How Investing in Design + Marketing Helps You do More Good in the World
If you’re marketing a small to medium non-profit organization, you’re probably operating on a shoe-string budget. You’re focussing your limited time and resources on programs and activities that’ll help your organization achieve its mission, right?
You know you need to market your events and programs, but the last thing you want is for donors to think you’re spending too much money on marketing. So, what do you do? You rely on free or budget-friendly tools and/or inexperienced designers to create your branding and marketing materials.
THE OVERHEAD MYTH DEFINED
I get why you might think this way. You’re completely caught up in the Overhead Myth, the belief that organizations that keep operational costs low are more effective at accomplishing their goals. The problem is that the Overhead Myth is wrong.
I’m not suggesting that you throw caution to the wind and start spending funds on unnecessary and frivolous expenditures. I am saying, however, that you and your organization would do better to listen to your for-profit counterparts who claim that “you’ve got to spend money to make money” or, in a non-profit’s case, “you’ve got to spend money to reach your audience, build influence and grow your community.”
HOW MINIMIZING MARKETING DOLLARS HURTS YOUR ORGANIZATION
The truth is that minimizing marketing dollars more often than not leads to
disjointed messaging (visual and otherwise)
wonky websites that are difficult and expensive to update
slow organizational growth
difficulties generating donations or event/program ticket sales
If it’s true that skimping on design and marketing can hurt a nonprofit, it makes sense then that doing the opposite can help a nonprofit meet its goals. How, exactly, you ask?
HOW INVESTING IN DESIGN HELPS
A strong, well-designed visual brand that effectively tells your organization’s story can:
garner attention – great design cuts through the clutter
make people remember your non profit – strong visuals are memorable
connect with your audience – compelling design evokes emotions
instill trust – well-designed materials communicate professionalism
clearly communicate important information – strong layout and design gets your most important ideas across quickly
Getting your audience to see, remember, trust, connect with and understand your organization helps them believe in and support your mission. Which helps you do more of the good work you do for people and the planet.
HOW BASALT EDUCATION FOUNDATION’S REBRAND HELPED IT GROW EXPONENTIALLY
Several years ago, my former business partners and I rebranded a small, local non-profit that raises money to enhance the public schools in the community. For the most part, they’d consisted of a small group of volunteers who put on one annual event, the Taste of Basalt. We developed a completely new identity for the group and then rebranded their event.
The very next year, the Taste of Basalt doubled its sponsorship income and raised twice as much money overall! The profile of the event was significantly raised, and it has more than sold out every year since then.
Admittedly, the organization did additional work to grow (adding board members, trainings to improve the functioning of the board, etc.). But board members are quick to credit the more professional look of the organization’s materials combined with the more striking event design, too.
