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People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the only people who can.

Marketing Communications for Nonprofits Steve Barnhill Principal, Edge Creative Strategies

A Little about Edge Creative Twenty-five year history Two+ years devoted to nonprofits Nine professionals in Houston, Atlanta and Rochester Proficiency in all communications media Not a design firm, ad agency or PR shop A professional communications group serving nonprofits and altruistic businesses We serve those who serve others

Why Invest in Marketing Communications? Because, for most of us, if we are to survive and prosper as organizations, we must – Communicate the seriousness of the problem we seek to solve . Enroll people in the idea that the problem is their problem. Persuade people we have the best solution to their problem. Ask people for their participation in and support of our operations. Make people feel wonderful about themselves, because they support our work.

Five Ideas To Revolutionize Our Work And the Results We Produce

It’s All About Donors. The popular belief is that you exist to serve the populations that are mentioned in your mission. The true fact is that, first and foremost, you exist to serve donors. Though they’re probably not even mentioned in your mission.

Be Interesting or Be Absent. The popular belief is that people don’t read marketing communications. The true fact is that people read what interests them , and sometimes that can be marketing communications. -- with apologies to the late Howard Gossage

Actions Follow Feelings. The popular belief is that it is of utmost importance how you make people think about you. The true fact is that what matters most is how you make people feel about themselves .

Change Attracts Attention. The popular belief is that people ignore you because they don’t know you. The true fact is that they ignore you because they think they do know you.

The Challenge Is Competition. The popular belief is suggests that you operate in a world of scarcity. The true fact is that you live in a world of abundance, but with competitors .

Equip Yourself to Empathize. Get to know your donors (primary customers) enough that you can understand why they are donors. The real business we’re in is that of attracting, keeping and developing donors.

If You Can Empathize, You Can Satisfy. Based on what you know about your audience, everything you produce, write or otherwise communicate should have value to them— Emotional value Practical value Social value Spiritual value Entertainment value Financial value Intellectual value Fiduciary importance Only if it has value to them will it have value to you.

My Premise A donor-focused nonprofit organization will always outperform its recipient-focused competitor. Key “Take-Away” Donors might come to us because of what we do for others. But they stay because of what we do for them, because of how we make them feel .

Change You can change the world, if you can change the lives of donors.

Take This Test What feeling attracts people to you? Are you communicating it? What feeling keeps people engaged with you? Are you delivering it? What feeling will draw people away from you? Are you monitoring it?

Results: The Women’s Home Newly envisioned organization New communications resources Volunteer hours up 25% ($500,000 of time) New branded products being marketed Gala income up 25% “ Newsletter gifts” up 84% Revenues up 5% despite loss of large HUD grant Launched $10 million campaign to build 82-apartment complex for graduates.

Results: UH Hilton College High-school applications up 300% Applicants’ SAT average up 63 points Double the internships for students 96% have jobs at graduation Web site visits up from 1,000 to 6,000+ daily Development is reinvigorated Set record in 2007 Endowments up from 58 to 103 Average alumni gift up from $112 to $649 7 new alumni chapters in 2007 Notable increase in first-time donors

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