This document provides tips for marketing a Crime Stoppers organization with limited funds. It recommends developing strategies by looking at what other non-profits do, recruiting board members with marketing ideas, and tweaking ideas from other cities. Specific low-cost suggestions include using social media, blogs, websites, public relations, networking, print collateral, media outreach, billboards, email marketing, events, and community calendars. The overall message is that creative ideas and partnerships can promote an organization more than money alone.

1. Marketing Crime Stoppers
on a Shoestring

2. Marketing your Crime Stoppers
organization is not all about
spending money. What you need
are creative ideas and a can-do
approach in order to promote your
organization — not loads of cash.
First, get organized…

3. Develop Strategies…
 Look around you at what other non-profits in your area are doing to raise
funds
 Surf the web to come up with successful strategies employed by other CS
organizations
 Partner with other non-profits or area businesses
 Use Google Alerts to check out what other CS organizations are doing since
many of them have good ideas that work in their communities

4. Develop Strategies…
 Strategically recruit board members, especially ones with strong marketing
and fundraising ideas
 Keep in mind these people probably are being recruited by other non-profits
for the same reason, so sell them on why Crime Stoppers is better than other
organizations that may approach them
 Tweak the ideas of other non-profits in other cities in your area:

5. Social Media
#1
900,000,000
#2
310,000,000
#3
255,000,000
#4
250,000,000
• 15-20 minutes per day on social media
#5
120,000,000
www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-networking-websites

6. YouTube
• More than 1 billion unique users visit
YouTube each month
• Over 6 billion hours of video are watched
each month on YouTube—that's almost an
hour for every person on Earth
• Creativity = Viral

7. Blogs
• Humanize your business
• Give your target market information
• Drive traffic to your website
• Build your organizations credibility and
become a expert resource
• Dress for Success
• Wordpress

8. Website
• Simple design
• Easy to use
• Donate button
• Link to blog and
social media
• Wordpress
• Google Ad Words
Grant

9. Public Relations
• News releases
• Media relations
• Presentations
• Host free seminars
• “If I were a
burglar…”
• Submit your
organization info
to directories

10. Other Public Awareness
Look for opportunities that are affordable and
reach your target audience
• Tradeshows
• Job Fairs
• Health Fairs
• Parades
• Festivals

11. Networking
• Rotary
• Toastmasters
• Chambers of Commerce
• Business Associations
• Local Marketing Associations
• Public Relations Society of America
• And more……

12. Print Collateral
Business Cards & Brochures
• Professional appearance
• Consistent look
Postcards
• Have a specific purpose
• Be eye-catching
• Get your nonprofit mailing status and use it!

13. Media
• Radio PSA’s
• TV PSA’s
• Local radio/TV stations
• Appearances
• Local radio & TV shows

14. Billboards/Digital Signs
• Local banks/ businesses
• Flip Hound
• Fliphound Tour
• Ask businesses to
donate space to ask for
public donations

15. Email Marketing
• Develop a database and continue to build it
• Donors, businesses
• Always provide opportunity to opt-in on
website
• Mail Chimp
• Constant Contact

16. Ideas & Events
Pinterest
• Child Abuse Prevention
• Choosing a College
• Fundraisers

17. Ideas & Events
 Community Shredding Event – Where do businesses in your area go to shred
their documents?
 Team up with your law enforcement agency and a business to hold a fundraising
“Shred-It Day.” In four hours, Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County raised
more than $2,300.
 Corporate Shredding Event – Use LinkedIn to reach those you’re connected to
in order to generate participation among businesses
 Golf Tournament – While there are a number of golf tournaments in most
communities, they can still raise money
 Team up with prominent local businesses to sponsor the event
 Get businesses to underwrite lunch, beverage carts, sponsor holes
 Recruit key community leaders (political, law enforcement, sporting, etc.) to play

18. Ideas & Events
 Bowling Tournament – A good fundraiser in colder months when you can’t do
anything outdoors
 Casino Night – These are fun events and can be turned into a gala event
 Partner Day at Local Restaurant – Working with a local restaurant to have
them donate a percentage of each check on a specific day; Pick a day that
has special meaning locally

19. Community Calendars
• TV Stations
• Radio Stations
• Newspapers
• Chamber of Commerce
• Go Wichita
• Wichita 360

20. Questions?
Thanks for Attending!
Cindy Miles
onashoestringmarketing@gmail.com