Just like any business, nonprofits need to prioritize between funding their day-to-day operations, providing the services that fulfill their mission and marketing their organization. Though marketing is so crucial to fundraising, it is often a lower priority when it comes to an organization’s budget. This can create a perpetual cycle:
Nonprofits serve an important role in the community, and their activities have such a significant impact it can be difficult to divert resources from their core mission to what some could see as ancillary. There are ways, however, to support a marketing plan without diminishing the organization’s outreach.
The best way to get started is to leverage an existing network. Past donors and volunteers are the most likely to offer support of not just money, but also time. Ask directly for testimonials over social media. Invest time during events to grab quick interviews, quotes and images. Reach out to past donors for matching funds or to support a specific marketing effort (such as a tv commercial or online ad).
Nonprofits have an advantage when it comes to marketing that other businesses can’t match. Whereas a business works hard to create a message that engages its audience, a non-profit only needs to promote its audience’s engagement. Mission-focused organizations can tap into the emotions of a demographic much more easily than a product-focused business. This is why a business can benefit from the positive association with a nonprofit even more so than the simple boost of exposure in a community.
Below is an example of a customer testimonial from a nonprofit, that not only benefits the sponsoring company, but also provides great exposure for the organization.
By incorporating marketing opportunities into sponsorship packages for events, nonprofits can receive all the benefits of the added exposure and companies can get the most from their participation. It’s a true Win-Win.
RingByName – Shake a Leg Testimonial from Zip In Media Video Production on Vimeo.
