It is a trend that even small grassroots nonprofits can become involved in, and this article from Nonprofit About.com is a good overview.
Even though I share the same skepticism about cause marketing as the article's author, for some nonprofits it is a natual fit and should be utilized.
An excerpt, with links at the jump.
“In what seems another life, I once taught a course about the history of American Consumerism. Although I tried not to turn the course into a rant about runaway consumerism and big business, I'm afraid it was pretty tough.
“As cause marketing came on the scene, I was cautious and reluctant, not sure anything good could come out of this "collusion" of cause and companies.
“However, if there was a battle to hold the line on cause marketing, it is clear that it has been lost. And maybe that is just as well. After all, if we want companies to be responsible (CSR), then it's hard not to accept cause marketing as part of the CSR mix.
“Plus, nonprofits and businesses have proved themselves to be very adept at blending marketing and causes. Causes have welcomed the promotional power that they otherwise would not have, and companies enjoy the "halo" affect for their products.
“What we reluctant cause shoppers can do is keep tabs on the trends, point out the differences between good cause marketing and bad, and push the field to more inclusiveness where small, local organizations have just as much of a shot at landing a business partner as do better branded, national nonprofits.
“Here are the trends that seem to dominate today's cause marketing scene:
“Trend #1: Growth
“The trend for cause marketing is definitely up and rosy. Cone Communications recently released the results of a global survey that found that consumers everywhere are on board:
• 81% of consumers around the world want companies to address key social and environmental issues; 93% say companies should go beyond just legal compliance to operate responsibly; and 94% expect companies to analyze and evolve their businesses to make their impact as positive as possible.”
Showing posts with label Marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marketing. Show all posts
Monday, October 31, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Author in Sacramento Today
Excellent opportunity to hear from author Dan Pallotta—his new book, Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential is excellent and I posted on it in May—who will be in Sacramento later today, as reported by the Sacramento Business Journal.
An excerpt.
“As Sacramento kicks off a multiyear campaign to boost local charitable giving, the community gets a pep talk Thursday from a national philanthropy expert who challenges the way nonprofits are measured and regulated.
“Dan Pallotta, a Harvard professor and author of a provocative book on philanthropy, will speak from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria. Tickets purchased in advance from the Nonprofit Resource Center ’s website are $35. Tickets at the door are $40. Pallotta will answer questions and sign his book after his talk.
“The Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Nonprofit Resource Center and philanthropists invited Pallotta to speak in Sacramento with the hope of convincing Sacramentans to think about philanthropy in new ways and to increase philanthropic support of this region’s nonprofits.
“The talk is in conjunction with the launch last month of the GiveLocalNow initiative that seeks to boost the amount given annually to local charities by $250 million.
“The public giving campaign launched after research found that the region lags the national giving average, particularly for households earning $200,000 or more.
“In the foreword of his most recent book, “Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential,” Pallotta argues for “giving charity equal rights with the rest of the economic world and allowing it to use the system everyone else uses to get things done — free market capitalism.”
An excerpt.
“As Sacramento kicks off a multiyear campaign to boost local charitable giving, the community gets a pep talk Thursday from a national philanthropy expert who challenges the way nonprofits are measured and regulated.
“Dan Pallotta, a Harvard professor and author of a provocative book on philanthropy, will speak from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria. Tickets purchased in advance from the Nonprofit Resource Center ’s website are $35. Tickets at the door are $40. Pallotta will answer questions and sign his book after his talk.
“The Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Nonprofit Resource Center and philanthropists invited Pallotta to speak in Sacramento with the hope of convincing Sacramentans to think about philanthropy in new ways and to increase philanthropic support of this region’s nonprofits.
“The talk is in conjunction with the launch last month of the GiveLocalNow initiative that seeks to boost the amount given annually to local charities by $250 million.
“The public giving campaign launched after research found that the region lags the national giving average, particularly for households earning $200,000 or more.
“In the foreword of his most recent book, “Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential,” Pallotta argues for “giving charity equal rights with the rest of the economic world and allowing it to use the system everyone else uses to get things done — free market capitalism.”
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Direct Mail
I am a big believer in direct mail—old school hand signed letter in an envelope to an individual carried by the postman—as one of the most potent forms of ongoing organizational communications with a large number of donors, and this article from The Nonprofit Times notes its continuing importance.
Also, a great how-to book I recommend is Building Your Direct Mail Program.
An excerpt from the Nonprofit Times article.
“As George Carlin said, the trouble with experience is that we don't get it until after we need it. Nonprofit decision-makers would love for the Great Recession to be over so they can put the bitter experience behind them, but the economy is still mired in a recovery that nobody notices.
“During the DMA Nonprofit Federation conference, Craig Finstad of the American Lung Association said that his organization has learned lessons about mailing during the recession, and he passed some of those lessons along.
“* If your piece is not in their mailbox, someone else's is. The strategy is to stay in front of renewal donors. The organization resisted pressure to cut the number of appeals without testing.
“* If you mail it, they will come.”
Also, a great how-to book I recommend is Building Your Direct Mail Program.
An excerpt from the Nonprofit Times article.
“As George Carlin said, the trouble with experience is that we don't get it until after we need it. Nonprofit decision-makers would love for the Great Recession to be over so they can put the bitter experience behind them, but the economy is still mired in a recovery that nobody notices.
“During the DMA Nonprofit Federation conference, Craig Finstad of the American Lung Association said that his organization has learned lessons about mailing during the recession, and he passed some of those lessons along.
“* If your piece is not in their mailbox, someone else's is. The strategy is to stay in front of renewal donors. The organization resisted pressure to cut the number of appeals without testing.
“* If you mail it, they will come.”
Monday, October 3, 2011
Social Media II
Following up on yesterday’s post, here is some specific info about why being on LinkedIn is a good idea.
An excerpt.
“1. LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 120 million members in over 200 countries and territories.
"While Facebook has 750,000 million users, many professionals prefer to use it exclusively for personal purposes. A recent study by Lab 42 showed that that 61% of people surveyed used LinkedIn for professional networking, compared to 22% for Facebook and 4% for Twitter.
“Professionals who are already using Twitter can set up their LinkedIn updates to appear in their Twitter feed and vice versa, so the two networks complement each other.
“As of July, 2011, Google + had already gained 20 million users, and it could become increasingly valuable over time. All the top social networks strive to add more features and gain new users, so there’s no guarantee that LinkedIn will be a useful network over the long term, but for now, it’s the best choice for most people who use social networking for professional purposes.
“2. LinkedIn helps professionals stay connected or to reconnect with people they already know, as well as get to know new people.
"It also provides opportunities for professionals to exchange knowledge and resources and be part of a broader network of people with similar interests.
“3. Nonprofits can create free “Company Pages” on LinkedIn to create visibility for their brand.
"The company pages also make it easier for non-profit organizations to promote their products and services, as well as get people to “follow” them and post:
status updates
job opportunities
news mentions
new hires
tweets
blog posts
“Over 101,000 organizations currently have a company page on LinkedIn.”
An excerpt.
“1. LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 120 million members in over 200 countries and territories.
"While Facebook has 750,000 million users, many professionals prefer to use it exclusively for personal purposes. A recent study by Lab 42 showed that that 61% of people surveyed used LinkedIn for professional networking, compared to 22% for Facebook and 4% for Twitter.
“Professionals who are already using Twitter can set up their LinkedIn updates to appear in their Twitter feed and vice versa, so the two networks complement each other.
“As of July, 2011, Google + had already gained 20 million users, and it could become increasingly valuable over time. All the top social networks strive to add more features and gain new users, so there’s no guarantee that LinkedIn will be a useful network over the long term, but for now, it’s the best choice for most people who use social networking for professional purposes.
“2. LinkedIn helps professionals stay connected or to reconnect with people they already know, as well as get to know new people.
"It also provides opportunities for professionals to exchange knowledge and resources and be part of a broader network of people with similar interests.
“3. Nonprofits can create free “Company Pages” on LinkedIn to create visibility for their brand.
"The company pages also make it easier for non-profit organizations to promote their products and services, as well as get people to “follow” them and post:
status updates
job opportunities
news mentions
new hires
tweets
blog posts
“Over 101,000 organizations currently have a company page on LinkedIn.”
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Nonprofit Websites
They are the front porch of most nonprofits and it is vital that they be kept spruced up and inviting, as this article from Nonprofit About.com writes.
An excerpt.
“I finally gave up on finding any information online about nearby senior centers for my neighbor. There was next to no information online, and certainly no websites.
“I then looked for senior centers in the next county and found wonderful sites for each of the several centers with photos of volunteers, activities, and facilities. My neighbor started going to one that was just over our county line and really not too far away. Our city's senior centers were out of luck.
“A website for a nonprofit or a government organization is a given by now. You simply do not exist if you are not findable online. People (of all ages) search for what they want online.
“However, some nonprofits think that if they just put up a static site, that will be enough. But, in truth, those may be worse than not having one. A website should be living, dynamic and energetic. It should reflect your organization's personality and mission through great photos, copy, and design.
“There are three reasons so many websites lack any spark, and they don't have anything to do with bells and whistles such as flash, videos, or twitter feeds:
"1. Outdated information. Consider the message you send if your website has not been touched in months. Fresh, lively content should be added at least weekly. New photos should be mixed in at least every couple of months. Blogs should be updated at least twice a week and more if possible.
"An easy way to refresh a website without changing everything is to provide a feature area on the home page for a short article and photo of something new at your nonprofit. A preview of an upcoming event; an update of a fundraising campaign; a heart warming story of a client helped; a profile of a long-time donor. These can all be slotted in at regular intervals while the bulk of your site stays basically the same.”
An excerpt.
“I finally gave up on finding any information online about nearby senior centers for my neighbor. There was next to no information online, and certainly no websites.
“I then looked for senior centers in the next county and found wonderful sites for each of the several centers with photos of volunteers, activities, and facilities. My neighbor started going to one that was just over our county line and really not too far away. Our city's senior centers were out of luck.
“A website for a nonprofit or a government organization is a given by now. You simply do not exist if you are not findable online. People (of all ages) search for what they want online.
“However, some nonprofits think that if they just put up a static site, that will be enough. But, in truth, those may be worse than not having one. A website should be living, dynamic and energetic. It should reflect your organization's personality and mission through great photos, copy, and design.
“There are three reasons so many websites lack any spark, and they don't have anything to do with bells and whistles such as flash, videos, or twitter feeds:
"1. Outdated information. Consider the message you send if your website has not been touched in months. Fresh, lively content should be added at least weekly. New photos should be mixed in at least every couple of months. Blogs should be updated at least twice a week and more if possible.
"An easy way to refresh a website without changing everything is to provide a feature area on the home page for a short article and photo of something new at your nonprofit. A preview of an upcoming event; an update of a fundraising campaign; a heart warming story of a client helped; a profile of a long-time donor. These can all be slotted in at regular intervals while the bulk of your site stays basically the same.”
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Grassroots’ Marketing
An excellent article from Nonprofit About on ways small nonprofits with limited budgets can get the word out about themselves.
I have been involved with virtually all of these types of efforts at some point in my many years working in the nonprofit field, and they do work.
An excerpt.
“How can a small local nonprofit simultaneously spread the word about their organization - and ultimately get more donors - with minimal impact on the budget?
“Tap local pools of talent
“With a small staff, it's likely you neither have the time nor all of the expertise needed to accomplish your marketing, fundraising, and awareness campaigns. As you tap into local pools of talent you'll not only find that expertise, but also spread the word about what you do along the way. This leads to more donors.
• Nearby college or university: Ask department heads for class projects. Example student assignments are ...
• Journalism: Writing PSAs, press releases, OP-EDs, and cover live events.
• Art or graphic design: Creating an infographic for your annual report; images for website; graphics for an appeal; etc.
• Film & photography: Creating videos and taking action and/or compelling photos from an outsider's viewpoint (a prospective donor).
• Computer science: Enhancements to your website. Or convert all or parts of site to a CRM platform so you can EASILY revise and add content on static pages.
• Chamber of Commerce: Attend events. Join a committee. Find people interested in what you do and partner with them. For example: A choral group and a music store. At a choral concert the music store sponsors light refreshments or helps pay for the programs.”
I have been involved with virtually all of these types of efforts at some point in my many years working in the nonprofit field, and they do work.
An excerpt.
“How can a small local nonprofit simultaneously spread the word about their organization - and ultimately get more donors - with minimal impact on the budget?
“Tap local pools of talent
“With a small staff, it's likely you neither have the time nor all of the expertise needed to accomplish your marketing, fundraising, and awareness campaigns. As you tap into local pools of talent you'll not only find that expertise, but also spread the word about what you do along the way. This leads to more donors.
• Nearby college or university: Ask department heads for class projects. Example student assignments are ...
• Journalism: Writing PSAs, press releases, OP-EDs, and cover live events.
• Art or graphic design: Creating an infographic for your annual report; images for website; graphics for an appeal; etc.
• Film & photography: Creating videos and taking action and/or compelling photos from an outsider's viewpoint (a prospective donor).
• Computer science: Enhancements to your website. Or convert all or parts of site to a CRM platform so you can EASILY revise and add content on static pages.
• Chamber of Commerce: Attend events. Join a committee. Find people interested in what you do and partner with them. For example: A choral group and a music store. At a choral concert the music store sponsors light refreshments or helps pay for the programs.”
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Business Model, the Museum?
Yes, the museum is what this provocative and commonsensical article from Harvard Business Weekly suggests as a model for business, advice which applies equally well for nonprofit leaders.
An excerpt.
“At first blush, the consumer appeal of a business like Groupon seems pretty obvious. The popular deal-of-the-day Internet start-up sells vouchers to restaurants, spas, and other local businesses at major markdowns--and who wouldn't want to score a 100-dollar sports massage for 50 bucks?
“But Harvard Business School's Ray Weaver says that what Groupon is up to is much more sophisticated than just offering 50 percent-off coupons. Groupon, along with companies like Apple, Facebook, and Progressive Insurance, is a leading example of firms that are thinking about customers in a new way—much like how a museum curator orchestrates the experience of patrons. Weaver, an assistant professor in the Marketing Unitat HBS, believes that part of Groupon's success is borne of the careful way the company presents wares to its customers: providing a very limited amount of choices at a time, along with a brief, engaging description of each offering.
“To that end, Weaver is exploring the idea that many consumer-centric web-based businesses would benefit from acting more like museum curators.
"Many museums have enormous collections, so the possibilities are nearly endless," he says. "And most museum patrons don't know anywhere nearly enough to make these decisions on their own, and even if they were armed with some relevant information, most don't have the time or inclination to pore over it. So while we sometimes think that particular curators have missed the mark, in general we understand the role and appreciate that an expert who functions as our decision-making proxy makes for a much better museum-going experience."
“Weaver argues that web-based businesses would benefit from such expert curators. On the web, options for products, services, and information are virtually endless, too. It's daunting for customers, and there's an increasing body of academic research showing that the public responds positively to limited choices. (For instance, a recent paper demonstrated that smaller menus are generally preferable to big ones.”
An excerpt.
“At first blush, the consumer appeal of a business like Groupon seems pretty obvious. The popular deal-of-the-day Internet start-up sells vouchers to restaurants, spas, and other local businesses at major markdowns--and who wouldn't want to score a 100-dollar sports massage for 50 bucks?
“But Harvard Business School's Ray Weaver says that what Groupon is up to is much more sophisticated than just offering 50 percent-off coupons. Groupon, along with companies like Apple, Facebook, and Progressive Insurance, is a leading example of firms that are thinking about customers in a new way—much like how a museum curator orchestrates the experience of patrons. Weaver, an assistant professor in the Marketing Unitat HBS, believes that part of Groupon's success is borne of the careful way the company presents wares to its customers: providing a very limited amount of choices at a time, along with a brief, engaging description of each offering.
“To that end, Weaver is exploring the idea that many consumer-centric web-based businesses would benefit from acting more like museum curators.
"Many museums have enormous collections, so the possibilities are nearly endless," he says. "And most museum patrons don't know anywhere nearly enough to make these decisions on their own, and even if they were armed with some relevant information, most don't have the time or inclination to pore over it. So while we sometimes think that particular curators have missed the mark, in general we understand the role and appreciate that an expert who functions as our decision-making proxy makes for a much better museum-going experience."
“Weaver argues that web-based businesses would benefit from such expert curators. On the web, options for products, services, and information are virtually endless, too. It's daunting for customers, and there's an increasing body of academic research showing that the public responds positively to limited choices. (For instance, a recent paper demonstrated that smaller menus are generally preferable to big ones.”
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Grassroots Marketing
If you are a grassroots organization serving the needs of your local community, you should be getting out pretty regularly discovering what is currently going in and letting people know about the work you are doing.
A central and very inexpensive tool in this process is your business card, which this article from Fast Company examines.
An excerpt.
“I heard a story that a few years ago Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of Ikea, happened to drive past one of his stores. In passing, he noticed something wasn't quite right with the characteristic blue stucco. So, he pulled over, parked, and went in search of the local manager. Needless to say, the manager was a little taken aback when the head of the company asked why this store had chosen to use this type of plaster. The manager proudly explained that this store had saved Ikea literally half the amount of money the company would ordinarily spend by using cheaper stucco of a far greater quality. As the story goes, Kamprad said: "I don't care how much it costs--whether it costs more or less--it needs to be removed." Within weeks the stucco had been replaced with the more expensive, yet poorer looking plaster--all in order to send the right message to the Ikea customers: We're careful about how we spend our money--even when it comes to our choice of stucco.
“I'm often asked why some brands succeed and others fail. Ikea's ability to stay on message and maintain focus on its core vision is one of the secrets. They have an induction process. When any senior manager begins working at Ikea, they're shown to their new office. Much to their surprise, the office is empty. There's not a chair or a bookshelf in sight, let alone a desk. Within minutes, a few warehouse workers arrive with a stack of boxes containing all the components of an office--a desk, some chairs, bookshelves, and lamps. Attached to the packaging is a welcome message inviting them to personally sample the company's wares.
“When a brand truly lives its vision across every touch point and in every possible scenario, predictable as well as unpredictable, it becomes clear how well managed the brand is. I have a simple rule of thumb: If a brand can describe its core values and philosophy on its business card without resorting to a detailed description, then the brand becomes a full representation of its vision.
“A company that lives its vision will indeed be able to communicate its vision on its business card without having to explain it. If you're puzzled about how this would be possible, then think of what an Ikea business might look like. Bear in mind that Ikea is all about DIY--do it yourself. How do you think their design philosophy translates onto their card?
“Well, at first glance, the business card looks kind of normal. It features the iconic blue and yellow Ikea logo. But when you look for the usual contact details, what you'll see is NAME….. EMAIL….. PHONE…. Under each feature there's a blank line, leaving a space for the bearer to fill in their personal contacts. DIY from another angle.
“My mantra when building any brand is that a company must live their vision and stay true to their philosophy. Ideally, every core value that they have should be able to be expressed on a business card. If you're able to crack the business card challenge--you'll be able to crack every touch point your brand have with its customers.”
A central and very inexpensive tool in this process is your business card, which this article from Fast Company examines.
An excerpt.
“I heard a story that a few years ago Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of Ikea, happened to drive past one of his stores. In passing, he noticed something wasn't quite right with the characteristic blue stucco. So, he pulled over, parked, and went in search of the local manager. Needless to say, the manager was a little taken aback when the head of the company asked why this store had chosen to use this type of plaster. The manager proudly explained that this store had saved Ikea literally half the amount of money the company would ordinarily spend by using cheaper stucco of a far greater quality. As the story goes, Kamprad said: "I don't care how much it costs--whether it costs more or less--it needs to be removed." Within weeks the stucco had been replaced with the more expensive, yet poorer looking plaster--all in order to send the right message to the Ikea customers: We're careful about how we spend our money--even when it comes to our choice of stucco.
“I'm often asked why some brands succeed and others fail. Ikea's ability to stay on message and maintain focus on its core vision is one of the secrets. They have an induction process. When any senior manager begins working at Ikea, they're shown to their new office. Much to their surprise, the office is empty. There's not a chair or a bookshelf in sight, let alone a desk. Within minutes, a few warehouse workers arrive with a stack of boxes containing all the components of an office--a desk, some chairs, bookshelves, and lamps. Attached to the packaging is a welcome message inviting them to personally sample the company's wares.
“When a brand truly lives its vision across every touch point and in every possible scenario, predictable as well as unpredictable, it becomes clear how well managed the brand is. I have a simple rule of thumb: If a brand can describe its core values and philosophy on its business card without resorting to a detailed description, then the brand becomes a full representation of its vision.
“A company that lives its vision will indeed be able to communicate its vision on its business card without having to explain it. If you're puzzled about how this would be possible, then think of what an Ikea business might look like. Bear in mind that Ikea is all about DIY--do it yourself. How do you think their design philosophy translates onto their card?
“Well, at first glance, the business card looks kind of normal. It features the iconic blue and yellow Ikea logo. But when you look for the usual contact details, what you'll see is NAME….. EMAIL….. PHONE…. Under each feature there's a blank line, leaving a space for the bearer to fill in their personal contacts. DIY from another angle.
“My mantra when building any brand is that a company must live their vision and stay true to their philosophy. Ideally, every core value that they have should be able to be expressed on a business card. If you're able to crack the business card challenge--you'll be able to crack every touch point your brand have with its customers.”
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