Why Content Marketing is the New Fundraiser and Recruiter

I’ve talked previously about finding out who you are and the magical formula of brand focus. Every person, company, organization, and group has a focus they must develop and devote their resources to for their goals to be achieved. Money is a big resource that is obviously important. Non-profits need money to further their cause and sustain themselves as they service the world. However, if you are not creating shareable content, you are doing yourself and your cause a disservice.

Content marketing is a crucial tool for profit and non-profit organizations. To create a lasting and sustainable impact, you have to convert people from bystanders to ambassadors. It’s about more than just asking for money. If people know nothing about who you are, what you do, why, or for whom, they have no motivation to contribute in any way. Growth comes from maintaining the investment of current donors and volunteers while adding new donors and volunteers to that number. You need to be creating content that tells a compelling story, highlighting your cause and the need you satisfy. The more you connect with people and communities, the greater your chances of achieving maximum visibility.

Your content needs to be providing value. Whether it’s in the form of entertainment, education, or information, your content should be worth the time it takes to view or read. Time is a resource more important than money. Neither should be wasted. Create content that speaks to each part of the journey from bystander to ambassador. Before we champion any cause, we are unaware or uninterested. Something we see, watch, read, or experience changes our perception and inspires us to get involved. Whether that involvement is just financial or is through volunteering, we become a new agent of positive change. Nothing creates new agents quite like quality and relevant content.

Ideas for content:

• A video series sharing the stories of those you’ve helped.
• Photo or video that outlines the cause and why it’s important. (NOTE: It is much easier for people to ignore a problem when they aren’t looking at it or its consequences. Show is better than tell.)
• Use community generated content to highlight the great work being done.
• “Thank You” videos celebrating each milestone achieved.
• Utilize SnapChat to create a Story surrounding a single day in the life of your mission.
• Create a short film telling the history of the organization as well as the cause.

Investing in your marketing is just as important for non-profit groups as it is for other companies, if not moreso. Many of the same techniques companies use to promote their products and further the footprint of their brand should be applied by non-profits as well. If you want to be seen as an authority in a given field, you must put together the right visual brand identity and create quality content to share.

~b.

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