Marketing for nonprofits is challenging! People love to help, but they’re constantly bombarded by messages asking them for more money. It takes skill to spread your word in a competitive environment while adding donors to the rolls.
It’s time to consider brand new nonprofit marketing ideas that are proven to be effective. Quit wasting time and resources pleading to an unwilling audience.
Start by Creating a Blog
A blog will serve as the central hub for all of your organization’s digital marketing efforts. Some nonprofits overlook the power of blogging to their detriment. There’s no better way to get the word out there consistently than by updating blogs, social media networks, and video channels.
Plus, the practice of updating on timely subjects also provides jet fuel to fundraising efforts.
You can pick the subjects that are dearest to your heart to craft perfect posts. These are crucial pieces that build foundation social marketing success.
Determine Your Target Market
Please don’t neglect this crucial bit of advice because it’s a big deal! Before beginning any marketing initiative, outline in detail whom it is you’re trying to target. Failing to do this means your campaign costs will be too high and the results lower than you want.
If you already have ideal donors, it will help jumpstart your expansion plans. You can identify which of their characteristics are most desirable and then target other similar individuals. On Facebook, these kinds of campaigns target Lookalike Audiences.
https://www.facebook.com/business/help/164749007013531
If you have an active email list and website, you can import them into your Facebook ad management account and build a Lookalike Audience. Facebook will then use that data to find people using their social network who closely match.
Set Measurable Goals
Nothing demotivates team members quicker than failing to measure and achieve objectives. From the beginning, it’s a fantastic idea to define what goals mean the most to the organization.
Are you looking for newsletter signups? If so, you’ll need a lead magnet, a landing page, and a capture form.
Do want to convert donors? It’s best practice to initiate a followup email campaign to newsletter recipients.=
The list can go on as long as you like. Have your team brainstorm, and the ideas will flow naturally. If you come up with the objective, it becomes easy to configure your marketing. Start with the finish line in mind, and you’ll do fine.
Like any other marketing assignment, start with the result in mind, so you know how to configure your advertising.
Create Marketing Materials
You’re going to need to create materials specifically for your social media campaigns. Don’t worry too much about quality; instead, focus on using your voice and making an emotional appeal.
People don’t tend to donate because of rational arguments. They give money when their emotions tell them to help. All of your organization’s marketing materials must tell potential donors the story of how you help solve problems.
Set a Social Media Strategy
Don’t just wing it on Instagram, Twitter, or any of the other places people hang out. It helps a ton to have a strategy and you better plan on following it closely.
A default strategy is branding. That allows you to introduce your organization to the broadest possible audience with the lowest expectations. This type of campaign is ongoing and will result in more followers and website visits.
Keep in mind that branding takes time and investment to do right. There’s no way to run an ad for a short time and expect results. You’ll need to maintain the campaign until measurable results happen. Speak with a representative now to find out your options for nonprofit marketing. You don’t have to handle it all yourself!
Showcase Your Social Presence
You may as well integrate your social media marketing with your other efforts. Your organization may have a lot of social media accounts. If that’s the case, management becomes a chore. Why not maintain a central hub that will keep links to all the other profiles.
At the very least, reference each profile on every site. Keep the descriptions fresh and tie them all together, if possible. For sure, you’ll want to reference all of your profiles on your website. It’s worth encouraging people to join and follow. No one can help you do marketing better than engaged fans who are happy with your efforts.
Combine Printed Materials with Digital Efforts
It’s generally a good idea to expand your digital efforts into the offline world. Print up some of your best marketing materials for use as handouts or other in-person promotional tools.
This activity will cause a bigger hit to your budget, so don’t do it unless you will get a maximum impact. Flyers and other brochures still pack a wallop, if you put them to efficient use.
If you do hand something to someone, make sure it contains your digital contact information. That way, you’ll get followers on social media sites even while attending events or conferences.
Personalize Your Marketing Whenever Possible
If you can personalize any of your marketing efforts, please do so. According to Adobe’s marketing department, 9 out of 10 people say personalization plays a role in their buying decision.
https://theblog.adobe.com/personalization-payoff-roi-getting-personal/
Consistently include personalization, especially when getting people to sign up. You will get higher rates of new signers if you ask for less information. However, they’re of lower quality and won’t get personalized messages. Hold out for at least a full name with the email address signup.
Personalization can go much further, depending on how much information your potential donors wish to share. You could ask for a birthday and then send them an e-card each year. Your team must decide on the basic strategy and then implement the proper procedure to utilize customization as far as you can take it.
With the right foundation in place, donations will soar. There’s a fantastic opportunity now for any nonprofit organizations who are willing to navigate the social media landscape.