Marketing Basics

Whether you want an audience for a fundraising event, programme participants, supporters, sponsors, clients or volunteers, you will need to learn how to market your organisation. There are literally hundreds of ways you can do this, but before you spend lots of time and money on the fancy stuff, make sure you get the basics right. 

Thanks to Exult we have this Marketing Basics Checklist, so before you rush headlong into your marketing plan, tick the following tasks off your list.

1. Update Your Website

Go through your website page by page and remove any out-of-date information. An out-of-date website suggests to potential supporters or clients that you are no longer active in your community. You want your website to portray what is happening in your organisation right now. Most importantly make sure your contact details are correct so people can get in touch with you if they need to.

2. Review Your Promotional Brochures

The problem with brochures is that people feel compelled to use every last one in the pile, even if they are out-of-date or tatty looking. Regardless of how much you paid to get them printed, they are worthless if the information does not truly reflect your organisation. Read through the promotional brochures you have on hand, and if they are out-of-date, toss them and get some more.  For more information on designing a promotional brochure click here.

3. Examine Your Database

Your database is one of your most valuable marketing tools, and the more you know it, the more useful it becomes. Develop a system for ensuring your database is kept up-to-date, and consider what information (other than contact details) would be useful for you to know. If you haven’t got a user-friendly database already, consider investing in some database software that truly meets your needs. Focus on Fundraising www.focusonfundraising.co.nz is a good place to start looking.  For more information about starting a database read the Community Connect article about Keeping Good Records.

4. Revise Your Email Signature

For most people email is the most frequently used form of communication, and every time you hit send, you have the opportunity to promote something specific about your organisation. Have a look at your email signature and check you are making the most of the opportunity it provides. It should have more than just your contact details, there is room to have one or two lines about a specific programme, campaign or need.

5. Talk with your Team

When it comes to marketing your organisation, it is important that your whole team provides a consistent message. Make sure everyone can accurately describe your mission statement and the services you provide. Provide clear guidelines about who can speak with the media, and what can and can not be discussed. Create a frequently asked questions sheet, so that everyone can answer the basics about your organisation in the same way.

6. Gather Your Testimonials

It’s one thing for you to tell people how great you are, but it’s a whole lot more valuable if someone else does it for you. Gather testimonials from your volunteers about how much fun it is to be involved with your organisation, ask clients or past clients to share how much they have benefitted from your service, and encourage sponsors to give feedback about their involvement also. Once you have them, use them on every piece of marketing material you have. Leaving them in the office drawer is a waste of time and space!

Marketing Basics was first published in Tonic Magazine – a quarterly publication for Community Groups. Tonic Magazine is available by subscription from www.exult.co.nz . Visit the Exult website and sign up to be an Exult Network Member. The Members Area is full of articles and templates and it’s completely FREE!

For more information about Exult and the services it provides for community groups, email tracy@exult.co.nz