In non-profit marketing, it’s more critical than ever to find improved ways to compete. How can your non-profit organization stand out from the rest, build engaged supporters, gain publicity and get the donations it needs? Adopting new and engaging marketing strategies represents one effective way to differentiate your non-profit. In this article, we will discuss some of the most popular and effective non-profit marketing trends. You’ll learn how to use methods such as handwritten nonprofit direct mail, and other effective marketing strategies.
For non-profits, using digital marketing techniques will continue to grow in importance.
One significant trend to follow is the continued growth of video. Close to 80% of your future donors use video to make donation decisions. If your non-profit isn’t already using videos as a part of its digital marketing strategy, you should start.
Effective types of video content for non-profits include the following.
Use educational videos to teach people about your cause and what you stand for. They can also help to increase awareness of your organization.
Live Streams are becoming increasingly popular as they allow non-profits to connect with their donors in real-time. Donors can ask questions and get answers directly from the non-profit staff.
Promotional videos introduce potential donors to your organization. In addition, they can highlight what your non-profit does and why its work is important.
Explainer reels are short, informative videos that explain the basics of your cause or how you work.
Usually, your website is the first impression potential donors will have of your non-profit. Make sure that your website is well-designed and easy to navigate. Focus on making the website mobile-friendly. Over 60% of website access is now done on a mobile device.
In addition, check your website to ensure that it contains the following information:
Update your website regularly with new content. Setting up a blog on the site is a simple way to accomplish this. For example, if you’re a non-profit working to end hunger, write articles about the latest developments in that field. Or, if you offer services to help refugees, share stories about the people you’ve helped.
Quality content is essential because it helps to show potential donors that your non-profit is knowledgeable and up-to-date on the latest trends. It also helps to build trust between your non-profit and the donor.
Don’t underestimate the power of handwritten notes. In a world where people use electronic communication abundantly, handwritten notes can stand out.
Consider how many emails a person receives daily compared to the amount of mail they see in their mailbox. Generally speaking, most people experience information overload in their email inboxes more often than they do inside their postal mailboxes. Use that to your advantage by sending out handwritten notes through the mail.
The most ignored inbox by modern marketers is the one at the end of the driveway.
Here are a few of the advantages of sending personalized handwritten notes for non-profits.
Think through your strategy for using handwritten notes by following these tips.
Focus on being timely: Send handwritten notes as soon as possible after receiving a donation from the donor. Handwrytten can help you do this through automating the process. We offer direct mail automation that integrates with many platforms, including Zapier, which enables automation quite easily!
Include a personalized message: Don’t just send a generic note. Instead, write something personal that will show that you appreciate their donation. Or, tell them that you enjoyed seeing them at your fundraising event.
Make it easy for them to donate: Include information on how they can contribute in an easy-to-find location on the handwritten note, or even include a donor envelope. Handwrytten can include this envelope as a custom insert for you.
Make it easy for them to connect with you: Include your non-profit’s website, email address, and phone number on the handwritten note. We recommend having this as part of the printed card.
Sign off properly: Most non-profits fail to think about how to sign off on a handwritten card. Here are options to consider. Use your discretion based on how formal or casual you want to be.
Sending handwritten notes is an excellent way to show donors that you appreciate their support. It also helps to cultivate donor relationships and increase donations.
Now that you know the importance of getting handwritten cards in donors’ hands, let’s explore the direct mail process.
Did you know that it requires 21% less mental effort to process direct mail than email? For this reason, you should set up systems to send your personalized notes to your target donor audience.
Here are a few basic direct mail best practices to follow:
Segment your list: Don’t send the same note to everyone on your list. Instead, segment it by donor type, level of donation, or other criteria that make sense for your non-profit.
Personalize each piece: Use the donor’s name and ensure that the content is relevant to them.
Focus on the ask: Make sure you ask for a donation in the note.
Include a reply envelope: It will make it easy for donors to send a response back to you.
Make it easy for them to donate online: Include a link to your online donation form in the card.
Test, test, test: Always test your mailings before you send them to ensure that everything looks correct.
In addition to direct mail, non-profit organizations should also utilize social media marketing.
Did you know that more than four billion people will use social media platforms by 2025? That’s a massive number of potential donors that your non-profit could be reaching out to.
Simply having a social media presence is not enough. You need to be actively engaged on social media to reach your target audience.
Here are a few tips for non-profit organizations who want to start using social media marketing.
Share content relevant to your target audience that will help you build relationships with them. For example, share stories about the people that your non-profit has helped or post pictures and videos of your fundraising events.
Make sure that you’re actively engaged on social media. Respond to comments and questions from followers, and share new content regularly. When sharing content, use relevant hashtags to help your posts reach a wider audience.
Include links to your non-profit’s website and social media pages in your profile bios and on all of your posts. It will make it easy for donors to connect and learn more about your non-profit.
Use paid advertising to reach a larger audience on social media. A well-run paid campaign can help you reach people who are not already following your non-profit and improve the success of your non-profit marketing campaign.
Track the results of your social media marketing campaigns to see how well they perform over time. Doing this will help you determine which strategies work best for your non-profit. From there, you can focus your efforts on optimizing those tactics.
Don’t forget about the importance of fundraising events in non-profit marketing. They offer an opportunity to genuinely connect with donors and raise money for your cause.
When planning your next event, make sure to keep these tips in mind.
Plan early: The earlier you start planning your event, the more time you’ll have to get the word out and attract attendees.
Create a theme: A themed event will help you create a specific look and feel for your event. It will also make it easier to market.
Promote early and often: Use all of your marketing channels to promote your event. Make sure to start promoting at least six weeks in advance.
Send invitations: Send invitations to potential donors and attendees. Include all pertinent information, such as the date, time, and location of the event. (Send a handwritten note or even sticky note with the invitation to make it truly stand out)
Include a donation request: Don’t forget to ask for donations at your event. After all, the event exists to raise money for your non-profit.
Make it fun: Plan fun activities and games for your attendees to enjoy.
Events work well to raise money and connect with donors. You can create a successful event that will help support your non-profit’s mission by following these tips.
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We’ll show you how to start sending handwritten notes and cards that will help your non-profit market more effectively. Our robot technology lets you customize your direct mail campaigns, which you can also do on the app store. This business tool will ensure that your donors receive timely, personalized messaging that increases your ability to fund your cause.
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