What is Nonprofit Marketing?

Effective marketing allows businesses to thrive and profit, but it is just as important for nonprofit organizations.  You could even say that coming up with a strong marketing strategy is even more crucial for nonprofit organizations, given their limited resources and manpower. 

With competent and dynamic nonprofit marketing, a nonprofit organization can promote its cause, ideals, and services; at the same time, it can raise funds or recurring donations as well as call the attention of would-be volunteers, sponsors, or supporters. 

What are the Types of Nonprofit Marketing?

Nonprofit marketing campaigns come in a variety of types ranging from email, social media, video, website, content, digital, and even in public speaking form.  Investopedia highlights the following three nonprofit marketing campaigns:

1. Point-of-Sale Campaign – A donation is solicited during the checkout process for an online or in-person purchase a customer is making.

2. Message-Focused Campaign (Event Marketing) – This type of strategy promotes a nonprofit organization by utilizing in-person or online events, most especially the trending or high-profile kind.  Aside from focusing on the mission of the organization, they also use the opportunity to raise funds as well as encourage volunteerism for and support of their cause.

3. Transactional Campaign (Partnership Marketing) – The nonprofit organization teams up with a for-profit business (or businesses).  The corporate partner promotes the nonprofit organization’s cause by pledging to donate a portion of certain purchases towards the latter’s fundraising efforts. In some cases, the business utilizes social media wherein they pledge to donate to their nonprofit partner for every like or share of their promotional post.  This campaign also allows the business to underscore its corporate values and in turn, generate positive publicity.
   

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Advanced Forms of Nonprofit Marketing

Forbes.com has noted that nonprofit organizations function differently from traditional businesses so some online marketing strategies may not work well with nonprofits.  Recognizing this disparity, online giants like Google and YouTube have come up with customized options to help with nonprofit marketing.

1. Google Grants for AdWords – This program gives a nonprofit $10,000 per month in AdWords credit for advertising in Google. However, there are strict eligibility requirements, such as a current 501(c) (3) status for valid charities. There are also rules to follow to keep the grant like your ad must be focused on sending people to your website and prohibiting displaying ads from Google AdSense. The application and waiting process takes time, too.  You can also visit the Google for Nonprofits page for more information on Google Apps for nonprofits.

2. YouTube Nonprofit Program – Instead of money, this program provides additional features and benefits for your YouTube videos such as a donate button, live streaming, and call-to-action overlays (which send viewers to a website or specific webpage when clicked). Members of the program can also apply separately for production resources which allows you to get production access to shoot or edit your video at YouTube’s Los Angeles studio. The eligibility requirements for the program are identical to Google Grants, but you need to already have a YouTube channel with some good videos uploaded before applying. 

3. Facebook Nonprofit Opportunities – While they don’t offer a program for nonprofits, there are a lot of different apps you can add to your Facebook page to support your nonprofit cause. DonateApp and JustGiving are a couple of apps that can help add a “Donate Now” button to your Facebook page, allowing a supporter to donate at their convenience here instead of heading over to your website to make the same.
   

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How to Create a Nonprofit Marketing Plan

1. Set Marketing Goals – Are you looking to raise funds with your next campaign? Or maybe encourage more volunteers or supporters to help? Perhaps you want to drive more people to visit your website.  You’ll need to know and understand first what you’re trying to achieve to determine the focus and direction of your marketing plan.  Define your marketing goal with the SMART method– it should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.

2. Identify or segment your audiences – Once you have clear goals, you’ll then need to identify your target audience. You’ll want to optimize your nonprofit’s limited resources by customizing your marketing messaging to resonate with your intended audience.  Or if you’re looking to target different groups, you’ll need to segment your audience into different personas so you’re able to adjust your campaign for each type. 

3. Define Your Marketing Message – With your goals and audience(s) set, you’ll now be able to craft the central messaging or theme of your campaign. This is especially important if you’re segmenting your audience- you’re customizing your messaging per persona but the central theme remains the same throughout. Your messaging must convey not only the importance of your cause but also why your audience should care about your efforts.  It also must be inspiring and compelling enough to convince them to take action or at the very least, make a memorable impression. 

4. Choose Your Marketing Strategies – You now have the what, who, and why of your nonprofit marketing campaign; it’s now time to establish the how. Aside from email and social media, are you planning to do video or content marketing? Are there any businesses you can partner with maybe?  Would an event work as well for this campaign?  Depending on your target audience, your marketing plan may involve utilizing more than one platform for delivering your message. 

5. Analyze results and make adjustments – The goal and campaign type you’ve chosen come with clear key performance indicators to assess your progress. Sometimes you won’t get your intended results the first time but you can use the data or insights you’ve gained and use it to finetune or set baselines for your next campaigns. Just keep tracking and reviewing your data, making adjustments here and there or perhaps even dropping elements that don’t work.

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Cascade Strategies can help you and your nonprofit organization create and develop your marketing plan. With over three decades of market research experience and top-of-the-line services that include Segmentation Studies and Qualitative Research, let us assist you in heightening awareness about your cause as well as finding the ideal volunteers, sponsors, and donors to support your ideals. 

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