5 Results-Driven Nonprofit Marketing Strategies

Marketing is hard for any organization. And it gets even tougher for nonprofits. You see, the teams must work within very tight budgets.

Unlike profit-making corporations, the money allocation for marketing is limited. Donors need to know their money is going towards causes, not brand visibility.

The nonprofit must also work harder to convince the target market. Think about it this way, profit-making companies sell actual products or services. Customers get something tangible for the money they spend.

For nonprofits, the aim is to appeal to the altruistic nature of audiences. You want them to give, without getting anything in return. The messaging has to touch their emotive part, to get them to open the purse strings.

Result-driven nonprofit marketing strategies can help the teams achieve their marketing goals. Let’s see some workable solutions.

1. Embrace Digital Marketing for Nonprofit Marketing

One of the most powerful tools to adopt in nonprofit marketing is nonprofit online marketing. There is a lot the teams can achieve with digital marketing. These include:

• Attracting donor funding.
• Raising awareness about the non-profit organization by creating brand visibility.
• Nurturing long-term relationships with the different stakeholders.
• Establishing the organization as an authority through content marketing.

What makes digital marketing such a robust tool is the tons of opportunities. There are both free and paid avenues to reach target audiences.

The nonprofit can use the free tools for marketing the organization effectively. Monetary constraints should no longer be an issue.

Let’s explore some digital marketing tools and strategies for nonprofits.

Start With a Website

Modern consumers depend on the internet for a lot of their day-to-day activities.  And that includes searching for information. The non-profit organization must establish an online presence in the form of a website.

A website is a sign of credibility and authenticity. What comes to mind when you search for an organization with no presence online. A nagging feeling of doubt about their credibility will start to grow in you, right.

The site is also a platform that allows the organization to share its mission, vision, and goals.  The marketing team can also showcase the work the non-profit is doing.

But that’s not all; there are a lot more benefits to get from websites.

• Content marketing provides an opportunity to showcase the organization’s knowledge and expertise. The nonprofit can establish itself as an authority, and go-to source for information. 76% of nonprofits use content marketing in their digital campaigns. Blogging is especially effective because it is not about selling. Rather, it is about providing information with relevant, timely topics.

• Video content combined with storytelling is engaging and interactive. The organization can showcase its work in a way that resonates with the target audience.
• Link building opportunities increase brand visibility. Landing on high authority sites also shows authority and authenticity.
• Best SEO tactics will improve ranking on the search engines. It is an excellent way to grow brand visibility.

Every marketing activity has, as its ultimate goal, getting people to support the organization. And, the website is the best vehicle for lead generation.

Do note, mobile optimization is critical. A large percentage of internet users do so from their mobile phones. The experience on mobile should be the same, or even better, than on a desktop or laptop.

Social Media Marketing for Nonprofits

Any digital nonprofit marketing strategy must include social media. This is because social media use has become a reality in the modern world. A large part of the global population spends hours on different platforms.

Statista reports show that as of 2020, there were 3.78 billion social media users. Projections for 2025 are as high as 4.41 billion users. With technological advancements and rapid internet penetration, those figures may be very conservative.

The point to note is nonprofit organizations must use such platforms to reach their target audiences.

A mix of free and paid strategies will work while on social media. With a small budget, the digital marketing team can boost posts. With proper targeting, there is a higher chance of the target audience receiving the messaging.

Platforms like Facebook and Youtube allow for the inclusion of donation buttons. It is convenient because you get the audience right where they are. They don’t have to log onto another portal to donate.

Influencer marketing works great on such platforms. Do your research to see what influencers you can target to become brand advocates.

Remember to maintain consistency with posts and keep up engagement with audiences.

Email Marketing

Email marketing works. The trick is to ensure proper audience segmentation. This increases open and click-through rates. Create schedules for send-outs and avoid bombarding target audiences with emails.

You should also include an opt-in and opt-out for subscribers. It may sound like strange advice. But why keep people on your mailing list who junk your emails every time. They will never translate into conversions.

2. Take Advantage of Google for Nonprofits

As we stated, a lack of marketing budgets can limit what the nonprofit can do concerning brand visibility efforts. So, it helps to be very creative. And that means taking advantage of available resources. One of the best platforms available is Google for nonprofits. You get access to:

• $10,000 worth of advertising value on Google Ad Grants
• A platform to share video content on YouTube for Nonprofits. Embedding a donate button means you can reach the audience when they are watching the videos.

3. Keep Nurturing Relationships

Nonprofit marketing is not only about collecting and converting new leads. It is also about keeping up or nurturing relationships. Do not neglect the current and past supporters.

There could be a reason why a donor stopped giving money to the organization. But, it does not mean they will not come back at a later time. It is important to keep engaging with them.

Remember, in our introduction, we acknowledged how hard it is to market nonprofits. Every activity you undertake must appeal to the emotional part of the individual. By keeping up with engagement and interaction, they will feel like you value them.

A good tip is to stop looking at the stakeholders as a money source. Rather, consider them as friends or family that you interact with every other time. There are some simple things you can do to nurture relationships.

• Send updates, appreciation notes, newsletter, and exciting news around different activities.
• Take note of special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries. Don’t you love it when your bank sends a happy birthday or special festivities wish?
• Peer-to-peer fundraising encourages donors to raise funds from their networks.
• Host events and encourage stakeholders to bring along other people. It is a fantastic way to get leads for the organization.

4. Give Stakeholders an Active Role in Marketing Campaigns

Include the stakeholders in the marketing activities. Take the example of user-generated content (UGC).  Invite audiences to share content relevant to what you are doing. It could be in the form of images, videos, or articles. Upload them on your website and social media accounts.

Encourage people to like, share and comment. Do note, UGC works well when you have a solid campaign behind it.

An example of a successful one was the ALS Ice bucket campaign. The association managed to increase research funding by 187% from the campaign. That means the team managed to raise a staggering $115 million through donations.

Make the campaigns more successful with the right hashtags.

5. Public Relations

A results-driven marketing strategy for nonprofits must include public relations. Third-party endorsement trumps any other marketing activity.

Do you know why so many brands gravitate towards using influencers? It is because the audiences are more likely to believe someone they trust than an advertisement.

The same most likely applies to you as an individual. Before you buy something, you will ask a family or friend who may have used the product.

The next step is to go through online reviews to see what others have to say. Public relations is about getting other people to talk about your organization in a positive way.  There are various ways to go about it.

• Media relations is a key step. The organization should nurture relationships with the right media. These should be those who specialize in your niche. Let’s say the organization focuses on ensuring no child goes hungry. The right media would be health or lifestyle. A non-profit that aims at alleviating poverty through supporting entrepreneurs would benefit from knowing the business media. Become the media’s go-to source for information and newsworthy content. Share editorial, press releases, and even market research. Media need stories and content. They will start looking for you as time goes by. The organization gets an opportunity for brand visibility through mention in news stories.
• Have plenty of testimonials and reviews on your different platforms.
• Take part in community activities by volunteering time or expertise. These could include community cleanups, sponsorships, or even mentorships.

Final Thoughts

Non-profit organizations must have a solid marketing plan. It starts with clear, achievable goals with the right steps to achieve them. The organization must also have clarity on the key messaging, depending on the target audience. That is why target segmentation is critical.

We have looked at some strategies that are sure to yield the right results. These include digital marketing, public relations, and stakeholder engagement.

With consistency in the implementation of the strategies, the organization can achieve all its marketing goals.