For many nonprofits (and small businesses in general), the marketing budget – or lack thereof – is a bit of a catch-22.
An organization can’t grow without a sustained marketing effort (and corresponding budget), but at the same time many NGOs can’t afford the tools and people to enable this growth. So, what to do?
Step one in making the most of a limited nonprofit marketing budget is to make sure you are taking advantage of the assets you already have.
Fortunately for nonprofit marketing managers and development coordinators, some of the most valuable assets are already right at your fingertips: your contact, member, and donor lists. Leverage your email lists to send newsletters that don’t just ask for donations, but also keep your supporters engaged and informed about news, pressing issues, and developments in your area of service.
To take your email marketing to the next level, step two engages the power of more automated (less manual) email marketing systems. Further streamline your processes, and cut down on the manpower and money required to implement your email marketing strategy, with automated marketing campaigns.
If you and your team can invest a little time and energy to set up the right automated messages to be sent at the right time, you can save yourselves time, energy, and cash in the long run. You can easily set up automated messages after memberships are renewed, donations are made, or even after users check out specific campaigns on your nonprofit’s website. Look for “triggers” in your engagements that can lead effectively to other communication – follow ups, check ins, opportunities to continue the conversation – or even add new parties. By sending the right message at the right time, you can increase your engagement and your donations.
Would you like help with your email automation, setting up your systems, or identifying tools that can help you get started? Give us a shout.
