Important Questions to Ask When Marketing Your Nonprofit | Robin Fertner

The word marketing usually conjures up images of over-worked advertising gurus poring over focus group data to create an award-winning campaign that will convince consumers once and for all that Coca-Cola is the superior beverage. Marketing may not seem like something a nonprofit should be worried about, but it is a crucial part of ensuring that your vision and mission are met to the best of your ability.

So, after lots of sweat, tears and IRS forms, you have your nonprofit up and running smoothly. You’ve developed your image, created a logo, and you’ve set up your website. So where do you go from here?  How do you start the daunting task of marketing?

This all may seem obvious, but these three important questions can easily be forgotten in the excitement of starting a campaign.


1.    WHY?
Why are you marketing your organization? What is your goal? Do you need more funds (well, of course you do – but are you actively looking to start a fundraising campaign)? Are you planning to expand your services? Do you just want the general public to know you exist?

Figure out what your organization needs most at this particular moment, and focus exclusively on that.  If your goal is solid, your message will be on target as well. You can always start a new campaign later on as your organization’s needs change.


2.    WHO?
Okay, before you blow your entire printing budget sending out postcards across the city/state/universe – take a moment to think about who your target audience is.  Who’s going to be most interested in what you have to say? Who is going to be most likely to give donations? Who has supported your organization in the past? Who do you want to support your organization in the future?

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t target a broad audience – if that will best accomplish your goal. Social media offers a free/inexpensive way to reach the general populous.  Whether or not your entire state will care about what you have to say is up to you to decide.


3.    HOW?
Now that you know who you’re trying to reach, how are you planning to connect with them? This goes back a bit to the WHO question and knowing your target audience. If you’re looking to target seniors about your upcoming services, you may want to leave the Twitter out of this campaign.  If you’re looking to get support from the local art community, clip art and rainbow fonts aren’t going to cut it.

Think hard about who your target audience is, and what you want to convey to them. Figure out where they get their information, and what sources they find most trustworthy. Most importantly, keep track of your results – you may discover a better method for future endeavors.


Photo courtesy of Simple Insomnia