will realize they need to rise to that challenge and be better at communicating their vision and purpose in the most compelling ways possible . As I said earlier , I started down this road in helping nonprofits after being very successful in marketing consumer products and services . After doing so for a while , I realized the voice of consumerism was extremely powerful and it was eroding the time and resources given to charity , faith , and human kindness . In 1994 I set out to be a counterbalance to these competitive forces and to help organizations already doing good to do more good .
Understand The Power Of Branding
A brand is simply a series of “ mental shortcuts ” for important audiences to communicate what their company , institution , or organization does , what it does well , and what makes it unique and different . Nike tells its customers to “ Just Do It .” Apple challenges their loyalists to “ Think Different .” And Harley Davidson promises their following “ Freedom .” ( Note : Harley is still the only brand where customers willingly tattoo their endorsements on their body .) One of the most powerful , “ power of a brand ” stories I tell is when I discuss this topic with college students . When I do , I often ask students to tell me the “ mental shortcut ” thoughts they have when I mention the brands “ Apple ” and “ Amazon .” They immediately begin shouting to me their answers with the excitement of kids yelling out their choice of flavors in an ice cream store . Once they ’ re done , I ask them : “ Did anyone think of the fruit or rain forest when I mentioned those words ?” Silence . At that point , they fully grasp the power of branding .
Become A Brand , Not Just An Organization
Top-level success and impact are most always associated with an organization ’ s ability to become a known brand . Therefore , it is critical that an organization can create a plan to manage and sustain a marketing and communications effort that grows your brand and , as a result , grows the good that you can do .
Touch ( and Manage ) Every Touchpoint
Make sure that your organization understands that every touchpoint within and from your organization is important . How your lobby looks , what your emails are like , what your voicemail message sounds like are key touchpoints . While I tend to be a big messaging guy , it never surprises me anymore how much impact the little touchpoints have on people and organizational success .
Understand You Need Both an Air Attack and Ground Attack
Winning the battle for the heart , mind and resources requires more than just a staff fundraising person . Deploying frequent , awareness building efforts to your approach to increasing attention and support is key to growing and doing more good . Fundraising is your ground attack , efforts you do to grow awareness ( social media , PR , marketing , etc .) are the air attack you need to create an environment for greater success .
35