Alelie Hall

Creating a marketing strategy for nonprofits is a critical part of any organization seeking to grow. When creating Pink Strength’s marketing strategy, I wanted to ensure that we were able to reach our target audience while also staying true to our mission. 

Whether you are just starting out or have been around for a while, it is important to focus your resources on the activities that are most likely to help your organization reach its goals.

Here are 5 ideas to get you started:

1. Personalize marketing materials for the recipient

Create a marketing strategy for your nonprofit that focuses on the individual, not just your organization. For example, when sending out newsletters or fundraising appeals, personalize them by including the recipient’s name and other pertinent information. This will help you connect with your audience on a more personal level. When you send an email or letter addressed “To whom it may concern,” the recipient has already lost interest and they won’t bother to read the entire message. 

At Pink Strength, I emphasize that handwritten cards are an important part of our donor experience. The impact of handwritten letters is much greater than that of emails or printed letters because they take more effort and are more personal. Handwritten notes are a way for us to show their importance and show our appreciation for their support.

It’s also important to determine what activities will make the most impact for your organization and direct your time and money toward those activities.

A good way to personalize your marketing materials is by including the recipient’s name and other information. For example, if you are sending out a fundraising letter, include the donor’s name and other relevant information about them so that they feel like their donation is going to help someone specific.

2. When creating new content, keep the marketing funnel in mind

Typically, when nonprofits send a marketing message to your supporters, they want them to take some kind of action. It’s a gentle push toward supporting your nonprofit by encouraging people to donate online, volunteer, or attend an upcoming event.

A marketing funnel is a concept that helps you understand how people move from consumers to customers, or in the case of nonprofits, donators and advocates. This marketing strategy for nonprofits is also a good way to test what content resonates with your audience. You can then adjust and create more content based on what’s working best.

So as part of the marketing strategy for nonprofits, determine where your target audience lives within the marketing funnel:

Visual representation of the nonprofit marketing / donor funnel showing the five stages of consumers.
Nonprofit Marketing / Donor Funnel

Stage 1: Awareness. The consumer is aware of your organization through social media, news stories, podcasts, etc.

Stage 2: Consideration. The consumer gathers information about your organization either by visiting your website, searching online, or through other means of research. 

Stage 3: Intent. The consumer actively engages with your organization by following your social media, liking and commenting on your posts, signing up for your newsletter, etc.

Stage 4: Purchase. The consumer makes a one-time donation or attends your events. 

Stage 5: Loyalty. The consumer becomes a recurring donor, advocates for your cause, sponsors your event, volunteers with you– effectively becoming an ambassador.

Content will vary from stage to stage depending on where your consumer is located. Create content that appeals to your audience at each stage of the funnel. For example, if you’re trying to convert people into donors, create content that educates the consumer on why your cause matters. Pink Strength is committed to “Redefining Life with Cancer” and we illustrate why it’s important through the founder’s story. Thanks to the right help and resources, Kristian was able to see life with a whole new perspective during chemotherapy; now we are trying to help other patients do the same. 

By applying the marketing funnel to your nonprofit strategy, you can create a cohesive, overarching marketing campaign that will help you achieve your goals. 

3. Take advantage of the free and low-cost marketing software available

Nonprofits should make use of free and low-cost software options. From email marketing, to website builders and more, leveraging these resources is a no-brainer. My years as a marketer were filled with many different software programs, but if you’re looking for something free or inexpensive, I recommend the following: 

Canva

Canva changed how many marketers create graphics and other marketing materials. I started with the free account, but after I found out it came with a ton of stock photos I could easily access, I bought the paid membership for about $10/month, or $119.99 to be exact. Canva also comes with templates and pre-made designs you can use for your nonprofit. A favorite feature of Canva is the scheduling tool, which makes it easy to post your designs directly to your social media accounts. Although I still use Adobe Photoshop, I tend to work on Canva 95% of the time. 

Squarespace

Start building your website with a free trial and then $16/month afterwards. The builder is easy to use even for beginners. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a professional-looking site that’s easy to manage. Squarespace also offers a lot of add-ons you can use to customize your strategy, but if you want to use a separate email marketing software, I recommend the next tool. 

Mailchimp

Using this email marketing tool, you can easily create email campaigns, newsletters, and view analytics. There is a free membership, and the first paid membership starts at $13/month. They also offer a 15% discount to nonprofits and charities.  The platform is easy to use and their templates are simple but customizable. They also offer many different ways for you to segment your audience and make sure that your message is reaching the right people.

Google Workspace

It would be impossible for me (and probably most people) to function without Gmail, Docs, Calendar, Drive, and Google Meet. Separately, there are other apps readily available to do these functions. Having multiple interfaces is great so I can work on my laptop, phone, desktop, tablet, etc. Google Drive is especially necessary for remote work with teams since it allows us to work on the same document and/or project in real-time. Nonprofit workspaces are free and also come at discounted rates, starting at $3 per user. 

You have access to a variety of tools. Using all of these tools to their full potential is one way to help your nonprofit reach new heights.

4. Review other examples of successful marketing strategy

You can learn a lot from looking at other nonprofits. Take a look at the websites, social media posts, and other marketing materials of prominent nonprofits, like Habitat for Humanity or Doctors Without Borders. What do you like about their approach? What could they be doing better?

Analyzing the marketing strategy for nonprofits will help you formulate your own ideas and how you can incorporate them into your own organization.

Additionally, this assessment can help you: 

  • Get an idea of the strategies that have worked for other people. Then, you might be able to try out these marketing techniques in the future.
  • When you compare the two, you can check to see if your marketing materials lack important information.
  • You might be able to collaborate with another nonprofit organization on an upcoming event or mission that is similar to your own.

If you find that the marketing strategy for nonprofits is lacking in some areas, then you can work on improving it. If there are any gaps in your current marketing plan, then now is a good time to fill them. This can help you build up your brand and attract more donors and volunteers.

Always keep things in perspective when you examine the marketing efforts of other nonprofits. Just because someone else uses a certain strategy doesn’t mean that it’s also the best option for your nonprofit.

Nonprofits are constantly looking for ways to attract new supporters, donors, and volunteers. Keeping an eye on emerging trends in the nonprofit sector will help you stay on top of your marketing game. 

The use of video, for example, has been growing in popularity for years, and it’s no wonder nonprofits are jumping on board. Nowadays, it is an effective marketing strategy for nonprofits to reach new audiences, especially among younger generations. 

The following sources are worth watching:

  • Informative blogs for nonprofits. Among the most active blogs are Nonprofit Quarterly, GuideStar, NTEN, AFP, and NonProfit PRO
  • News from around the country and world. When something in the news applies to your nonprofit’s mission or goals, it’s worth focusing on in your correspondence. For instance, any significant animal protection legislation should be addressed by animal organizations.
  • Other organizations’ announcements. Being the first to know about everything in the news is difficult. Check the announcements and focus of other organizations to see if they mention anything that applies to your nonprofit as well.

The nonprofit sector is constantly evolving. By keeping up with trends like these, your organization will be able to take advantage of them when they become available. 

Conclusion

It can be hard to know where to start when you’re developing a marketing strategy for your organization. Hopefully, this article has given you a few ideas to get you started.

Be sure to take time to write out all of your ideas and consider how they will impact your organization’s bottom line. If there are some things that seem too expensive or complicated for your group, don’t worry—just leave them off your list for now. Remember: when it comes to marketing strategy, less is more.

Disclosure: I am a brand ambassador for Canva, and will receive a commission if you make a purchase through my referral link.