How to Develop a Strategy to Differentiate Your Nonprofit Organization

There is a huge difference between a large profit-induced corporation and a nonprofit organization, in resources. Each has to differentiate themselves from their competitors and market their brand to their target audience. As a nonprofit, you’re likely stuck with a particular budget to create, manage, and execute a plan. Therefore, emphasis and thought must go into the small details you develop within your strategy.

Here’s how to develop a strategy today that will begin differentiating your nonprofit and expand awareness among your intended audience.

Take an analytical look internally within your organization.

Just as with any business, your mission and purpose define who you are and what you’re setting out to achieve. For nonprofits, your mission is often in the public eye and is a mandatory part of your business’s funding program and implementation. Each year, you need to prove that your business is aligned with your mission and purpose. 

While other nonprofits may have similar scopes and cater to similar audiences, your individual mission is unique to your business. How do you want your community to perceive your organization and what sort of role do you want to take? Developing and answering questions similar to this one will help you to solidify that foundation and allow you to strategize possible actions you can take to stand out both locally and on a more global scale.

Next, focus on who your intended audience is, where you can find them, and how you can best suit your nonprofit to their lifestyle.

As a nonprofit, your focus is less on customers and often is geared toward more than one audience. You need to discover and collect data on those who your business serves (are you providing clothes to youth or a breakfast program for school children?) as well as the influential people in your community who can support your nonprofit both as donors and volunteers. Additionally, you can throw in the need for engagement. 

Because you’re catering to a variety of stakeholders and audiences, it is beneficial to develop personas. These personas are fictional yet accurate descriptions of a member of each target audience, including their location, age, interests, and income. Creating these personas will force you to think strategically about the people in your community and will aid you in aligning your mission to their interests. 

It can also be beneficial to take a look at similar nonprofits, reach out to ask them questions about how they’ve developed their marketing strategies, and take inspiration from their advice. Most nonprofits have a very collaborative approach and will welcome the opportunity to share and even collaborate. These other nonprofits may not be considered “competitors” as you all have a similar focus on serving your community, so you’re at an advantage when it comes to communicating and coming together for the benefit of your missions. 

Interested in learning more about how you can develop a strategy for your nonprofit that will maximize reach? Speak to a member of our team today and get started by reaching out at info@nmblstrategies.com.