It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day business of running your nonprofit. That’s why it’s sensible to plan your marketing strategy before the start of each new year. When you do, you’ll give your team a solid plan of action and the confidence that comes with focus and direction.

Consider these three elements of a marketing strategy.

Optimize User-Generated Content

Tell the story of your organization’s impact through user-generated content (UGC) from those who’ve been positively affected by your work. Those stories provide different perspectives on your nonprofit’s services and reach, allowing you to share first-hand accounts of your success stories.

It may be as simple as posing questions to your audience and posting their answers on your website or social media platforms. You can also crowdsource UGC through event photos, videos, audio, direct quotes, and written narratives.

Studies have shown that consumers prefer UGC because it’s more authentic than branded content. And that influence can increase a donor’s willingness to support your nonprofit.

According to a Stackla survey:

• 51% of consumers feel that less than half of brands generate authentic content.
• Consumers are 2.4 times more likely to consider UGC authentic than branded materials.
• 79% of survey participants said UGC impacts their purchasing decisions.

Create Personalized Marketing Campaigns

According to Stackla, 67% of consumers feel brands should customize their content for their audiences to deliver personalized experiences. Segmenting donors allows you to focus on the specific interests of different members of your audience.

In the digital era, consumers are more likely to expect personalized content that caters to their wants and needs. Segmenting your audience to communicate the right messages, calls-to-action and donation preferences for each individual is essential. You can segment your donors based on giving history and gift size. You may also adjust your messaging based on age, gender and income level.

Millennials and Gen Z currently make up the largest portion of the U.S. population, so it’s important to gear your marketing strategy toward those individuals. An omnichannel approach allows you to send specific content via social media, email and text messages to encourage engagement and donations. Creating landing pages and clear calls-to-action helps lead younger donors through the donation funnel.

Encourage Thought Leadership

Thought leadership is the delivery of authentic content that highlights your expertise, insight and experience to educate and prompt action. Thought leaders are visionaries who use their authority to bring attention to a cause.

Effective thought leaders can:

• Build community bonds
• Establish credibility
• Fuel marketing efforts
• Empower staff members
• Encourage donor participation

That type of leadership requires you to go beyond discussing issues. You’ll need to provide clear initiatives, step-by-step plans and motivation that mobilizes your target audience of donors. Thought leaders can use blogs and newsletters to establish and spread their influence.

The MadAveCollective team is committed to providing your nonprofit organization with the necessary resources to create your custom marketing strategy. Email us or call 419-725-6500 to schedule a conversation.