We Tried Marketing Once, and It Didn't Work: Marketing Tips for Non-Profits

We Tried Marketing Once, and It Didn't Work: Marketing Tips for Non-Profits
(Marketing Memo, August, 2009)

Non-profits face special marketing challenges: Resources are limited, and staff and volunteers often lack marketing experience. Also the decision-making process is murky since it is often unclear where staff responsibilities end and those of the volunteers begin.

DEVELOP A MARKETING PLAN

Like dieting and exercising, marketing is a series of carefully planned regular activities. Here are some suggestions to help non-profits and other organizations achieve their goals:

Define your marketing objectives. Do you wish to get people excited about your organization and its mission; provide information; explain something; announce an event or an appointment; or to persuade someone to do something?
Identify your target audience(s); figure out what they need to know, and how and where you can best reach them. One size seldom fits all.
Formulate a plan-with deadlines--for achieving each marketing objective.

DEVELOP A MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

What press releases/marketing pieces will you release? Who will do it? When? Where?
What are the objectives and main messages for each marketing piece?
What tone should you establish?
What approval process will you follow to ensure quality and consistency? (Acting unilaterally, someone could post web content that is not in sync with the values and objectives of the organization).
To hit the mark, develop a list of press contacts and media outlets. Cultivate one or two local reporters, and direct newsworthy stories to the reporters through phone calls, press releases, or email messages with press releases attached. Follow up!!
Seek free outlets. For example, bulletin boards in cafes are good places to post flyers.
Cross-pollinate: Befriend another non-profit and provide links to each other's articles and announcements.

"WE TRIED MARKETING ONCE, AND IT DIDN'T WORK"- LESSONS LEARNED

Replace spray and pray campaigns and one-time ads with a focused marketing campaign.

Keep the messaging and look and feel the same in all marketing material even though different people create them.
Address the 5 W's in all marketing pieces: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.
Pre-test all marketing materials on colleagues and family members.
Ensure that marketing materials have professional looking text and design.
Use separate initiatives for different audiences. One size seldom fits all.
Forget blogs and tweets unless someone with experience will take responsibility for managing them.
Remember that long lead times are important when working with volunteers or staff with multiple responsibilities. Jointly set deadlines.
Keep a record of what works and what does not work for future reference.

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