Tips to Market a New Non-Profit

In order to market the new non-profit I would use several methods including PR, fundraising and marketing.

Starting with the PR, I think there is no better way to get the word out to the local area than through cosponsoring an event with a local well-known NP. This allows the new NP to access their client base and possibly recruit them as members or volunteers. This is a likely pool to recruit from since they are already involved with a non-profit of similar nature. In addition, offering tables and booths to other local non-profits in our area to promote relationship building between the new NP and the existing ones.

Fundraising is the next step after the organization has recruited members, piqued the interest of donors and gained the recognition of having a worthy cause. The NP can contact local churches, mosques, and synagogues and request to address their congregations about the cause. Then the religious institutions could serve as a liaison with the local community to recruit them to volunteer for the cause and donate. This would also include partnerships with these institutions and co-sponsorship of events and projects.

Marketing begins with a website. The NP needs a website and an official portal for information and communication with the non-profit. A professional site with lots of information on how to contact, interact, join, help, and donate to the non-profit. After the site is up, it would be included anywhere people can see it, from business cards to brochures, t-shirts and other promotional material.

Which brings me to my next point, promotion of the non-profit. The NP needs to invest in promotional material that can get the word out and make room for the NP in peoples mind. Another example for promotion would be for the NP to create simple advertisements about its services and request that they be aired on public access stations.

Non-Profit Information Systems

There are several aspects of Information System design that ensure a successful system is put in place. An information system must be able to handle information in the following areas, customer information, volunteer information, accounting information, and marketing information.

 

Customer or client information is very important to the non-profit, as they are the main source of funding though donations. Client information should be kept up-to-date and needs constant management and maintenance. In addition, clients can be categorized by their levels of activity and involvement with the non-profit. This information can be useful in the short listing of individuals for special events, such as a Donor’s appreciation dinners and awards.

 

Volunteer information management is important to non-profits, since they form the organizations workforce.  Information systems can be used to store biographical information about volunteers and when and where they volunteer. Some volunteers serve from a corporate or association background, these volunteers can be sorted according to their corporate identity, displaying the relationships between volunteers and their respective corporation, foundation, civic group, or agency. 

 

Accounting or Financial information is one of the most important to any organization. An Information system would incorporate the donations, grants, gifts and any other inbound funds with their respective donors. This would allow the organization to track its donations and account for the sources of its funding. In addition the system would facilitate the production of financial reports for filing with the IRS or other decision-making bodies.

 

Last but not least, Marketing information would also be managed by the information system. Marketing information would use the client information for mailing campaigns, e-mails, invitations to events, etc. This would allow the NPO to determine the effectiveness of its marketing techniques and adjust them accordingly. Although Marketing is often considered a function of for-profit organizations it is essential that NPO’s embrace the importance of marketing to build recognition, recruit members and volunteers and spread awareness about the non-profit.