When most of us think about marketing, the ads from large, well-known corporations likely spring to mind. If you think marketing is just for big businesses, you are mistaken. It’s just as vital and necessary for nonprofits as it is at for-profit companies!

Organisations of all types use marketing to help them stand out from the crowd and get the recognition, and funding, that they need to cover their operating costs and fulfil their missions. The following three strategies can help you develop a marketing plan to strengthen your brand and improve results!

Align Your Messaging with Your Mission

Nothing dilutes your brand faster than sending mixed or confusing messages that conflict with your values or your mission. Create a strong brand by aligning all your messaging with your mission. This means that all the content on your website, as well as your social media channels, email and other communication, should be consistent with the image that you want to create.

While you want to be transparent, and release important details about your fundraising activities, make sure that you are presenting your information in the form of stories that will connect with your target audience. The idea is to give your stakeholders useful information that will help them to be more connected with your cause.

Don’t just release your financial forms and tallies; include images in your releases. Choose pictures and videos that show your supporters the needs that you are trying to address, and enable them to see exactly how their contributions are making a real and lasting impact.

Engage Your Supporters on Social Media

Share your posts on your Facebook page and other social media channels on a regular basis. Ensure that you are promptly responding to any comments and encourage more discussions on your page by asking thought-provoking questions and creating polls.

Engage with your supporters online on a regular basis to create a vibrant community where your followers can connect with your NFP and one another. Expand the reach of your messages by including hashtags in your Twitter Tweets, as well as your other posts elsewhere. This makes it easier for supporters to find and follow your posts. Encourage your connections to share your content within their networks as well.

Finally, ensure that you’re utilising all the fundraising tools at your disposal. If you haven’t already done so, apply for a button so that Facebook supporters can donate directly on your page with just one click or tap. Encourage your followers to create and customise their own fundraising campaigns on their social media profiles to maximise the number and amount of donations that your NFP receives.

Don’t Forget About the Power of Email

While social media usage continues to increase, email remains a popular method of communication. Ensure that you are interacting with your supporters on a regular basis by asking them to sign-up for your newsletters and other online communications. While you don’t want to overdo it and make every message a request for funds, make sure that you are sending messages on a regular basis. Use this medium to keep your supporters informed of your latest events and challenges you are facing. Don’t forget to place a spotlight on the work of some of your volunteers to personalise the messages for your readers.

As you focus on bringing all the aspects of your marketing into alignment  and increasing the reach of your messages, you will begin to create a strong brand image that makes your target audience want to connect with you.