Non-profits

Tips & Tricks of the Trade: From Strategy to Reality

A colleague of mine, Georgina Patko has been working with non-profits for 20 years. We chatted recently about some of the challenges that non-profits face and, not surprisingly, many of the solutions are, at their heart, marketing related.

Remember, marketing is simply educating, which any organization must do well to succeed. Whether it is informing donors and supporters or setting clear direction for staff, communication is key. I asked Georgina to share the top four things a non-profit can do to make their strategic goals a reality:

  1. Always begin with a clear mission statement — It’s worth taking the time to develop a statement that speaks to the heart of all stakeholders. A clear mission statement gives focus to every idea, every policy, every change considered and every commitment from people involved.
  2. Communicate your intention — Let all stakeholders know the intent, develop a plan by which everyone will be heard and reported to on the result, and never assume an outcome – be open to the process.
  3. Value the power of inclusion — Include as many key people in the planning process as possible. In some situations this can mean meetings within individual departments with representation at the strategy session. Buy-in from those involved will help ensure success.
  4. For every goal identified, develop an action plan — Include a follow up date and a person to champion the goal. If a person cannot be identified, give yourself permission to let go of the goal for now, or redefine it.

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Quizzical Queries: Finding Fundraising Sources

Q: I’m executive director for a non-profit. We provide important services, but it feels like we’re treading water on the fundraising end of things. It’s tough to find new sources. Any suggestions?

A: The biggest challenge facing non-profits is similar to that of many small businesses. I see many of both doing an incredible job, but being shy about telling people. It’s the downside of being proud to be self-effacing Canadians.

People, it’s not bragging, it’s educating! You can only generate revenue—for profit for not—if people know about you and what you are doing.

It’s not cool to say so, but non-profits are vying for attention, just like the for-profit world, and the ones who have profile get the cash, plain and simple. If I don’t know about the good work you’re doing, I can’t help support it even if I really care.

Think “Squeaky wheel gets the oil.” Doing great work in silence keeps you hidden from the public eye. I’ll bet there are a lot of folks who would love to know what you’re up to and a percentage of those will be interested in supporting you.

It is not a compromise of ethics to take a more proactive approach to raising awareness, it’s smart. In fact, it’s “smarketing,” a.k.a. smart marketing. (Relax, true marketing is simply proactive education!)

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