Once again today I’m beating the drum about marketing. Forget about the word “fundraiser” because, folks, you are marketers! And every marketer has a product or service to peddle.
So what are you selling? Your case for support (your mission).
How can people buy it? Mostly with donations or by volunteering their time.
Why am I reminding you of this? Because your mission and case for support better be darn good if you want people to pay you to do what you do.
Think of your mission as you would think about any other product or service by answering these 6 simple questions:
- What do you do?
- Why is it better than what your competition does?
- Is there a real or perceived difference between you and your competition? (If not, you better create one!)
- Who pays you to do what you do?
- Why do they support your efforts? You really need to know this!
- Where can you find more supporters like them?
- And my favorite, what will happen if your organization ceases to exist tomorrow?
If your organization and its leadership don’t have the answers to these questions on the tips of their tongues, your organization WILL have a problem sometime in the future.
In order to gain support, you need to market your product or service. The core aspects of what you do are important. They are what you are selling.
- You must have a strong promise.
- You must be different.
- You must know your target market.
- You must make sure your organization is necessary and essential. (If not much will happen if your organization ceases to exist, then why bother at all?)
Ignore these basic marketing principles at your own risk.