Five Inspired Nonprofit Marketing Strategies Built to Deliver Awareness
Nonprofit marketing strategies are the foundation for long-term success.
Nonprofit organizations often struggle to prioritize marketing due to limited resources and pressing development and programming needs. But building awareness is essential for enduring positive results and it all begins with a great marketing strategy. Nonprofit marketing keeps organizations top of mind with constituents and donors, gives value to the communities they serve, and supports mindfulness of the mission. When executed thoughtfully, it more than pays for itself. Savvy strategies can even help recruit volunteers, enlist new donors, and expand an organization’s services. In short, nonprofits that don’t invest in marketing infrastructure will get left behind. In this article, we will share five critical marketing strategy elements that build awareness and create support for your organization’s important mission.
Make it easy to get found.
How fast and responsive is your website? Can you easily find your organization via a Google search? Is your website user-friendly to navigate when using a phone or tablet? If your nonprofit’s site isn’t visible, accessible, or mobile-responsive, it’s time for an upgrade. If you want to boost awareness of your organization, people need to be able to easily find you online and learn what you’re all about.
Make content marketing a priority.
When people visit your site, they are looking to be informed and inspired to action, so your content needs to answer the call. It can also be instrumental in supporting your brand and growing your donor base. With so much at stake, it’s important to keep your website accurate and up to date with the most current information and initiatives. Blogs are an important element of digital content marketing. They can help position your organization as an authority in your field and by delivering fresh, persuasive content on a regular basis, it boosts your ranking on the search engines. Blogging is also a great way to drive consumers to your nonprofit’s website and create awareness of the key causes you support. It’s like a free publicity tool that provides opportunities to share information with potential donors and volunteers. Think creatively about how you can share compelling stories, such as:
- Promoting upcoming events
- Celebrating milestones
- Featuring stories about supporters who have helped your cause
- Sharing impressive statistics
Keep in mind that your blog’s versatility goes beyond a mere post on your website. It’s a powerful multi-tasker that can and should be shared on social media, email campaigns, and monthly newsletters.
Get savvy with social media.
Your community members want to know about the good work your organization does, and social media provides plentiful opportunities for connecting and sharing. Rather than focusing solely on your website, work to build an active, interesting social media presence on one or two channels. With limited funds and volunteer resources, there’s no need to be everywhere so choose the platforms that best match your audience. Take the time to understand each platform and who uses it, and then consider how your resources can be allocated. Post regularly by linking industry articles, appropriate news, program updates, event announcements, and more. And be sure to tag your supporters!
Seek out the next generation.
Even if your organization is fortunate enough to have a massive base of long-standing constituents, you still need to be looking to the future. There lies the next generation of members and supporters. That’s just one reason to target your digital outreach to younger adults in your community. Budding professionals and those with young families often look for ways to give back and they’re more likely to be familiar with today’s digital tools. Encourage them to share your organization’s compelling story with their peers, co-workers, friends, and other young professionals. Not only will that enhance awareness of your organization and its mission, it will also grow your membership in a very valuable way.
Get creative with your events.
Fundraisers, conferences, and training sessions offer excellent opportunities to raise awareness and foster connections. The pandemic ushered in a whole new era of event structures such as hybrid and virtual, allowing for greater originality when planning events in the future. What innovative new learning experiences or fundraisers can you devise? Silent auctions, galas, competitions, and educational sessions, for example, might all have their place on your calendar. Throughout the year, iUG offers numerous educational events that are designed to empower members and build connections. From our complimentary webinars, to the iUG User and Community Summit, to the annual Discovery, we offer plentiful fun learning opportunities in a variety of formats. Please check out our upcoming event calendar here. We hope you’ll join us for the next one!
It can be challenging to raise awareness for your cause when funds are limited. Fortunately, there are many cost-effective tactics you can implement to get the best return on your marketing dollars. With compelling nonprofit marketing strategies in place, you can gain awareness, engage more with your audience, and even find new supporters along the way.
A robust nonprofit marketing strategy will help you achieve your goals and iUG is here to help! For additional resources or to learn more about the valuable member support we offer, please contact us at https://www.imisusers.org/ or call 570.243.8700.