By: Claire Motz, VP Workshops, AMA Cincinnati
When it comes to marketing, every dollar counts. Those stakes are even higher when you’re marketing for a non-profit.
The AMA Cincinnati chapter knows that all-too-well. Our membership and volunteer base is full of talented, experienced marketers, but we too have challenges when it comes to marketing our organization and events.
Learn from our mistakes and build upon our successes. Here are some tips on how to maximize your marketing efforts specifically for a non-profit organization:
- Develop content that converts
- Make sure the content you have is accessible to the audience you want to reach
- Take every advantage of your AMA membership
- Empower your staff to be your front-line marketers
- Revisit your mission statement regularly
- Utilize local student organizations
- Review your budget regularly
#1 Develop Content that Converts
No matter what marketing resources you are paying attention to, chances are, it involves some form of content. Content fuels marketing campaigns, with varied supporting formats and channels including blogs, videos, social media, infographics, emails, testimonials, and more. It can be easy to feel satisfied that you’ve checked off your content elements, but don’t get complacent; your content should be doing more than speaking for itself. Good content engages, and great content has the potential to convert, generating leads, and even revenue.
AMA Cincinnati is proud to bring you Content Marketing Month (CMM) every January to help educate marketers of all skill levels about the power of content and how to make it successful. With so many opportunities to learn, this is a can’t-miss opportunity for any marketer. January 2020, our fourth annual CMM is all about Content that Converts. Guests can even take advantage of our current deals starting as low as $20.
#2 Make sure the content you have is accessible to the audience you want to reach
Now that you have all this great content, is it accessible to all who might want or need it? Probably not! According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), websites and other digital assets are public domain, and thus are required to be available to any user. However, the vast majority of websites remain non-compliant, and that’s not just a problem for prospective users with disabilities.
Organizations that don’t have an accessible website risk lawsuits to the tune of $35,000 or more, in addition to loss of potential customers and revenue. Furthermore, if an organization develops or sells information technology to a federal agency, “Section 508” requires that the organization’s website be ADA compliant or the organization could lose their contracts and still be sued. Educate yourself and learn how to avoid a disaster like this at our Content Marketing Month Workshop: “Is the Content on Your Website Accessible?”.
#3 Take every advantage of your AMA membership
Bring involved in your local AMA chapter, whether you’re a member or a guest at select events, can bring invaluable opportunities to you and your organization. Network with trailblazers in the field, gain actionable knowledge, and have fun! Members have access to discounts, job boards, additional resources (hello, templates!) and other content locally and nationally. Check out our event page or explore membership benefits from a national level.
#4 Empower your staff to be your front-line marketers
No one is going to tell your story better than the people within your organization living it every day. Give your staff the right amount of autonomy they need to talk intelligently and passionately about what you do. Encourage them to talk to their friends on social media or with their family at the dinner table. This is where the marketing magic really happens.
#5 Revisit your mission statement regularly
It’s important to revisit your mission statement regularly with your core team. We recommend quarterly. Read your mission and vision statement as a group and reflect on how you’ve been living it. It may even be possible that you need to tweak your mission statement and vision to fit new roles and challenges the organization has taken on. When your organization understands and believes the mission, then they will continue to be your best marketers.
#6 Utilize local student organizations
Reach out to local colleges and universities. Most schools with marketing programs have students seeking co-op or internship opportunities to gain experience and build their portfolio. What a better way to help develop emerging talent while also having a resource to set up and manage social media profiles, develop a content calendar, take images, design illustrations, write blog posts and more!
#7 Review your budget regularly
Every dollar counts. That’s why reviewing your budget more than once a year is critical to the health of your organization. Issues will come up, goals may not be reached, or maybe even exceeded. Those changes need to be reflected in the budget.
Marketing should not scare you. It should empower you to live out your mission statement and grow your organization. If you’re struggling to market your non-profit organization, I encourage you to start with AMA Cincinnati events. Find a board member at a monthly Coffee & Conversation, or connect with others in your shoes at a Community event. We are here for you!
