You’d be hard-pressed to find a nonprofit that doesn’t agree that it’s important to “get the word out” about their mission, vision, and programs. But that desire can produce a kind of “rise and grind” mindset that often gets in the way of spreading the mission, and worse—jeopardizes nonprofit organizational health.
This focused sense of urgency is a natural complexity of any situation where the focus is on intrinsic good rather than financial gain. If you’re committed to a nonprofit cause, you are often thinking more of ecosystem than economy—how can we do the most good most effectively? Unfortunately, the type of conviction that motivates that question can also get in the way of making the blunt, pragmatic decisions that actually help accomplish the work. Some nonprofit leaders may be tempted to think that it’s disingenuous to market a cause, or they may be so convinced of their mission that they adopt an “if you build it, they will come” mindset. Still others think that marketing itself doesn’t align with nonprofit work.
In his interview with Peter Drucker, author and marketing expert Philip Kotler explains a possible cause of the problem: “Many organizations are very clear about the needs they would like to serve, but they often don’t understand these needs from the perspective of the customers. They make assumptions based on their own interpretation of the needs out there” (1990, p. 75). Again, it’s an easy trap to fall into—You likely aren’t thinking of your audience as consumers, but as participants in a cause. Part of what we do here at Amenable is help bridge the gap between your mission and marketing best practices. It’s true that you don’t want to treat your mission like a consumable product, but you still have to recognize that you’re acting within a marketplace—time is a limited resource, and you have to convince people that it should go to your organization.
We get that it’s a hard mental shift, though. If you’re part of a church or nonprofit working to develop a marketing mindset, it can feel like hiking up a mountain. You and your team are working through preconceptions, past experiences, and relational dynamics that can make the journey slow and challenging. Maybe you’re the tired person following, unsure of why you signed up. Or maybe you’re the leader who is struggling to convince people that the view at the summit will be worth it. You can only sing “The Climb” so many times before it stops feeling meaningful. (Okay, that’s not true. It hits hard every time.) Either way, you have to remember that nonprofit organizational health is a result of exercising your marketing muscles.
The trick for marketing is to incorporate the holistic motivation that undergirds your nonprofit. Consider how you could make marketing align more with the coaching, advocating, and visioning you use within your organization. This is where we love helping leaders strategize, so if you want help cultivating nonprofit organizational health in this way, reach out to us! Although it can be slow and tedious work—just like climbing a mountain—it’s amazing to see your nonprofit staff and volunteers shift direction as they realize that marketing isn’t just posting on social media or making the message visually appealing.
If this all still feels vague, don’t worry. Let’s take a look at Kotler’s simple definition of marketing from the above-cited book:
“Marketing is the way to harmonize the needs and wants of the outside world with the purposes and resources and objectives of the institution.” (Drucker, 1990, p. 84)
When you hear the word “marketing,” most people jump to the conclusion that we’re talking about selling something. In the world of e-commerce, they might be right. But for nonprofits, the role of marketing isn’t to sell, but to clarify. Effective nonprofit marketing is a strategic way to make sure people understand your mission, and it helps you sharpen your communication and amplify your work. Think of it this way—you’re reaching out to people to see what they think you do, then you’re soliciting information about what they think you should do, and you’re then navigating the space where there’s a disconnect. It might feel like a new mountain to climb, but it’s one that will be worth it. We promise.
Here at Anna Montgomery and Co, we want to promote nonprofit organizational health by helping you reframe “getting the word out” around this simple, holistic marketing so that the “why” of marketing becomes more approachable and sustainable. We’re here to give you the skills and resources you need to confidently reach the people you want to reach.
If you’re interested in seeing an example of how to rethink marketing as something deeper than moving a product, check out this resource on using social media for Easter.
REFERENCES
Drucker, P. F. (1990). Managing the nonprofit organization: Principles and practices. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
