Verdin is grateful to work with a variety of wonderful large and small nonprofits on the Central Coast. One of the biggest challenges for nonprofits is advertising fundraisers or special events on a tight budget. Here are some tips your nonprofit can use to maximize your advertising results.
1. Go social
The influence of social media is everywhere. In the last few years, many nonprofits are successfully using social media for outreach, donations and participation. The organizations we work with have had tremendous success utilizing the micro targeting of Facebook ads and boosted posts to effectively reach their goals. Based on the impressive results, we continue to recommend that a large portion of any given budget be spent on Facebook when booked thoughtfully and strategically.
2. Target, target, target
Targeting is the single most effective way to stretch any advertising budget. Clearly pinpoint your most valuable donors, event attendees or volunteers and target only that age and lifestyle with your advertising. Be careful with any vendor who promises to reach everyone; that is not a realistic claim in today’s media landscape.
3. Timing is everything
We often see local nonprofits that want to start their promotion weeks and even months before a special event or fundraiser. When I moved from LA years ago, I noticed that this community is slow to buy tickets or respond to invitations compared to bigger cities. Unless your events traditionally sell out, keep your advertising schedule two to three weeks before your event, not four or six.
4. Use less, get more
Nonprofits, as well as small businesses, often want to spread their message by using multiple platforms (print, TV, radio, digital, social) simultaneously. A huge mistake is spreading a small budget over too many media types. It is always better to use two or three platforms effectively rather than five or six platforms with the smallest budget each. Not all media is scaleable, and certain types of advertising are less effective with minimal budgets.
5. Track it
One of the most important tips is tracking. Track year over year attendance as well as important statistics such as total donations, email sign-ups and open rates, and social media engagements to judge your advertising effectiveness. Compare those numbers to your advertising placement and budget to inform your decisions for the future.
Use these five tips when looking at your nonprofit advertising and you can rest assured that you are on the right track to maximizing your budget.
