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by Teresa Liu
With fundraising, operations, program development, community building and strategic planning, a nonproļ¬tās competing priorities are endless. In this world of detailed programs and services, the added nebulous task of building a unique and ownable brand may seem harrowing. For nonproļ¬t leaders who require concrete and immediate key performance indicators, oftentimes brands can feel like magical pixie dust ā revered for their powerful ability to inļ¬uence, yet frustratingly ethereal when it comes to establishing and measuring them.
And so, with limited resources, a shrinking and ever-competitive pool of funding, and the promise of āone day it will pay offā, itās no wonder nonproļ¬ts often skip investing in brand building in favor of quick clicks or conversions.
Yet we hear consumer companies tout the power of brands all of the time: more than a logo, theyāre the ultimate differentiator ā representing a holistic idea that taps into the values, culture and lifestyles of their audiences. They have the power to inļ¬uence decisions, increase revenue and drive loyalty. But we also need to remember that the original notion of brand positioning was developed as a tool to sell more consumer packaged goods. At a time when increased production of commodity items led to weak product differentiation, crafting a story around wholesome family values was an effective way to sell more ketchup A over ketchup B in a sea of identical red bottles.
But nonproļ¬ts are not ketchup ā or shoes, or internet providers or organic loose leaf tea.
Crafting aspirational stories of how your organization ļ¬ts into the lives, homes or schedules of choice-seeking consumers is not necessarily the most effective way to attract new donors. And letās be honest, brand enthusiasts often hold up some of the worldās most powerful brands as best practices to emulate, when in reality most nonproļ¬t marketing budgets pale in comparison to their consumer brand counterparts. But that doesnāt mean brands are not invaluable when it comes to moving your missions, team and purpose forward.
The Significance of Brand Strategy
Your brand strategy is the most important tool for strengthening and fulļ¬lling your mission. But I want to be clear ā itās not synonymous with your mission and vision. Your brand strategy consists of elements like positioning, personality and promise. Itās the bridge between your mission, programs and services and your external communications ā translating those crucial elements into a story that no one else can tell.
In a reality where you may be one of dozens of organizations with similar missions, your brand strategy is what you bring to the table in a way that no one else can. Think of it like your clothing choices ā it gives you dimension and personality, and signals who you want to attract and what you might be like. Doing so makes your mission personalāhelping you stand apart, establish a relatable connection with your audiences, and create more impact.
The 3 Brand-Building Truths
Here are the three brand-building truths I believe hold up regardless of whether youāre a consumer products brand or a nonproļ¬t.
1. Be Distinct
More than combatting competitors (or even awareness), what youāre really up against is clutter and indifference. According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS), more than 1.8 million nonproļ¬ts are registered in the U.S. That means that rather than fretting about what your competitor or collaborator is touting you should be worried about all the noise your audiences are just trying to sort through (and tune out) every day.
2. Be Memorable
In this environment of endless choices, information and marketing messages, the role of brands becomes a welcomed shortcut in our overloaded brains. If youāve come to know and like what a brand offers, then it shields you from having to do your research, try it out or ask others for their opinions ā it becomes a shortcut to quality and trustāultimately saving you time and energy.
3. Be Meaningful
Lastly, our human brain can only hold onto so many facts, stats, beneļ¬ts and features, but itās remarkable at remembering patterns and stories (as long as they're short).
3 Best Practices for Creating Your Nonprofit Brand Strategy
So what does this mean for nonproļ¬ts and brand creation? Here are three best practices to try.
1. Ensure Your Positioning Is Simple, Short and Tells a Story
To stand a chance of being remembered, your brand positioning needs to be short, simple and tell a story. As a nonproļ¬t, you may want the world to know about all of the important and purpose-led work you do but remember that your brand positioning is distinct from your mission. One is about why you exist, while the other is the unique story to help people remember you. Keeping that to a simple and single-minded idea will increase your chances of being remembered and reinforce the immediate associations people have when they think about you.
As an example, read more...
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