In the world of nonprofits, no organization can rely on a single spokesperson to carry their image. Take, for instance, the varieties of touchpoints that nonprofits can and should be using to reach their audiences.

1. Communications
T H E N E W C O R N E R S T O N E O F
N O N P R O F I T S
R O S S S A N N E R
R o s s S a n n e r . n e t

2. In the World of Nonprofits
W O R K T O G E T H E R
No organization can rely on a single
spokesperson to carry their image.
T H E T O U C H P O I N T S
social media
traditional press
marketing outreach efforts
even word of mouth from your
volunteers and staff
A L L O F T H E S E T A C T I C S A R E P O W E R F U L , W I T H T H E I R
O W N V A R I E T Y O F R E A C H , B U T I F D O N E P O O R L Y ,
C A N C R E A T E A D I S J O I N T E D S E N S E O F A
N O N P R O F I T ’ S V A L U E S A N D M I S S I O N .

3. What's your story?
T H E F I G H T
A nonprofit may be fighting for an audience with
similar or even dissimilar causes, and having a
consistent narrative helps establish its mission.
M A K E A N I M P A C T
A strong narrative provides a vehicle to convey
the impact that the organization has made, and
the ways that potential donors or volunteers can
help.
A C O M P E L L I N G S T O R Y C A N
L E A D T O I N C R E D I B L E
S U C C E S S I N T H E N O N P R O F I T
S P H E R E .

4. Brand Style Guide
D E F I N E Y O U R N O N P R O F I T
A brand style guide can help define
everything from aesthetics to language
used in official communications materials
Minimize the number of people that have
a say in communications guidelines
Though feedback should be solicited
from the organization at large, opening
up the decision making process can make
establishing standards far less
streamlined.

5. Make it easy
Another consideration for
communications, particularly those on
the web, is ease of donating or
volunteering.
Keep it simple
Communications platforms should
account for these common actions and
minimize the ambiguity and steps
required to register.
Keep donation buttons as omnipresent as
possible, and make the process of signing
up to volunteer simple and direct.

6. To execute a complete
overhaul an
organization’s
communications
strategy should begin
with research.
Collect data from different marketing
initiatives and communications channels
and get a sense of donation metrics. Not
every channel is created equal, and your
audience will likely have a preferred
method of engagement or communication.

7. Reach Your Audience
K N O W Y O U R M E S S A G E A N D C O N S I D E R
E A C H M E T H O D C A R E F U L L Y
It’s never quite as simple as demographics, and figuring out a
narrative to match an audience is an art in the nonprofit world.
So before you start your next fundraiser, consider the methods
that you use to reach out to your audience. Like any other
business, you’ll need to know the ins and outs of the message you
convey—and mastering it can lead to short- and long-term
success for your organization.

8. Thank You!
T O R E A D T H E F U L L A R T I C L E ,
V I S I T R O S S S A N N E R . N E T
R O S S
S A N N E R