Non-Profit Marketing: 5 Reasons Why Branding Can’t Wait
If asked to rank their current and future needs, many managers of
non-profit organizations would likely place branding at the bottom of the list. If asked why, some might reply: “I can’t afford to undertake a major branding effort right now.” That’s the wrong answer. In today’s competitive funding environment branding, or communicating the character or purpose of an organization, is more important than ever.
Developing or revamping a non-profit’s brand can have many benefits. Some of the most significant include increased donations and membership. Given this, can any non-profit afford not to do it? Following are five reasons why branding just can’t wait.
Reason #1: Branding Instills Discipline
Any branding effort should begin with a careful analysis of whether an
organization’s mission is truly aligned with its activities. Is the organization
delivering on its promises? If it isn’t, it has a big problem. Non-profits that have strong brands do what they say and say what they do. A branding effort can help a wayward organization correct its course.
Reason #2: Effective Branding Improves Clarity
Potential funders and members are more willing to donate time and money
to organizations they understand and support. A non-profit with a strong brand will have an easier time communicating its mission and value.
Reason #3: Branding Increases Quality
Organizations with weak brands often deliver poor service. Those that
provide high quality products and services have strong brands and
intense customer loyalty. Undergoing a branding effort can force a
non-profit to carefully evaluate the quality of its offerings and
improve where necessary.
Reason #4: Branding Can Motivate Staff and Volunteers
Staff and volunteers that identify with and support an organization’s
mission are more motivated and engaged. Organizations with strong brands are in a better position to inspire and activate these important human resources.
Reason #5: Branding Benefits A Non-Profit’s Constituents
A non-profit’s constituents can only benefit from an organization that has a clear mission, high-quality service and motivated staff or volunteers. This is the number-one reason organizations should consider undertaking a branding effort.
Clearly branding is critically important. Non-profits can’t afford to neglect this important activity if they want to ensure they are operating and communicating as efficiently and clearly as possible.
January 25th, 2006 at 11:02 am
All of your reasons are valid, especially your observation about the discipline imposed by branding. Yet there are so many things that nonprofits “can’t afford to neglect” that they do neglect, because they can’t afford it.
What is the annual investment required to maintain a brand at a national level? At a local level? It seems to me that this is what would establish the size of organization for which branding is a realistic option. Organizations that fall below this threshold of investment have to consider the strategic alternatives, namely merger into a larger organization.
Would you agree?
January 26th, 2006 at 6:00 pm
Hi underalms. Thanks so much for your substantive comments and for reading my post so carefully.
First, I’d like to say that I believe that branding is a realistic option for all organizations, no matter their size and resources. Obviously, larger organizations will be able to commit more resources to a branding effort, but basic branding activities should not be neglected simply because there is a perception that they are too expensive. Following is a brief listing of the types of branding activities (organized by categories) that organizations of different sizes can engage in.
A Branding Activity That Requires Few Resources
-Ensuring that the organization’s mission is consistent with its activities (i.e., focus group testing, constituent interviews)
A Branding Activity That Requires Moderate Resources
-Clarifying the organization’s mission statement, developing new materials (i.e., internal brainstorming sessions [potentially with the assistance of a consultant]; developing new brochures that communicate the organization’s key messages)
A Branding Activity That Requires Significant Resources
-Changing the organization’s name and collatoral materials (i.e., developing a new Web site, creating a new logo, developing new brochures, communicating changes to constituents via media and other channels)
Given my perspective on this issue, I don’t think that organizations that can’t afford a signiifcant branding (or rebranding) effort should merge with another organization. Rather, a merger should be considered if two organizations’ operations overlap and cost-savings could be realized by a merger. For example, if two organizations are serving the same constituents and competing for scarce resources, they may want to consider a merger.
I hope this answers your questions. Please let me know if you’d like me to clarify anything else.