The always wonderful Seth Godin published the original of this post today, and I was so struck by his (always) right on the money take that I had to share it with you, adapted nonprofit style. My changes and additions in italics.
Marketing is about change—changing people’s actions, perceptions or the conversation.
Successful change is usually specific. It’s hard to get someone to support your cause, help a devastated region or volunteer for good. But when you ask her to give $5 to provide a reader for Eldana in Addis Ababa or sign up now to staff the domestic violence hotline for a 60-minute shift next Sunday afternoon, that usually work, if you’re talking in the right way to the right person at the right time.
You don’t have a chance to make mass change, but you can make focused change, when you do it right.
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Nancy Schwartz on February 28, 2013 in Audience Research
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Tags:Audience Research, marketing planning, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing, Seth Godin
This is such a wild approach and opportunity that I had to share it with you pronto, and invite you to join me today at 4:30PM ET (and/or tomorrow at 12PM ET) to see what it’s all about.
The folks at Creating the Future (CTF) believe that the way that nonprofits and consultants supporting orgs operate (in general) is ineffective. More specifically, CTF leaders believe that nonprofit leaders and consultants can grow their changemaking power hugely by need to work together sharing processes and products now held close. CTF’s mission is to increase .orgs’ impact on social change by changing that way of operating across all core functions.
CTF walks the talk, and uses its own evolution and practices as a demonstration project open to all organizations, a.k.a. Full Frontal Engagement. Opening up all of their planning meetings is a key component.
Join them (and me) today at 4:30-6PM ET (fine to cycle in and out) for the “first meeting on branding, identity and messaging strategy with a new client/consultant.” They’re meeting one marketing consultant today, and another tomorrow at 12-1:30 PM ET. If you can’t make these times, stop in via video at your convenience.
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Nancy Schwartz on January 10, 2013 in Strategy
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1 comment
Tags:branding, consultant management, Creating the Future, marketing planning, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing
Directions for use: You know what I’m going to say—that’s why you read this blog. But here’s clear, compelling messaging to use in your discussions with colleagues and/or leadership who just don’t get why marketing matters.
Marketing is how your organization builds and strengthens your relationships with the people whose help you need to move your mission forward, as donors, partners, volunteers or in other roles. Without establishing those relationships and then nurturing them on an ongoing basis, your org will be spinning its wheels.
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Nancy Schwartz on March 1, 2012 in Strategy
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2 comments
Tags:marketing planning, message development, nonprofit branding, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing
Thanks to New York Times writer Jane Levere, I was pointed to this print ad campaign from Action Against Hunger (AAH). The first ad features a line-up of paper dolls, with one figure much thinner than the others — but no clear call to action. The second ad features this pizza box with mini pizza inside (much less than you and I are used to eating), highlighting that the 3.5 million children under 5 worldwide who die from hunger on annual basis don’t have enough to eat. Readers are asked to visit AAH’s website (for what?) or text in a small donation.
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Nancy Schwartz on November 15, 2011 in Advertising
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4 comments
Tags:action against hunger, call to action, Graphic Design, marketing planning, nonprofit advertising, nonprofit marketing, pro bono
Call it what you will — integrated, holistic, multi-channel fundraising and marketing — but there’s no variance in my recommendation that you take this approach right now, if you’re not already.
Without multi-channel marketing and fundraising, your target audiences are confused by the inconsistency of what they’re hearing from you via various “channels” (your emails vs. Facebook page vs. in-person events). No one likes to be confused and in many cases, the response is to flee your call to action. This doesn’t mean you have to use every channel. It does mean that when you focus on the channels where your target audiences already are, strive for consistency.
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Nancy Schwartz on October 6, 2011 in Strategy
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2 comments
Tags:marketing planning, message development, messaging, multi-channel nonprofit marketing, planning
Join Kivi Leroux Miller (NonprofitMarketingGuide.com) and me for this rapid fire learning experience – get your answers here.
Kivi and I recorded this half-hour webinar on July 21, 2011 to answer the questions you submitted via email, Facebook and Twitter. When you listen in here, you’ll get answers to a broad range of questions, including:
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Nancy Schwartz on August 10, 2011 in planning
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Tags:kivi leroux miller, marketing planning, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing, planning, Strategy, Total Focus Marketing Plan Workshop
Welcome to our newest guest blogger, Rebecca Leaman. Rebecca (@rjleaman) is a writer and editor who helps small community-based nonprofits and individuals tell their stories. Her driving passions are technology, local history and dogs.
Running a small nonprofit has never been easy, but there used to be few challenges that a larger marketing budget couldn’t solve.
Now, however, with all the possibilities offered by low-cost, fast-changing technology tools and social media, ”overwhelm” can be as big a roadblock as budget constraints. Where do you even start?
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Guest Blogger on July 11, 2011 in Planning and Evaluation
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4 comments
Tags:marketing planning, nonprofit marketing, Rebecca Leaman
Think it’s possible to learn what you need to know now about nonprofit marketing planning in just 30 minutes? Well, Kivi Leroux Miller and I are going to give it a try with our next free webinar, 30 Nonprofit Marketing Questions in 30 Minutes!
Please join us on Thursday, July 21, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern (Noon Pacific). We will answer 30 questions about nonprofit marketing planning in 30 minutes!
All questions will be submitted by participants in advance, and we’ll select the top 30 to answer during this rapid-fire, intensive learning experience. We’ll review all of the questions submitted by July 15 and cull them down to the top 30, which we will answer live during the webinar.
1) There’s no faster way to learn about nonprofit marketing planning. Register Now.
2) Have a burning nonprofit marketing question you’d like us to answer during the webinar? Email it to us right now (nancyandkivi@nancyandkivi.com)
Your investment of 40 minutes (10 to craft and submit your question, 30 to join us on the webinar) will generate huge returns. Promise!
P.S. Learn how to strengthen your nonprofit’s marketing impact with the 2011 Guide to Nonprofit Marketing Wisdom.
Nancy Schwartz on July 5, 2011 in Strategy
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Tags:kivi leroux miller, marketing plan, marketing planning, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing
