Marketing for Nonprofits

Building a strong brand is one of the most powerful ways that nonprofits can attract attention, raise money, and recruit staff. In addition, it helps them gain access to the decision-makers and influencers who have the power to help them achieve their mission.

Some nonprofits resist the idea of branding, because they associate it with selling donuts. But the same techniques that can be used to persuade people to buy things they don’t want or need can also be used to support a good cause or promote beneficial behavior.

Here are five tips for creating a strong nonprofit brand.

  1. Your brand is more than just a logo. It should embody everything that people in your organization say and do, as well as how they express it. You have to “live” the brand.
  2. A strong brand is clear, consistent, and compelling to the people you’re trying to reach. Repetition and consistency help create the associations you want people to make whenever they see your logo or come into contact with you.
  3. Reach internal agreement about how you want your brand to be seen before you promote your brand to the public. It’s impossible to create a consistent image unless everyone is speaking with the same voice.
  4. Survey or interview people to find out how your donors and even non-supporters perceive you. Is it consistent with how you want to be seen? If not, you may need to conduct more extensive research to find the source of the disconnect.
  5. Be creative. The images, the spokespeople, and the tactics you use to present your organization, cause, or campaign can lift you into the limelight and help you go viral.