Marketing for Nonprofits
If you know Rogue at all, you know we work with a lot of nonprofits. In fact, at any given time, 80-90% of our clients are nonprofits. This was never part of the plan for us, but it was something that we naturally gravitated toward over time. We LOVE telling stories that matter- stories that make a difference in the world. While our for-profit clients definitely make a difference, there’s just something special about watching a nonprofit broaden their audience and bring new people into their stories. However, helping nonprofits understand the value in investing in themselves is often challenging.
Let’s think about it from a donor’s standpoint, it makes sense; we want to donate our money to a nonprofit with the highest chances of using those funds for good. (80% of a donation going straight to a fundraiser sounds a lot better than 50%!)
But for those of us who have worked at or alongside a nonprofit, we know it isn’t that simple from an organizational standpoint. Employees have to be paid. Rent has to be paid. Insurance has to be paid. And you’re trying to solve BIG problems in the world often on a shoe-string budget.
Marketing might be the last expense on your mind. If you’re trimming the budget, sure, effective branding, a strategic and user-friendly website, consistent social media, and high-quality print materials will probably get the boot first. They’re just deemed “nonessential.”
But we have to say it. Marketing is worth it.
Ironically, if done well, it does more than pay for the essentials. It brings in more money so you can HELP MORE people. And that’s what’s so exciting about what we do!
Let’s check out an example.
Meet CASA of Orange County, a leading nonprofit that pairs youth in the child welfare system with volunteers who advocate on their behalf.
Now let’s look at their numbers.
December 2014: raised $57k, before any outsourced marketing efforts
December 2015: raised $138k, first season of outsourced marketing efforts
*In 2015, their overall budget was $2.4 million.
December 2022: raised $305k, after several years of outsourced marketing efforts
*In 2023, their overall budget was raised to $5.3 million.
The math: winter donations increased over 430% by 2022 after only introducing an end-of-year appeal card with strategy and design.
For CASA, the proof was in the pudding. Marketing made SENSE. It made MONEY. But it also made so much more than that. Each year, they had:
Increased exposure to new and existing donors
Refreshed themes, photos, and designs
A new portfolio of photos and content
A consistent marketing campaign to end the year
So, when it comes to marketing, spending money pays off! If you shout your story into a megaphone, the whole crowd will hear it; the more money nonprofits receive in donations, the more services they can provide to local communities, the more people they can help.
And a world where everyone’s story is amplified? That’s one we want to live in.