Facilitate Means to Make Easy
We’re seeing a lot of predictions for how fundraising and nonprofit marketing will play out in 2012. They’re all interesting, and merit some consideration and reflection. Today I’m engrossed by a recently released 2012 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report from Kivi LeRoux Miller. It’s worth downloading a copy, but here are some highlights with a few clairifying thoughts (your comments are welcome as well):
1. Kivi: Only 24% of nonprofits have a written and leadership-approved marketing plan for 2012. T
Clairification: We all know the old Lewis Carroll adage: If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there. Without a written plan, you’re really just winging it. This is irresponsible at worst and ineffective at best.
By putting a plan in writing you significantly increase the likelihood you’ll follow through with implementation. It’s like having a diet buddy or a walking partner. Left to our own devices, with no accountability, it’s rare that we retain the persistent discipline required to move a plan forward.
By putting a plan in writing you significantly increase the likelihood you’ll follow through with implementation. It’s like having a diet buddy or a walking partner. Left to our own devices, with no accountability, it’s rare that we retain the persistent discipline required to move a plan forward.
2. Kivi: The most important communications tools for nonprofits in 2012 will be email marketing and websites, followed by Facebook; print (newsletters, direct mail); in-person events; and media relations/PR. These are the Big Six of nonprofit communications.
Clairification: Many nonprofits still have a 20th century communications plan, dominated by direct mail, special events and old-school p.r./media relations. If you don’t have email addresses for your offline donors, now is the time to devise a strategy to get them (a recent Convio study found a 39% increase per donor over 12 months when an online + offline strategy were joined). Growth areas for the 21st century are social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and blogging, with video also gaining importance. The other key trend is multi-channel marketing. Where do you get your news these days? Chances are if you still read a traditional newspaper you’ve already heard the news before you read about it. The paper may elaborate or reinforce what you learned about through another channel. We need to be in more than one place, because our constituents are in more than one place.
3. Kivi: Monthly emailing is the most popular frequency for nonprofits at 43%, followed by every other week at 19% and quarterly at 14%. More than three-quarters of nonprofits (78%) plan to email their typical supporters at least monthly.
Clairification: Email is a great communication medium. It’s direct, instantaneous and green. However, it’s not the same as paper mail because the recipient generally spends a lot less time with it. Email is generally either opened right away or deleted. Timing is important. With snail mail, folks may “save” the material until they have time to read it more carefully. Or they may put the remit piece with their bills to take care of later. So it’s okay to use the post office two to four times/year. If email hits a recipient’s inbox at a time they’re busy, chances are you’ll simply miss them. Better luck next time. That’s why you need to assure that there are more ‘next times’ with email to catch your recipient at an opportune time.
4. Kivi: Facebook beats Twitter, 80% to 34% as important to nonprofit marketers.
Clairification: This is worth testing for yourself. We know there are a lot more Facebook users at this point than tweeters, so this makes sense. But what other actions are your tweeters taking as opposed to those who may simply ‘like’ you on FB? And what about folks who engage with you through your blog? Or who write about you on Yelp? There are seemingly endless technologies from which to choose; just pick a few and listen to what your constituents are saying about you. Social media offers an opportunity to leverage existing support, but it’s up to us to encourage our friends to spread the word. If you’re looking for increased engagement and investment by your supporters, then consider which medium is moving you towards your goal.
5. Kivi: Nonprofit communicators are excited about investing in new websites, having real plans in place for the first time, integrating communications channels to increase effectiveness, and using social media to reach new supporters. Nonprofit communicators are scared about vying for supporters’ attention; trying something new, especially social media; the slow economy and lack of investment in marketing; and being overworked and burning out.
Clairification: Excited? Scared? Guess what… you’re human! Embrace it. Love it. That’s what philanthropy – love of humankind – is all about.
What one thing will you resolve to do differently in 2012 to keep pace with current nonprofit marketing trends?
