Is your nonprofit stuck in the past, or do you like to think your staff is more forward thinking? One easy way to tell is to look at how your organization approaches marketing and fundraising. Are you still relying on the same methods that nonprofits were using 20+ years ago, such as direct mail marketing, setting up booths at conferences and community fairs, cold calling, or putting on events? While some of these methods can yield favorable results, they are typically expensive and/or labor-intensive. Over the years, many organizations have come to realize that they don’t have the return on investment (ROI) that some other methods do—especially when you take into account the unpaid hours that your volunteers dedicate to these types of activities.
Forward-thinking nonprofit organizations are increasingly turning toward digital marketing and fundraising efforts, which typically require fewer man hours and less money than traditional methods. They are using multiple channels, such as email, social media, digital advertising, search engine optimization (SEO ) and more to put their organizations in front of potential clients, supporters, and volunteers, and many are finding the ROI to be better than they ever expected!
If your nonprofit hasn’t yet made the shift into the world of digital marketing and fundraising, the good news is that you haven’t missed the boat! You can dive in at any time.
Now, you might be thinking, “But we don’t have anyone on our team who knows anything about digital marketing and fundraising. Where would we even start?” Or you might be thinking, “We send out fundraising emails sometimes, be we don’t get great results.”
The most successful Charlotte-area nonprofits are likely working with a nonprofit marketing agency in Charlotte to provide guidance and expertise in the areas of digital marketing and fundraising, and even with the costs associated with using an agency like this, the ROI is still favorable. The key is to find a nonprofit marketing agency that will work within your budget. If your marketing and fundraising budget is small, look for an agency that will provide coaching and help you create a plan that your internal team can then execute on its own. If you have a larger budget, you can go with a nonprofit marketing agency in Charlotte that is full service and handles all marketing tasks on your behalf.
Whichever type of agency you choose, make sure they take the time to understand your nonprofit’s goals—because not every organization’s goals are the same. You also want to look for a nonprofit marketing agency in Charlotte that will provide you with measurable results so you can easily tell if you are getting the type of ROI you were hoping for.
