Does Nonprofit Branding Matter?
Only if your nonprofit wants to survive in the online era, when there is absolutely NO barrier to entry. Anyone who can build a website can attract a constituency to support precisely what your organization is already doing.
Your protection? Your brand … clearly recognized, sharply defined, and positively regarded.
In The Agitator’s recent DonorTrends survey, we probed a bit the "established & familiar" versus "new kid on the block" issue. Which isn’t to say a newcomer can’t quickly establish a strong, recognized brand … indeed that’s part of the "problem" … or better, challenge, for established groups.
In our survey, 40% agreed with the statement: "I prefer to support well-established organizations rather than new ones." 23% disagreed and 38% were sitting in the middle … on the fence. Not comforting to existing brands.
Similarly, 40% also agreed with this statement: "If I haven’t already heard about a charity or cause in the media or by word of mouth, I won’t contribute." 27% disagreed and 33% sat on the fence. The message here … you’ve got to get into the "consideration set" … and that’s what a strong brand helps you do.
Our DonorTrends survey measured for the first time donors’ awareness of and regard for over 100 "leading" nonprofits. More on those results in the coming weeks.
Meantime, we urge you to read Nancy Schwartz’s tutorial on nonprofit branding. Excellent insights and practical advice. For this contribution, Nancy, you deserve a raise!
Tom
3 responses to “Does Nonprofit Branding Matter?”
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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You are right about that. Part of my service is helping nonprofits with brand positioning. This is the best Ive readrich, to the point, actionable, right on target. Im impressed. Thanks!
James Mueller
James Mueller & Associates LLC
Thanks, Tom. I’ll take that raise!
More seriously, great insights here. I’m looking forward to seeing more over coming weeks. Nothing is more important than a strong brand, other than keeping tabs on how it’s working of course.
Best,
Nancy
Roger and I were talking the other day about how “the Internet is the best place to lie.” In short, individuals can be whomever they wish online. We all get spam each day from companies that are pretending to be trustworthy organizations that can enhance our lives.
A brand helps to bring credibility to an organization. It helps to give it a real world, click & mortar, presence. It isn’t the only thing to anchor your organization in the real world, but it is an important part of it.