The reason why nonprofits need marketing is simple. At the end of the day, nonprofits are a business and for a business to have success, they need to know how to effectively market and sell their cause.
Many nonprofits are doing great work. They are working hard for causes that need help, they are saving lives, reuniting families, and getting resources to those who need them most. However, while your nonprofit may have the best intentions, if no one sees your organization, you won’t be able to help anyone.
Why Do Nonprofits Need Marketing?
You could be killing the nonprofit game, but not be able to bring in the donations you need to keep going.
Don’t make the mistake of either ignoring marketing efforts altogether (by believing if your cause is good enough and the donors will come) or throwing a half-hazard marketing strategy together and hoping for the best.
Both of these approaches will likely not yield the results you want, or at least not in the timeframe you’d prefer!
Nonprofits Need A Marketing Plan
Marketing for nonprofits can often get lost in the shuffle. But, nonprofits need to understand they are there to serve customers, just like a for-profit business. These “customers” simply go by different names – donors, sponsors, and volunteers.
These customers need motivation to “buy” what you’re selling.
Volunteers assist with running operations. Donors and sponsors work to bring in revenue. Operations and revenue keep an organization up and running. It is not very different from a business!
As such, for any business to succeed they have to have a plan!
If you don’t have a high quality marketing plan, you are setting yourself up for failure. Too many nonprofits are just “winging it” with their marketing efforts. They pass off running their social media accounts to an unpaid intern or a volunteer who’s overworked and gets to it when they can. This often leads to a very disorganized and inconsistent execution.
While you may not need to hire a professional social media marketer or content marketer, you do need a marketing plan.
Creating a cohesive digital media marketing strategy could help launch your nonprofit to the next level and put you in front of new potential donors! Start by determining your ideal customers, and how you are going to reach them. Take the time to write out a marketing roadmap that everyone on your team can follow. This will help keep all your communication clear, focused, cohesive and efficient!
Communication Is The Key
As a nonprofit, communicating the importance of your cause is imperative for your longevity. Nonprofit organizations must be intentional about their interactions and constantly communicating with donors and their communities is imperative!
If you aren’t paying attention to your communication efforts, messaging can fall through the cracks. You must be intentional about what you say, as you are continually selling, selling a cause.
For many nonprofits, donors and volunteers are deeply involved emotionally. They deeply care about the cause. It is important to respect this and ensure you develop the right wording and content for your social channels and communication services.
Especially if donors are giving large sums of money, they expect to see the nitty-gritty of where their money is going. Small details can cause a donor not to withdraw. Selling the need for support for real-world problems takes a certain skill and carefully crafted messaging.
When armed with a comprehensive marketing plan, volunteers, members, sponsors, and donors can feel safe knowing exactly what is happening within the organization. They are more likely to give and invest more of their time into your cause. You can counter failing donating and low rates of volunteers by simply making your mission known and compelling.
Increasing Brand Awareness Equals More Donations
Why do companies run the same ads over and over again – why do you see the same shampoo ad on your Instagram or Facebook feed every day? Well, this method works for selling a product.
Similar to just about any product, the more exposure to a product there is, the more likely the customer will buy it.
The same psychology can be applied to the nonprofit sector. Once you have determined your target audience, developed your unique value proposition, and curated a comprehensive marketing campaign, it’s time to get more eyes on your cause!
Even with limited budgets, nonprofits can score with a highly specific and targeted online marketing campaign!
Luckily, you can run marketing campaigns through Google Ads or Facebook Ads for only a few bucks. This could be a strategy you may want to consider.
The Power of Marketing
Nonprofit marketing is critical for survival. While tactics may vary between a for-profit business and a non-profit, the principles remain the same.
Nonprofit organizations have customers just like any other business. To bring in new customers, your organization needs to develop a marketing strategy that is geared towards your specific audience. Then, push out that campaign!
If you don’t know where to start – don’t worry! That’s where we can help. We’ve worked with numerous nonprofits and understand what it takes to help organizations like yours succeed. We can help you determine and implement a digital marketing strategy and social media strategy!
Contact us today for your estimate!
