Comments on: Balancing Quality and Cost-Efficiency in Your Nonprofit Marketing Materials (Case Study) http://gettingattention.org/articles/189/planning-budgets/nonprofit-communications-quality-budget.html Mon, 21 May 2012 15:07:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Laura Jansen http://gettingattention.org/articles/189/planning-budgets/nonprofit-communications-quality-budget.html#comment-2198 Laura Jansen Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:37:02 +0000 http://gettingattention.org/articles/?p=189#comment-2198 I have always found that strong, dynamic photos overcome limited budgets. Even in a two-color design on less-than-fancy paper, if the photos are great, the audience will notice. I have always found that strong, dynamic photos overcome limited budgets. Even in a two-color design on less-than-fancy paper, if the photos are great, the audience will notice.

]]> By: Nancy Schwartz http://gettingattention.org/articles/189/planning-budgets/nonprofit-communications-quality-budget.html#comment-2197 Nancy Schwartz Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:19:58 +0000 http://gettingattention.org/articles/?p=189#comment-2197 Thanks for sharing your perspective, William. Thanks for sharing your perspective, William.

]]> By: William Kent http://gettingattention.org/articles/189/planning-budgets/nonprofit-communications-quality-budget.html#comment-2196 William Kent Wed, 13 Jul 2011 17:44:00 +0000 http://gettingattention.org/articles/?p=189#comment-2196 Hello, I have a graphic design practice that includes non-profit clients. I respectfully disagree with your suggestion to use templates for client-generated print ads. Yesterday I showed by book to another Creative Director. She paused to read an ad I wrote and designed for a hospice organization. Yes, the ad is simple, but the concept is not. Some things need to be done by professionals. Hello,
I have a graphic design practice that includes non-profit clients. I respectfully disagree with your suggestion to use templates for client-generated print ads. Yesterday I showed by book to another Creative Director. She paused to read an ad I wrote and designed for a hospice organization. Yes, the ad is simple, but the concept is not. Some things need to be done by professionals.

]]> By: Amy Stern http://gettingattention.org/articles/189/planning-budgets/nonprofit-communications-quality-budget.html#comment-2194 Amy Stern Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:58:09 +0000 http://gettingattention.org/articles/?p=189#comment-2194 This is a good question and we are forced to make choices all the time. We make sure that all our materials and our image are consistent and representative of our brand. We have made some finanical investment in our marketing efforts but we have founded a signficant number of professionals who have provided us with high quality probono services. The investment that we have made has had a signficant payoff. We are serving an ever increasing number of individuals and families and have been successful at maintaining the level of philanthropy under difficult economic circumstances. This is a good question and we are forced to make choices all the time. We make sure that all our materials and our image are consistent and representative of our brand. We have made some finanical investment in our marketing efforts but we have founded a signficant number of professionals who have provided us with high quality probono services. The investment that we have made has had a signficant payoff. We are serving an ever increasing number of individuals and families and have been successful at maintaining the level of philanthropy under difficult economic circumstances.

]]> By: Nancy Schwartz http://gettingattention.org/articles/189/planning-budgets/nonprofit-communications-quality-budget.html#comment-2193 Nancy Schwartz Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:39:01 +0000 http://gettingattention.org/articles/?p=189#comment-2193 Judith, thanks for sharing this very powerful case study. Case well made! Judith, thanks for sharing this very powerful case study. Case well made!

]]> By: Judith Madigan http://gettingattention.org/articles/189/planning-budgets/nonprofit-communications-quality-budget.html#comment-2192 Judith Madigan Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:58:51 +0000 http://gettingattention.org/articles/?p=189#comment-2192 Hi Nancy, Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. Loved your final comment, towards critizism for looking “too glossy". This is something we - at BrandOutLoud, www.brandoutloud.org - have heard before, and unfortunately often. In my column in leading journal of development aid I talk about this issue more. Fear for a good image - to recruit volunteers and donors in the Netherlands it is essential to invest in the image of your organisation. Local aid organisations in Southeast Asia often think quite differently, worried about portraying themselves as “too well off”. A missed opportunity... http://www.brandoutloud.org/#/column/11 Best, Judith Hi Nancy,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. Loved your final comment, towards critizism for looking “too glossy”. This is something we – at BrandOutLoud, http://www.brandoutloud.org – have heard before, and unfortunately often. In my column in leading journal of development aid I talk about this issue more.

Fear for a good image – to recruit volunteers and donors in the Netherlands it is essential to invest in the image of your organisation. Local aid organisations in Southeast Asia often think quite differently, worried about portraying themselves as “too well off”. A missed opportunity… http://www.brandoutloud.org/#/column/11

Best,
Judith

]]> By: Jean Colvin http://gettingattention.org/articles/189/planning-budgets/nonprofit-communications-quality-budget.html#comment-2191 Jean Colvin Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:56:32 +0000 http://gettingattention.org/articles/?p=189#comment-2191 We put quite a bit of our resources into our summer camp books as they are "keepers." They are nicely designed, colorful and with lots of pictures of kids having fun. They go to parents who then give them to their kids or look over them with their kids so they can choose what camp units or experiences they want. The books must appeal to both parents and kids. Through parent surveys we are finding that our website doesn't get much use but we will be going to online registration soon (something parents have asked for) and that will drive traffic to our web pages. This will mean more resources going to the web pages to make them lively and easy and quick to read. We put quite a bit of our resources into our summer camp books as they are “keepers.” They are nicely designed, colorful and with lots of pictures of kids having fun. They go to parents who then give them to their kids or look over them with their kids so they can choose what camp units or experiences they want. The books must appeal to both parents and kids. Through parent surveys we are finding that our website doesn’t get much use but we will be going to online registration soon (something parents have asked for) and that will drive traffic to our web pages. This will mean more resources going to the web pages to make them lively and easy and quick to read.

]]> By: Carol Winer http://gettingattention.org/articles/189/planning-budgets/nonprofit-communications-quality-budget.html#comment-2190 Carol Winer Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:42:10 +0000 http://gettingattention.org/articles/?p=189#comment-2190 During these tough times, we need to be tougher in our approaches to marketing, branding and design. Unfortunately clients get frightened and water things down instead of being more innovative. These are creative opportunities. But you cannot get around having intelligent and experienced professional guidance to achieve results at any cost. I have always told clients, "The concept is everything. With a small budget we can use a rubber stamp. With a large budget we can blind emboss. We'll decide that later." Of course this is a little "flip" but you get the idea. New media, digital printing for 4-color pieces [depending on quantities] are available. The thinking is priceless. It is the JOB of the Creative Director or person in similar role to meet your needs, meet your goals and stay within budget. Great thinking will always move your project ahead. During these tough times, we need to be tougher in our approaches to marketing, branding and design. Unfortunately clients get frightened and water things down instead of being more innovative. These are creative opportunities. But you cannot get around having intelligent and experienced professional guidance to achieve results at any cost. I have always told clients, “The concept is everything. With a small budget we can use a rubber stamp. With a large budget we can blind emboss. We’ll decide that later.” Of course this is a little “flip” but you get the idea. New media, digital printing for 4-color pieces [depending on quantities] are available. The thinking is priceless. It is the JOB of the Creative Director or person in similar role to meet your needs, meet your goals and stay within budget. Great thinking will always move your project ahead.

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