Marketing for a non-profit organization, or really any business for that matter, is all about telling your story. Before working on telling that story, make sure you determine your goal(s) or objective. Is it to fundraise a certain dollar amount, bring general awareness to the cause or industry that your nonprofit provides, or is it to get volunteers? These are just some of the many examples that are a part of non-profit marketing. Continue reading to get valuable tips to help boost your organization’s visibility and donations!
Set Goals: While these separate objectives might end up all working together, it’s still always best to set a SMART goal before starting any campaign. So, how might these all work together? To tell your story. Particularly, in the non-profit world, target markets tend to support you because they are attracted to what you do and are compelled to join in the cause.
What exactly are SMART goals?
- Specific – Specific goals allow you to better devise a plan to help you get where you want to be.
- Measurable – Make sure there is a way to measure your goals and progress.
- Achievable – Don’t set unrealistic expectations that will only discourage you when they are not reached; instead set small, achievable goals that will help you reach your overall objective.
- Relevant – Set goals that align with your overall objectives and values.
- Time-Based – Keep yourself motivated by setting realistic time frames for your goal.
Develop Your Potential Target Audience: Develop personas or multiple potential targets that would be a fit for your organization. As mentioned above, this could be donors, volunteers, or the public. Understand their motivations, interests, and concerns.
Tell a Compelling Story: Use storytelling to evoke emotions and create a connection with your audience. Use testimonials about an individual that was helped from their perspective to inspire action in others. Hearing an account firsthand is always a powerful voice. However, your non-profit might not necessarily serve people, so concentrate on what the area you’re in would look like if you didn’t exist. You can keep the messaging positive while focusing on the real-life scenarios that are going on, with the draw being if you weren’t around, what would happen. Emotion often inspires action.
Measure and Evaluate: Track key metrics to measure the effectiveness of your marketing efforts, such as website traffic, social media engagement, email open rates, and donations. Use this data to evaluate what’s working well and adjust as needed.
Evolve: Stay flexible and open to change as you learn more about what resonates with your audience and as external factors evolve. Continuously adapt your marketing strategies to stay relevant and effective.
Most importantly, tell your story or why in a compelling way that resonates with your target audience, inspires action and builds long-term relationships and remember why you do what you do.
