According to the 2022 Australian Charities Report, the Not for Profit (NFP) and Charities sector has experienced a major rise in total sector revenue, including an 8% increase in donations, which is good news! However, expenses have also dramatically increased and the sector itself continues to grow at pace.
All this means more organisations are competing for the same community support, making an effective marketing strategy that cuts through the crowd more critical than ever before.
So what does an effective not-for-profit marketing implementation look like?
The We Are Savvy team has worked in the NFP sector for 20 years and here are our key tips for effective not for profit marketing:
- Authentic content
- Email still works
- Engage with partners
How to use authentic content to stay front of mind with clients in the not for profit sector
With more NFPs competing for the public’s attention, your message can get buried in an avalanche of chatter. A top tip for remaining top of mind is to consistently generate and publish content related to your core mission.
There are many ways to tell your story, whether it’s cancer research, animal welfare, a local sporting organisation or a health fund.
A surefire method is to use a heart-warming tale about a real person who has benefited from your work. It could be the ‘hero’ communication of the month, told in a blog, a social media post, a short video, a TikTok, or at an event. It could be featured on collateral (posters, pamphlets, PDFs).
The more content consistently published online, the better your googleability. Distributing content through multiple channels is important and will ultimately generate increased customer engagement.
For NFPs specifically, be genuine. Research undertaken by We Are Savvy reveals that using real people in advertising is far more effective than celebrity endorsements or a gimmicky campaign.
Tips for effective not for profit marketing: email really works!
Sure, some people are a little dubious about direct email marketing, perhaps due to one too many interactions with Nigerian royalty, but the fact of the matter is: emails equal awareness, consideration and revenue all in one.
More revenue in fact, than social media. Simply because on Facebook and Instagram, there are a heck of a lot of distractions as you’re scrolling through.
Every NFP should have a healthy email list. Use this to your advantage. A monthly email can be enough, but what’s even better is an NFP who has invested in segmenting their database list enabling targeted messaging to smaller groups based on age, income, gender or interests.
The benefit of email is that it is a low-cost and low-resource marketing tool. Email content can be tailored for recruitment, fundraising, campaign awareness, event promotion and ticketing, customer surveying and a raft of other uses. Get on it.
Did we say low cost? Let’s continue our list of tips for effective not for profit marketing with another low-cost tool: partnerships.
How partnerships can help you boost your NFP brand
For a major boost to NFP brand credibility and exposure, buddy up with a business ally.
In Australia, there has been a substantial increase in the number of businesses seeking to enter into partnerships with NFPs. While small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) tend to contribute to an NFP partner through donations there is a greater opportunity for more mutual partnerships, similar to the types of partnerships large corporations may enter into.
In recent years partnerships have been founded on aligned values rather than as a superficial branding and marketing exercise. Such partnerships expose an NFP to people they wouldn’t have reached otherwise. It can help you connect with different audiences without spending your own marketing budget. This works well for NFPs as when customers trust and support a business, that trust flows directly to the NFP, and vice versa.
If you found this list of tips for effective not for profit marketing useful (spoiler alert: it is) but you don’t know where to start, We Are Savvy are experts in marketing implementation services for NFPs. We’ve worked extensively in the sector increasing NFP revenue so you can focus on the important stuff. Call us today on 411 010 090.