More than 55% of nonprofits
are frustrated by lack of resources and leadership
support for marketing, but only 37% do the tracking
that generates increased budgets and confidence
Newly released survey findings drawn from 350
nonprofit communicators show that few nonprofits
track the results of their marketing, and this
prevents them from being able to demonstrate
the effectiveness of their efforts to reach
critical audiences.
"Many nonprofits have no idea what's working
and what's not, or how to target their resources,"
says Nancy Schwartz, blogger at Getting Attention
(www.gettingattention.org)
and president of Nancy Schwartz & Company
(www.nancyschwartz.com),
who conducted the survey. "Nonprofits that
don't evaluate are basically throwing their
marketing resources into thin air. Evaluation
should be built into every marketing budget
and job description."
The 2007 Getting Attention Nonprofit Marketing
Survey investigated strategies and effectiveness
in the field. Schwartz sees tracking effectiveness
as the path to securing critical budget increases
and leadership support. While evaluation is
challenging, she says, "It is just as crucial
as getting campaigns out there."
Evaluation options, according to Schwartz,
include the purely qualitative - such as a communications
audit and audience research via focus groups
- and the quantitative - such as counts of unique
visitors to different Web landing pages or advocates
who e-mail their representatives in response
to an e-campaign.
Funders have also started to ask that grantees
evaluate marketing impact.
Bruce Trachtenberg, Executive Director of The
Communications Network (an association of communicators
who primarily work for and with foundations),
says, "If grantees receive support to help
them expand their reach, grow and extend their
services, or better position themselves to catch
the attention of new donors, advocates or volunteers,
the only way they can show that this money is
being well used is to track and assess the results
of their marketing efforts."
Survey respondent Claire Steigner, development
officer for Father Bill's Place, says she needs
to know which communications are most effective
for each of her target audiences - donors, community
partners, and volunteers. "That's the only
way we can market effectively to each audience,
especially with limited resources."
Jennifer Vick, communications consultant and
former Resource Development and Communications
Manager of ARC of East Central Iowa, says measuring
communication impact is a challenge. "I
can easily report my outputs - how many PSA's
were sent, brochures handed out, articles placed
- but without impact data it’s hard to
establish benchmarks."
More key findings:
Marketing Successes in 2006
- surpassing fundraising goals
- gaining leadership buy-in
- finalizing pithy messaging that is used
consistently
- launching a communications calendar
Major Barriers for Nonprofit Marketers
in 2006
- over 55% of communicators cite lack of resources
and/or leadership support as major challenge
- 32% cited lack of clarity in messaging
and marketing agenda
- 52% are frustrated at missing fundraising,
media coverage or other marketing goals
Marketing Agendas 2007 - Over 55%
of nonprofit communicators are focusing on:
- targeting campaigns to specific audience
segments
- integrating confusing communications silos
so program and organizational marketing is
coordinated with fundraising, membership and
volunteer communications
- evaluating impact
- training colleagues, volunteers and board
members on marketing plans and messages
- experimenting with Web 2.0 social networking
channels to find out what works, and what
doesn't - from MySpace to podcasts and video
blogs
The above analysis is based on data submitted
by communicators working in or with over 350
nonprofit organizations and foundations in a
broad range of issue areas from civil rights
to homelessness. The survey is the first in
what will be an annual study of trends, successes
and benchmarks in nonprofit marketing.
More detail on survey results at www.nancyschwartz.com/2007_nonprofit_marketing_survey.html
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About the Getting Attention Blog and
Nancy Schwartz
The Getting Attention blog and e-newsletters
(www.gettingattention.org)
are no-charge, high-value sources of ideas,
tactics, and tips for nonprofit communicators
focused on helping their organizations succeed
through effective marketing. Publisher and Editor
Nancy Schwartz also provides nonprofit marketing
services via Nancy Schwartz & Company. (www.nancyschwartz.com)
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