Letter Archive:
M/D/Y Topic of Focus

Marketing

The American Marketing Association defines marketing as the process of planning and executing the concept, pricing, promotion, distribution of ideas, goods, and services; to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives.

In a nutshell, it’s the social and managerial processes by which products (goods or services) and value are exchanged, in order to fulfill the needs and wants of individuals or groups. It is one of the most important functions in business.

A good marketing strategy influences and entices companies to provide more sponsorship funds and individual donations. To win hearts and minds an organization must be able to define its own unique story.

Marketing takes time and patience.  It’s seldom an overnight success.  You may not have sexy subject matter, but stay focused with planning and execution.  Build an audience, nurture it and grow it.

Working with the not for profit sector points to a reticence to adopt the basic principals of marketing.  Do the good works and the money flows from governments and donors.  Unfortunately this is not always the case.

In today’s marketplace you can’t do what everyone else is doing and expect to have a successful fund raising program.  Government contacts don’t last forever.  Donors have to be regenerated and fund raising has to be part of the program to maintain and expand the organization. 

Fund raising is a skill, not something for a committee add on.  It requires professionals with experience and contacts.  It needs originality, fresh ideas and long term focus to give the program momentum over the long term.

Be ambitious!  Raising $25,000.00 per year is not sustainable.  It burns up volunteers, is time consuming and eats away resources.  A planned, coordinated effort can raise $100,000 with the same amount of effort.