The magic in learning from other sectors
For decades, nonprofits and businesses have each held their own best practices around communications and marketing. In fact, though the tactics are often similar and the goals essentially the same, the field is even called two different things: In business, it’s called marketing, and in the nonprofit world, it’s called communication.
While this might seem appropriate and even helpful, as someone who’s worked in for-profits, nonprofits, and even cooperatives, my experience shows me that understanding the marketing communication strategies of other sectors can give you a tremendous leg up.
Let me give you an example. In the nonprofit sector, there are rarely customers. Instead, there are the people the nonprofit serves (often called clients or participants), and then there are the donors, who help fund the work the nonprofit does.
Because donors are often giving money without receiving a specific product or service in return, it would be easy to discount traditional marketing and sales techniques as effective ways to reach donors.
But, what if we compared donors and customers, in terms of what motivates them to spend their dollars?
Customers are looking to fill a need, usually in the form of a product or service. Donors are also looking to fill a need, either within their own hearts, on their taxes, or within their community.
Customers need to understand the value of what they’re paying for. Donors also—profoundly—need to understand the value of their donation.
Customers want to feel connected to the business they’re buying from in some way. Donors also want to feel connected to the nonprofit they’re donating to.
Customers need to feel appreciated while also feeling like they can trust the business they’re patronizing. Donors need to feel the same things.
The transactional model is different, but customers and donors aren’t all that different.
And yet, there has long since been stigma in the nonprofit world about treating donors like customers. We don’t want to think of our communications as marketing, our prospective donors as leads, or our donor stewardship efforts as a funnel.
Similarly, there are so many excellent business marketing techniques out there that we forget other sectors may have something new to offer. We see the nonprofit sector as touchy-feely, nebulous, and scrappy.
Having worked in both sectors, as well as the weird middle ground that is cooperatives, I know that there are loads of secrets to be unlocked. Applying best practices across sectors gives you a deeper understanding of your audience and what makes them tick.
In the coming months I’ll be uncovering these secrets, and showing you new ways to approach marketing and communications (or, as I like to say for all sectors, MarCom) in your business or nonprofit. Stay tuned!
Magic is on its way. ✨