Branding for Nonprofits
Your brand is what people think about when they think of your organization. Brand management is critical to the success of Nonprofits because it impacts your public image, your ability to engage your audience, and your fundraising.
Nonprofits can employ the same strategies and tactics as normal corporations to focus on relaying their mission and value as much as possible.
Standing out is important
Differentiation. It’s great that there are so many nonprofits tackling social problems, but this also means donors have a ton of choices in who they support. This is why it’s so important to show how your organization is different.
Most organizations face the challenge of distinguishing themselves from comparable organizations.
Ask yourself these questions to figure out how to set yourself apart from the competition
- Where you work– Are you the only nonprofit working in a particular region?
- Your method– Is your approach to problem solving different that other organizations?
- Your goal– Do you have a specific goal for your work that others are not pursuing?
1:1 Personalization
Personalization has become a central brand strategy for many businesses and organizations. Its important to be able to appeal to donors at a level that makes them feel special. Whether that’s personalizing thank you notes, emails or special awards for service, important to understand what donors want.
Organizations can also personalize their experience by giving donors a choice of projects or programs to donate to.
If you’re looking to add more personal touchpoints for supporters, you might also consider your communications strategy. Do you design content tracks for specific groups of supporters? Create donor personas and build custom communications to help each individual feel like the information you provide is tailored to their interests and previous behavior.
Are you Relatable
it’s important that your supporters can relate to each other and the people you help.
if your “how to help” page features small donors, volunteers, and fundraisers, you send the message that anyone can advance your mission. You should definitely recognize big donors, but it’s also important to show how anyone else can make an impact on your cause. Use your website, blog, and social media site to highlight individuals supporting your cause.
Relatability also comes into play when you talk about the people your programs help. Its difficult to relate to someone less fortunate so really putting the spotlight on their story can help potential donors find common ground.
The Emotional Appeal
Tapping into the emotions that drive your supporters can go a long way toward breaking through stagnation and apathy. This works hand in hand with the concept of making people in need relatable.
You can also highlight the positive emotions that come from helping others. This may take the form of constituent experiences or posts on your blog that highlight volunteers and supporters. Show your audience that helping your cause is emotionally rewarding for donors too. Creating an environment centered around this is important.
Lead not follow
Positioning your organization as a forward-thinking and innovative nonprofit can be an effective tactic in recruiting. While there are people who prefer to stick with historic or more traditional charities, adopting new technologies and strategies can attract people who may not have been interested in the cause before. In this way, your opening yourself to a new audience that hasn’t been tapped into.