Here at Qgiv<\/a>, we provide online fundraising solutions for nonprofit organizations. One of the most important steps your nonprofit can take before running a fundraiser is to create a thorough marketing plan that will set you up for success… because “if you build it, they will come” just doesn’t cut it when it comes to fundraising! We have the tips and tricks you’ll need to make your marketing plan a useful tool for your entire team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve never created a marketing plan before or need a refresher, look no further! This nonprofit marketing guide will cover the following topics: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s start by establishing why it\u2019s so important to focus on creating an effective marketing plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See how Qgiv can help you with your fundraising campaign! Request Demo<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n Why is it so important to create a marketing plan for your nonprofit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marketing<\/a> helps you spread your message far and wide and invite supporters to donate to your cause, participate in events, and volunteer<\/strong>. It also gives you the opportunity to connect with people who might be interested in your cause and haven\u2019t heard about it yet. This means your marketing activities\u2014especially on your website and on your social media channels\u2014should be thoroughly planned so you give yourself the best chance of establishing your nonprofit as a legitimate organization to people who are vetting you before making a gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The increased engagement from current supporters and interest gained from new supporters can help you bring in more donations. And when you have more revenue to work with, your organization\u2019s capacity to accomplish your mission is increased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A nonprofit marketing plan requires you to think through your marketing goals, your audience’s communication needs, your organization’s brand, your budget, marketing channels you want to use, and what roles your team members play in your marketing strategy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Determining each of these components can provide valuable clarification and insight for your team as you prepare for a specific fundraiser or general marketing push.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n This means good marketing should allow you to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thinking through your marketing strategy also provides the chance to evaluate your standing in your sector.<\/strong> During the research and planning phase, you\u2019re able to evaluate your nonprofit\u2019s position compared to similar organizations. As you plan, ask yourself the following questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creating a nonprofit marketing plan is beneficial to your specific marketing campaigns and can also help your organization evaluate your nonprofit and assess areas in which you stand out from the crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you understand the importance of creating a marketing plan for your organization, let\u2019s walk through the fundamentals of creating your plan.<\/p>\n\n\n As you read through this section, remember that each of these steps should be adapted to fit your specific organization\u2019s needs. Not every nonprofit is the same, and you know your audience best! Make sure you\u2019re keeping your mission, audience, and goals in mind each step of the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Without setting a specific goal for your marketing campaign, you’re more likely to lose sight of what you want to accomplish with your marketing campaign. It\u2019s easier to get sidetracked, and it\u2019s harder to stay on topic as you share content across your different marketing channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We recommend you begin your goal setting by taking a look at a previous year\u2019s data for a similar campaign or event. A data reporting tool like Qgiv\u2019s data package<\/a> can be especially helpful in this situation. It can make the task of interpreting data much easier for your team, which will save you time and effort that could be used elsewhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you’ve identified trends in your data, you can move forward with setting a goal. Use the SMART acronym to set a goal your organization can actually achieve:<\/p>\n\n\n Let\u2019s walk through an example of a SMART goal. Say your nonprofit notices that your monthly giving program has a low enrollment rate. You decide to focus on marketing the program and set a SMART goal. You might write out your goal on your marketing plan like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOver the next six months (time-based)<\/strong>, we will increase our monthly giving program<\/a> enrollment from 45 donors to 75 donors (specific and attainable<\/strong>). We will measure our progress by checking our enrollment numbers weekly (measurable<\/strong>) and will strive to market the program as a way donors can help us consistently provide hygiene kits to refugee families in need (relevant<\/strong>).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A SMART goal like this can serve as a guiding star for your marketing plan, creating a touchpoint you can return to again and again to see whether or not your marketing plan is working effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your marketing plan should target a specific audience. You might decide to aim for current or previous supporters, potential new supporters, or to reach out to a new group that would be interested in your cause and helpful to your mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you know what audience you\u2019re aiming for, we recommend you segment your existing audience<\/a>.<\/strong> This essentially means that you divide your audience into groups based on similar traits or characteristics. You might sort your audience by age, gender, giving preference, giving history, or donation type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another strategy you could embrace is<\/strong> creating a donor persona<\/strong>. A donor persona is a semi-fictional person made up of the traits of your chosen audience or donor segment that can guide you in your marketing efforts. This gives you someone specific to picture as you plan your marketing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here’s an example. Depending on your cause, you might picture an upper-class, middle-aged businesswoman or a young father with school-aged children. The more details you create for your persona, the easier time you\u2019ll have stepping into your donors\u2019 shoes and planning your marketing campaign around their needs and interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you understand the audience you\u2019re marketing to, the next step is to figure out the best way to connect with them. It\u2019s no secret that different demographics respond differently to different marketing methods, so plan accordingly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, take a look at this information to get an idea of what different donors might prefer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This information should get you thinking about how your donors want to communicate with you and how they prefer to give. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But remember: While it’s useful to look at information from a reliable outside source (such as Qgiv), you also have a wealth of telling data that’s specific to your organization. Your base of supporters is unique! Make sure you get to know your audience\u2019s needs and preferences so you can choose the marketing methods that will be most worth your while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t already have one, take time in the planning process to create a style guide that can inform all of your marketing materials’ branding<\/a>. Keeping both your print and digital branding consistent with each other makes it easy for supporters to remember your organization and will help you build a positive reputation with the general public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, inconsistent branding can make your organization appear disorganized and unprofessional. For example, if you use vastly different imagery and colors for your fundraising letters as compared to your social media posts, you can easily confuse your supporters and leave them wondering if you\u2019re a reliable organization. Donors want to know that the organizations they support are trustworthy and reputable! <\/p>\n\n\n Want to fill out your own nonprofit marketing style guide? Download our template!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s no secret that nonprofit organizations have to make every dollar count. As you prepare to select what marketing channels to use for your campaign, it\u2019s important that you set your budget carefully. Doing this will help you decide which marketing channels<\/a> will provide the greatest return on your investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember to be as specific as you can about the expected revenue and results of your campaign, as well as the expenses your organization will incur as you put your plan into action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pro tip:<\/strong> Don\u2019t forget to allow plenty of time to get board approval on your marketing budget!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve set a clear goal, feel like you truly understand what your donors need from you, and have a good grasp on your budget, it’s time to choose the marketing channels you’ll use during your campaign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, you may determine that the best way to get the word out about your upcoming dance-a-thon is to run a few catchy radio ads, send direct mail appeals, and create and share blog posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, keep this in mind: To set yourself up for success, you should determine who you\u2019re targeting and what resources you have at your disposal before<\/em> picking your marketing channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each member of your team should have specific tasks and roles outlined in the marketing plan that will help them do their job effectively. Your marketing plan should be a one-stop location for your team to find answers to questions about the plan and what tasks they\u2019re responsible for. Be as clear as possible about each person\u2019s role, responsibilities, and deadlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After you create a solid marketing plan, you should be able to use it to guide your team during the entire campaign<\/a>. Refer to your document often to make sure you\u2019re meeting deadlines, staying on track with your goals, and sticking to your budget. Your marketing plan will help keep your team organized as you wade into the intricacies of your marketing and fundraising campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you work through your marketing plan, take the opportunity to collect useful data you can use to inform future marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on your campaign, the data you track will vary a little. We suggest you track the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We also suggest you survey your audience! Create a short online survey<\/a> and make it an optional activity at your fundraising event or add it to your donation form’s confirmation page. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask for feedback about what marketing strategies worked best for them and what they would like to see more or less of in the future. Done well, a survey can be an invaluable way to get insight into what inspires and motivates your donors. <\/p>\n\n\n In this section, we\u2019ll take a closer look at different marketing channels and how you can use them to connect with your audience. Keep your donor segments and persona in mind as you consider each of these options. They will help you find the best channels for your marketing plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n See how Qgiv can help you with your fundraising campaign! Request Demo<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Your website is the home base for your nonprofit\u2019s online presence. As a marketing tool, your website should provide your supporters with all the information they need to donate online, RSVP to events, and otherwise participate in your fundraising campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To optimize your website for marketing purposes, you need to focus on your site\u2019s design and user experience. What does a supporter see and feel when they visit your website? How easy and intuitive is it for your supporter to find the information and resources they need?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keeping these questions in mind, here are some elements you could include on your website to help you market your cause or a specific campaign or event:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There’s a ton of advice out there about designing your nonprofit\u2019s website effectively. Check out Qgiv’s tips on donation page design<\/a> to get a better sense of the options available to you as you design your website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you create a website that’s memorable and user friendly, you can use it to effectively promote events and campaigns by posting regularly on your blog, adding a live social media feed on your homepage, and creating dedicated pages or microsites for particular events and campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of your greatest marketing assets is your current base of supporters. After all, they already care a lot about your cause! That means they\u2019re likely willing to help you spread awareness about upcoming events or campaigns. Word-of-mouth marketing can be tricky to organize, but it often has no (or low) costs associated with it! This kind of marketing also lends credibility to your organization and makes other people more likely to trust and invest in your nonprofit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you ask your volunteers, staff members, donors, and other supporters to share information about your nonprofit or your programming with their networks, it may be useful to give them some basic talking points they can use. Make sure to include these elements: your nonprofit\u2019s goal\/mission, the community your nonprofit serves, and the actions your nonprofit takes to serve that community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Going off of this template, your talking points might look like one of the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some other ways your supporters can implement word-of-mouth fundraising: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Direct mail is its own special kind of print marketing. According to this direct mail guide for nonprofits,<\/a> direct mail continues to be the greatest source for donations to U.S. nonprofits year after year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For a direct mail campaign, you might use the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because most of the mail we get every day is bills or grocery store coupons, getting direct mail from a beloved nonprofit can be a unique experience for a supporter. A tangible reminder of a cause they\u2019re passionate about can often motivate a supporter to give, register for an event, or sign up with a volunteer program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When preparing your direct mail materials, remember to personalize them as much as you can. Don\u2019t forget to make sure the branding of your direct mail campaign matches your online marketing materials. You can often connect the channels by including a QR code, links to social media profiles, or text keywords!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emails are a great marketing tool because they don\u2019t take a lot of time or money to send. But that doesn’t mean you should send them without any thought or strategy! Here are a few email marketing suggestions specifically for nonprofits: <\/p>\n\n\n\n To know what kinds of emails will work best for your audience, remember to rely on segmentation and donor personas! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Text message marketing is highly effective because of text messages’ 98% open rate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Use text marketing to announce events, send urgent appeals (remember to include instructions for donating!), remind volunteers about upcoming shifts or training, and promote donations throughout your campaign or specific event. You can do this with your text-to-give or text-to-donate tool<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can even collect donations during an event with text fundraising! Use your text messaging tool to send texts to attendees letting them know they can give right from their phones. Further promote giving with a public Fundraising Hub displaying a live fundraising thermometer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re hosting an auction, use your auction bidding platform<\/a> to send push notifications to your event attendees. Share information about closing bid times, hype up big-ticket items, and promote items that may have been overlooked during the excitement. Push notifications keep auction guests in the loop and let them know when bidding starts and ends. They\u2019re also a great way to alert people when they\u2019ve been outbid on an item, which increases the number of bids placed at an event. More bids mean more money!<\/p>\n\n\n\n There always seems to be a rumor that print marketing is old-fashioned or even dead. But that\u2019s just not the case. Print materials, especially when used in conjunction with digital marketing, are a great way to get your messaging out there for the world to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are three types of print materials:<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most valuable ways to use print materials is to ask local businesses to display them or station volunteers outside their buildings to hand out flyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a great way to involve your sponsors, too. You might even consider asking a local printing or graphic design company to sponsor your campaign<\/a> by donating your print materials! Whatever way you decide to get your sponsors involved in creating or distributing your print materials, make sure to have a section on your print materials for your sponsor\u2019s logos so they get some advertising, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A press release is a short, informative article sent to the news media that announces an organization\u2019s event, campaign, or other notable updates. Media representatives then use the press release to write a news report about your organization\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Press releases are typically written by a public relations professional, but you and your team can easily create one by following these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When writing your press release, return to your marketing plan and look over the SMART goal you set as an organization. This will guide you as you write your press release and work to keep the announcement connected to your overall cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another effective marketing avenue is paid digital advertising. You run paid ads through platforms like Google AdWords<\/a>, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Many organizations go for a pay-per-click (PPC) option, which means you only pay for your ad when people click on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PPC ads rely on keywords, and that means some ads will be more effective than others. That said, you\u2019ll want to be intentional about the keywords you choose. Ads that contain keywords that are in high demand can be expensive! For example, the keyword \u201cfundraising auction\u201d will be much more expensive than a keyword that uses your organization\u2019s name, and it may be harder to get a ton of attention because many others are using the same keyword. As you plan for PPC ads, be realistic about what keywords you want to vie for in the digital space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PPC advertising is also a great way to track what is effective for your audience. Experiment with different versions of your ad and different keywords to see what gets the most clicks. These insights will help you with future marketing plans, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social media marketing is a great tool that can help you reach new audience members. But remember: Different demographics gravitate toward different social media channels! TikTok, for example, is a platform that typically appeals to a much younger audience than Facebook does. If you\u2019re trying to reach well-established individuals who would attend formal events, TikTok is probably not the best channel to prioritize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to be successful on social media, you\u2019ll need to evaluate where your audience is. Look into these popular social media platforms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each of these platforms has different best practices and content types. For example, Instagram content is mostly focused on visuals. X users, on the other hand, usually share short updates made up of 280 typed characters (or less).<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also want to be strategic about when you plan to publish your content. If you use the right social media campaign tools<\/a>, you\u2019ll be able to schedule posts to be published at specific times and on specific days. Pay attention to when you get the most activity from your supporters on different social media platforms and schedule important posts for those times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See how Qgiv can help you with your fundraising campaign! Request Demo<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Marketing is a crucial part of any successful nonprofit fundraising campaign or event. To make sure your marketing is effective, you need to outline a clear plan that everyone on your team can follow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you follow the steps in this nonprofit marketing guide, you\u2019ll create a thorough plan that can set you up for fundraising success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interested in learning more about marketing? Check out these additional resources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Want help marketing and planning your next event? Download one of our Qgiv event planners: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"It's](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/promoting-marketing-plan-2.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Importance of Creating a Marketing Plan <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Reason #1: To Focus Your Team on Increasing Reach and Community Awareness <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reason #2: Provide Important Information, Clarification, and Organization for Your Team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
![\"Learn](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/basics-marketing-plan.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nNonprofit Marketing Plan Basics <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Determine Your Goal <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Set](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/marketing-plan-smart-goals.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Determine Your Audience <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Determine Your Audience’s Preferred Methods of Contact <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Create a Style Guide for Consistent Branding <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Use](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/branding-guide-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nPut Together a Promotions Budget<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Choose Your Avenues for Promotion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Give Your Team Members Specific Roles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Put Your Plan into Action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Evaluate Results for Next Year <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
![\"You](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/channels-marketing-plan-1.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nNonprofit Marketing Plan: Channels to Promote Your Nonprofit <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Your Organization’s Website <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Pro tip:<\/strong> Facilitate donations by making your \u201cDonate\u201d button easy to find! Make your button a color that contrasts (but complements) the color scheme for the rest of the navigation item, and make it a standalone button. Potential donors should be able to get to your donation form in a single click.<\/li>\n\n\n\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/marketing-plan-picture.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nWord of Mouth <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/elevator-pitch-1-1.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/elevator-pitch-2-1.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/elevator-pitch-3-1.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
Direct Mail <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Email <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.qgiv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/imageedit_1_8173392064.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Text Message Marketing <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Other Print Materials <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Press Release <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Paid Online Advertising <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Social Media <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Final Thoughts <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n