5 Essential Marketing Tools for Nonprofits

Every business needs good marketing tools. For nonprofits, the right tools might be more critical than ever.

When you look for the right marketing tools for nonprofits, you want something inexpensive, effective, and easy to use. After all, the more of your funds you can funnel toward the work you do, the more effective your organization is.

Interestingly, you may already be using some of the best marketing tools for nonprofits. The question is, are you using them effectively? Your smartphone and your social media channels are incredibly powerful marketing resources, but too many nonprofits aren’t taking advantage of them in a way that maximizes their potential.

Increase donations online by promoting a catchy hashtag, then keep track of your efforts by displaying everyone’s social posts in your office and on your website.

A more effective way to use marketing tools for nonprofits

1. Your smartphone

Even if you don’t have a smartphone, there’s a good chance someone in your office does, and that puts the power of live marketing literally in your hands. Take pictures and videos with your phone to post on your social media platforms.

Here’s a great example from the Hawaiian Humane Society, sharing the energy and excitement of a dog adoption event. It works, too. The society has around 2,500 followers on Twitter, yet this video received over 4,100 likes, 1,300 Retweets, and dozens of positive comments.

It’s interesting to note, also, that there’s nothing technically special about this video. It’s just a simple, amateur smartphone video. But as a nonprofit, the Hawaiian Humane Society can capture and share what they do, and what it means.

And not only did they use a smartphone to take the video, but they also posted it to Twitter from their phone, which brings us to the next of our marketing tools for nonprofits.

2. Twitter

If you don’t have Twitter for your nonprofit, set up an account right now. Then be sure to download the app onto your phone, so you can post neat things like the aforementioned video. Twitter is a quick and easy way to interact with your audience no matter where they are.

Use a service like Buffer to schedule Tweets, and interact in real time with your followers and other like-minded nonprofits. Too many nonprofits post on Twitter, but never interact with anyone, and that’s where they fail. To engage an audience, you have to communicate, Retweet, like Tweets, comment on statuses. Social media is a two-way street.

And in case you’d like the hard numbers, according to Nonprofits Source, 77% of Twitter users feel more positive about a brand that replies to them, 60% of users expect brands to respond to Tweets within an hour, and 55% of people who engage with a nonprofit on Twitter take some action.

Oh, and when people donate, it’s a good idea to give them a thank you call, which brings us to the next marketing tool.

3. Your office (or other quiet place to make calls)

That’s right. Set up a call center in your office, and you have another useful marketing tool. There’s nothing like a personal “thank you” call to make your donors feel appreciated. Yes, it’s the right thing to do, but it’s also a smart thing to do.

It’s estimated that a nonprofit will lose 81% of its donors after their first donation. That’s a lot of funding to lose! But not only will a simple call help you retain donors, it can increase your average donation. In fact, donors who receive a thank you call give, on average, 39% more than those who don’t get a call.

You don’t need to do anything extensive or complicated, just make the call, say thank you for the gift, and move on. This isn’t the time to ask for another donation; you’ll have plenty of opportunity for that. Don’t think you have time to make phone calls? Maybe you don’t, but your volunteers do.

4. Your volunteers

Don’t overlook how important your volunteer force is to the success of your nonprofit. While you focus on your role within the organization, let your volunteers make thank you calls, write social media updates (that you can then approve or edit), or work on marketing materials.

Remember, too, that your volunteers are out in the community. Encourage them to spread the word about your organization and share why they are drawn to the work.

5. Email

Email is an easy way to reach out to your supporters. Companies like MailChimp make it especially easy to set up a beautiful template, and they give you reports that tell you how many people opened your email, how many clicked through, and how many forwarded your email. And it’s free for low volume users.

Why should you send emails? Nonprofits Source notes that event fundraisers who send over 15 emails can expect to raise 76% more than nonprofits who neglect that task. And since email is a free way to market your nonprofit, there’s no downside. You can even set up a template during your downtime so it’s ready to customize and use whenever you need it.

These might not be the most expected marketing tools for nonprofits, but the fact is you probably already have them, they’re easy to use (which saves you time), and if you use them to their full potential, each one is a powerful part of your overall marketing strategy.