Whether you’re networking with corporates, creating web content or holding a fundraising event, you need to communicate the cause of your Not For Profit organisation with clear and powerful messages.

What does you organisation do? Why should people support you? How do you improve people’s lives?

When it comes to donating time and money to community organisations, Australians are becoming increasingly generous. But they can’t always be generous with their time when it comes to understanding an advertisement, a verbal pitch or website homepage. Clear, consistent messages makes it easier for them to understand (and then ideally) support you.

Distil your key messages

In its simplest form, your cause can be divided into three key messages: who you are, what you do, and the difference that you make:

1. Who you are. The non-profit landscape is vast and varied, so it’s important to have a short and simple explanation of who you are. For example, if you focus on a disability, is the language you use to describe it something that that people will understand? Are you local, national or state-based?

2. What you do. This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to assume that the name of your organisation will automatically describe what you do. Don’t assume – spell out the services you deliver and the people you are involved with.

3. What difference do you make? Imagine you are at a corporate networking event and a potential donor or sponsor hits you with this question. Do you have a clear answer ready? The same goes for any kind of marketing communications. Your audience will ask: what’s the benefit? The difference you make in the world is the crux of your organisation’s existence. State clear benefits and give examples of your achievements.

Having developed your key messages, you will have the raw material you need for creating a brand tagline or positioning statement. This is creative work, and it’s a good idea to call on marketing and advertising expertise to help you develop these elements. A short memorable tagline is a beautiful thing. It may seem simple but it usually involves hard work and is based on a solid foundation of key messages.

Different mediums, different approaches

Once you’ve distilled your key messages, you’re ready to look at how you can improve the way you communicate your cause. Different media require different approaches for maximum impact, even allowing for the fact that consistency of message across all channels is crucial to your success.

For example, if you were chatting to someone at a function, would you use the exact same wording as the sentences that appear on your website? This is where good copywriting is vital: writing for the ear is different to writing for the eyes.

Let’s look at two mediums that are essential for a Not For Profit organisation in 2011 – your website, and your verbal presentation or ‘elevator pitch’.

Your website

1. Define its purpose. The websites of Not For Profit organisations vary in their purpose, so your message needs to be angled accordingly. Is your site’s main purpose to solicit donations or sponsorship interest? Then expanding on your third key message – the difference you make – is vital and you may need to devote several pages to this rather than one long page.

2. A powerful homepage. Although your visitors’ landing page won’t always be your homepage, in the majority of cases it will be. So your home page needs to distil all of your key messages as concisely as possible, with subpages dedicated to expanding on your messages.

3. Clear the clutter. You can make it easier for your online audience to understand your cause with clean, uncluttered web design and strong, to-the-point copywriting. Web users are on a mission for information. A long scrolling webpage of text is a big no-no because people will quickly lose interest. You may have a lot to say that’s worthy, but make sure the amount of content on any one page is not a challenge for the reader.

Your verbal pitch

Memorising a short ‘elevator pitch’ for your Not For Profit organisation will leave anyone you meet with a clear idea of who you are and what you do. What defines a great elevator pitch?

1. It’s short. Less is more. Think of yourself as an advertisement. Does anyone want to listen to a TV or radio commercial for more than 30 to 60 seconds?

2. It’s simple. Avoid jargon and keep it clear.

3. It tells a story. People love stories. Chances are your organisation started as a way of overcoming a problem, so tell them about it.

4. It adapts to the audience. Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience or person. What interests them?

5. It has a goal. Think about the outcome you want from your pitch. Sponsorship? General awareness? A referral?

6. It has a point of difference. Think of yourself as an advertisement. You have cause to sell. What sets you apart from other Not For Profits in your area of focus?

We specialise in integrated marketing, communications and fundraising services for Not For Profits. If you’d like to better communicate your cause, please contact me on 07 3899 8335.

Kind regards
Megan Walker