Nonprofit Marketing Guide

KIVI LEROUX MILLER is the founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide LLC, which helps nonprofit communicators learn their jobs, love their work, and lead their teams. She is also a highly rated keynote, workshop, and webinar presenter and a certified executive coach.

• Preface: The Story Behind This Book xvIntroduction: How to Use This Book xixLooking for More? xxiPart One Getting Ready to Do It Right 1Chapter One 10 Realities of Nonprofit Marketing 3Reality 1: Marketing Effectiveness Depends on a Confident, Skilled Professional 3Reality 2: Marketing Effectiveness Depends on a Supportive Organizational Culture 4Reality 3: There Will Always Be Too Much to Do 4Reality 4: There is No Such Thing as the General Public 5Reality 5: You Need to Manage Your Own Media Empire 5Reality 6: Nonprofit Marketing is a Form of Community Organizing 6Reality 7: Personal and Organizational Brands Often Blend 6Reality 8: Good Nonprofit Marketing Takes More Time Than Money 7Reality 9: You’ve Already Lost Control of Your Message – Stop Pretending Otherwise 7Reality 10: Marketing is Not Fundraising, but It is Essential to It 8Conclusion: Try Boldly, and Try Again 8Chapter Two Defining Marketing in the Nonprofit Sector 11The Official Definition of Marketing 12Is This Work Called Marketing or Communications or Something Else? 14A More Meaningful Distinction: Marketing for Fundraising or for Community Engagement 15The Most Common Nonprofit Marketing Goals 17The Most Common Nonprofit Marketing Strategies 18The Most Common Nonprofit Marketing Objectives 21The Most Common Nonprofit Marketing Tactics 24Conclusion: If You Can Name It, You Can Own It 26Chapter Three Nonprofit Marketing Plans in Theory – and in the Real World 27What Goes in a Marketing Strategy 28What Goes in a Communications Plan 32Nonprofit Marketing the Quick-and-Dirty Way 37Example: The American Red Cross’s “Do More Than Cross Your Fingers” Campaign 37Conclusion: Always Think Before You Speak 40Chapter Four How Nonprofits Increase Their Marketing Effectiveness Over Time 41Level One – Beginner 42Level Two – Capable 42Level Three – Skilled 43Level Four – Advanced 43Level Five – Expert 44How Much Planning is Taking Place 44How Well Permission-Based Marketing is Managed 45How Well Content Marketing is Managed 45How Well Organizational Culture Supports Marketing 46Conclusion: Give It Time and Put in the Work 47Chapter Five Do Your Homework: Listen to the World Around You 49Watch and Listen 50Convene Informal Focus Groups 51Conduct Online Surveys 53Analyze Your Website, Email, and Social Media Statistics 54Review Media Kits and Advertising 55Watch for Relevant Polling and Survey Data 55Find Conversations via Keywords and Hashtags 55What to Do with What You Learn 56Conclusion: Never Stop Listening 59Part Two Answering the Three Most Important Nonprofit Marketing Questions 61Chapter Six Define Your Community: Who Do You Want to Reach? 63In Marketing, There’s No Such Thing as the General Public 64Recognize That You Are Communicating with Multiple Groups of People 65Segment Your Community into Groups 66Use Personas, Empathy Maps, and Journeys to More Clearly Describe Your Groups 68Avoid Cultural Stereotypes 71Watch for Gatekeepers and Create Personas for Them, Too 71Example: Creating Specific Personas Within a Segmented Group 72Example: Matching Volunteers with the Right Opportunities 74Conclusion: Don’t Jump Ahead to Tactics 74Chapter Seven Create a Powerful Message: What Do You Want to Say? 77The Power of One Over Many 78The Power of Emotional Content 79The Power of Personal Identity 81The Power of Logic, Reason, and Statistics 83The Power of a Clear Call to Action 85Choosing Messages That Appeal to Your Target Community 86Example: Matching Messages to Personas’ Values 87Conclusion: Even the Relief Workers Want to Save the Darfur Puppy 88Chapter Eight Spread Your Message Further by Telling Great Stories 91Add “Storyteller” to Your Job Description 92Tell Stories with the Challenge Plot 93Tell Stories with the Creativity Plot 95Tell Stories with the Connection Plot 96Use the Six Qualities of a Good Nonprofit Marketing Story 97Find Fresh Story Ideas 98Interview Your Supporters for Profiles and Stories 100Protect the Privacy of the People in Your Stories 102Incorporate Stories into Your Communications 102Conclusion: Stories Are a Nonprofit’s Gold Mine 104Chapter Nine Adopt an Attitude of Gratitude 105Donors Are Testing Nonprofits, and Nonprofits Are Failing 106Improve Your Thank-You Notes in Six Steps 108Create Thank-You Videos 111Publish a Short Annual Report 112Conclusion: Stop Making Excuses; Make the Time Instead 114Chapter Ten Deliver Your Message: How and Where Are You Going to Say It? 115The Seven Writing Styles for Nonprofit Communicators 116Support Your Words with Images 118Select the Best Communications Channels for Your Community 119Use Multiple Channels to Reinforce Your Message 121Put Your Message Where Your Community is Already Going 123Example: Selecting Channels to Reach Volunteers 123Convince Your Supporters to Open Your Email 125Conclusion: Find the Right Mix and Give It Time to Work 127Part Three Building a Community of Supporters Around You 129Chapter Eleven Make It Easy to Find You and to Connect with Your Cause 131Be Where People Are Searching for Organizations Like Yours 132Create a Visible and Accessible Home Base 133Give New Contacts Multiple Options for Staying in Touch 133Keep Your Website in Good Shape 134Improve Your Search Engine Rankings 137Should Your Website Include a Blog? 138Grow Your Email List 140Build Your Social Media Presence 141Conclusion: Don’t Let Potential Supporters Slip Away 142Chapter Twelve Become an Expert Source for the Media and Decision Makers 143Why Some Groups Get the Call and Others Don’t 144The Five Qualities of a Good Expert Source 145Seven Strategies to Raise Your Profile as an Expert Source 149How to Pitch Your Story to the Media 152Be Ready to Newsjack 154Who is the Expert? You or the Organization? 156Conclusion: Create Something New and Share It 157Chapter Thirteen Build Engagement: Stay in Touch and Keep the Conversation Going 159Is Your Content Like a Good Gift or a Bad Gift? 161Strive for Shorter, More Frequent Communications in Multiple Places 163Remember to Repurpose Your Content 165Improve Your Social Media Engagement 166The Email Engagement Crisis 168Conclusion: Conversation Does Pay Off 170Chapter Fourteen Empower Your Fans to Build More Support 171Identify Your Wallflowers, Buddies, and Fans 173What Makes Someone a Fan? 174Give Your Biggest Fans the Personal Touch 175Encourage Word-of-Mouth Marketing and Referrals 177Be Clear About the Best Ways for People to Help 179Encourage Your Fans to Friendraise 179Encourage Your Fans to Fundraise 180Approach New Friends of Friends 181Conclusion: Build Your Social Capital 183Part Four Doing It Yourself Without Doing Yourself In 185Chapter Fifteen Find the Talent: Keep Learning and Get Good Help 187Build Your Own Skills 188Everyone on Staff is a Marketer (Like It or Not) 191Delegate Marketing Tasks to Others 192Empower Volunteers So They’ll Come Back Again 193Hire Consultants and Freelancers 194Conclusion: Know When You Need Help – And Ask for It 196Chapter Sixteen Find the Treasure: Market Your Good Cause on a Tight Budget 197Marketing Triage: Focus In and Forget the Rest 199Go Casual and Friendly 200How to Make Your Print Marketing More Affordable 202Where to Spend Your Limited Dollars and Where to Scrimp 203Funding Your Nonprofit Marketing Program 205Conclusion: Zero Communications Budget = Zero Sustainability 205Chapter Seventeen Find the Time: Get More Done in Fewer Hours 207Stay CALM not BUSY 207Keep Up with Best Practices, Big Brains, and Cool Kids 209Get Fear out of the Way 210Organize What You’ll Need Again and Again 211Conclusion: Give Yourself a Break 214Chapter Eighteen Conclusion: How Do You Know Whether You Are Doing a Good Job? 215Notes 217Glossary of Online Marketing Terms 221Acknowledgments 225The Author 227Index 229

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