Joan B. Marcus Communications

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Grow Your Brand (Nonprofit Edition)

Date : 2008-06-10

What did you say?

Is your mission statement clear? Does it resonate in all of your marketing materials? Is your graphic identity strong? To find out, call today to schedule a marketing communications audit. We evaluate where you are and what you need to do to reach your goals.

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Grow Your Brand Now

Every organization has a brand. Some organizations build their brand proactively. Others let it develop by chance. If you want to build a strong, positive brand, be proactive.

Your brand, simply put, is how you define your organization. It is your promise to your volunteers and donors regarding how you put your mission into practice. Your actions define your brand while your marketing materials support it.

Follow these steps to build a strong brand:
•Build your brand on action. Some organizations fail to see the connection between their actions and their brand. They believe that if they develop a slick

marketing campaign promising quality programs, this will become their brand even if they fail to deliver on their promise. Wrong! This is like building a home with sturdy walls and a flimsy foundation. The structure just won’t stand. You must deliver what you promise.

•Reflect your brand in your marketing materials. On the flip side, some organizations believe that as long as they deliver quality services, the quality of their marketing materials doesn't matter. Wrong again. You need to let your target audiences know what makes you different from other organizations.

•Develop a message that speaks to your target audiences. Every organization needs a strong mission statement that succinctly and clearly explains why your programs are important to your community. If you don’t capture the heart of your organization in words, you leave your mission open to interpretation.

•Build your brand by design. Many organizations start out with a logo, business cards and letterhead and develop the rest of their marketing tools in a reactive mode — when some event forces them to do so. The end result is a different message and image for each marketing tool. If you want to build a strong brand, incorporate your mission statement and unique look into every marketing tool.

•Stay the course. Your donors, volunteers and other important publics need to hear your message consistently at least six or seven times before it begins to make an impact. If you did your homework and carefully developed your mission statement, design and strategy, stay the course. Give your marketing strategy time to succeed.

•Change if you must. While consistency is important, even the most carefully made plan sometimes needs to be tweaked. Evaluate your results on a regular basis and adjust your marketing as needed for even stronger brand growth.

© 2008 Joan B. Marcus Communications LLC

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