This document provides guidance on developing effective communication strategies for non-profit organizations. It discusses rising above marketing clutter by crafting compelling messages focused on your mission and value. Key recommendations include conducting audience research, developing consistent positioning and branding, using multiple communication channels over the long-term, and measuring results to refine the strategy. The goal is to increase awareness, recognition and support for your organization and fundraising efforts.

1. T H E
martin L E T T E R
P u b l i s h e d b y M G I / S e r v i c e s a n d C o u n s e l i n f u n d - r a i s i n g a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n s
Rising Above the Clutter
By John A. Martin, CFRE
When times are tough, integrated fund raising and communication strategies matter more than ever.
Yet for many non-profit institutions, maximizing communications potential is a difficult task, often tak-
ing a back seat to the more pressing issues of service, annual fund raising, and organizational goals.
Combine that with the fact that many institutions are insular, with message planning happening from
the inside-out rather than from a more effective outside-in market perspective, and cutting through
the daily deluge of consumer information (it’s estimated the average adult receives up to 3,000 infor-
mational messages each day) can be a daunting challenge.
ising above the clutter requires a
compelling message that will not
only capture your audience’s atten-
tion, but be persuasive enough to hold on to
it. Taking the time to craft such a message is
key. Rushing the process usually results in
“me too,” internally focused, irrelevant com-
munication, which is ultimately a waste of
money. Many times goals are set and mes-
sages developed through wishful thinking and
ratified by a few senior staff and volunteers,
when a marketplace perspective is what is
required. Furthermore, companies often pro-
ceed with creating a message without ever
considering: who will hear it, what they
want the recipient to do, or how the mes-
sage will make the recipient feel about the
value the organization delivers.
Your communications program should not
be about changing an attitude or a behavior,
but about creating increased awareness,
recognition, and support for your institution
and its important work.
The goal is support and expansion of your
fund-raising effort – reaching your stake-
holders with the information they need and
want; developing targeted and strategic com-
munications and public relations activities
that build the relationships you need, today
and for the future, and creating messages that
inform, interest and activate.
In terms of timing, a communications pro-
gram cannot start early enough.
Communication helps support campaign
goals but it takes planning and resources to
generate positive awareness, attitudes, and
enthusiasm, to build credibility, and to sur-
mount obstacles. It takes more than a
newsletter – more than a few press releases
– more than a few on-air pitches. It requires
a strategic communication plan, and the cre-
ativity and long-term view to carry it out. It
requires the commitment from the institu-
tional staff and volunteer leadership and the
necessary resources to do the job.
Here are some specific things to
consider as you develop your orga-
nization’s communications program:
Institutions must strive to achieve
“brand pinnacle.” If your campaign is to be
successful, a concerted and deliberate com-
munication effort will have to be carried out.
A positive and aggressive program must be
devised whereby your institution expresses its
goals through “branding” and a closer work-
ing relationship with its key publics. First, you
must reach out to the “key opinion” leaders
in the donor community and enlist their sup-
port for your institution by educating them on
the “value” of your institution. Second, you
must build on the relationship with strategic
partners – preferably with a brand that has a
reputation for being “trustworthy.”
Trustworthy brands are becoming the donor’s
roadmap through a giant worldwide bazaar
in which tens of millions of other sellers are
trying lure your donor away.
Special focus will be required in the case
document and all literature must be specific
with regard to the program elements of the
campaign. A powerful worthiness based
case is more important than ever today.
Institutions must be prepared to address
three critical case questions: Why this organ-
ization? Why these projects? Why now? With
these messages clearly articulated, communi-
cating the importance of the mission and the
campaign to the donor community becomes
the primary task.
Positioning is the basis for all of your
communications. Too often institutions
have multiple themes and taglines that con-
fuse the donor community. By having one
meaningful, targeted positioning statement as
a guide for all communications, you will con-
vey a consistent image and, most important, a
consistent message.
Identities create a brand image. Image
means personality. The personality of an
organization is an amalgam of many things.
R

2. M G I / S e r v i c e s a n d C o u n s e l i n f u n d - r a i s i n g a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n s
About the author…
John Martin has more than 30 years experi-
ence in the not-for profit field, on both the
organizational and consulting sides. Through his
consulting work with clients seeking counsel for
major capital and endowment campaigns,
Mr. Martin has earned a reputation as one of
North America's top strategists for the not-for-
profit sector. His brash mix of social concern and
aggressive business smarts has helped raised
hundreds of millions of dollars for colleges,
hospitals, human service organizations and arts
and cultural groups throughout North America.
John Martin was chosen the 2007 Professional
Fund Raiser. He can be reached via email:
martinmgi@cs.com
MGI is a full service fund-raising and communica-
tions consulting firm operating across North America.
We consult throughout the United States and Canada
for a wide range of not-for-profit clients:
• Hospitals and Health Care Organizations
• Social Service Organizations
• Private Schools, Colleges, Universities and
Post-Graduate Schools
• Cultural and Arts Organizations
• Churches, Synagogues and Religious Organizations
The experience and resources of the firm have been
used by a variety of clients from well-established
national not-for-profit organizations looking to
prepare themselves for the 21st century to first time
start-up capital campaigns.
For more information about readiness studies, audits
and feasibility consultancy, please contact John at:
martinmgi@cs.com or call our Toll Free Number:
1-800-387-9840.
Publisher: John A. Martin, CFRE
Editor: Pamela Capriotti, CFRE
Contributing Editors:
Elizabeth Hamrick
John Schwietz
Published by:
MGI Fund Raising
Consulting, Inc.
U.S.A.:
2925 Dean Parkway – Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55416
Canada:
120 Adelaide St.W. – Suite 2500
Toronto, Ontario M5H 1T1
For information on our services,
call toll-free 1.800.387.9840
(U.S. or Canada)
Visit our website:
www.mgifundraising.com
Reproduction without permission is
prohibited. Brief extracts may be made
with due acknowledgment. Additional
copies are available free of charge by
contacting The Editor at our
South East office.
T H E
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Many marketing activities besides your insti-
tution identity contribute to image. These
include, among others, public relations,
advertising, fund raising, special events, and
crisis management.
The Opportunity. Today’s environments are
multimedia, multi-channel, and multi-senso-
ry and digital communications, transporta-
tion, products, and services are becoming
global. The consumer is bombarded with
images and messages. It is not enough just to
focus on your core competencies, quality,
and customer value. To achieve campaign
goals it is imperative to develop a powerful
point of differentiation using branding to cre-
ate positive overall stakeholder impressions
that depict the multifaceted personality of
your institution.
The Attributes of a Good Message. Your
message must grab your audience’s attention
and make them want to listen to and explore
what you have to say. It is best if your message
connects with the interests of your audience,
and conveys in a clear, understandable man-
ner what you want your audience to do. As
you create your message, realize that mes-
sages that inform are different than messages
that intend to catalyze an action. Carefully
consider your objective.
A good message is focused and succinct. It
speaks to how you can solve your audience’s
problem, why they should trust you, and why
they should do business with you over and
above anyone else. It needs to be relevant and
in language your market understands, not
peppered with technical jargon or industry
terminology.
Generational Messaging. Your messages
need to be crafted to address the generational
values of your stakeholders. That means you
need to know and understand the five
American Generations and where your
donors fit.
Repetition, Proof Statements,
Consistency. Your message needs to be car-
ried out in everything you do – not just grab
the audience once, but re-enforce why the
audience should continue to pay attention.
Include solid evidence which proves that
what you are saying is true. This lends credi-
bility to your position, and will further hold
your audience’s attention. You might consid-
er having different proof statements depend-
ing on the interests of your target market to
make your message even more effective.
While your core messages do not need to be
repeated word for word, the meaning behind
the messages need to be clearly articulated in
every communication. Different types of com-
munication vehicles may lend themselves to
different ways of paraphrasing your message.
Therefore, think of your core message as a
framework or map so that you do not stray
from the points you want to make. David
Ogilvy, one of the architects of the advertising
industry, was fond of saying: “Three tips for
getting your message out. Tip 1, repetition.
Tip 2, repetition. Tip 3 repetition.”
Focus on One Goal. Trying to communicate
too many things dilutes your message and will
diminish the probability that your audience
stays tuned to what you have to say.
Measure, Adjust, Evolve. Once you have
developed a compelling and relevant mes-
sage, continually monitor and track it to
ensure your audience is listening to you and
interpreting what you are saying in the way
you want. Consider regular surveys or focus
groups to make sure your message commu-
nicates value and is compelling and relevant
for your audience.
It is especially important to evolve your mes-
sage when the market landscape changes,
when a key event such as a merger or acqui-
sition occurs, when your institution moves
into a new market space or when you have
gained traction in an existing market. For
smaller institution it is essential to evolve the
message as the company grows, changing
from a focus on acquiring investors to attract-
ing customers.
Speak With One Voice. Once you have cre-
ated your compelling message, make sure
that you train the entire organization on it.
Speaking from a single, unified voice is a very
powerful tool for putting your organization
on a path for growth.