Does your nonprofit have an original name and tagline? Do you provide unique services? Is your website nicely formatted and user-friendly? Are you effectively interacting with your audience? To be a leading nonprofit, you must confidently check off all of these questions to ensure you are the go-to organization for your cause.
As a new marketing intern for Red Rooster Group, one of my tasks was to conduct a competitive analysis for a prospective client. For each organization, I put myself in the shoes of someone who would heavily rely on the site for information, services, and programs. With this third-party perspective, I saw “blind spots” in marketing that the organization, donors, and partners missed. Below are the key points I observed.
Memorable Taglines Are a Must
Many of the organization’s names were similar and their taglines didn’t help to differentiate them. In our blog post, “How a Competitive Review Can Give Your Nonprofit an Edge,” we emphasize the importance of a catchy tagline. One, “Transforming Lives Today!” can relate to almost anything, so it’s imperative to include your organization’s cause and/or mission (along with an eye-catching logo).
Choose Quality Over Quantity
An organization that offers many services and programs may waste time and money by implementing them poorly. If donors feel that the nonprofit isn’t utilizing its resources well, they won’t donate to the organization again. In this case, no one benefits. I noticed that when an organization had one or two very helpful programs, it was more “successful” in my eyes than an organization that had many, less useful programs. Providing unique services in an efficient manner will help you stay ahead of your competition.
Websites Shouldn’t Be Mazes
Your website can make or break a person’s decision about using your organization as a resource or donating to it. Every organization should be mindful of their viewer’s time, and make searching as easy as 1, 2, 3. It is extremely frustrating to feel like you’re trapped in a maze trying to navigate through a website. I felt as if I couldn’t rely on the organization, which is extremely detrimental to an organization that actually has the capacity to provide resources, time and information to people in need. Nonprofits whose websites are easy to navigate and up to date have a competitive advantage over others.
Bigger Doesn’t Always Mean Better
When researching our client’s competitors, one large organization stood out. However, the more research I did, I noticed that it was less engaged with its audience. In fact, almost everyone who had questions or comments for it were left unanswered. One smaller organization resonated with me because it responded to any questions or comments on its website and social media platforms in less than 24 hours, with helpful information and links to resources.
No matter the cause, all nonprofit organizations want to make the world a better place. Following these tips and knowing where your nonprofit fits is a huge short- and long-term advantage to the growth and sustainability of your organization.
By Natalie Glaser, a marketing intern at Red Rooster Group, working with clients on marketing strategies.
