GOOD MARKETING For Nonprofits

Is Your Nonprofit’s Mission Statement Clickworthy?

Guerrillas know that every point of contact your organization has with people is marketing. Your mission statement touches everything you do and is seen by everyone you connect with. With something that important it makes sense to look at it with an eye for marketing. Why is it that mission statements are often written academically or by committees? Shouldn’t they should be written with the intent of using them as persuasive communication? Even the Declaration of Independence, though drafted by a committee, was written by a single person with a knack for words, Thomas Jefferson. Your mission statement should be written with no less thought than the most expensive advertising campaign receives. You wouldn’t expect a Super Bowl advertisement to be written by lawyers would you? Restating your purpose with [...]

Seven Keys to Finding Your Nonprofit’s Niche

Your niche tells people who you are and determines who you will reach. What you do, and the difference you make in the lives of the people determines your positioning. Choose your niche and you choose your future. If you don’t know what your organization stands for in the minds of the people you want to reach you will fall for anything that looks like an opportunity. Here are a few issues to consider as you decide what niche is right for your organization.

1. Unique: Can you stand out with the niche you select? Don’t choose a niche that is already overloaded with competition, find one that is original. If you are the only one in your niche, you will be much more attractive to the people in the [...]

Article in Outcomes Magazine: Faith-Based Nonprofits, Radical Change Is Coming

How can our ministry reach the young adult generation? Has that question started to take over your organization yet? Everywhere you go, it seems ministry and nonprofit leaders are in near panic trying to figure out the solution to the “young adult problem.” Many are congratulating themselves on their forward-thinking strategies for reaching the next generation. The problem is, reaching young adults is only one of the challenges your organization needs to address. And the questions are going to come faster as the next decade unfolds. Will your organization be prepared to solve other big problems that are just as urgent? Here is a sample of other facts and questions your organization will face in the coming years:

Competition from other nonprofits for donors and volunteers has already increased by [...]

The Analogy of the Parade

Looking at the marketing of most organizations is like standing on the sidewalk watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Marketing promotions, events, and activities pass by like parade floats; some are more impressive in design than others, but the parade continues.

The individual items in the parade may not be related to one another, but they are all entertaining in their own way. The parade goes by, float by float…or, rather event by event, promotion by promotion. It’s quite a spectacle to watch.

Then, as the Santa Claus float appears (the end of the year), the marketer knows the parade is almost over until next year. No one seems to stop to ask what all the marketing activity parading by in the nonprofit’s schedule has to do with the results [...]

Beware the Dangerous Librarian!

Before you conduct primary research, make sure you are aware of what data already exists that can help you in your cause in the form of secondary information. Librarians may not look like dangerous people, but they are because they are dangerously savvy about where to look for the information that could burst the bubble of your bright, but mistaken ideas, or debunk the pet theory you have been nursing.

On the other hand, they might lead you right to the source information that opens up your mind to a new idea that becomes a tremendous advantage for your organization. Market research can help you test your ideas before you sink your time, energy, and money into taking a new direction. A librarian is a good person to have on [...]

New York City NextGen:Charity, November 18-19, Guerrilla Marketing for Nonprofits

Exciting  news today!  Looking forward to seeing you in New York City for a Guerrilla Marketing for Nonprofits workshopled by Chris Forbes at NextGen:Charity, Times Square, AXA Equitable Theater 787 7th Avenue, NYC November 18-19th http://NextGenCharity.com/

NextGen:Charity: Sharing ideas on the future of charity and philanthropy

NextGen:Charity is a conference in NYC on innovation in non-profit and philanthropy work that will be attended by 500 executives of leading non-profits and foundations. The conference is two days with presentations at the AXA Equitable theater in Times Square on Thursday, November 18th and workshops on the second day, November 19th at Columbia University.

The event will be very much like TED ( www.TED.com ), and features celebrity presenters: Seth Godin (#1 business blogger & 12-time bestselling author), Nancy Lublin (DoSomething.org & Dress [...]

See You at the American Marketing Association’s 2010 Nonprofit Marketing Conference, October 11-13th

Some Things Can’t Wait. Market NOW

Get your mission moving. Whether you’re an association or a charity, the time is NOW to transform marketing, try new ways of managing and tap into how you can reinvent your organization.

If your organization is like so many others, you’re feeling the pinch of the economy.  Fundraising revenue is down, membership is experiencing attrition and nonprofits are struggling to survive these tough times.

The AMA’s 2010 Nonprofit Marketing Conference can help you turn things around.  This year’s conference offers unique insights, proven cases and solutions-oriented sessions led by some of today’s brightest minds in nonprofit marketing.

Nonprofit Marketing Conference: Chicago

Swissotel Chicago: 323 East Wacker Drive Chicago , IL  60601 10/11/2010 8:00 AM  – 10/13/2010 12:00 PM

Register by 9/13/2010 5:00 PM  [...]

Use Imagination to Frame Your Nonprofit Marketing

One personality trait you need in great measure as guerrilla marketer is imagination. Nonguerrilla marketers make the mistake of thinking imagination means being the most creative. Even the most expensive advertising agencies can miss this point. It is not how creative and slick you can be that makes the most impact for your message. There are plenty of snazzy ads that don’t work. There are numerous commercials that are entertaining or funny that can’t sell anything. It’s not the most artistic advertisement that makes the difference—it is the one that gets the most response.

Guerrilla Marketing Thought: Very often it is how you frame and solve the problem of getting the attention of the people you want to reach that makes the difference. That takes imagination not art.

Take a [...]

Me Marketing vs. You Marketing

Many organizations put together their marketing materials with the worst approach for getting attention from the people they want to reach. They send their messages out with “Me Marketing.” Me Marketing is the kind of communication that centers on the organization. When I pick up your brochure as a prospect, I am learning about you and what you want to do. You are talking about you. You are telling your side of the story.

You Marketing is just the opposite of Me Marketing. Most people are tuned into what matters to them. They tune in to the messages that speak to their needs from their perspective. If I pick up your brochure and it is talking about “you,” you are really talking to the people you want to reach. People are far more interested in what [...]

Free Webinar: Dr Sarah Eaton interviews Chris Forbes co-author of Guerrilla Marketing for Nonprofits.

Guerrilla Marketing for Nonprofits, released July 2, 2010, is the latest book in the guerrilla marketing series and it is hot off the press. Co-authors Jay Conrad Levinson, Frank Adkins and Chris Forbes team up to offer 250 tactics to promote, recruit, motivate and raise more money.

In this webinar co-author, Chris Forbes, will share his insights and expertise around marketing of nonprofit organizations and projects. Join us for what is sure to be an insightful and inspiring talk.

After the interview, there will be time for questions, answers and discussion with participants.

Event Creator: Sarah Eaton of Eaton International Consulting Event Type: Web Event Name: Guerrilla Marketing for Nonprofits with Chris Forbes When: Aug 19 2010 – 9:00am – 10:00am-Aug 19 2010 , US/Pacific (GMT-08:00)* Participant URL: http://tinyurl.com/lcpublic

Short [...]

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