The #1 Marketing Mistake Nonprofits Make (And How To Fix It)
You see peoples’ needs in your community, and you want to help.
Better yet, your nonprofit offers amazing services and programs specifically tailored to meet those needs.
Your services are affordable.
Your programs are accessible.
You have systems in place to help people thrive.
But you’re not generating the donations or funders you need to fulfill your mission.
And with the lack of resources, the people you’re wanting to help don’t know you exist or understand what you do. And unfortunately, they don’t get the help they need.
You might even have a solid digital presence, but you’re still not getting the traffic you want.
So what’s the culprit?
Bad marketing.
Bad marketing leaves your donors and clients confused about who you are, what you do, and how you can help. This lack of clarity keeps your mission unfulfilled and people in need.
Your #1 goal to help people ends up becoming your #1 obstacle.
If you’re truly wanting to see change in people’s lives and achieve your organization’s mission, good marketing is critical.
Here’s how you can do that well…
The Golden Rule of Marketing
If the golden rule is to treat others the way you want to be treated, then the golden rule of marketing should be to talk to others the way you want to be talked to … right?
Wrong.
As a nonprofit, your goal is to bring awareness to your cause and drive social change through your programs. You want to engage volunteers, have successful fundraisers, and grow a stable donor base.
But you can’t accomplish that if you’re only talking to yourself.
Talking about yourself in marketing is actually the #1 mistake nonprofits can make.
Because here’s the thing: Marketing isn’t about you – it’s about your audience.
When it comes to marketing, thinking about how you want to be talked to shouldn’t even be a thought that crosses your mind.
If you start with this notion, your marketing tactics will completely miss the boat (and probably even the water).
Instead, everything you write, tweet, publish, post, and email should be filtered first and foremost through:
The Marketing Golden Rule: Talk to others the way they want to be talked to.
Marketing is a conversation between you and your target customer – Not a conversation with yourself.
When everything you publish is about you, that conversation ends up being completely one-sided. And one-sided conversations are always boring, unproductive, and leave you no better than when you started them.
It’s like being on a date with a person completely obsessed with themselves. The people that spend the entire conversation listing off their accomplishments and qualifications genuinely believe they're winning your heart. And even though you’re sitting there smiling and politely nodding along, you’re probably zoning out and thinking of 3984 things you’d rather be talking about.
What’s coming from good intentions ends up being completely unattractive.
But you know what’s attractive?
Being asked questions about yourself. Showing genuine interest in the things you care about. Feeling listened to and understood.
In marketing, wooing your online audience is no different.
As you begin a conversation with potential clients, donors, or volunteers, ask yourself:
Who are you talking to?
What do they care about?
What drives them?
What are their hopes and fears?
What solution can you offer to their biggest obstacles?
Find a way to talk to the people you are wanting to help.
Because if they don’t feel engaged and understood by you, you can bet they’ll find another nonprofit to fulfill that desire.
The Nonprofit Marketing Sinkhole
Many nonprofits center their websites, galas, and fundraising events around them…Their story, their founder, where they came from, and so on.
And although there’s a time and place for that, this is where many nonprofits go awry.
Centering your message around yourself, and showcasing your organization as the hero is a sinkhole that fails to produce the financial stability and longevity your organization needs.
Once you’re in that narrative, it’s really hard to crawl out of it.
What nonprofits should be focusing on is the story of the person they strive to serve, or the unique donor story that draws people in. Instead of forcing donors inside your story, position yourself as the guide to success in their story.
Here’s how you can avoid the sinkhole:
Make your donors the hero – not you
Everyone wants to make a difference, but actually making a difference can be a lot trickier.
Instead of showcasing your nonprofit as the hero, how can you position your client and donor as the hero?
Think about it…
Without donors’ support, you wouldn’t have programs to offer and no life-changing work could take place. Donors truly are the heroes of every organization–without them, you’d cease to exist.
Simply showcasing their impact is an easy way to make them heroes.
So look at your marketing appeals and ask yourself:
Are you highlighting the great work you’re doing?
Or…
Are you highlighting the great work you’re doing that your donors make possible?
When you feature the donors as the key that fulfills both their desires and your mission, it’s a win-win.
Highlight your achievements, but don’t forget to include how those achievements are made possible. Position your message to display the work your donors are accomplishing through their support.
Position your organization as the guide
Your clients are coming to you for one reason: they need your services.
Whether that be a service, program, good, or assistance, your organization is the missing link between their obstacles and success. They show up at your doors because they believe you can guide them to their solution.
Put on the metaphorical shoes of your clients. Think through their beliefs, goals, and struggles. What platforms do they look to for answers? Who do they trust?
Position yourself as a trustworthy guide that meets them along their path and become those things for them.
Every good guide has empathy, authority, and a plan. When you’re in a crisis situation, it’s so comforting when someone comes alongside you and says…
I’ve been in your shoes and understand what you’re going through.
I’ve made it through and can help you make it through, too.
Here’s how we’re going to do that.
By offering a clear and simple plan, you replace their chaos with clarity.
People don’t want to move forward into the unknown. They want to feel certain about what to expect on their journey with you. Clear messaging takes away the mystery and gives them the confidence to move forward.
Like donors, your clients also want to feel empowered in the role they play. So take the time to build their trust and give them the opportunity to recognize, accept, and walk with you as their guide.
Once you can successfully avoid this sinkhole, you’re on the home stretch.
But there’s one last piece of the marketing success puzzle that will keep you from falling into that #1 marketing mistake:
Cast the bigger vision for both your donors and your clients
In every good marketing piece, there is a call to action.
And as a nonprofit, you have a unique opportunity to go 1 of 2 ways: You can either talk to clients or donors.
When you’re talking to clients, it’s as simple as, “If you need our services, call us now.”
When you’re talking to donors, it’s as simple as, “Be part of the solution–make a donation today.”
But you don’t want to waste time making two versions of every piece of content…
So is there a way to talk to both at the same time?
Yes – by merging their perspectives.
Clients look through the lens of now – “I need a fish.”
Donors look through the lens of now and later – “I want to give you a fish, as well as a pole.”
The most effective and holistic marketing strategy is to merge the narrative between both clients and donors and help them see the bigger picture.
As you begin your message, start with the client and their story. Focus on what life looks like through their lenses.
What they’re wanting, the external problems they’re facing, the feelings surrounding that.
Then, encourage your donors to see life through the eyes of your clients. Cast a bigger vision of what the world should be like… even if it’s for better or for worse.
“This is what success looks like in the lives of our clients because of your support.”
“This is what failure for the client looks like because of your lack of support.”
Help your donors understand that by donating to your cause, they’re becoming the hero.
Here’s an example you might see from a food bank:
“Food insecurity is a massive issue in our county. Hundreds of families are coming to our doors hungry and in need of food. If you don’t donate now, we won’t have any food to give them. But if you give us $X we are going to buy $Y worth of food which will feed X amount of families who would have otherwise gone hungry without your support. Will you make this possible by making a donation today?”
Do you see what they did there?
They clearly described their need for donations.
They clearly described what would happen with donations.
They clearly described what would happen without donations.
They clearly asked for a donation.
They kept the messaging client-focused and gave donors the opportunity to be the heroes by casting a bigger vision. They did not focus their messaging on themselves.
Need help turning your marketing mistake into a marketing success?
Serve Denton’s Shared Services can help.
People don’t inherently know how to treat others the way they want to be treated. Similarly, nonprofits don’t inherently know how to talk to their audience the way they want to be talked to.
But these things can be learned through observing, asking questions, and seeking to understand what drives the people around you.
Shared Services offers specific marketing and media help at an affordable rate and can help you utilize data to understand your ideal donors and talk to your audience effectively.
Is your nonprofit ready to harness the power of the Marketing Golden Rule?