Non-Profit articles by the best and brightest in the field

• Holiday Email Tactics for Nonprofitsby Winston Bowden
  Retailers have been aggressively planning their holiday marketing strategies for months. In these stressful economic times, it is more important than ever to build messages that resonate with your audience. Like retailers, nonprofits should be thinking about how they can tell their story and leverage the holiday season. In this article, we'll discuss some techniques that nonprofits can use to bolster revenue and solicit support from members through email and online tactics. more
• MarketingProfs Book Club: Q&A with 'Robin Hood Marketing' Authorby Christina Kerley
  The MarketingProfs Book Club is back! "Robin Hood Marketing" shows how to sell your cause as successfully as the great marketers of corporate America sell their brands and products. Here's how nonprofits can "steal" tactics from the big brands. more
• Basics of Strategic and Tactical Pricingby Joy V. Joseph
  As one of the 4 Ps of marketing, pricing is the most direct way of communicating value to customers. It has the most direct impact on bottom-line performance. At the same time, price as a marketing instrument is tricky. Here's the basics of pricing from both a strategic and tactical angle. more
• Q&A: PETA's 'Gorilla' Marketing Tacticsby Ann Handley
  No matter how you feel about PETA, as an entity or a cause, you probably know its marketing. Even those don't admire it, in other words, are likely aware of it. Pointed, outrageous, admired and criticized, PETA's messaging is the type that makes the audience sit up and take notice. more
• Corporate Philanthropy That Fits All: How Any Business Can Do Good - and Benefitby Elaine Fogel
  The precedent-setting commitment of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates to charitable work is bringing corporate philanthropy to the forefront. After many years of corporate scandals and Sarbanes-Oxley news, the tipping point has arrived. Corporate philanthropy is good—both for business and the nonprofits that benefit from it. And the better news is... you don't have to be in big business to do it. more
• Strategic Social Marketing for Nonprofitsby Nedra Kline Weinreich
  If you run a nonprofit, you know that marketing is essential to your mission. To many nonprofit managers, marketing equals fundraising and nothing more. But your organization exists for more than just bringing in donations. By using social marketing methods, you can boost the effectiveness of programs and activities that are the reason your organization exists in the first place—to make a difference. more
• Cause Marketing: Good Deeds as Good Businessby Sherlyn Manson
  Consumers want to align themselves with brands, employers and even investments that stand for something we believe in and that we can feel good about. Here's how smart companies are responding (and how your organization can, too). more
• The Nonprofit Business and Marketing Plan—Part 2: A Guide for Marketingby Elaine Fogel
  Taking the time to create a written Marketing Plan is the icing on your Business Plan cake. Without it, it's difficult to achieve your business goals. Having a solid Business and Marketing Plan in tow enables you to evaluate any new opportunities to see whether they fit into your plan and live your mission. What's more, a Marketing Plan will also give your nonprofit a business-oriented approach to its operations. Generating revenue is growing increasingly competitive and challenging. When your organization adopts a business focus to blend with its charitable or nonprofit mission, you increase your chances for success and longevity. more
• The Nonprofit Business and Marketing Plan--Part 1: Your Road Mapby Elaine Fogel
  In the nonprofit sector, many organizations operate without a strategy or written annual plan. Even some small-to-midsize businesses have avoided the task of developing written plans, focusing instead on generating revenue and simply staying alive in their markets. But going through this exercise is an important step in developing a business paradigm to operating nonprofit organizations. With increased opportunities to expand corporate philanthropy, and the need to show greater accountability to stakeholders, the outcome will help identify the organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks. Being proactive in this approach is not only strategic, it is imperative in today's growing nonprofit sector. more
• Cause-Related Marketing: Does Corporate America Genuinely Care?by Elaine Fogel
  When corporate America participates in cause-related marketing programs, it enhances its image, customers show greater loyalty, the public recognizes companies as good corporate citizens, and the companies gain a competitive advantage in staff recruitment and retention. But does corporate America really care? more
• Brands, Millennials and Universitiesby Joseph Benson
  How well do you understand the "customers" of your university, and what do you know of their lifestyles and buying behaviors? more
• Cause Marketing: Taking a Cue From the Private Sectorby Kathy Klotz-Guest
  Are you working for a nonprofit or promoting a social cause? Many of the for-profit rules about marketing strategy apply there, too. more
• Dear Tig: Sales Cannibals, Selling Not-for-Profits, and Who “Owns” Advertising?by Tig Tillinghast
  Tig's back with another installment of his Dear Abby for Marketers. This week, do offline sales cannibalize online sales? Also -- who "owns” advertising? The agency, or the client who inspired the work? more
• Branding the Non-Profit by Kristine Kirby Webster
  Here's what non-profits need to know (and what for-profits can learn) about branding. more
• Passion Marketingby Jonathan Schreiber
  Want to put passion into your marketing plan? Learn how the best non-profits do it. more

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Non-Profit case studies, deconstructing real life examples and illustrating lessons learned

• How a Nonprofit's Web Site Redesign Increased Functionality, Public Interest, and DonationsAcumen Fund
  CASE STUDY: For nonprofits like the Acumen Fund, which uses philanthropic capital to help finance foreign entrepreneurs, the human story is key for capturing the attention of would-be volunteers and investors. Here's how a site redesign helped in a big way. more
• How a Nonprofit Used New Banner-Ad Technology and Market Insight to Create an Effective Viral CampaignThe Blue Cross
  CASE STUDY: Founded in 1897, the Blue Cross is one of the UK's oldest animal welfare charities. It built an online community of pet owners - then launched a viral campaign, including rich media, that had people flocking to the social network. more
• How a University Embraced Social Media and Scored Millions in YouTube ViewsCarnegie Mellon University
  How does a university up its visibility with an increasingly wired target market of both students of alumni? By orchestrating a Web 2.0-focused Web site redesign that set the foundation for an ongoing social media campaign. more
• How Goodwill Attracted Hip Customers via Social Networking, a Virtual Fashion ShowGoodwill of Greater Washington
  Goodwill Industries receives generous donations of clothing, many in good shape and by popular brands, but is perceived as a purveyor of low-quality, outdated merchandise. With a social-media marketing campaign, the nonprofit was able to change that perception and connect with young professional women who buy vintage clothing. more
• How a State Agency's Anti-Smoking Campaign Effectively Reached Teens via the Web, TV and Live EventsColorado State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership (STEPP), a division of the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
  One of the more successful tobacco control programs is the "Own Your C" campaign commissioned by the state of Colorado, which has effectively found ways to resonate with this hard-to-reach demographic. more
• How a Software Company Became a Marketing Partner By Adding Mobile DataSalesTrac, Inc.
  When the clients of SalesTrac, Inc., were looking for more in-depth consumer insight to determine the effectiveness of their promotional events, SalesTrac seized the opportunity to provide increased value through an all-in-one system that added survey management and real-time reporting of consumer feedback to its services. Check out the results. more
• How a Nonprofit Developed Marketing Materials That Spoke to Its Culturally Diverse Audience, Bringing in New MembersSan Francisco Health Plan
  A nonprofit health-plan provider serving lower-income San Francisco residents was designed for and by the residents it served. The health plan said it took "pride in speaking the language" of its local residents—but the community has large Hispanic, Vietnamese and Chinese populations, as well as other ethnic groups. more
• How a Nonprofit Moved Toward a For-Profit Marketing Model to Advance Its Nonprofit MissionMuseum of Science, Boston
  For more than a century, Boston's Museum of Science has depended on government grants and donors to finance its stated goal of encouraging "interest in and further understanding of science and technology and their importance for individuals and for society." The Museum attracts about 1.6 million visitors a year, including more than 50,000 members who visit regularly. Corporate branding and marketing for fundraising purposes hadn't been given much thought, but in 2001, as the U.S. stock market collapsed and the global economy slowed, the Museum found itself stretched for donors. It realized it was time to start marketing itself. Pioneering any major change naturally involves its share of challenges; this study reveals how one very traditional organization was able to make the transition. more
• A Nonprofit Crafts a Compelling DM Strategy and Exceeds Its Conference Goals by 25 PercentThe Points of Light Foundation
  The Points of Light Foundation's annual event had grown moribund, and the house list stagnant, says Chief Creative Director Todd Potochnik. But he and his team were able to boost attendance from the previous year's conference by more than 25% and garner an 85% "satisfactory or above" approval rating from attendees. more

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Non-Profit online seminar broadcasts from the best minds in marketing

• Creating Profitable Marketing Partnerships with NonprofitsAttendee rating:  - Aug 23, 2007

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Non-Profit mini articles distilling bite-sized advice (from our Get to the Point newsletters)

• Is This My Fairest URL of All?Interactive Marketing
  As of June 13, Facebook has made it possible for users to secure a URL for both their profiles and any Facebook Pages they administer. Why this matters: Facebook is ...
• It All Comes Down to ProcessEmail Marketing
  We spend a lot of time discussing topics like deliverability and relevance, but rarely touch on another factor that plays a critical role in successful email marketing campaigns. "Process is ...
• Take a Deep Breath. Do a Brief Test.Search Engine Marketing
  "Do you know what attracts your readers? What headlines they respond to most? Do they respond to pictures? Do they know what your offer is?" asks Peter Da Vanzo in a recent SEObook.com ...
• Mom Probably Knows BestEmail Marketing
  In a post at the Deliverability.com blog, Dennis Dayman presents a short series of off-the-cuff emails that his wife wrote in response to his question about video in email marketing ...
• Getting Testy Again and AgainEmail Marketing
  "Testing can be a powerful tool to move your email marketing program forward," says Kelly Lorenz in a post at the Bronto blog. "Testing can also help you move from ...
• Seed That Video and Reap Its HarvestInteractive Marketing
  Good news for all you budding Spielbergs out there: YouTube this month made it possible to automatically seed freshly uploaded videos across popular social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and even ...
• When Problems Arise, Go to the SpotMarketing in a Downturn
  In an article at the New York Times website, Michelle Maynard tells the story of Akio Toyoda's secret visit to an Ann Arbor, Michigan, car dealership. The grandson of Toyota's ...
• Nobody Likes a Wild-Goose ChaseEmail Marketing
  Chad White of the Retail Email blog was impressed when he recently received an email from Lands' End with this subject line: Free Shipping + 20-50% off summer! Swim, shorts, ...
• Mixology 101Email Marketing
  In a post at the Daily Fix blog, Stephanie Miller says you don't have to choose between the social and email channels. "No need to take sides, my friends," she ...
• Do It Now: Get WhitelistedEmail Marketing
  Mailer Alert: A new Yahoo Mail feature—the "contacts button"—should make whitelisting even more important for email marketers. "You get a lot of emails, some good (from friends, family, even favorite ...
• Latest List-Growing StrategiesEmail Marketing
  In cooperation with Ball State University and the Email Marketers Club, ExactTarget studied 18 methods used by marketers to build an email list. Among the results published in its 2009 ...
• Short, Sweet and Clicked-ThroughEmail Marketing
  In a post at the DIRECT website, Ken Magill discusses the results of a survey conducted by MailerMailer. Among its more interesting findings: Subject lines containing up to 35 characters ...
• Get Them to Give a HootEmail Marketing
  "Very few executives give a hoot about opens and clicks," says Stephanie Miller in a post at the Daily Fix blog. "In fact, very few marketers even look at their ...
• Meet the SEO Royal FamilySearch Engine Marketing
  We all know that content is king in search engine optimization, but in a recent Search Engine Land post, Daniel Waisberg reminds us that "usability is queen." According to Waisberg, ...
• Lights! Camera! Take Action!Email Marketing
  It's a simple fact: We love watching online videos. In a post at the Digital Marketing blog, Eydie Cubarrubia cites Nielsen Online research that found 119 billion unique viewers watched 7 ...
• Think of It as a ClubEmail Marketing
  You understand how email delivery works, but perhaps you have trouble explaining the process to your boss, a client or a colleague. If so, you're in luck. An entertaining post ...
• So This is What You Look Like!Interactive Marketing
  A cool thing is happening through sites like blogging service Xanga, review site Yelp, and Twitter. Some of their faithful users have started attending meet-ups, where folks who interact online and ...
• Summer's Coming: Make LemonadeMarketing in a Downturn
  "The economic downturn spells bad news to most marketers," says Jack Trout in a post at the Branding blog, "but a slump also presents an opportunity to build brands." He ...
• No Chocolate in the Peanut Butter!Email Marketing
  "There are many similarities between social media marketing and email," says Ross Kramer in an article at MarketingProfs, "but they are two distinct marketing channels and they should be used ...
• Keep in Touch This Summer, OK?Email Marketing
  As summer approaches, and your subscribers begin to go on holidays, you might wonder whether you should scale back your email campaigns. But in a post at the Email Experience ...

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Non-Profit marketing downloads for the busy professional

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Non-Profit Daily Chirp for the busy professional

• We Love Eric
  We've seen the power of Twitter's community used for good: spreading vital information during natural disasters, distributing Amber Alerts, and raising money for charities. Now imagine using not only Twitter's power but also the celebrity of the Nine Inch Nails. more
• Roll Your Own: 'Mother of the Year' Video
  If you're a mother, or perhaps you have one, check out this fun promotion by MomsRising.org to celebrate someone you consider "Mother of the Year." more