Marketing anything in today’s crowded industry is a feat. So, what do you do if marketing feels overwhelming? Not all of us studied marketing in college, but the good news is you don’t need a formal education in marketing to make an impact for your organization.
We’ve collected some tips and tricks we’ve seen work for real nonprofit organizations, so you can make informed choices, spread your mission, and do more good for the causes you care about.
Meeting your donors and supporters where they are—online—is crucial to getting your name out there and fostering lasting relationships with those who can champion your cause. Whether you start with email marketing or social media engagement, getting online and staying in touch with the algorithm is essential to your success as a nonprofit organization in the 21st century.
Consider using a social media calendar to stay organized and avoid scrambling when important dates or campaigns come up. This can also help you strategically plan content that ties into your organization's work, raising awareness as you build your audience. A win-win!
Sharing impact stories and updates on how donor funds are being used builds trust with your audience. You should regularly share the strides you’re making toward your goals and how supporters have helped you along in your mission. People want to know where their money is going, and seeing the change their support is making in the lives of others can encourage them to continue to support you. Build donor trust and grow your audience by responsibly sharing your work's impact.
No one wants to be treated like an ATM. If you only reach out to your supporters and those new to your mission when you’re fundraising, they’ll leave feeling used. To avoid hurting your relationships with your supporters, keep consistent communication with your donors and vary the content of those communications.
Get creative with donor engagement—reach out not just to ask for support, but to share wins, tell meaningful stories, and express appreciation.
In a digital-first world, where over 1.8 million nonprofits in the US alone are fighting for attention, paying for traffic is not a sustainable tactic. Instead, you can optimize your content and webpages for SEO so potential donors can find you without searching for your specific organization’s name.
Research nonbranded keywords your supporters are searching, make sure your pages are up to date on accessibility and crawling standards, and create human-first content. With this, you’ll be on the right track.
Want more tips on making your website and content appear on the ever-fickle search engine results page (SERP)? Connect with us!
As you connect with your audience across different platforms, from email to Instagram, ensure you’re presenting a united front in voice and tone. Each platform has slightly different vibes, and nonprofit organizations should aim to match those feelings. However, it’s important not to lose sight of your organization's overarching brand and tone across different platforms. Having a clear brand guide and ensuring everyone is up to date on your communication guidelines can help this effort.
Here’s where you can really put on your marketing cap, even if you didn’t study marketing in school. Running an A/B test is a great way to test out the tones and CTAs that resonate with your audience. Whether you’re testing subject lines or ad graphics, A/B tests can help you tailor your marketing efforts to different audiences, channels, and campaigns, all to help you make a bigger impact on your goals.
Your audience's marketing preferences will change from year to year and from generation to generation, so running A/B tests is a great way to evaluate and honor their preferred form of communication.
This one goes with tip #3. Your subscribers will stop opening your emails if they feel like every one of them is an ask, and they may stop following you altogether if you don’t thank them genuinely.
Whether a supporter has given time, energy, or money, they need to see your gratitude and the impact they made. Did their contribution at an event help you reach more people? Did their donation provide one more meal than you thought you’d have? Did their work in sharing a social post gain you a new donor? Thank them! Creating and maintaining a culture of genuine and specific gratitude goes a long way to helping donor retention and your public image.
Did you know that Google gives generous ad grants to nonprofits every month? This is free money you could be leaving on the table, so be sure to get your share to help your cause. There are also other organizations looking to help your nonprofit shine, and a wealth of knowledge in the nonprofit community. From podcasts to case studies, take advantage of the research and conversations others in the industry have to improve how you get your organization’s mission out there.
Learn more about Google Ad Grants and how you can begin promoting your nonprofit’s cause in our blog—5 Tips to Help Nonprofits Get the Most Out of the Google Ad Grant.
Your online presence matters—but it’s only part of the picture. Staying top of mind also means showing up in your local community. That could mean attending Chamber of Commerce meetings, hosting a booth at local events, or volunteering for various community efforts. Championing your community and supporting it in difficult times is one of the best ways to connect with people and to market your nonprofit without directly telling people who you are and what you do.
If you’re looking for support in marketing your nonprofit, partnering with a nonprofit marketing agency can make all the difference. At Novus, we work alongside mission-driven organizations to amplify their impact through content marketing, SEO, ad strategy, campaign management, and more. Explore our services to see how we can help you share your story, reach your goals, and get your mission in front of the people who need to see it.
We love helping nonprofits do good—better. It’s in our DNA to help underfunded, overworked organizations do more than they ever thought possible with whatever resources they have at their disposal.
The world of nonprofit marketing isn’t waiting, and neither should you. Connect with us today and see how we can help you reach your goals and impact change for generations.