Ever wonder if marketing is really worth your time? All the effort, the planning, the writing, the strategizing. It can sometimes take hours to get it right. Consider this:
What’s the One Thing You Wish Marketing Could Do For You?
Think about your mission statement.
One nonprofit wants to make veterans “badass” first responders. Another wants to build literacy for the underserved.
What’s your mission? Why is your organization – be it nonprofit or for profit or public sector – here on the planet? Where does marketing fit into your picture of a better world?
What one important outcome do you want this big concept of ‘marketing’ to achieve?
- Inform stakeholders?
- Increase client engagement?
- Bring in new donors?
- Maybe get your organization on the front page of the local paper?
Who Are You Working So Hard For?
That’s it. Start right there. Is there one client or program participant who made you realize why you do what you do? The one who makes the long hours worth it.
That’s who you’re working for. That’s who you’re hoping to help. That’s who you’re marketing for.
What Do the Numbers Say?
Here’s where you might want to experiment.
Take a snapshot of your “Before We Implemented Our Marketing Plan” versus “After We Implemented Our Marketing Plan” results.
Did you increase your daily Facebook posts? How about your email newsletter? Perhaps you jazzed up your client testimonials and sent out your newsletter bimonthly instead of quarterly.
Any effort you’ve put forth at all, test it. Track it.
Did you get more likes, shares, or retweets? Did you get more volunteers or donations? Any invites to speak at that coveted conference? Take note. Stretch your focused efforts to two months, then three, until you’ve reached a solid six months. What do the numbers say?
There’s no way around it. Marketing done well requires us to sit still for a moment, think, and strategize.
The questions will surely come: What is marketing, really? How do we want to “do” marketing? What will we write, exactly? How can we leverage the resources we have already have on hand?
All those words, the strategies, the plans, the tactics. Are they worth it? Ask the questions above. Your answers will lead the way. It doesn’t have to be a struggle.
Where do you get your inspiration to market smart? Share in the comments below.
