Here are some lessons that can help you achieve success in your marketing campaigns:
- Know your donors
Whether your organization is a nonprofit or for-profit, marketing strategy is never complete without knowing who your audience is. Just like meeting a new person, it is hard to engage in a meaningful conversation without knowing the person you are engaging. As a nonprofit marketer, gain a deep understanding of your donor base and what they love. Know what inspires them to give. After gaining this knowledge, design personalized content for them. Go as far as creating donor personas for your nonprofit to allow you to improve your communication and engagement.
- Build a brand
If you ever thought branding is only meant for for-profits, think again. Just like in corporations, building a brand is an important component that will enable you to develop an effective marketing strategy for your organization. Some of the biggest brands out there nowadays are nonprofits. An example is the American Red Cross and Salvation Army, among others. Build a brand for your nonprofit by creating a compelling mission statement and building a culture around it.
- Take advantage of visual storytelling
Content marketing is all about creating content that is appealing to the mind of the viewer or reader. With the increasing power of digital content in the nonprofit sector, you should harness the power of visual storytelling. To get started, use things such as videos and photos of individuals affected by your mission. You can also use infographics to relay statistics about what you do and Vlogs or testimonials from staff, volunteers and fundraisers. High-quality content will boost your engagement with donors and will make your fundraising appear professional.
- Have a serious online presence
Now more than ever, online presence is a non-negotiable approach to making your nonprofit known. With a large number of online marketing approaches today, it is important to choose what works perfectly for you. There are many online marketing methods than just sending emails. One of the best methods is displaying your content on a dynamic, interactive website. Ensure that your website is updated regularly with fresh and compelling content. Ensure you have an online donation platform because this is a great opportunity to increase reach and donations. Take advantage of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat to reach your clients and pass your message and appeals.
- Be mobile-responsive
Smartphones have become undoubtedly the leading devices used to access the internet and information. Studies have shown that people tend to read messages on their phones more than they do on their desktops. More than 60% of emails are now being read on mobile devices. Ensure that you spend a lot of time designing emails that are responsive and friendly to your audience. Ensure that emails can adapt to mobile devices and can be read by anyone regardless of the sizes of their screens. Take advantage of email marketing templates such as those offered by MailChimp. Also, make sure that your checkout pages are mobile-responsive and get donations from every opportunity presented.
In a nutshell, although nonprofit marketing trends are ever-evolving, the above approaches can help you stand a chance against the rising competition. Nonprofits must therefore evolve with the environment if they are to fund their causes as they need.
