Your brand is the first touchpoint potential donors have with your mission and organization. That doesn't just mean your logo—branding reflects everything in your marketing efforts, from your website to your direct mail appeals.
Branding for nonprofits is different from branding for a for-profit organization: it needs to get across a multitude of messaging that explains who you are, your core values, and why your mission matters. There are several ways to accomplish this.
Having an eye-catching brand will help you stand out amongst other organizations with similar objectives. Brands need a personality and solid positioning strategy to convey relatability, and aid in growth and longevity. Crafting an impressive logo will also help you achieve this.
When designing a logo, make sure you keep in mind what your mission and vision are. Brainstorm words, colors, symbols, or images that reflect what your organization is and does to help you with this process.
Defining who you are and the goals you want to achieve will help you narrow down your target audience. It's important to know who your ideal potential donors are when building your brand.
The easiest way to gain trust is by ensuring your brand messaging is donor-centric: focus on the donors' wants and needs as it relates to your organization. You can accomplish this by telling authentic stories about how their donations or volunteer efforts have made an impact by incorporating a mix of compelling visuals. Using video or imagery, you can not only show, but explain how their contributions have generated positive change.
Don't be afraid to push boundaries when it comes to your brand efforts. Utilize a variety of mediums to get your message out there, be that social media, community outreach efforts, or online fundraising events.
Consider partnering with like-minded organizations on your next fundraising campaign, encourage donors and stakeholders to share your success stories, or design personalized products to increase your brand awareness. Keep an eye on emerging technologies to see if they fit in with your brand goals and utilize them when or where they apply.
Crafting a brand that has clear and concise messaging across all mediums will help garner the best return for your nonprofit organization now and in the years to come.
Want to discover ways to increase your brand awareness?