Most nonprofit organizations (NPOs) have separate and distinct marketing and development functions. Historically, this separation of critical activities has been done for good reason – to bring specific focus on building awareness for the mission and driving fundraising. However, there is significant opportunity in closer collaboration.
Not only are these two functional areas aligned in service to the key audiences and supporters of the organization, they both are employing similar tactics to understand the needs and motivations of those audiences. At best, disjointed insights efforts are costly, and at worst, they work at cross-purposes through confused messaging in the marketplace.
Collaborating on insights and market data should be the rule, but instead, it’s rare. Alignment of marketing and fundraising is critical to a nonprofit’s success in effectively engaging donors and driving growth. Creating a compelling customer experience relies heavily on your NPO’s ability to align goals, audience insights, and your compelling, six-second story across marketing and development departments.
Now for those of you working in Marketing or Fundraising today — those of you who feel like you need to bolster your skills to take on this challenge — the great news is that there are many specialized courses available to help you get started. Even if you’re just looking for a quick refresher or some innovative ideas, it’s become easy to access because a wide range of colleges and universities currently offer their Marketing Masters programs online. So, don’t let a perceived lack of skills or capability hold you back!
As we head into the New Year, you have an amazing opportunity to not only deliver on your mission more effectively but also to shift your NPO’s marketing performance to the Top Right. Download our newest whitepaper Striking the Right Balance Between Nonprofit Marketing and Fundraising Teams now and learn how collaboration can help your NPO form richer and more fruitful relationships with people who care about your mission and work.
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