Non-Profit Organizations & Guerrilla Marketing

So called Guerrilla Marketing has been a buzzword in small business circles for almost three decades, but now Guerrilla Marketing guru Jay Conrad Levinson has applied his ideas to the non-profit sector too. Here are a few tips culled from Levinson's book Guerrilla Marketing for Nonprofits.

Non-profit organizations develop low cost guerrilla marketing strategies in order to define their mission and boost the bottom line. Guerrilla marketers leverage bright ideas and hard work into cash flow from donors using combinations of research, technology and media. They foster relationships with donors in order to inspire trust insure long term success.

Non-profits focus their marketing strategy on their mission. Guerrilla non-profit marketers distill their message to it's essence to quickly and effectively communicate a mission statement to a well defined target audience. Successful non-profit marketers seek to take a leading position in their niche, owning the category. Focusing on a niche brings credibility, helps build an audience and separates a non-profit from the competition. Non-profits focus their marketing on a niche to build skills in their category, and improve the overall performance of the organization.

Non-profits conduct primary research in their niche to better serve their mission. They invest time and energy studying the people they want to reach. Knowledge gained from conducting original research delivers manifold benefits to the non-profit. Research helps define overall marketing strategy. Listening to constituents provides feedback that focuses the purpose of the non-profit and delivers a real-time picture of the current state of the organization. The best media choices and marketing mix come into focus based on what actually works. Non-profits conducting their own research gain insight into which programs and products set them apart from their competition.

Guerrilla non-profit marketers work to expand their relationships with their current donors. While it is important to attract new donors, the cost of doing business with current donors is less. Guerrilla non-profits stay in touch with donors and build trusting relationships with them, delivering the message that they have their best interests in mind. Financial information on the non-profit is shared with donors, instilling confidence. They are encouraged to feel personal fulfillment from their involvement with the non-profit organization. The goal is to increase donations while spending less on marketing.

Non-profit guerrilla marketers are tech savvy, embracing digital technologies in implementing marketing strategies. The message of the non-profit is condensed into an easy to understand meme that can be grasped instantly and passed on. The meme is tweeted, used in Facebook updates and incorporated into the overall marketing program. Contacts made in social media environments are channeled to the non-profit blog, website, or other digital location including a call to action. Online content is formatted so that it is easy to share, with social bookmark tabs and video embed codes included in posts.

Steve Lafler
Manx Media Custom TShirt Printing
503-213-3671