by Bill McKendry | Feb 18, 2020 | Bill McKendry, Branding, Marketing, Nonprofit, Nonprofit branding, Nonprofit marketing
Stop the LDG. Start to STP. Lunch, dinner, and golf (LDG) … just add sponsorship (of a child, runner, walker, biker, etc.) to the list, and I’ve probably covered the “strategic” underpinnings of most nonprofit marketing plans. The problem is that these... 
by Katie Appold | Oct 23, 2019 | Advertising, Branding, DoMoreGood, Marketing, Nonprofit, Nonprofit branding, Nonprofit marketing, Uncategorized
The Enemy of DO MORE GOOD Most consumer marketers know that having, and calling out, an enemy is part of a solid communications plan. A 2015 Ad Age article (called “Hey Brands: Every Great Story Needs an Enemy”) highlighted Steve Jobs’ disdain for IBM as an invaluable... by Katie Appold | Sep 12, 2019 | Branding, DoMoreGood, Faith-based, faith-based branding, Inspiration, Marketing, Nonprofit, Nonprofit branding, Nonprofit marketing
One of the direct takeaways from the 2019 Giving USA Report was provided by Nonprofit Quarterly following an interview with Dr. Patrick Rooney from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Most nonprofits will have to work harder in 2019. Giving in 2019 thus far is... by Bill McKendry | Aug 13, 2019 | Bill McKendry, Branding, Marketing, Nonprofit, Nonprofit branding, Nonprofit marketing
“Ready, Aim, Fire.” vs. “Ready, Fire, Aim.” When an organization deploys tactics before putting energy into segmentation and targeting strategies, impatience is really driving its development approach. And that impatience can lead not only to... by Bill McKendry | Jul 22, 2019 | Branding, Marketing, Nonprofit, Nonprofit branding, Nonprofit marketing
Return on Investment — and Impact I’ve long advocated that nonprofits take a page from the playbook of successful brands: View dollars spent on marketing as an investment, not an expense. It’s a simple principle — smart and sustained investments in... by Bill McKendry | Jun 30, 2019 | Marketing, Nonprofit, Nonprofit marketing
What your organization provides defines its “product.” Most nonprofits believe they’re not in the product game. So they prefer to refer to themselves as service providers or humanitarian organizations. Yet everyone seems to be talking recently about how... by Bill McKendry | Jun 10, 2019 | Nonprofit, Nonprofit branding, Nonprofit marketing, Uncategorized
A 2017 article by Ironpaper provided stats related to the challenge of nonprofit communications, with specific attention to the digital age we’re in. One of the most insightful stats is that 53% of nonprofit marketers feel challenged to produce engaging content.... by Bill McKendry | May 28, 2019 | Bill McKendry, Branding, Marketing, Nonprofit, Nonprofit branding, Nonprofit marketing
Fundraising adds. Marketing multiplies. Many nonprofits substitute the word fundraising when they speak of their marketing efforts. Many more nonprofits use fundraisers exclusively in their marketing efforts, and that mentality is, oddly enough, limiting their ability... by Bill McKendry | May 14, 2019 | Branding, faith-based branding, Marketing, Nonprofit, Nonprofit branding, Nonprofit marketing
The question your messaging begins with will likely determine the results. Years ago, author Simon Sinek released a leadership book titled Start With Why. His hope was to help people encourage others to do things that inspire them — and maybe even change the... by Bill McKendry | May 4, 2019 | Branding, Nonprofit, Nonprofit branding, Nonprofit marketing
Howard Schulz, founder of Starbucks, was once asked how he built one of the world’s largest brands with virtually no advertising. After all, brands usually become brand names by promoting themselves through massive and expensive media campaigns. Schultz’s... by Bill McKendry | Apr 22, 2019 | Bill McKendry, Branding, faith-based branding, Nonprofit, Nonprofit branding, Nonprofit marketing
A good brand personality helps to do more good. I’ve said it before: brand personality is one of seven key elements of a brand. And while I’ve described an organization’s brand promise as the linchpin that holds all these separate key elements... 