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May, 2004 -by Peter C.
Brinckerhoff
This Month's topic:
Online Marketing
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| This Month's Topic: Online Marketing |
Each month, this area provides with a
number of my favorite and most helpful sites regarding the topic of the month.
|
Management
Tip of the Month
Each issue, I start with a discussion
of my management perspective on the month's topic, and give you a few hands-on
ideas to consider. |
|
Recommended Publications
Here, I provide you with my
recommendations on the best printed materials available that can help you
become more mission-capable in the area of online
marketing. |
Technology
I provide you with some good ideas for
marketing software, and some suggested uses of the tech to better your
organization in the area of online marketing.
|
|
Marketing
Tip
So much to say, so little space to say
it.....
|
Next
Issue
In May, we'll look at issues surrounding
Organizational Transparency. |
Websites of the
Month
This section includes websites of interest on this
month's topic. I urge you to give each a look, as they often cover different
areas or have a different focus on the topic area..
| Helpful Websites for Online Marketing |
| NPower is
a great place to start with your tech and marketing needs. |
www.npower.org/tools/index.htm |
| Techsoup
brings donated hardware and software to nonprofits. If you need additional
hardware for your marketing efforts, look here. |
www.techsoup.org/stock/default.asp |
| Ebase is
a free set of tech tools for nonprofits. Fees are charged for TA, but the
systems are pretty good and well rated. The site is worth visiting-also check
out the link to "TechAtlas" |
www.ebase.org/ |
| Email
surveys only work if linked to HTML There are online services for this-some
of these provide free surveys if small. |
www.createsurvey.com/
www.zoomerang.com/
www.advancedsurvey.com/ |
Back to
Top
Management Tip of the Month
Marketing, Mission, and Management:
Where's the Balance?
If you have ever heard me speak, been to my
website, or read my books, you know how crucial I think marketing is: it should
be one of the foundations of any successful mission-based organization. But it
should never be the organization. Marketing is a tool (even though a
very important tool) in pursuit of mission. "Mission, mission, mission" is the
first rule of all not-for-profits.
As a mission-based manager, you need to keep a lot
of things in balance: board and staff, money and mission, resources and
community needs. There are three keys in the management area when it comes to
marketing, particularly when it comes to online marketing. First, we need to
meet the wants of our constituencies, and more and more they want to find out
about us online. Second, the more transparent we can be the better, and online
marketing can help that . Third and most important: just like any other
action/decision or resource allocation, actions we take in our online marketing
should enhance our ability to provide mission.
While you may have started this issue thinking I was
only going to talk about attracting donations and customers online, one of the
key parts of good online marketing is to meet a need most not-for-profits have:
to increase the number of younger (30 and under) board members, volunteers,
staff, and yes, donors.
Here is the truth: People in this age group get
everything online. If you want them to learn about how to
volunteer, or donate, or be on a committee, or come to an event, all of that
information must be on your website. That's where that age group (read: target
market) goes for its information.
So online marketing is about more that just a
website, or an email listing. It's about understanding what markets you are
targeting and meeting them where they are, finding out what they want and
giving it to them to the extent you can. Just like in all your other
marketing. As a manager, if you adopt that attitude, online marketing will
work. If you don't, no marketing , high-tech or low will succeed for
you.
NOTE: Next month's issue will focus on
Transparency, and in October, I'll show you how to attract more 30 and under
staff, donors, and volunteers.
If you found this hint helpful, there are
lots more management, marketing, and technology ideas for you in the "Ideas"
section at www.missionbased.com.
Check them out--they're free.
Back to
Top
Print Resources
Here are my recommendations for your review
in the area of online marketing. There are literally dozens of of good
titles, some general, some very, very focused. After you look at these, type in
"nonprofit marketing" into the Amazon search block on the left, and you will
see what I mean about wonderful choices!
My top recommendations in online marketing
are shown below. You will see that three are specifically for not-for-profits,
three are for small business. All have lots to offer you and your
organization.
If you want more information on these
recommendations, click on the cover image and you will go the page about the
book on Amazon.com. There, you can look at more info about the book, and read
some reviews before you decide whether or not to purchase or look for this book
at your local library.
Note: If you want more
recommendations on publications in a wide variety of areas, including nonprofit
marketing, go to the publications section of my website:
www.missionbased.com/publications.htm
Again, If you don't find enough choices there, type
"nonprofit marketing " in the Amazon.com search box on the left hand
side of the page and you'll have more choices than you probably
want!
Back to
Top
Technology Ideas .
Online Marketing and Technology
Here are some ideas for you as you pursue
your online marketing.
Software:Software for marketing online
includes of course, your website development tools, but also some more specific
things, such as surveying and development. Remember the basics of software
shopping:
First, check websites of the vendor. Most reputable
vendors will allow you to download and try a sample version. Look at the
features. Does the software track the things you need tracked, does it have the
capacity for the number transactions, functions, and accounts you need now or
project to need over the next 3 years?
Remember that many software sets come with the
option to add on different kinds of functions, including online capabilities.
Check to see if your current software can add capabilities that meet your
growing needs before you buy something else.
Talk to peers about what they are using. Talk to
your state and national trade association, and see if they recommend certain
products or, better yet, can provide you with discounts on purchase.
Finally, make very, very, very sure about the level
of tech support that the vendor provides. Are there local tech experts who are
certified by the manufacturer that can help? Does the manufacturer provide an
online chat option for support? Ask other users of the product how they have
found support.
SOFTWARE LISTING
Here is a great list of all kinds of nonprofit
software--including marketing and fund-raising.
www.nonprofitexpert.com/nonprofit_software.htm
SURVEY SOFTWARE:
Survey software for developing and administering
online surveys. The great thing about these packages is that the data analysis
is done automatically and reports are generated for you--hourly, daily,
weekly.
www.perseusdevelopment.com
www.confirmit.com
www.surveymonkey.com
MARKETING PLANNING SOFTWARE: The best
software I have found is from PaloAlto.com
www.paloalto.com
Look at Market Plan Pro and Advertising
Plan Pro Both include dozens of sample plans. Software is direct, flexible,
and easy to use. Not focused on online marketing alone, but a good package
If you found this hint helpful, there are lots more
management, marketing, and technology ideas for you in the "Ideas" section at
www.missionbased.com. Check them
out--they're free.
Back to
Top
Training
Schedule for Peter Brinckerhoff
Below you'll see the date, location, and topics of
training I'm scheduled to do in the next few weeks. For more information on a
particular speaking engagement, get in touch with the contact person listed in
the right hand column, or email me.
For more information on my availability throughout
the next 12-18 months, available topics, sample agendas, and fees go to
www.missionbased.com/training.htm
Marketing Tip
Marketing and marketing online.
As I indicated in my "Management Tip"
above, online marketing is really an an extension of your other marketing
efforts, but not just a repeat of those efforts. It is not a substitute for
good market research, it is not a substitute for a marketing plan. Your website
should not just duplicate your written materials in HTML.
Savvy marketers
realize that websites, email and e-newsletters can help round out your
marketing efforts. But the basic principles of marketing still apply-or the
effort will not succeed. Who are we marketing to? What do they want? How can we
give it to them in a way that they want it? Sound old hat? It is, but these
questions should drive your online marketing efforts, just like they do your
off-line activities.
Here are some things to think about:
- Can I target our website efforts--not only to
people who will use our services, but to volunteers, board members (both
current and prospective), funders, donors, and staff? Websites offer the
ability to very inexpensively target very specific sub-groups.
- Can I use our website to educate our community,
or staff, our funders about issues important to us beyond just what we do to
deal with the issue. For example, if you deal with broken families, can you
point people to information on prevention and early intervention?
- Do I offer easy ways for people to donate to
us? Do we accept credit cards or PayPal donations? Are there simple ways for
people to get in touch with our development staff for further information?
- Is our website accessible to people with
sensory disabilities?
- Is our website available in multiple languages
(if there are multi-lingual markets we are targeting)?
- Does every webpage include ways to get in touch
with specific, named staff members for follow up by both direct phone
and direct email?
- Are all of our events (board meetings, staff
meetings, open houses, etc.) listed on our website? Do we post agendas so
people can know what will be discussed? Do we post minutes or proceedings after
meetings?
- Is the website checked for currency (of links
and events) at least once a week?
- Can we do more surveying online? If we do so,
do we neglect people who can't get online?
- Should we start/expand an e-newsletter? If so,
what's our target market and the purpose of the newsletter?
Remember, marketing is a mission tool. Online
marketing is a marketing venue, but not a marketing panacea. Stick to the
basics and use all the tools at your disposal, including the wonderful
opportunities of marketing online, and you will enhance your ability to pursue
and provide good mission.
If you want to see more about this in detail,
take a look at more about my book
Mission-Based Marketing; Second
Edition
If you found this hint helpful, there are lots
more management, marketing, and technology ideas for you in the "Ideas" section
at www.missionbased.com. Check them
out--they're free.
Back to
Top
Future Topics in 2004
for the Mission-Based Management Newsletter....
| June |
Transparency |
| July |
Start-up |
| August |
Governance |
| September |
Political
Activities |
| October |
Increasing
Involvement of Younger Staff, Board, and Volunteers |
| November |
Outcome
Measurement |
| December |
Life-Long
Learning |
| Send me
your topic suggestions at peter@missionbased.com |
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Copyright 2006,
Corporate Alternatives, inc. |
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