Successful Seminar at the Foundation Center

Howard Adam Levy spoke about Nonprofit Marketing on a Shoestring at the Foundation Center yesterday. He described the process for updating Friends of Karens’ brand and website and then interviewed Jill Gold, Friends of Karen’s Communications Coordinator. Marketing Consultant Nancy Schwartz opened the session with an overview of marketing for nonprofits.

10 Ways to Save Money on Your Marketing

1.   Be consistent to foster recognition. This will save your audience from having to “decode” your message every time they encounter your organization.

2.   Conduct your own research – do interviews over the phone and surveys online with Survey Monkey.

3.    Have a Brand Manual that features your message points and design templates so that you are not constantly re-inventing
the wheel when it comes to grant applications, newsletters, and other marketing.

4.    Use colors wisely. Digital printing typically becomes cost effective at quantities of 1,000.

5.    Get support online. Join a discussion forum on LinkedIn.

6.    Talk to your printer before you start your project — or better yet, at the beginning of the year, so they can find efficiencies.

7.    Tap into volunteers for marketing functions such as photography. You won’t know what you can get until you ask.

8.    Empower your board as brand ambassadors to speak about your organization. Give them the tools and make them aware
of this role.

9.  Make your fundraising event budget go further by adding “mission awareness” as part of your events so that donors
are aware of what your organization does.

10.   Plan your marketing for the year. It’s worth taking the time to determine your goals and the best way to reach them.

Howard Adam Levy discusses how Red Rooster Group developed Friends of Karen’s website. and then interviewed Jill Gold, Friends of Karen’s Communications Coordinator.

Read the full Nonprofit Branding Case Study on the Friends of Karen branding process.

Seminar on Fundraising Events

Toady, I conducted a seminar on Branding and Your Fundraising Event in conjunction with Peter Levinson, Owner of Levinson Block LLC. The session was part of the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits’ spring education series.

Held in New Haven, CT, the workshop helped nonprofits understand how to marry their mission with their fundraising event so that event attendees would leave the event as advocates for the organization. Using case studies for a house salon party, walk-a-thon, dinner gala, and conference-type events, we explained how an organization’s brand can inform the look of the marketing materials for the event, how to highlight the organization’s name so that donors know what event they are supporting, and ways to maximize your marketing budget,

A Few Takeaways:

  • Create a theme for your event that reinforces your mission.
  • Employ graphic techniques for establishing a consistent visual look for allmarketing materials for the event – from the invitation, to the journal, the emails, as well as the signs and presentation at the event.
  • Look for every opportunity to promote your mission and create a consistent brand.
  • Have your speakers reinforce your mission as part of the theme of their speech.
  • And don’t forget a podium sign with your logo!

The seminar can be adapted for different audiences and different lengths. To bring this session to your organization, contact Howard Levy at 212-673-9353 or howard@redroostergroup.com.

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Red Rooster Group IconRed Rooster Group is a New York based graphic design firm that creates effective brands, websites, and marketing campaigns to increase your visibility, fundraising, and communications effectiveness. Contact us at info@redroostergroup.com.