Your supporters and partners are one of the most productive marketing channels you have, and one of the least expensive. But I see so few orgs that ask supporters to spread the word on vital asks, and even fewer who make it easy (and far more likely) for them to do so.
This “spreading the word” strategy has been top of mind lately for, as it’s core to the program launch we’re marketing for a huge and complex New England human services org. I was surprised to learn that these folks had NEVER asked supporters to serve as marketing messengers. A huge opportunity missed but one to be harnessed a.s.a.p., and we’re doing just that.
So the pump was primed when I received an email from Aaron Bramley, CEO and Co-Founder of Lights.Camera.Help.
I’m a sucker for stark contrast. It’s one of the best learning tools ever, and today I’m drawing on examples from Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP).
The Challenge
MMP supports and strengthens mentoring programs in Massachusetts and faces this marketing challenge common to every organization that doesn’t provide direct services:
What a week it was! Among other adventures last week, I met and learned with famed fundraiser Roger Craver at the fabulous Engage Conference.
Roger is a guy who doesn’t hold back. He shares what he knows, sees and suggests with absolutely no restraint.
You may agree with him or not, but his bold, evidence-based recommendations are a huge gift to the rest of us. Roger always gives you something that’s worthy of consideration. Whether you follow his guidance or not, the process of consideration itself will move your fundraising forward.
Roger’s main message today is that organizations like yours are losing7 of 10 donors every year due to fairy-tale fundraising. Here’s what you should do about it:
Guest blogger, Chapin Cole is a proud Millennial who works in nonprofit development in the California Bay Area. She blogs on getting successful (yet stress-free) as a nonprofit staffer.
Lately, there’s been attention on the idea that nonprofit organizations should take more risks. There’s a stigma against risk in the sector because of a myriad of reasons, including discouragement from funders, the stereotype that nonprofits don’t have sophisticated operations, and the important services that are at stake. READ MORE
What if you were skilled at the most critical marketing process necessary to engage your target audiences with clarity and purpose?
What if you mastered a proven 11-step message development process so you had a positioning statement, key messages and a sparkling tagline that connected with your supporters and energized your staff, board and volunteers?
And what if you could perform this marketing transformation with expert guidance in just 6 weeks?
Well now you can, starting Tuesday, May 7. But there are just three seats left… Learn more here.
Note:No worries if you’re unable to make the first live webinar on May 7. I’ll guide you into the program and webinar recordings (video and audio) including all Q&As, plus the slide deck, will be available for review at your convenience.
I was truly moved last week when I stumbled on this wonderful hug-in-a-video created by ONE to thank volunteers during Volunteer Appreciation Week. This fun but heartfelt four minutes quickly conveys how much the ONE folks value their volunteers. It’s an absolute winner.
“We got very positive feedback from our top vols (so much that we sent it to our high-action takers, offline action takers as well). It’s a [powerful] tactic that we’ve seen other orgs do really well,” says Garth Moore, ONE’s US Digital Director.
We’re long-time members of the local JCC (Jewish Community Center, sort of a Jewish Y). Our daughter was there for daily pre-K care but now we’re there mostly for the pool and gym rather than the Jewishly-oriented cultural and learning programs.
Big Change: New members with diverse cultural perspectives There’s been a big change at the JCC over recent years, as the membership has grown to include many who are not Jewish. When the JCC needed to funded a major facilities redo a few years ago, the leadership decided to invite the larger (i.e. beyond Jewish) community to join—focusing on use of the athletic facilities—and made changes, such as opening on Shabbat, to support their wants.
Challenge: How to connect with new members without losing the base Brilliant idea and it’s worked well, but I watched eagerly for the JCC to revise their core messages (shaped to a shared Jewish context) too. READ MORE
Your supporters and partners are one of the most productive marketing channels you have, and one of the least expensive. But I see so few orgs that ask supporters to spread the word on vital asks, and even fewer who make it easy (and far more likely) for them to do so.
What a week it was! Among other adventures last week, I met and learned with famed fundraiser Roger Craver at the fabulous 
Guest blogger, Chapin Cole is a proud Millennial who works in nonprofit development in the California Bay Area. 
