Stay Ahead of the Eight Ball in 2010:
Tips from the Experts
• Larry Checco – President, Checco Communications and author of Branding for Success: A Roadmap for Raising the Visibility and Value of Your Nonprofit
• Katya Andresen -- COO, Network for Good, and author of Robin Hood Marketing
• Terry Axelrod -- Founder of Benevonand author of Raising More Money
The Experts
3 | 2009 Benevon. All Rights Reserved.3 | 2010 Benevon. All Rights Reserved.
THE BENEVON MODEL
TM
4 | 2009 Benevon. All Rights Reserved.4 | 2010 Benevon. All Rights Reserved.
Giving Statistics
Corporations ___________ %
Foundations ___________ %
Individuals ___________ %
TOTAL: ___________
Source: Giving USA 2009
5
13
82
$307 B
CAUTION!!!
A brand is not a cosmetic you apply to your organizationto make it look
pretty….
A good brand honestly reflects who you are and what you do.
Good branding is far less about logos, taglines and marketing…
…and far more about:
• Quality leadership and staff• Accountable and ethical behavior• An organization’s willingness, ability and
commitment to live up to what it says about itself
• If it helps replace the word “brand” with “reputation”
A brand screams out:
TRUST ME!
A good brand quietly—and always—fulfills that pledge.
What is a brand, anyway?
McDonald’s
versus
Frank’s Home-Style Cooking
A brand answers the following…
• Who are we?• What do we do?• How do we do it?• And why should anyone care
enough to support what we do?
Branding myth #1
“Marketing and branding are one and the same.”
Marketing & advertising are promotional strategies.
Your brand is a reflection of everything associated with your
organization…
Including (but not limited to)…
• The quality of your work• Your reputation/how people view you• Your paid and volunteer staff • Your leadership• Your organization’s core cultural values• As well as the relevancy and quality of
its programs, services and products
In short, a brand is nothing less than your organization’s
DNA!!!
Branding myth #2
“Once we have an attractive logo and catchy tagline, we have
our brand.”
Your logo and tagline are the banners for your brand.
Your brand drills much deeper into the agency’s core values.
“Truth is, logos don’t really do much of anything…. They don’t make you cooler. They don’t make the
product better. In fact a logo means nothing. Unless, of course, the company behind it means something.”
--Hyundai auto adin Time magazine
Your brand is your story—not your fairy tale!
Branding myth #3
“Branding is the responsibility of our communications and
marketing folks.”
Branding is the responsibility of “EVERYONE”
affiliated with your organization, including board
members, staff, volunteers and clients.
If it helps, consider the person who answers your phones your
“Director of First Brand Impressions”
Branding myth #4
“We don’t have a budget to promote our brand.”
If you leverage your current resources—including your paid staff, volunteers and clients—
you won’t need much of a budget to start to promote your
brand.
Define Your Brand
Why concern yourself with defining a clear, consistent brand?
• Because it doesn’t matter how good the choir is…
• …If everyone is singing from different song sheets…
• It’s just noise!
Tips for getting started:
• Do the research– Conduct an internal SWOT analysis. i.e.
(strengths [build], weaknesses [address] opportunities [leverage] & threats [prepare])
– Conduct focus groups, surveys, interviews with your external audiences
– Review your Website /materials (print & audio visual) for consistent, clear messaging and design.
Tips for getting started:
• Create a messaging package, including– Logo– Tagline– Positioning statement (elevator speech)– Supporting statements (talking points)– Test your messages!
My positioning statement:
Checco Communications is a consulting firm that specializes in branding. We help organizations better define who they are, what they do, how they do it—and why
anyone should care!
The very good news is:
You Can Do This!
This is your time!
www.networkforgood/npo
Katya AndresenKatya AndresenDonor Trends for 2010Donor Trends for 2010
www.networkforgood/npo
Why do we give?
• When was the last time you saw, heard or read something from a good cause (not your own!) that prompted you to donate or act?
www.networkforgood/npo
We gave, yes we didWe gave, yes we did
www.networkforgood/npo
Why do we NOT give?
• When was the last time you ignored an appeal?
Credit: Mel Toledo, Flickr
www.networkforgood/npo
We know where you live!We know where you live!
Vistaprint.com
www.networkforgood/npo
Happily ever after… except for the nonprofitHappily ever after… except for the nonprofit
www.networkforgood/npo
This is the lesson for usThis is the lesson for us
To be a good fundraiser, see through the eyes of your donors.
Credit: Suzee Que, Flickr
www.networkforgood/npo
Trend alert: 6 big trendsTrend alert: 6 big trends
• Impact
• Involvement
• Impulse
• Community
• Competition
• Transparency
Credit: Anessa Stine, Flickr
www.networkforgood/npo
Trend 1: ImpactTrend 1: Impact
Donors want to knowDonors want to knowwhere the money went and where the money went and what difference they made.what difference they made.
www.networkforgood/npo
A generational and technological shiftA generational and technological shift
Kevin Bondelli, Flickr
www.networkforgood/npo
It’s about your impact, not your needIt’s about your impact, not your need
Credit: www.forimpact.org
www.networkforgood/npo
www.networkforgood/npo
Impact: Scale is paramountImpact: Scale is paramount
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Source: Communications Network, SlovicSource: Communications Network, Slovic
www.networkforgood/npo
In 2010In 2010
• Show where $ is going
• Show the difference
• Keep on a personal scale
www.networkforgood/npo
Trend 2: InvolvementTrend 2: Involvement
People don’t trust institutions.People don’t trust institutions.They trust their own experience.They trust their own experience.
They trust their friends.They trust their friends.
www.networkforgood/npo
We’re not in charge anymore.We’re not in charge anymore.
www.networkforgood/npo
This yearThis year
• Get third party endorsement• Change up the messenger • Deepen donor relationships
www.networkforgood/npo
NONO YESYES
people who give often report feelings of euphoria, which psychologists have referred to as the "Helper's High."
www.networkforgood/npo
Trend 3: ImpulseTrend 3: Impulse
Donors can give anywhere. Donors can give anywhere. Be where they want to give, Be where they want to give,
when they want to give. when they want to give.
www.networkforgood/npo
Many, many ways to giveMany, many ways to give
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The mothership is goneThe mothership is gone
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The blurring of linesThe blurring of lines
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This yearThis year
• Don’t be a control freak• Go to where donors are• Think portable • Be on embedded alert
www.networkforgood/npo
Trend 4: CommunityTrend 4: Community
Donors are starting to self organize.Donors are starting to self organize.They are socializing.They are socializing.
They are starting their own causes. They are starting their own causes.
www.networkforgood/npo
This yearThis year
• Seek out your evangelists• Connect them• Volunteer thank-yous
www.networkforgood/npo
Trend 5: CompetitionTrend 5: Competition
There are 1.8 million There are 1.8 million nonprofits and overnonprofits and over100 more each day.100 more each day.
You AreGood at It
Important to Audience
No One ElseIs Doing
www.networkforgood/npo
How to winHow to win
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Wowfundraising.com
How to loseHow to lose
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This yearThis year
• Show how you are different• Focus on the donor• Win on gratitude
www.networkforgood/npo
The Personal TouchThe Personal Touch
The typewritten part of the note I received from Ocracoke Child Care is about as short as you can get, something close to “Thanks for the donation. We really appreciate it. This letter is your receipt.” Not much more than that and certainly not remarkable.
But the letter is still on my desk because of what fills up all the white space left under that short official note — this drawing.
-Kivi Leroux Miller
www.networkforgood/npo
Trend 6: TransparencyTrend 6: Transparency
Be open. Be open. It’s the only way forward.It’s the only way forward.
www.networkforgood/npo
NONO YESYES
www.networkforgood/npo
This yearThis year
• Be an open book
• Communicate often
• Tell the real story
www.networkforgood/npo
Bonus tips: How to talk about hard timesBonus tips: How to talk about hard times
• Acknowledge they are hard
• Show you you’re tightening your belt
• Prove you stretch every dollar
• Convince you can deliver IMPACT, not just stay open
www.networkforgood/npo
Stay Ahead of the Eight Ball in 2010: Stay Ahead of the Eight Ball in 2010: Tips from the ExpertsTips from the Experts
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