Maketing in the Not-for-Profit Sector

More than 55% of not-for-profit organizations are frustrated by a lack of resources and leadership support for marketing, but only 37% do the tracking [or measurement of marketing activities and outcomes] that generates increased budgets and leadership confidence.

Source: eMediaWire

The short article advises to do the following to get on track:

• Target campaigns to specific audience segments.
• Coordinate fundraising, membership and volunteer communications.
• Evaluate campaign impacts.
• Train colleagues, volunteers and board members on marketing plans and messages.
• Experiment with Web 2.0 social networking channels.

And never forget the six most important words in marketing, "How did you hear about us?"

This interesting, yet troubling, statistic from eMediaWire was presented in "Discovery" magazine, a publication for YMCA board members, volunteers and staff. I've been getting this quarterly magazine (it comes to my home) for about a year now. It is an interesting publication, filled with profiles of successful programs, statistics like the one shown here, and issue articles that explore opportunities or challenges for YMCA.

What do you send your board members (or volunteers), other than a dull packet with minutes from their last meeting?

Marketing’s Magic Bullet?

To follow-up on Skip’s post below, too often businesses look for the magic bullet when it comes to marketing. Executives want the “one trick” that will have people lining down the block to buy whatever it is their organization is selling.

The real trick, however, is knowing there’s no such thing. Like the YMCA, many businesses will hemorrhage funds and chase their tails for years before realizing that successful marketing requires a layered approach.

From the church that wonders why one postcard mailing didn’t fill the pews, to the retail business owner who learns the hard way that “word of mouth” is not a communications strategy, business’ graveyard is filled with tales of single-tactic marketing “plans.”

So kudos to the marketing geniuses at the Y, and to Skip, who no doubt was among the architects of their triumphant, multi-layered campaign.

YMCA Ten Thousand

The YMCA of the Kanawha Valley is a wonderful community organization. I've been a member for a long time, and I am also a member of its board of directors. As such, I have had the pleasure and privilege of leading a marketing and membership retention committee. This work enables me to collaborate with the talented staff of the YMCA, plus a cadre of talented and tireless business leaders from the community.

Here's the big news: recently the YMCA of the Kanawha Valley hit a new, all-time high membership number. As of the end of March, there were 10,000 members across its three branches. This has been a long-time goal for the YMCA, one that has never before been achieved.

"How did they do it," you might wonder?

What was the one thing that put them over the hump? It was not one thing. It was a combination of things that led to success. The power of a strategic marketing plan enabled the YMCA to reach its goal of 10,000 members. In December 2006, the staff began implementation of a strategic marketing plan that the marketing committee had created and the board had approved. That strategic marketing plan, assembled over the course of six weeks, included the following tactics:

• Three-part direct mail campaign
• Radio advertising
• New tailored, program offerings
• Web site redesign and integrated e-newsletter
• Segmentation of the market
• A special-price offer
• Television advertising
• Print advertising
• Special events

None of these tactics were new or revolutionary. What was different this year ... the thing that enabled the results ... was the fact that all of the effort, investment, energy and awareness (in fact all of the tactics) were aligned around a few common, concise, clearly defined goals.

As the marketing genius understands, this alignment, backed by planning & coordination, with its synergistic result, is the true power of marketing. While you are here, take a moment to check out the brand-new, gorgeous, content-rich YMCA Web site.