Raise Visibility & Funding for Your Cause: 40+ Marketing Strategies
1.
2. Raise Visibility & Funding for
Your Cause
Presented by:
Amanda Williams, Visibility Specialist for The ThinkTank for Nonprofits
Lynn Ponder, Founder and Creator of webcity girls//
June 19, 2012
3. Amanda Williams is a
Visibility Specialist for the
ThinkTank, a subsidiary of
ThinkInk Communications,
that works with nonprofit
organizations that serve
the South Florida
community. Through the
ThinkTank, Amanda
develops visibility
strategies and effective
outreach programs to
spread the organization’s
message and mission.
4. •The founder and creator of webcity girls// a
multicultural social media brand with an interactive
social platform for brands to connect with consumers.
•Lynn Ponder recognized the Huffington Post as a
Twitter Powerhouse. Selected by LATISM as Top Latina
Digital Influencer with invite to policy briefing at the
White House.
•Lynne is renown executive producer in the Hispanic
Advertising Industry with extensive experience
domestically and internationally having worked with
Fortune 500 Companies like Pepsi, McDonalds,
Lincoln Mercury, GM, Burger King, Coca- Cola etc.
•Founded commercial production company Peliculas
Ponder in 1999. Transition to 2010 webcitygirls//
natural evolution of her brand into digital/social era.
•Her goal is to continue at forefront of social & digital Ly nn Ponde r
intiitatives. Her passion extends to her blogging and
has made her a savvy microblogger on Twitter and
Facebook.
5. What is Visibility?
• Visibility is the degree of exposure to your
ideal audience in order to establish and/or
maintain your organization’s influence and
fundraising capabilities
• It can include activities like:
– Marketing and public relations
– Community education and advocacy
– Collaborations, alliances, and partnerships
– Networking and volunteer initiatives
www.thinktankpr.org
6. Why is Visibility Important?
• Your organization may
have a vital mission and
great leadership, but
unless it is well known in
the community, its impact
can remain limited
indefinitely.
• Outreach is vital to
strengthen and extend
the work and impact of
your nonprofit.
www.thinktankpr.org
7. How to Become Visible
• Evaluate your organization’s message
– What do you what to share and what programs do
you want highlighted?
• Explore outreach “tools” to get your
organization and its message out there
• New Trends and Tools:
– Social Media & Mobile Marketing provide great
tools to reach your audience like never before
www.thinktankpr.org
8. The Big Picture
• Tell compelling stories to capture mindshare
and walletshare
– Stories are universal currency and inherent
to the work that nonprofits do: they can
change the way people feel about your
organization and its mission.
www.thinktankpr.org
9. The Big Picture
• Raise your profile everywhere you can, not
only in nonprofit circles
– Raise your organization's profile within all
the communities you serve and interact
with to attract new donor sources,
volunteers, programs and partnerships
www.thinktankpr.org
10. The Big Picture
• Time to think about being social
– Sharing stories and information about your
organization can create awareness and
increase fundraising opportunities through
people’s natural generosity
www.thinktankpr.org
11. Media Training
• The Elevator Pitch
– A short summary
used to quickly and
simply define an
organization and its
values in 30
seconds or less
www.thinktankpr.org
12. Media Training
• The Spokesperson
– Know the topic you are
presenting to the media
– Be able to speak with
authority about what your
organization does and
answer general as well as
specific questions
– Uses plain language and
speak clearly and simply
www.thinktankpr.org
13. Communications
Materials
• Media Alert
– Is an invitation designed to inform the
media about your event, such as a press
conference or grand opening, and entice
them to attend
• Press Release
– Typically written communications
directed at members of the news media
for the purpose of announcing
something newsworthy
• Fact Sheet
– A one sheet presentation of data in a
format which emphasizes key points
concisely
• Digital Newsletters
– Constant Contact, MailChimp, Blackbaud
www.thinktankpr.org
14. Media Messaging
• Case Studies
– Establishes your reputation as
a “problem solving”
organization and solving
problems is what makes a
company strong
• Testimonials
– Having your clients speak well
of you establishes your
credibility and instills
confidence
www.thinktankpr.org
15. Additional Media Strategies
• Adopt a Newswire
• Become a Credible
Source
• Anticipate Trends
– Social Media and Mobile
Marketing
www.thinktankpr.org
16. Social Media
• In the ever-changing social media landscape,
nonprofits have the opportunity to connect
with their target audience of donors, volunteers
and those in need directly and immediately.
• Like traditional media, social media requires
strategy, messaging and a realistic expectation
for results.
www.thinktankpr.org
17. Current Social Media Options
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Tumblr
• YouTube
• Google+
• Pinterest
• Meetup
• USTREAM
www.thinktankpr.org
18. Mobile Marketing Tools
• Mobile Websites
– Completely different
layout from static site
– Available via any mobile
device w/ Internet
– Start with most critical
calls to action
• Donation pages,
volunteer opps, top
programs
www.thinktankpr.org
20. Mobile Marketing Tools
• SMS (Short Message
Service)
– SMS is a standard form
of mobile
communications
involving 160-character
(maximum) text
messages sent and
received directly from a
cell phone
www.thinktankpr.org
21. Mobile Marketing Tools
• Mobile Apps
– Major devices OS (Apple, Android, BB, etc)
– Deep engagement -2way
– Data rich Engagement
– Integration with external databases
www.thinktankpr.org
23. Mobile Marketing Tools
• Mobile Giving
– Can be Text2Give, mobile website or app
– Must be integrated with existing campaign
– Marketing is KEY to success
www.thinktankpr.org
25. The Think Tank
Who are we?
• The ThinkTank is dedicated to increasing awareness of nonprofits through
strategic and targeted communications and marketing programs.
• As a social enterprise firm trained and skilled in the nonprofit sector, we
understand the needs and obligations of nonprofits to corporate partners,
donors and the community. That’s why we have developed a pragmatic
and proven public relations outreach program designed to meet the
specific needs of nonprofit organizations - regardless of size.
• In a rapidly-changing corporate and philanthropic world, telling your
nonprofit’s story in a way that improves the way people feel about your
organization and its mission, can be the difference between success and
failure.
• The ThinkTank is dedicated to increase the visibility of your organization,
bring more value to your donors, create a pathway to funding and assist
board members in promoting the organization they feel so passionately
about.
www.thinktankpr.org
26. What can we do for you?
• Help determine strengths and weaknesses in your current
messaging
• Generate positive media attention and awareness of your nonprofit
and its mission
• Generate compelling stories that will have local, national, and in
some cases, global reach
• Raise your NPOs profile within the community(s) you serve to
attract new donor sources, volunteers, programs and partnerships
• Improve existing relationships with key media outlets and your
organization’s supporters
• Provide operational tools and resources to your board and
volunteers
• Change the way people feel about your organization through the
most effective communications and visibility strategies
www.thinktankpr.org
27. NPO clients
• The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship’s South Florida Chapter - NFTE South Florida – 2006 -2010.
We developed focused outreach and visibility strategies based on local and national events well as story
development and messaging, newsletters, event planning and management, social media and fundraising.
Our efforts have contributed to NFTE’s growth in the region and we secured more than $1.2million in
equivalent advertising/media coverage.
• Drug-Free Youth in Town- 2005- 2012. We have worked with this South Florida based youth drug-
prevention organization from 2005-2008, and again in 2009 and 2010 with the goal of increasing of
DFYIT’s visibility within the region, developing media campaigns involving students (SoBe Sober 2007-
2010) and creating overall awareness of DFYIT’s activities through PSAs, local events, PR and media
outreach. We have secured more than $685,000 in equivalent advertising/media coverage since 2005.
• Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida – 2010 – 2011 We have worked with NHSSF to increase
media presence and position the organization as an expert in the South Florida housing community. Our
efforts have contributed to NHSSF’s growth in the region and we have secured $190, 000 in media
coverage since 2010.
• WLRN Public Television – Event Planning, Management – We were hired to create a world premiere event
for the launch of PBS documentary “Mohammed Ali: Made In Miami”, in November 2007. We were
responsible for everything from site selection, sponsorships, swag bags, catering, photography,
memorabilia displays, advertising and collateral materials, to media outreach, media kits and micro-site
development. The world premiere attracted more than 350 people and was an incredible success for the
local broadcast station.
www.thinktankpr.org
Notas do Editor
Good Morning,My name is Amanda Williams with the ThinkTank. Im excited to be here today to cover some of the basics of increasing visibility for NPOs.This presentation is going to examine some of the staple pr strategies for NPO organizations, new trends and the impact that employing these tactics to can have for your organization and funding.This is an interactive presentation between myself of and Lynn Ponder so please stop me if you have a question and expect some in return!
But first a bit about me and my colleague Lynne Ponder.I am a visibility specialist for….
We use the term visibility a lot in this presentation, so before we continue I want to define it for you, as it goes beyond traditional public relations.Visibility is the degree of exposure to your ideal audience in order to establish and/or maintain your organization’s influenceIt can include activities like:Marketing and public relations which are traditional communications for events, new services and other announcementsCommunity education and advocacy much like what is done here at CatalystCollaborations, alliances, and partnerships Communicating new sponsor, corporate partner, the joining of a coalitionNetworking and volunteer initiatives
From the introductions earlier it is clear that each one of your organizations serves a greater need in south florida, whether it be housing, health services, education or drug prevention. However as a vital service to the community your organization may have a mission and great leadership, but unless it is well known in the community, its impact can remain limited indefinitely. Outreach is vital…
We are going to explore how to become visible and go over the following:Evaluate your organization’s message What do you what to share and what features do you want highlighted?Explore outreach tools to get your organization and its message out thereNew Trends and Tools:Specifically covering Social Media & Mobile Marketing as these are great tools to reach your audience like never before
With a strong message, you, your executives, volunteers and board will be able to communicate your organization's goals, services and purpose in one uniformed, steadfast voice and telling compelling stories is a great wayto capture mindshare and walletshareStories are universal currency and inherent to the work that nonprofits do: they can change the way people feel about your organization and its mission.Examples of stories include case studies, client testimonials, experiences and the organization history
Can I have a show of hands of who here goes to church?Temple?Has a child who plays sports?Attends parties and networking events?These are places to be discussing your nonprofit organization, beyond typical nonprofit circles.Your organization does not operate only in a nonprofit space. Your volunteers, clients and donors are professionals, students and and even your neighbors. That means you need to expand your communications and focus beyond the philanthropic community as your next donor may come from your church, workplace, even hairdresser.
With that in mind, its time to think social, taking every opportunity to tell a compelling story about your organization.In marketing and business there is a term “ABC” Always be closing. This is something that the third sector can also employ. After telling a story or having a discussion about your area of focus do the due diligence of inviting them to an event, or to your facilities, and get their contact info to add to mailing lists or newsletter.
We are now going to get into some traditional media strategies. At the ThinkTank we do media training to ensure that the spokespersons are knowledgeable and prepared to answer media inquiries about their organization.That includes the elevator pitch - A short summary used to quickly and simply define an organization and its values in 30 seconds or lessFor example here is one I would use to describe the Think Tank: The ThinkTank is a public relations agency that specializes in serving nonprofit organizations within South Florida community to raise the media presence and community visibility of organizations and the industry they serve. We utilize traditional media relations, social media and mobile marketing strategies to communicate the organizations value and services and have achieved quantifiable results for our clients that include increased funding and volunteer support. The elevator pitch should include value, goals and results. With that said who wants to give me their elevator pitch?
While every member of your team should be able to give the elevator pitch, for media consistency it is important to have a few media spokespersons.The main media spokesperson is typically an Executive Director, or organization head who is knowledgeable of all aspects of the organization and prepared to field media questions. They must be able to speak with authority about what your organization does and answer general as well as specific questions.Board member spokespersons and pre-determined media ready clients are also key to have. So as you work with your clientele identify people who are passionate and vocal about your organization and have stories that represent to full gamut of your services. Uses plain language….Also want to be mindful that SF is a diverse community, so bi-lingual spokespersons are great to have.
Inside of your handouts you will find an example of a media alert ,and press release These are some of the staple communication tools you will find in public relations.For nonprofits to best utilize these tools a compelling story should be a the heart, that answers the question so what?As you read through the content can someone tell me the difference between a media alert and a press release?The media alert: is a tool that we send to the assignment desks for tv, newspapers and radio to attend and cover an event. It should be short and concise, answering the fundamental questions of who, what where, and why and explain the newsworthiness of the event. Press release: The PR can be a bit more expansive and include quotes from spokerspersons. The idea behind a PR has changed as many publications (sometimes due to the shrinking of newsrooms) actually use part or all of the PR in substitute of an interview. PRs are also great filler content for news for your websites and newslettersThe Fact Sheet….
Case studies and Testimonials are great to have on hand for website, news stories and newsletters. We typically use these in our media pitching and introductions, and within media kits at events.Can anyone tell the difference between a case study and testimonial?Case studies…
Adopt a NewswireWhether part of a national organization or monitoring industry news from around the world or country a news wire allows organizations to be knowledgeable about current affairs.Nonprofit times, stanford social innovation reviewBecome a credible SourceBecoming an expert resource not only for your organization butalso the industry you serve, is a simple way to increase visibility,as through daily operations you have developed understandingthe current affairs and future of that sectorAs a resource you can be tapped for interviews and speaking opportunities, further expanding your nonprofit circleAnticiapte trends…As being on top of Social media and Mobile can keep your organization at the forefront of the industry
Who here has engaged in Mobile Marketing? Nonprofits need to embrace this as a necessary piece of their overall marketing strategy. While you may not be ready for a full mobile campaign, this trend will become more prevalent in the coming years.An early first step is creating mobile optimized landing pages for their most critical calls to action. Mobile websites…There are tools out there to help, such as WordPress pro. For organizations with a wordpress website this is a plugin that makes your site mobile ready
Souls4Soul collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and runs shoe drives to collect donations from communities across the United States. The charity distributes these shoes free of charge to people in need, regardless of race, religion, class, or any other criteria
Neilsen estimates that SMS is the most common phone-based activity among U.S. cell phone users of all ages, even compared to the volume of phone calls placed on mobile phonesIndividuals have used their phones to support causes by signing petitions, accessing a charity’s website and donating, supporting nonprofits, through sending texts to donateNPOs are able to contact individuals with reminders of events and other correspondence.Frontline – Largest
Contact Management systems
Not everything is about driving donations, at firstPrimary goals: increase email list and engagement with org
Contact Management systemsMust be integrated with existing campaign like annual campaign and fundraising drivesCausecast is the largestPaypal also has a plugin
Look first at how your Web donation page looks on a smartphone. It’s time to ask why you should make it mobile optimized – and soon!
The ThinkTank has been working with nonprofit organizations since 2005
For a nonprofit, we act as business strategist, publicist, consultant and partner. Our programs include many activities, some traditional, others not so much, all aimed at supporting your organization’s growth and vital mission, and: