If you’re running a nonprofit, it’s important to have a strategic marketing plan in place. A well-crafted marketing plan will help you reach your goals and objectives, and help your organization grow.
As the owner of a nonprofit organization, you know that having a good marketing plan is essential to your success. After all, without customers, your business will not survive.
But what goes into a good marketing plan? Below, we will go over some of the key components of a successful marketing plan for a nonprofit business.
Key Components of a Nonprofit Organization Marketing Plan
A great marketing plan has eleven sections as follows:
- Executive Summary
- Target Market Segments
- Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
- Pricing and Positioning Strategy
- Distribution Strategy
- Offers
- Marketing Materials
- Promotions Strategy
- Nonprofit Digital Marketing Plan
- Conversion, Referral, and Retention Strategy
- Financial Projections
We provide more detail for each of these key components below.
Executive Summary
The executive summary is a brief overview of your entire marketing plan. It should include your overview information from each of the other sections, such as your target market, unique selling proposition, key promotions strategies, and financial projections.
Target Market Segments
When it comes to marketing a nonprofit organization, it is important to identify your target market segments. Who are your most likely customers? Consider factors such as age, gender, income, location, and lifestyle when determining your target market segments.
For example, a nonprofit organization’s customers may include individuals who are passionate about the same cause, businesses that want to sponsor a nonprofit event, or individuals looking to donate to a worthy cause.
Once you have identified your target market segments, you can begin developing marketing strategies that are tailored to them.
Break down each of these segments even further by considering their needs, wants, and pain points. For example, the needs of a nonprofit organizations’ customers may include wanting to feel like they are making a difference or wanting to find a reputable organization to donate to.
By understanding your target market segments, you will be better equipped to create marketing messages that resonate with them.
Unique Selling Proposition
Your unique selling proposition (USP) is what sets your nonprofit organization apart from other nonprofits. What do you offer that nobody else does?
For example, if you are the only nonprofit organization in your area that provides a certain service, then that is your USP. If you are able to provide a unique service or product, then that is also your USP.
No matter what your USP is, make sure it is clear in your marketing materials. Your clients/customers should be able to see immediately what makes you different from the other business in their area.
Pricing and Positioning Strategy
Your pricing and positioning strategy will be determined by your target market segments and your unique selling proposition.
For example, if you are targeting high-income individuals, then your prices will be higher than if you were targeting low-income individuals.
Similarly, if your unique selling proposition is that you are the only nonprofit organization in your area that provides a certain service, then you will want to position yourself as the premium choice.
No matter what your positioning strategy is, make sure your pricing strategy is competitive. Consider conducting a market analysis to see what other nonprofit organization with which you compete are charging for similar offerings.
Distribution Strategy
Your distribution strategy is how you will get your marketing materials into the hands of your target market segments.
There are many ways to distribute marketing materials, such as through direct mail, email, online advertising, or by participating in trade shows or other events.
The most important thing to consider when developing your distribution strategy is how you can reach your target market segments in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Your distribution strategy documents how customers will buy from you. For example, will they buy directly from you in-person? Will they buy online? Will they purchase from your partners, distributors, etc.
Offers
Providing offers through your business is a great way to entice customers to make a purchase. For nonprofits, it’s how you encourage them to make a donation.
Some offers that encourage individuals to make donations include matching gifts, giving levels, and donation thresholds.
Matching gifts are when businesses or foundations agree to match any donations made by their employees to your nonprofit organization. This is a great way to encourage employees to donate, as they know their employers will be matching their donations.
Giving levels are another way to incentivize donations. By setting different giving levels, you can provide donors with different benefits based on how much they donate. For example, a donor who gives $100 may receive a thank-you letter, while a donor who gives $1,000 may receive a thank-you letter and a coffee mug.
Donation thresholds are another way to encourage larger donations. You can set a minimum donation amount that must be met in order for the donor to receive a certain benefit. For example, you may set a $500 donation threshold for a donor to receive a free t-shirt.
Marketing Materials
Your marketing materials should be based on your unique selling proposition and target market segments. They should be designed to grab attention and generate interest in your business.
Some of the marketing materials you might want to create include product brochures, flyers, and website banners. You will also want to make sure your nonprofit branding is strong and consistent across all of your marketing materials.
Promotions Strategy
Your promotions strategy includes the methods you will use to attract new customers. It should be designed to generate excitement and encourage customers to try your business.
Nonprofit organizations should consider the following promotional strategies:
– Sponsoring local events
– Advertising in local newspapers, magazines, or online
– Creating a social media presence
– Creating marketing videos
– Hosting open houses or tours of your facility
– Speaking at community events
Digital Marketing Plan
In today’s digital age, it’s important to have a solid digital marketing plan. This will help you reach a wider audience and drive more traffic to your business.
Some of the digital marketing tactics you might want to use include search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing. You will also want to make sure your website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate.
Another digital marketing strategy is to create a blog. This is a great way to share your expert knowledge with potential customers and build trust and credibility.
You will also want to make sure you have strong calls-to-action (CTAs) on your website and in your digital marketing materials. A CTA is a text or image that encourages a visitor to take a specific action, such as “subscribe to our newsletter” or “donate now.”
Conversion, Referral, and Retention Strategy
Your conversion, referral, and retention strategy should be designed to keep customers coming back. Consider offering loyalty rewards, discounts for referrals, and other incentives to encourage customers to continue using your business.
You will also want to make sure your customer service is top-notch. Respond quickly to any complaints or concerns, and always go above and beyond to exceed customer expectations.
Financial Projections
Last but not least, you will need to create financial projections for your business. This will help you track your progress and ensure you are on track to meet your goals.
The key information to include in these financial projections are your monthly marketing expenditures and expected sales. Be sure to update your projections on a regular basis to reflect any changes in your business.
Summary
Creating a strategic marketing plan for your nonprofit will help you reach your target market and achieve your business goals.
By following these steps, you can develop a quality marketing plan that will help you successfully launch and grow your nonprofit organization. Just remember to be creative, think outside the box, and always put your customers first. With a little hard work and dedication, you will be well on your way to success!
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