Why Marketing is NOT a 4-Letter Word for Nonprofits

I’ve seen it time and time again – nonprofit executives or board members who really don’t like the idea of marketing. Have you heard (or maybe even said) one or more of the following:

• Marketing is for selling a product.
• Marketing is expensive.
• Marketing isn’t effective.
• We don’t have enough time to develop a marketing plan.
• Marketing doesn’t work for us.
• We should be using that money on programs, not marketing. 

My job today is to do some myth-busting by sharing what I sincerely believe marketing is (and isn’t) in the nonprofit realm.

Here’s the big takeaway - marketing is the number one tool for sustainability. It’s key to reaching both the people you want to help with your nonprofit, and the people who want to support you in turn. It can be done without hype and without feeling inauthentic.

If you were at a luncheon and someone asked you about the work you do, you probably wouldn’t have a problem talking about your nonprofit. You’d share your success stories, your challenges and the impact you are trying to make. You’d tailor what you said based on what you knew about the person you were talking to, considering what he or she already knows about your organization and sharing new information.

Marketing is just about making that conversation larger.

Marketing allows you to systematically move the people from a state of awareness to engagement so that they find their place, connect to the mission and help grow the impact of your organization.

So let’s do a quick hit list of what marketing is and is not in the nonprofit world, and then talk about what it can do for you.

What Marketing Is Not:

• Marketing is not at odds with your goals and values. Often marketing is seen as a tool only used in a for-profit setting; the way in which a company convinces you to buy its product. And that is one aspect of marketing in the for-profit world. But as popular marketing blogger Hugh MacLeod points out: “Sure, selling bathroom deodorant via daytime TV commercials is marketing. But so was Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech. So was the Declaration of Independence.” In the case of nonprofits, marketing is spreading awareness about what your cause is about and making it simpler for people to use your services or support your mission.
  
  
• Marketing is not about a big budget. Don’t think that successful marketing is tied to a huge budget line item. One of the amazing things about marketing technology is that there is now a wealth of free and low-cost (and usually very easy to master) tools that can help you market your organization without spending a fortune. And if you are going the DIY route, there are plenty of relatively inexpensive webinars to help you build you marketing prowess.
  
  
• Marketing is not one-size-fits-all. Nothing could be further from the truth. You can scale your marketing efforts and the platforms you want to use based on your organization’s budget, talents and available time.  Not sure what marketing strategy is right for you? Check out my Smart Marketing E-Book Guide. 

What Marketing Is:

• Marketing is flexible. One of the reasons organization’s doubt the power of marketing is that they believe you are locked into one strategy. But the essence of successful marketing is being flexible. There are many tools out there to let you know if your marketing strategy is working – Google Analytics, Facebook ad reports, open rates on e-communications. Part of good marketing is measuring the results and deciding what is working and not working for your organization, so you can adjust and get better results.
  
  
• Marketing means understanding your audiences. One of the most important aspects of effective marketing is developing a good sense of who you are talking to and segmenting your communications based on those audiences. The points you want to make to long-time donors will probably be different to the what you are sharing with people new to your organization. Outreach to volunteers will be different than outreach to potential clients.
  
  
• Marketing is strategic, systematic, clear and consistent communications. What you are going to communicate, how you are going to communicate, and the frequency of your outreach are key to your nonprofit’s marketing efforts. From the person who answers your phone, to the person handling donor relations, to the graphic artist designing your ad or brochure, everyone needs to be on the same page.
  
  
• Marketing is an investment in your program. If you are tempted to think that marketing is money that would be better used in your programs, think again. Marketing is your way of investing in those programs. Nonprofits are not like Field of Dreams: it’s not a case of “if you build it, they will come.” You need to get the word out about what you are doing and in such a way that it attracts like-minded people to your side, so that you will get the investment you need to continue doing the work.

What Will Marketing Do for Your Organization?

Still not sold on marketing? Then consider the many benefits that savvy, smart marketing will bring to your organization so that you can continue to do good in the world. By clearly and consistently sharing your vision with the community, your organization can:

• Introduce your organization to new supporters.
• Build your volunteer base.
• Establish credibility and gain loyalty.
• Distinguish your organization’s purpose from other nonprofits.
• Strengthen your relationships with longtime donors.
• Build a rapport with new donors so that they are more likely to give again.

Ultimately, marketing is about cultivating and nurturing the relationships that will benefit your nonprofit for years to come. It allows you to attract attention to your cause, invite people to join your effort, make them feel welcome and appreciated once they get there, and then asking them to stay a while (hopefully a long while) with greater engagement, interest and support.