Latest / Nonprofit Launch Plan Podcast for Startup, Small, and Growing Nonprofits / Nonprofit Marketing: The 3 Marketing Channels Every Small Nonprofit Actually Needs
Transcript
- Matt Stockman (00:00) You know, one of the biggest myths in nonprofit marketing is that growth comes from doing more, whether that's more platforms or more content or more campaigns, when in reality, sustainable growth comes from clarity and focus. Not more complexity. So today I'm going to show you how most small nonprofits can dramatically improve their marketing, not by adding anything new, but just by committing to just three core channels that align with a strong nonprofit foundation. Welcome to the Nonprofit Launch Plan podcast for startups, small and growing nonprofits. This podcast is here to help you build your nonprofit from the ground up on a strong, sustainable foundation by providing clear frameworks and practical tools and the real world guidance that you can actually apply. My name is Matt Stockman. I'm your host, a nonprofit growth coach. And here at Nonprofit Launch Plan, we believe that every successful nonprofit has to be operating at peak performance across six key areas. leadership, fundraising, marketing, programs and services, operations and finances. So on every episode of the podcast, we focus on a topic that is core to one of these six areas, helping you create lasting impact without unnecessary complexity. Now, before we dive into today's episode, if you or somebody you know is still in the dreaming phase of launching a nonprofit, I've got a special freebie that I'd like to make available to you. It's a PDF resource that I built called From Dream to Action, Your Nonprofit Pre-Launch Checklist, 10 Essential Steps for Moving from Nonprofit Idea to Impact. This tool will take you through 10 easy first steps to move your dream for a nonprofit toward a launch plan that gets your dream off the ground and flying high. It's a checklist that walks you through your why, considering your first teammates, in other words, your board, honing in on exactly who your beneficiary is, choosing your nonprofit name, your IRS application and a lot more. And there's an easy to do action step for each one of the 10 things to consider that will bring your dream for a nonprofit into a whole lot clearer focus once you've completed it. If you'd like the free PDF from dream to action, your nonprofit prelaunch checklist, 10 essential steps for moving from nonprofit idea to impact, email me at matt at nonprofitlaunchplan.com. Again, matt at nonprofitlaunchplan.com. just check out the website, NonprofitLaunchPlan.com. All right, let's dive in. If you're a nonprofit leader who feels like you're supposed to be everywhere, posting on every social platform, sending emails out all the time, running ads, updating your website, and somehow or other still doing the actual work of your mission organization, then this episode is specially for you. Today, I want to simplify nonprofit marketing in a way that aligns with the nonprofit launch plan framework because sustainable growth doesn't come from doing more, but rather it comes from doing the right things in the right order. So in this episode, I'm going to share the only three marketing channels that most small nonprofits actually need, especially in the startup and in the early growth phase. with most small nonprofits is not a lack of passion or vision or even opportunity. Really more than anything, it's a lack of focus. A lot of nonprofit leaders feel pressure to be on Facebook and Instagram and what about LinkedIn and shouldn't we have a TikTok account and don't we need to be on YouTube, all the different platforms. You also feel a lot of pressure to send weekly emails or maybe even more than weekly emails, run ads, create constant content. But the reality is marketing without clarity just becomes noise after a while and noise doesn't build trust. So in the nonprofit launch plan framework, we emphasize that growth begins with one clear messaging, then simple systems and sustainable habits. Marketing should support your mission, not exhaust you and not exhaust your team. That's why instead of chasing every channel, I really want to encourage you to think in terms of foundational channels. The ones that really create consistency, build trust, and create momentum for your organization over time. So here's a core principle that I want you to remember right off the bat. Small nonprofits don't grow because they're every place. They grow because they are consistent somewhere. And that trust that we talk about, which is so important, especially in the early days of your nonprofit, well, it's important all the time. That trust is built through repetition, familiarity, reliability. And that brings us to the three channels that I want to talk about in today's episode. If your nonprofit is small, first and foremost, your most important asset is your email list. Email should be your top marketing priority. even bigger than social media or advertising. Email is where it's at. Here's why. Your email list is number one and very important, an owned asset. You're not at the mercy of any algorithm and you're not at the mercy of ⁓ Facebook or other platforms just changing their mindset and changing the way that they present content to people without ever telling anyone, which by the way, they do all the time. Your email list is something that you can control that you own. And the most effective way to communicate with donors, volunteers, and supporters is by email. So in the nonprofit launch plan framework, we talk about building systems you can control and email is actually one of those systems. So let me say this super clearly. A small engaged email list is far more valuable than a large disengaged social media following a zillion followers, but you're not really sure how many actually care about what you do or see anything that you ever post on social media. You don't need to email this small engaged list weekly. You don't need to have fancy designs. What you need is just a consistent rhythm. This simple rhythm might look like one email every couple of weeks or once a month. That email has a story, it has an update, it has one singular clear call to action. And that call to action shouldn't always be a give now button or a call to give financial support. From time to time, it could be to follow us on social media or to sign up for a webinar that you're hosting or some other thing, but there should always be some call to action. but just one in every email that you send and that's it. Can I just say this? If you are a nonprofit, did nothing else from a marketing standpoint, but consistently emailed your supporters, you would already be way ahead of most organizations at your stage. So number one, email is so important. It's an owned asset and these people are the most engaged with you and with your organization. So that's the first channel. Then the second channel is just one social media platform. Not all the social media platforms, but just one social media platform. Social media is not primarily a fundraising tool for small nonprofits. Rather, it's an awareness and a relationship reinforcement tool. And the mistake that a lot of leaders make is spreading themselves so thin that nothing gets done particularly well. So instead, I want you to choose just one platform based on two questions. The two questions are, where is your audience? The people that you are most... interested in talking to and telling about your nonprofit to, where are they hanging out on social media? If they're not on TikTok, you don't need a TikTok account. If they're on LinkedIn, then you need to be active on LinkedIn. So where is your audience? That's the first question. Then the second question is, where do you feel most comfortable showing up consistently? Each social media platform is different. It takes a different style. The way you post and the way you create content is different on each platform. And some are easier for individuals than others. So my question is always, where's your audience? That's the first one. And then two, where do you feel comfortable showing up consistently? For a lot of small nonprofits, Facebook really works well for community and for donors. Instagram can work well for visual storytelling. LinkedIn, of course, works great for professional or cause-driven organizations. That's really about the only social media platform that I get involved with at all. Your goal in all of this with social media, even though it feels like it should be to go viral, your goal is to not go viral. Your goal is actually to be visible, to be clear, and to be consistent. That means one or two posts a week is enough if they're authentic and they're aligned with your mission. Hear this, social media should support your email list and your relationships, not replace them. So channel number one, your email list. Channel number two, one social media platform. Not all of them, not two, not three, one. Now, if you want to go to other platforms and just reserve your domain, your name, that's great, but you're going to just concentrate on developing and growing one social media platform where your audience is and where you feel comfortable. So then the third channel is the one most nonprofits overlook and yet it's often the most powerful. And I'm talking about direct person to person human communication. This includes personal emails. This includes phone calls, coffee meetings, a handwritten thank you note. conversations at events or in the community, taking people to lunch. And in the nonprofit lunch plan framework, we really always emphasize that relationships will always precede revenue. Relationships always precede revenue. Most major gifts, long-term donors and committed volunteers don't come from posts or campaigns or some social media thing that you do. They come from connection. And marketing is not meant to replace relationships. It's meant to create opportunities for you to grow So if you're nonprofit leader who is actively engaging people one-to-one, your marketing suddenly becomes way more So now as we start to land the plane on this episode, let me close by giving you permission to stop doing a few things. You can stop trying to one, be on every platform to try to post every day. Three, try to run complicated campaigns. And here's the big one. Four, you're free from comparing yourself to large organizations who have massive social media budgets and a whole team of videographers that can go capture every story and make it look pristine. Stop comparing yourself to them. I release you from that right now. Small nonprofits win on these channels through simplicity. by staying faithful and reliable and consistent and being sustainable. So here's your takeaway from today's episode. If you want sustainable nonprofit marketing that actually works, I want you to number one, build and care for your email list. That is one of the most important assets you have in your organization right now. Then I want you to choose one social platform and only one, and I want you to show up there consistently. and I want you to invest in real human person to person relationships. It's not flashy, but let me tell you, it works. And I hope it helps you. Now, before we wrap up the episode, if you or somebody you know is still dreaming about launching a nonprofit, I've got that special freebie I was talking about just a couple of minutes ago. It's a PDF resource called From Dream to Action, your nonprofit pre-launch checklist, 10 essential steps for moving from nonprofit idea to impact. There's an easy to do action step for each of the 10 things to consider that will bring your dream for a nonprofit into a much clearer focus once you've gotten those 10 things done. If you want the free PDF from dream to action, your nonprofit pre-launch checklist, email me at matt at nonprofitlaunchplan.com or look for the pop out on the website, nonprofitlaunchplan.com. Now that's all for today's episode of the Nonprofit Launch Plan Podcast for startups, small and growing nonprofits. Thanks so much for tuning in and watching and listening. Do not forget to hit the subscribe button so you don't miss out on future episodes. And if you found this to be helpful in any way, could I ask you just share it with another nonprofit leader who you feel like might benefit. And until next time, thanks for listening and watching and keep making a difference.