tips for nonprofits from industry experts for 2010 donors

Stay Ahead of the Eight Ball in 2010:

Tips from the Experts

• Larry Checco – President, Checco Communications and author of Branding for Success: A Roadmap for Raising the Visibility and Value of Your Nonprofit

• Katya Andresen -- COO, Network for Good, and author of Robin Hood Marketing

• Terry Axelrod -- Founder of Benevonand author of Raising More Money

The Experts

3 | 2009 Benevon. All Rights Reserved.3 | 2010 Benevon. All Rights Reserved.

THE BENEVON MODEL

TM

4 | 2009 Benevon. All Rights Reserved.4 | 2010 Benevon. All Rights Reserved.

Giving Statistics

Corporations ___________ %

Foundations ___________ %

Individuals ___________ %

TOTAL: ___________

Source: Giving USA 2009

5

13

82

$307 B

CAUTION!!!

A brand is not a cosmetic you apply to your organizationto make it look

pretty….

A good brand honestly reflects who you are and what you do.

Good branding is far less about logos, taglines and marketing…

…and far more about:

• Quality leadership and staff• Accountable and ethical behavior• An organization’s willingness, ability and

commitment to live up to what it says about itself

• If it helps replace the word “brand” with “reputation”

A brand screams out:

TRUST ME!

A good brand quietly—and always—fulfills that pledge.

What is a brand, anyway?

McDonald’s

versus

Frank’s Home-Style Cooking

A brand answers the following…

• Who are we?• What do we do?• How do we do it?• And why should anyone care

enough to support what we do?

Branding myth #1

“Marketing and branding are one and the same.”

Marketing & advertising are promotional strategies.

Your brand is a reflection of everything associated with your

organization…

Including (but not limited to)…

• The quality of your work• Your reputation/how people view you• Your paid and volunteer staff • Your leadership• Your organization’s core cultural values• As well as the relevancy and quality of

its programs, services and products

In short, a brand is nothing less than your organization’s

DNA!!!

Branding myth #2

“Once we have an attractive logo and catchy tagline, we have

our brand.”

Your logo and tagline are the banners for your brand.

Your brand drills much deeper into the agency’s core values.

“Truth is, logos don’t really do much of anything…. They don’t make you cooler. They don’t make the

product better. In fact a logo means nothing. Unless, of course, the company behind it means something.”

--Hyundai auto adin Time magazine

Your brand is your story—not your fairy tale!

Branding myth #3

“Branding is the responsibility of our communications and

marketing folks.”

Branding is the responsibility of “EVERYONE”

affiliated with your organization, including board

members, staff, volunteers and clients.

If it helps, consider the person who answers your phones your

“Director of First Brand Impressions”

Branding myth #4

“We don’t have a budget to promote our brand.”

If you leverage your current resources—including your paid staff, volunteers and clients—

you won’t need much of a budget to start to promote your

brand.

Define Your Brand

Why concern yourself with defining a clear, consistent brand?

• Because it doesn’t matter how good the choir is…

• …If everyone is singing from different song sheets…

• It’s just noise!

Tips for getting started:

• Do the research– Conduct an internal SWOT analysis. i.e.

(strengths [build], weaknesses [address] opportunities [leverage] & threats [prepare])

– Conduct focus groups, surveys, interviews with your external audiences

– Review your Website /materials (print & audio visual) for consistent, clear messaging and design.

Tips for getting started:

• Create a messaging package, including– Logo– Tagline– Positioning statement (elevator speech)– Supporting statements (talking points)– Test your messages!

My positioning statement:

Checco Communications is a consulting firm that specializes in branding. We help organizations better define who they are, what they do, how they do it—and why

anyone should care!

The very good news is:

You Can Do This!

This is your time!

www.networkforgood/npo

Katya AndresenKatya AndresenDonor Trends for 2010Donor Trends for 2010


Why do we give?

• When was the last time you saw, heard or read something from a good cause (not your own!) that prompted you to donate or act?


We gave, yes we didWe gave, yes we did


Why do we NOT give?

• When was the last time you ignored an appeal?

Credit: Mel Toledo, Flickr


We know where you live!We know where you live!

Vistaprint.com


Happily ever after… except for the nonprofitHappily ever after… except for the nonprofit


This is the lesson for usThis is the lesson for us

To be a good fundraiser, see through the eyes of your donors.

Credit: Suzee Que, Flickr


Trend alert: 6 big trendsTrend alert: 6 big trends

• Impact

• Involvement

• Impulse

• Community

• Competition

• Transparency

Credit: Anessa Stine, Flickr


Trend 1: ImpactTrend 1: Impact

Donors want to knowDonors want to knowwhere the money went and where the money went and what difference they made.what difference they made.


A generational and technological shiftA generational and technological shift

Kevin Bondelli, Flickr


It’s about your impact, not your needIt’s about your impact, not your need

Credit: www.forimpact.org


Impact: Scale is paramountImpact: Scale is paramount


Source: Communications Network, SlovicSource: Communications Network, Slovic


In 2010In 2010

• Show where $ is going

• Show the difference

• Keep on a personal scale


Trend 2: InvolvementTrend 2: Involvement

People don’t trust institutions.People don’t trust institutions.They trust their own experience.They trust their own experience.

They trust their friends.They trust their friends.


We’re not in charge anymore.We’re not in charge anymore.


This yearThis year

• Get third party endorsement• Change up the messenger • Deepen donor relationships


NONO YESYES

people who give often report feelings of euphoria, which psychologists have referred to as the "Helper's High."


Trend 3: ImpulseTrend 3: Impulse

Donors can give anywhere. Donors can give anywhere. Be where they want to give, Be where they want to give,

when they want to give. when they want to give.


Many, many ways to giveMany, many ways to give


The mothership is goneThe mothership is gone


The blurring of linesThe blurring of lines


This yearThis year

• Don’t be a control freak• Go to where donors are• Think portable • Be on embedded alert


Trend 4: CommunityTrend 4: Community

Donors are starting to self organize.Donors are starting to self organize.They are socializing.They are socializing.

They are starting their own causes. They are starting their own causes.


This yearThis year

• Seek out your evangelists• Connect them• Volunteer thank-yous


Trend 5: CompetitionTrend 5: Competition

There are 1.8 million There are 1.8 million nonprofits and overnonprofits and over100 more each day.100 more each day.

You AreGood at It

Important to Audience

No One ElseIs Doing


How to winHow to win


Wowfundraising.com

How to loseHow to lose


This yearThis year

• Show how you are different• Focus on the donor• Win on gratitude


The Personal TouchThe Personal Touch

The typewritten part of the note I received from Ocracoke Child Care is about as short as you can get, something close to “Thanks for the donation. We really appreciate it. This letter is your receipt.” Not much more than that and certainly not remarkable.

But the letter is still on my desk because of what fills up all the white space left under that short official note — this drawing.

-Kivi Leroux Miller


Trend 6: TransparencyTrend 6: Transparency

Be open. Be open. It’s the only way forward.It’s the only way forward.


NONO YESYES


This yearThis year

• Be an open book

• Communicate often

• Tell the real story


Bonus tips: How to talk about hard timesBonus tips: How to talk about hard times

• Acknowledge they are hard

• Show you you’re tightening your belt

• Prove you stretch every dollar

• Convince you can deliver IMPACT, not just stay open


Stay Ahead of the Eight Ball in 2010: Stay Ahead of the Eight Ball in 2010: Tips from the ExpertsTips from the Experts

tips for nonprofits from industry experts for 2010 donors

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