Marketing Nonprofits

From time-to-time I get the opportunity to consult with nonprofit organizations on their communications and marketing. The number one problem I see in these organizations is an inability to tell their story well.

By creating a nonprofit organization, you are stating that you want to achieve a specific mission. This mission is the guidepost, the true north, for your organization. It is what makes you different from the thousands of other 501(c)3 organizations that exist.

If you have a mission worth following, you’ll also have a story worth telling. A mission has a before and after. It has a beginning and an end. Even if that end is just a pipe dream right now, painting that picture is one of the best things you can do for your organization.

Nonprofits often intersect directly with humanity – and they try and make a difference. As a nonprofit, you not only have the chance to tell your organization’s story, but you also have the opportunity to tell the story of the people you’ve helped. You can tell the story of the lives you’ve changed. If you’re making a difference, tell us about it. Don’t brag. Don’t talk about how awesome you are. But do it in a spirit of love. Do it in a spirit of gratitude.

So get out there, stop promoting and marketing, and start telling stories.