Why Hire a Team of Nonprofit Marketing Specialists?
From a marketing perspective, nonprofits don’t have it easy. At Fervor, we determined this is one reason we feel called to provide marketing services specifically tailored for nonprofits. We know exactly how hard their work can be and what it takes to deliver real results.
Pressures of Nonprofit Marketing
For most organizations, the pressure to consistently do more with less is real. Donors want their dollars stewarded wisely and need transparent communication to establish and build trust over time. Those receiving services need the best possible care — and everyone involved in any cause wants to provide that great care. Real pressures are also compounded by the size of a nonprofit, specifically highlighting the need to reach a wider audience with a more limited budget.
Nonprofit Marketing Includes a Wide Range of Audiences
Considering a broad spectrum of “customers” — from those they serve to donors, board members and partners, volunteers and staff — nonprofits have a lot of audiences to craft specific messaging for. Every audience segment has a very different and unique set of needs and feelings. They choose to connect to a nonprofit’s cause for quite possibly many reasons, creating unique communications challenges.
Then, there are the outliers. Those who are interested in, intrigued by or even passionate about how a nonprofit is making a difference, but not specifically involved. These could be the future key players contributing to an organization’s growth. But how should they be engaged? How often? Which channels? What message is right for them?
This wider “customer” base requires very different tactics and channels in order to reach and engage them. Beyond reaching these various audiences, nonprofits must take the initiative and be proactive in staying connected to and pointing everyone in the direction of growth, all while remaining aligned to the vision of a single cause. Wow. That’s a lot! To any nonprofit, this can feel overwhelming. To any marketer, getting results requires a thoughtful approach before starting any project. Willy nilly just won’t make the grade.
A Word of Encouragement About Marketing Strategy for Nonprofits
We see you. We hear you. It can be a struggle to decide where to spend those valuable dollars when it comes to marketing and communications. For many, you see the need. It’s not just an expense item. You believe in the power of strategic planning and building infrastructure internally with technology and organizational culture, thus facilitating marketing tactics. You get it. There is power in the marketing vehicle. It’s a necessary vehicle — even critical to the point of helping you provide the best services. It’s programmatic, giving you more ways to efficiently and effectively deliver programs and solve the biggest problems of those you serve and donors.
For others who question, we encourage you to take a second look. Marketing and communications are like breathing. Yes, you have a responsibility to manage and grow your nonprofit and its mission. Good, strategic, thoughtful planning can set your marketing in tandem with your growth goals, and we believe you’ll see exponential growth. We’ve experienced it. And we believe your cause deserves to experience it too.
This is why Fervor specializes in marketing and communications expertise and execution. You need a team who understands your unique challenges. Fundraising. Capital campaigns. Financial reporting. Donor engagement. Internal growth and innovation. You need more than just you. Our marketing team can provide the additional support you need — more thought for strategy, more hands for execution, more tools to ease a constrained budget. We know what works well (and not so well) for nonprofits. We understand what it takes to communicate your message across a wide base of channels to reach multiple audiences. Streamlining strategy and executing campaigns efficiently is what we do.
Marketing Services for Nonprofit Growth
Without a marketing strategy and gameplan, it’s all too easy not to solve the growth problem. That’s why Fervor has developed a range of strategic services, including a Brand Impact Assessment, Messaging Platform, a Capital Campaign Strategy, and more, specifically for nonprofits. While each of these are valuable in their own right, they are most beneficial when integrated with a solid execution plan. You’ve got to be able to “land the plane!”
Positive Marketing ROI
Not only does the Fervor team have the resources to “land the plane”, we also grade the impact. By pairing strategy with recurring monthly execution, we really start to see a positive ROI. It’s no secret. Every nonprofit (and every business) leader asks, “So, what will I get in return for these marketing dollars?” You may have a team, or a plan. But not having both hinders growth. With Fervor, you get both — and you get a positive ROI. (122% to be exact.)
Need a few examples of our work? Check out the Big Draft Campaign for Big Brothers Big Sisters KC. They had a big team (a great team), but needed the expertise for running an integrated social ads campaign using less budget than previous years. With half the budget, Fervor helped them reach more “Bigs” than the previous year.
When the Armed Services Ministry needed a new website to launch their new Hero Squad program, Fervor helped them develop the new brand and needed materials, planning and launching a new website, which exceeded enrollment. Today, nearly 10,000 military kids and parents are engaged in reading the bible through this program.
Let’s Partner Together
For the team of marketing specialists at Fervor, we believe in the nonprofits we serve. We also aim to be committed allies, engaging with our nonprofits as volunteers, customers, and donors. The more we’re aligned with our clients, the more we understand them, enabling us to speak more accurately and authentically for their causes. This is the key to marketing effectively for nonprofits.
Do you see the marketing needs of your nonprofit, but aren’t sure where to start? Do you have some strategy, but need additional help to feel confident it’s the right one? Maybe you have a solid strategy, but need help executing. Whatever the status of your marketing, reach out to us. Let’s start a conversation, and together, we can do The Most Good Possible.