Quick: name a nonprofit.
Now ask yourself two questions:
- Which organization came to mind first?
- Why?
There are a lot of great nonprofits in the world with lots of great missions. And while it’s great to see all the impact they’re making, it also means that there are a lot of options when it comes time to donate, volunteer, or amplify a message.
Becoming the first organization someone names – or what marketers call being top of mind – is no easy task, especially when there are large organizations with huge marketing budgets. (There’s a pretty good chance you named a huge nonprofit in the exercise at the start.) But with some work and some creativity, you can make sure you’re on the list of organizations people can’t forget.
Here are a few things to keep in mind on your quest for the top.
Be visible
The first – and probably most important – point is to make sure people know you’re there. This might sound crazy to you, given how hard you work on your nonprofit! But the fact is that people lead busy lives and have a lot going on. Most people aren’t as intimately connected with your mission as you are.
There are lots of ways to reach out to people with a little “hey, we’re here!” message, and they don’t need to be expensive! Building an email list is a great option to start, and social media can be really helpful, too. In general, you want to make sure that people are hearing from you – or at least seeing your name – pretty regularly.
Tell your story
In addition to seeing you’re there, it’s helpful to remind your network of the work you’re doing. Depending on the culture of your organization, you can make this really meaningful, really interesting, or really fun (or some combination of all three).
This is where you can make your organization really shine. What impact have you had, and what more would you be able to do if you had more resources?
Make it personal
We talk a lot about connection in our social media world, but it’s crucial to remember how important true connection really is. How can you talk about what your organization is doing in a way that will really resonate with people?
There’s no one right answer here; it will be different for every organization. Maybe you could produce a video that really hits home. Maybe you could share some photos. Or maybe there’s a story from someone you’ve directly helped.
Whatever the case, creating memorable content will help people think of you when they’re ready to give their time, money, or effort. Building that connection ensures they’ll want to help your organization in any way they can.
Photo by Anete Lusina from Pexels
