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Like Your Mission, Your Brand Should Guide
Your Actions and Words - Nonprofit
By Paul Weber
As appeared the Jeffrey Byrne & Associates, Inc. Newsletter
In consumer marketing, the term “brand” permeates every discussion,
strategy and writing as companies attempt to manage consumers’
perceptions of their products and services. For nonprofits,
understanding what “brand” means and how to manage a brand is
equally as important, but often overlooked.
Simply put, a “brand” is determined by how consumers feel about a
product, service, organization or individual. Oprah is a “brand.”
The American Red Cross is a “brand.” Pepsi is a “brand.”
When people are asked to define how they feel about these entities,
the concept of “brand” begins to unfold. And for each of these
successful brands, careful management of words and actions helps
them position their brand in our minds. For nonprofits, brand
management must have the same focused attention.
In order to begin an effective brand management strategy, an
organization must first have a benchmark and understanding of their
current brand positioning. How does the community feel about the
organization? What key words and phrases come to mind when an
organization is mentioned to possible donors? Is it a positive or
negative perception? Fortunately, a properly conducted campaign
feasibility study – or Community Readiness Assessment– will not only
help a nonprofit understand their fundraising potential, it will
also help them better understand their brand.
An organization’s mission is often their brand statement, just in a
slightly different format. Consumer brands have the advantage of
large advertising budgets to influence how customers feel about
their products. The nonprofit community doesn’t enjoy such a luxury.
However, marketing books are littered with case histories of
consumer brands with large budgets that failed in articulating their
brand message. The failure is often found within the organization
and the lack of a dedicated effort to “live the brand.”
So how does this parallel discussion of consumer brands translate to
a nonprofit brand?
In order for a nonprofit to establish and manage brand identity, it
must begin at the highest levels of the organization. Brand
champions, beginning with the CEO and followed closely by board
members and development directors, must clearly articulate the
message. As brand champions, it is your responsibility to assure
that the mission permeates the organization in a few words and
phrases. This “brand positioning” must be succinct and repetitive in
every speech, letter and case statement a nonprofit creates.
Powerful words can’t be repeated too often. The essence of a living
a brand is to preach the brand – to everyone who will listen.
In Part One of our brand discussion we discussed how three small
words can determine if a brand message is clearly articulated. That
brief exercise is your starting point. Those three words expanded
into a clear and compelling brand message is then ready for an
organization to live and breathe. Repetition is the key to memory
and experiences shape our beliefs. To build a powerful brand, a
nonprofit must find the words and tell the story – through every
medium possible.
But a word of caution: Words are not enough. Your brand must be
“authentic.” Your organization must also “live the brand” through
your actions.
If your brand is “We help the needy,” you must demonstrate
compassion in how you relate to all who come to your door. An
organization with that brand that has plush offices and where the
receptionist can be heard turning away people in need without
helping them find other resources will not ring authentic with
visitors and potential donors.
As part of your efforts to develop and live your brand, perform an
environmental scan of what visitors, callers and others see and hear
when they contact your organization. Ask: Are our appeals
authentically communicating our sincere desire to live our mission,
our brand? Ask: Do my relations with Board leaders and other
volunteers communicate how we are dedicated to our mission and our
brand? Do our volunteers understand this, buy into our “brand,” and
help us live it through their community interactions? How can we
help them improve in this area?
Just as development can be everyone’s responsibility in your
organization, each and every staff member and volunteer can – and
should – be your “brand manager.” When you live your brand, you will
reap the rewards of vitality and greater donor involvement. Don’t
wait. You can start today with “three simple word.” Then get down to
the work of helping everyone in your organization “live your brand.”
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