How to Market Your Nonprofit Organization on a Small Budget
If you work in or are associated with the nonprofit sector, then you know that the vast majority of organizations in the US are small. They operate with limited resources and a small financial margin. A challenge for many of these groups is marketing.
We all know that advertising and marketing are essential to help spread awareness about your vital mission and your work in the community. But, one of the critical questions is how to market your nonprofit organization with limited funds effectively. There is always a way to market your organization. The only difference is that when you are on a budget, you have to get a little creative.
Speak publicly
I understand that a large majority of people do not like to speak in public. However, receiving training and being creative when speaking in public will help you spread the word about your organization personally. Also, the more you talk in public, the easier it will be. The reality is that people want to know what you are doing and opportunities to speak publicly about your work through the local chamber of commerce, video conferencing or the media will help people understand the need and related issues. with your mission.
Junk mail
There has been a lot of discussion about the end of emails, as well as the end of direct mail. Both still work. We use email marketing every month and our approach is to use a two-email method. We send out an initial email, which has been designed to be visually appealing. About a week later, we send a follow-up email to anyone who opened the first email. We have a strong open rate and have been able to consistently partner with that approach.
Associations
A great way to expand beyond your current fan base is to reach out to organizations or companies that are aligned with your work and discuss strategic opportunities. Let’s say you have an animal rescue organization. Perhaps you can contact local animal supply stores in the area and consider creating an event together or asking them to email the animals at your rescue shelter on your behalf. It’s a win-win situation because it provides a broader audience for your organization, but it also helps make the store look like a good corporate citizen.
Everyone knows about using social media, but one of the best social media platforms is LinkedIn, and it is not generally considered a way to interact with new people. By engaging in conversations about topics that are important to your work and also about LinkedIn group members, you can become an expert in the field. For example, if you work at a school or educational organization, you can join a couple of LinkedIn groups and discuss educational policies or issues. It will increase the visibility of your organization and at some point it may even provide new opportunities because people see that you are active, a leader and an informed person.
Search engine optimization
We all operate in the digital age and when people seek to learn about something, they first access the Internet, whether on their mobile device, tablet or desktop computer. You have to invest in becoming the organization that when someone does a search related to your work, your group appears on the first page and, ideally, as the first search result. If you don’t have the experience in-house, ask your board or find a highly respected SEO expert to help you build your keywords and search engine results (SERP) placement. My team and I have focused extensively on SEO and it has paid off.
Website
I know this may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many groups don’t have effective websites. To make sure your website is doing what it is supposed to do when the public visits it, make sure your site is fast. Your site should load quickly, like in 3 seconds. You should also have a website that has less written content and more videos and images, clearly state what you do, have your social media links, address, and contact information, and provide the public with value-added information, such as a blog.
Event or class
You want as many people as possible to get involved with you, and one of the best ways to do that is by not asking people for donations up front. If you do, you may get a quick donation, but since there is no relationship, you probably won’t get ongoing gifts. So you may want to consider hosting an open house or event in your community so people know who you are and the work you do. You may have guest speakers, perhaps people your work has served, and a chance for people to learn something related to your mission. If, for example, your group works in health care, perhaps creating an event where the community has the opportunity to learn about a healthy diet or CPR will persuade people to attend. The idea is to give people a reason to want to come to your event and see what it is all about in your community.
One of the most critical aspects of marketing is remembering that you want to put yourself in the shoes of the public. You want to think about what your donors and supporters want to see when they engage with your organization. When you consider the public, donors, and supporters in all of your marketing efforts, even low-cost ones, you’ll see how a small investment of time and effort will pay off, if done consistently and executed well with them. in mind.
