In a world full of entrepreneurs, some people are trying to make a real difference by helping others in need. Whether it is combating poverty, providing education, fighting injustice, or raising environmental concerns – nonprofit organizations (NPO) are working in their interests. It is easy to start an NPO by yourself, but running in the long-run is impossible without a reliable funding source.
Unlike businesses, you are not engaging in trade, which means the only income source is charity and donations. Hence, these organizations are looking for people who want to put their money for a good cause. Are you wondering how to solicit donations and attract volunteers? In this tech-savvy world, digital marketing strategies can come in handy for nonprofits. Without spending heaps of money, you can raise awareness and get access to funds.
Nonprofit marketing requires you to find people who care about your mission. They have to see your organization as a part of their lives, which happens through strategic planning. Spread your message across and inspire people to join hands together. Here we are unfolding six marketing strategies for your nonprofit organization.
1- Promote Digital Donations
As the world is advancing, NPOs also have to say goodbye to traditional practices. After all, the aim is to get in front of fresh eyes and inspire the youth. If you want to buy something, you access the website, add products to the bag, and checkout. How about you follow a similar concept with digital donations? Firstly, look up for professionals who explicitly design websites for nonprofits since it is not like the conventional sites. Begin with an ‘about us’ page to explain your mission and vision. If you are fighting against child labor, discuss how it is damaging the economy and ways you can stop. Similarly, if you are trying to overcome poverty, be transparent by telling how you aim to help people. Alongside this, create a ‘donate now’ button, allowing people to transfer funds through the website. Feel free to insert multiple options – credit/debit card, wire transfer, Keenù, PayPal, etc. to make transferring funds straightforward.2- Incite Emotions Through Videos
Actions speak louder than words, and visuals speak louder than written information. These days, people prefer watching videos instead of reading long informative paragraphs. If you are keeping a fundraising event or want to show an impact, use nonprofit video marketing. Before jumping into it, determine what you want those videos to accomplish. Have a look below.- Awareness: For startup businesses, awareness videos help spread the message. It helps define who you are, your mission, and your offerings.
- Testimonial Videos: Request community members to tell their stories, developing an emotional connection with the audience. It shows your NPO’s impact and how it can get bigger with more help.
- Engagement: It helps you take things to the next level by motivating people to interact with your NPO. You can use your accomplishments to fascinate people, encouraging them to donate or become a part of the cause some other way.
3- Utilize Google Grants
Google is practicing corporate social responsibility by helping NPOs across the world. It has a nonprofit branch in their online program, letting NPOs advertise free of cost. It gives $120,000 annually to qualified NPOs, playing their part in supporting the good cause. You can start pay-per-click (PPC) marketing, write blogs, or spend on paid advertisements. These grants can help you reach vast new audiences in seconds, costing you nothing but time. At the same time, search engine optimization can bring thousands of visitors to your website. Hence, don’t set a donation limit, start from as low as $2 and as high as $1000, letting everyone donate. However, understand the limitations and terms of grants. Advertisers can’t use more than $10,000 per month on any form of advertising. You have to create a Google nonprofit account and put in all the necessary details to get approval.4- Start Peer-to-Peer Campaigns
Sooner or later, you will start gaining followers, supporters, and volunteers who believe in your cause. Utilize this opportunity to run a peer-to-peer campaign. It means your supporters become your fundraisers since they will raise money on your behalf. They can reach out to their friends, family, colleagues, or may hold live events – digitally and virtually. It can be an in-home meeting with the community or some work presentations. If an exhibition or carnival is happening, set a stall with your supporters who can ask around for donations. Simultaneously, you have to keep track of all the funding to ensure no one uses your name to get fraudulent money. Remember, contributions are crucial, but none of the supporters should feel like an ATM.5- Become Savvy with Social Media
Social media is the epitome of marketing and a highly popular marketing strategy amongst nonprofits. Alongside being free of cost, it provides an avenue for organizations to showcase their brand’s personality. You can leverage multiple social media forums – Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat to share your cause. Hootsuite notes that approximately 1.4 billion people use Facebook daily, letting you spread your message across the world. Utilize Facebook’s fundraising features and apply for a ‘donate now’ button to promote immediate call-to-action. Likewise, create groups for dedicated supporters to gather volunteers for the projects. You can engage them with your followers and directly discuss the new upcoming initiatives.6- Express Through Content Marketing
Every strategy is incomplete without content marketing. Therefore, your NPO should aim to produce new blogs, videos, podcasts, or infographics on a topic that aligns with your mission. If you want to address domestic violence, explain how many women fall victim to abuse, the number of deaths, and discuss how to overcome this issue. Here are three approaches to it.- Tell a story: NPOs help thousands of people, so why not tell their story to the world? You can write a blog on it to highlight how desperately people need help.
- Tackle an issue: Address a problem related to your mission and share your perspective on it.
- Make an Announcement: Open up about an upcoming event or fundraising campaign.