations.


Early Conversion Validation


Donately secured a $5,000 subscription conversion within 30 days of launching its new pricing model. This lead came from organic inbound traffic to the new competitor comparison pages, validating that the content and messaging overhaul resonated with high-intent prospects.