By now you should know why marketing is important for non-profits and have learned what most strongly motivates people to choose your non-profit. If you haven’t, be sure to read Part One of this two-part blog. Once you know what attracts people to support your organization, you have created the backbone of your marketing plan – everything from here is built around whom you are targeting and how best to reach them. This, of course, depends on the size, funding and strategic goals of your organization. Here are a few basic elements that any non-profit marketing plan should include:
Website
Having a website is very important for any organization. It allows information-seekers to find out what your organization values and how it demonstrates those values. With your website, you can inexpensively communicate with a mass audience. Can you think of a better platform to showcase what your organization does or advertise for upcoming events? Not only can donors, volunteers, and customers each find information specifically relevant to them, but having a website opens another door for non-profits – online donations. A well designed website can go a long way in increasing the brand equity and funding of a non-profit.
Sponsored Advertising
A great appendage to your website is running banners and advertisements on other websites, which is becoming increasingly easier to achieve and sometimes at no cost! Many for-profits have begun ‘adopting’ non-profit organizations as a way to position themselves as philanthropic businesses. In addition, the “Internet Advertising Bureau, partnering with the Ad Council, pledged to donate 5% of its ad inventory for public service announcements,” with an estimated one billion impressions a year. This mutually beneficial deal could be a great way to increase brand recognition for your non-profit.
Newsletter
Once you have an audience who is receptive to your message, a newsletter is a great way to reach out to them. Let them know what your organization has accomplished and be sure to attribute your successes to their involvement. This will help motivate future volunteers and donors. It is also advisable to keep your audience informed about things that could negatively affect your organization’s efforts. Being proactive with negativity allows you to have more control over the message and maintain the trust of your target markets.
Direct Mail
Direct mailing is a great way to reach out to people who are not yet involved in your organization. You can give them your whole spiel and can see positive results to informative and trustworthy messages. But the value of direct mailing goes beyond reaching out to new people. It is also important to use direct mail after they have volunteered or donated. Letting people know how their contribution helped the cause is a good way to motivate continued involvement.
All four of these marketing tactics are a great way to motivate your essential external markets and foster growth within your organization. For a more in-depth marketing plan to help your non-profit, schedule a consultation with Creative Spot today! You can contact us online at info@creativespot.com, or call us at (614) 280-9280.