Marketing Resources: Non-Profit

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  'Tis the Season for Holiday Branding

  Non-Profit

  Bored with the usual "Seasons Greetings" client postcard? Use a bit of holiday spirit to warm up your social campaigns! Meghan Gargan has made a list of do's and don'ts for sending social holiday greetings with panache. "While you should capture the magic and merriment of this time of year, ... more
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  Marketing Smarts: Saving Non-Profits from Zombie Ideas!

  by Matthew Grant

  Non-Profit

  People running nonprofits are under attack by zombies! Idea zombies, that is. That was the topic of John Haydon's session at the recent BlogWorld Expo, and the starting point of our conversation in this episode of Marketing Smarts more
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  How to Use Social Media to Boost Response the Way Nonprofits Do

  Non-Profit

  You've no doubt seen the reports of organizations like the Red Cross blasting their response rates through the roof by seeking on-the-run mobile donations. But that's just part of the nonprofit social-media success story. The Dragonfly Effect, a book by Stanford University marketing prof Jennifer Aaker and marketing strategist Andy ... more
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  Craft an Online Quiz: Boost Leads and Results

  Non-Profit

  Few things are more fun than learning about yourself, right? At least when the Net makes it easy. Consider the explosion of personality test apps on sites like Facebook or MySpace—or quizzes on their own hosted sites: You can learn what superhero you are, what your kissing style is, or what city ... more
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  Just Say No

  Non-Profit

  Thought leaders in the email marketing industry are just about unanimous on the subject of randomly purchased lists. Their advice to marketers? Avoid them like the plague. You may, however, still encounter those who push the buying of email lists as a perfectly legal alternative to building lists through opt-in subscription. ... more
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  The Cause That Refreshes

  Non-Profit

  More companies seem to be realizing these days that they can use their power in the marketplace to aim for goals bigger than just bottom-line-related ones. That may be because more consumers, when buying similar products, are opting to choose ones that "give back" to a charitable cause. It's an easy way to ... more
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  Growing, Growing, Grown!

  Non-Profit

  "[C]ontinual email list growth is the Achilles heel of email marketing," says Karen Talavera in a Pro article at MarketingProfs. She says marketers face some tall challenges when they strive to maintain healthy list growth. For instance:  They must constantly replenish the subscriber pipeline. "For every sign-up you get there's a ... more
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  Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

  Non-Profit

  Some marketers might regard an opt-in subscription as the end of the permission process—but it's just the beginning, says Stephanie Miller in a post at the Daily Fix blog. "Permission does not give marketers a license to just send whatever, whenever," she argues. "In fact, more than just a one-time exercise, ... more
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  Incite Change in a Moment's Text

  Non-Profit

  Good news, nonprofits! At Le Web this year, Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan discussed how, in an era when a panoply of tech options are available to us at a finger-swipe, we can pick and choose the charitable causes we support in the same way we pick and choose ... more
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  Good, Good, Good, Good Vibrations

  Non-Profit

  Dudes: Are you ready to give off some fresh new surfer vibes? Search engines are constantly looking for new signals they can use to improve the quality of the results they provide to Internet surfers, says Eric Enge in a recent post at Search Engine Watch. "Search engines continue to ... more
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  Charm 'em Like Rhett and Scarlett

  Non-Profit

  Let's face it: If your marketing approach consists of sporadically touting your company's greatness via the overpopulated social mediaverse, you're about to get absolutely nowhere—except ignored. Or hated. Blacklisted, even.  Frustrated with today's confusing social-media etiquette? Well, don't be! There are sassy methods for making your outreach simply ooze old-fashioned Southern ... more
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  The Next Big Thing Is Already Here

  Non-Profit

  "In the technology industry," writes Morgan Stewart in an article at MarketingProfs, "we are constantly focused on the next big thing." And there's often an assumption that whatever comes next will wipe out whatever came before. Do you remember, for instance, when computers were going to make paper obsolete? Or ... more
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  Mix It Up, Baby

  Non-Profit

  In May 2009, Omniture and The CMO Club asked 102 CMOs to rate the relative effectiveness of digital-marketing media. The vast majority (78 percent) gave top marks to email marketing, but a sizable minority (33 percent) reported success in emerging social-media channels, too. That's because, these days, consumers "engage with a ... more
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  You Can Climb This Pyramid

  Non-Profit

  Before you start soliciting links and becoming active in online communities, it's best to first ensure that your site's content, structure, and design are in peak condition, Virginia Nussey advises in a recent post at the Bruce Clay blog: "Before you can expect a site to develop inbound links, you have ... more
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  I Chat for a Good Cause

  Non-Profit

  The Great Recession has certainly not spared nonprofit organizations. With contributions down an average of nine percent, many charitable organizations have been forced to cut services. Some even face closure. Fortunately, though, the news is not all bad. "With the right marketing mix, savvy nonprofits are able to leverage social-media marketing ... more
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  What Am I, a Magician?

  Non-Profit

  In a post at the Email Karma blog, Matt Vernhout discusses recent layoffs at AOL and the challenges facing employees who remain. "The individuals [who] do end up making it past the latest round of layoffs and buyouts will now have a major increase in workload," he notes. We can assume ... more
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  Lessons of the Little Mermaid

  Non-Profit

  You're probably familiar with the story of The Little Mermaid. In this classic tale of unrequited love, a girl exchanges her voice for the chance to be close to a prince. It's a parable about finding the right voice amid the melee. Faced with a plentitude of uncertainties about social media, ... more
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  I No Robot. Hear Me?

  Non-Profit

  Too often, argues Julia Rubiner in the Editorial Emergency newsletter, automated email messages lack the human touch. "They frequently sound like they're coming from a robot for whom English is a second language," she says. "If you're trying to connect with people and persuade them to take action … you ... more
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  Cheers to a New Year of SEO

  Non-Profit

  What do bartenders and websites have in common? Both need to be optimized to succeed. So says Jill Whalen in an amusing article at Search Engine Land. She demonstrates how the rules of optimization may dually apply to 'tenders and 'sites alike: Rule #1: Optimization shouldn't turn people off.  ... more
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  Show Me the Way, Whisperer

  Non-Profit

  "Do you know what your data [are] telling you?" asks Kelly Lorenz in a post at the Bronto blog. If you're not sure what to make of the copious information contained in reports from your ESP—opens, clicks, conversions, etc.—she has several tips for becoming what she cheerily terms a "data ... more
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  Stay or Go? You Tell Me.

  Non-Profit

  As subscriber engagement becomes a critical factor in the deliverability rates of email campaigns, removing inactive recipients from your list is more important than ever. To keep your list as clean as possible, "Mark" of the MailChimp blog recommends a three-message series that asks non-responsive subscribers if they still want ... more
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  Show Me the Mobile Money!

  Non-Profit

  You recently got the skinny on Square, the service that turns your iPhone into a card-swiping device. Here's another quick, easy and secure way to flow payments to your business via mobile (or even social networks): mPayy. Unlike Square, mPayy is more of a user tool than an enterprise one. It ... more
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  Keep Calm and Carry On

  Non-Profit

  It's hard to maintain a positive attitude as the recession's negative impact continues to challenge businesses like yours. "The relentless tide of bad news may tempt those in charge to adopt a pessimistic view point," writes John Baldoni at Harvard Business Online, "but leaders owe it to their followers to ... more
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  Your Moustache Makes a Good Point

  Non-Profit

  Ever heard of Movember? It's a movement of men who shave their faces at the beginning of November and spend the rest of the month growing a saucy moustache, which they proceed to show off on Flickr, in blogs and across their social networks. It's now a worldwide phenomenon! What's Movember about? ... more
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  Bah, Humbug to the Downturn!

  Non-Profit

  Few companies have been spared the ravages of the recession, but some strategies seem to be working to help small businesses stay afloat. In a recent article at Inc., Elizabeth Wasserman suggests tactics that small retailers might employ to add some ho-ho-ho to the late-holiday sales season—and boost results in the ... more

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

• Bearing Bad News: Six Ways to Reduce the Sting When Your Message Stinksby Jonathan Kranz
  I can't promise you that by following these suggestions you'll recover from bankruptcy or resurrect your business. But you can move on with dignity. And, sometimes, when your organization faces its darkest hour, choosing dignity may be the best, last business decision you can make. more
• 11 Tips for Challenging Government-Marketing Myths and Reaching Buyersby Becky Sheetz-Runkle
  Just as selling to government is different from selling to any other industry, marketing to government requires a distinct approach. Although there is no shortage of ways to reach government buyers, some ways are better than others. To help shatter myths and guide you to a sound strategy, compiled below ... more
• 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, ... more
• MarketingProfs Book Club: Q&A with 'Robin Hood Marketing' Authorby Christina "CK" 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 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 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 NonprofitsBroadcast on Aug 23, 2007

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Non-Profit Take 10 Webcasts—tactical marketing know-how in just 10 minutes from subject matter experts

• Take 10: Five Proven Tactics for a Successful Fundraising CampaignReleased on Nov 18, 2011

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Non-Profit marketing downloads for the busy professional

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