Hearts and Hands International helps kids around the world by assisting with programs and volunteer teams that help the needs of children at risk. Proceeds from your purchase of Kenyan Blue Mountain Coffee will sponsor a child for one month. Great tasting whole bean coffee for your small group or church gathering! Order now! $29.95 order here
« Learn the Secret of “Me Marketing” vs. “You Marketing” | Home | Nonprofit Publicity Secrets of PR Guru Sandra Beckwith Revealed! »
What Kind of Faith-based Nonprofit Marketer Are You?
By chris | May 19, 2007
Faith-based Nonprofits who are interested in marketing come in all stripes. Some are ready to go right now, others are apathetic about marketing. Some feel they have all the answers, others can’t figure out what the questions are. Which one are you?
Panic-Stricken Marketer: You need help now—no, right now–or you are sunk! You need money, you need people you need help stat! That’s great, good marketers are active marketers and you have the motivation you need to get active to say the least! Active marketers understand that every contact their organization has with the public is an opportunity to make an impact for their mission. You may not have a lot of money for marketing right now, but keep in mind marketing is the one activity that can help you get more money, reach more people and make more impact. The time to study and get ready to market is gone; you need to launch!
Don’t You Realize Who I am? Marketer: Maybe you don’t feel marketing is a significant problem for your organization since you are already a big player in your town. Your hard won reputation is now well established. All things considered, everything is going well. Maybe you feel you can let up on marketing since, right now, you are a star. Can you afford to take a break? Larger organizations than yours have gone under in your city’s marketplace, don’t take anything for granted. You have to stay active if you are going to keep having a lasting impact where you serve. Times are changing fast. New players in the market are on their way to your town. Will you be ready?
Daddy Donor bucks Left Us a Ton of Money Marketer: It doesn’t matter if your organization is the most financially fit, endowed organization on the planet. You still have a mission to make an impact! You can’t leave the management of your message to chance in the general marketplace. In some cases for-profit companies are managing the messages that should be dominated by nonprofits who are working in the public interest. Perhaps some for-profit marketers are leveraging the absence of your “speaking” in the marketplace for their financial gain. It is not a matter of money, it is a matter of principle, are you going to be actively fulfilling your mission in your city or not?
Just Give Me Something that Looks Better Marketer: Some marketers are only interested in looking good—or better. They are like the Billy Crystal character of Fernando Lamas from the Saturday Night Live show, “It is better to look good than to feel good–and you look marvelous,'’ Many nonprofit marketers are in desperate need to raise the production values of their marketing media. The days of the desktop homegrown logo design are over. If you don’t look good, you place your credibility at stake. But on the other hand, a face-lift cannot replace the effectiveness of active marketing. You need to think about the total impact of your message in the marketplace. You need to get your message into the mainstream marketplace if you hope to achieve your goals.
Marketing Cost Too Much Money Marketer: You may only be interested in low-cost and no-cost marketing ideas because you think you don’t have enough money. I understand you and feel your pain (to coin a phrase), but even with all the impact and effectiveness from active marketing, you will still need to spend money. Marketing is not an expense it is an investment. You will not be effective if you merely save your money. Accomplishing your mission is the measure of your effectiveness not the money you saved over last year. You need to back up your use of conventional media channels with unconventional tactics. But, honestly, nonprofits need to understand that marketing in these mainstream channels is an excellent investment, and often are more affordable that people think—why not take advantage of it while you can?
Topics: Nonprofit Marketing |
Comments are closed.