Help Your Organization Live Happily Ever After

By: Jenny Barish

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a non-profit organization that was in need of help. Although the organization’s leaders were passionate, and their cause was relevant, they faced great challenges, like developing new revenue streams, implementing a new marketing plan, and facing fire-breathing dragons. The economy was troubled, and the villagers showed little interest in their services. After dozens of presentations in front of board members, CEOs, and fairy godmothers, the non-profit organization had lost all hope and had no one to turn to for help…

Intrigued? Classic story frames such as these have stood the test of time. And there’s a reason for “Once upon a time’s” longevity. People love stories: they usually have relatable characters, vivid settings, clear themes, natural plot progressions, and a unique voice. And according to Pon Angara, principal at Barkada Creative LLC, a Chicago-based visual branding business, these characteristics are not limited to fairy tales.

In Angara’s recent presentation at the Chicago Philanthropy Club, I was brought back to my kindergarten story time circle, and was happy to learn that the basic principles of storytelling can be applied to the marketing, development, and strategic vision of an organization. As consultants at Davidoff Communications, we are dedicated to the most effective articulation of our clients’ goals, mission, and impact. The associations, non-profits, and corporate clients we work with each have a story to tell, and we engage in this artistic medium of communication to help each tell their own in the most compelling way possible.

With thousands of people trying to sell a new product, a brilliant social innovation, or a service, many organizations can get lost in the clutter. Using the classic components of storytelling to talk about your organization may forge a more personal or relatable bond with an audience. And according to Pon Angara, the best way to tell a story is through the “transformative power of the arts.” In Angara’s Philanthropy Club presentation, we closed our eyes and listened to music, and realized that a song has a powerful story to tell including all the essential elements. This idea was demonstrated through other mediums such theatre, art, and audiovisuals—engaging all human senses, connecting with people, and hopefully building rapport and support.

But how are all of these abstract ideas directly applicable to your organization? Strategically choosing music can communicate the mission or culture of a company at an office or at an event, a striking photo can say a lot in few words for an advertising campaign, and a video can bring an abstract idea, theme, or statement to life (Angara used this as an excellent example of theatrical storytelling).

As an avid lover of art, music, and culture, I think this concept is incredibly effective. As a learner, it’s hard to become passionate about the content in a flat PowerPoint presentation. But when I see the concepts illuminated through a painting, in a play, or with a song, I think longer and more deeply about the ideas presented. And as a consumer, I connect to the catchy melodies that I hear on the newest Apple commercial. It’s not necessarily the product that I fall so deeply in love with—it’s the story they are conveying through song, images, and characters. I can relate to the sounds, and I want not only to have the product or service, but to be a part of that company’s story.

Mr. Angara perfectly wrapped up his workshop with a quote from Maya Angelou,

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

People come in all shapes, sizes, and attitudes, but we all have a fundamental desire to feel, connect, and live happily every after.

Transforming the Role of Marketing in Nonprofit Organizations

At the recent Nonprofit Marketing Conference presented by the American Marketing Association the tone was defined by a white paper issued by the 2010 Senior Nonprofit Marketers’ Summit. “Nonprofit CMO’s Call for a Transformation of Marketing”, co-authored by 18 senior marketing executives in the nonprofit sector, underscored the need for Marketing Transformation to redefine the perception and role of marketing in nonprofits. This call to action comes at a time when many organizations, nonprofit and for-profit alike, are looking at ways to transform at many levels in order to stay lean, efficient and relevant in the new economy.

According the white paper, one of the challenges faced by many nonprofit marketers is that their role in marketing for their organizations is “too narrowly defined as focusing on advertising, brand guideline, and market research.” Rather than being seen as an integral piece of the strategic puzzle to help drive organization growth, and enhance impact, marketing in nonprofits has been relegated to a “tactical management function.” Shifting our perspective around marketing allows us to see beyond the brand enhancing capabilities of marketing and start to understand how marketing can be a powerful tool to support strategic growth by “developing strategies to generate and sustain the passion people have for [an organization’s] mission and connecting them” in meaningful ways to an organization.

The white paper identified eight myths of nonprofit marketing that define our current perception of marketing as well as laid out key areas of focus for creating a more influential role for marketing at the leadership table.

Myths:

1. Marketing is just tactical
2. Good fundraisers don’t need marketing
3. Good marketing can fix everything
4. You can’t measure marketing
5. Marketing segmentation is not practical for most nonprofits
6. Competition doesn’t apply to charities
7. If the board likes the advertising, it must be good marketing
8. Good marketing takes money…and lots of it

Key Area of Focus for Enhancing Marketing’s Role at the Leadership Table:

1. Developing insights based in truth by knowing your constituents, understanding your competition, innovating, and defining your value proposition
2. Building adequate resources needed to implement the insights by building infrastructure, collaborating with internal allies in the “C-Suite” who are advocates for marketing, and leveraging connections
3. Showing value for the investment using solid metrics and accurate assessment

For information about how you can get a copy of the white paper, “Nonprofit CMO’s call for a Transformation of Marketing” contact Jessica Thurmond at the American Marketing Association, 312-542-9015.