How to leverage your brand as a strategic asset for your nonprofit business

1Start with research

That’s right – homework. To fully leverage your brand, you will need to research and understand how others perceive it. The words, logos, and language that comprises your brand can trigger powerful associations with your target audience. To fully uncover this information, you’ll want to gather feedback by using multiple methodologies.

• Surveys
• Workshops
• Focus Groups
• Employee feedback
• Competitive Analysis
• Social Media Impressions & Engagement
• Creative and Messaging Audit

It’s important to measure your brand health regularly through these various methodologies to monitor how your brand efforts are performing.

2Take the time to get your story right

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so take the time to nail the details. Take a moment to look at the mission statement of successful nonprofits. In the nonprofit space, we all want to impact the greater good, but it’s essential to stand apart and position your organisation as fulfilling a certain need.

When building your brand story, let your research be your story’s guide. Be authentic to your mission, placing careful emphasis on standing out amongst your sister charities. By paying careful attention to the language you use, you can differentiate yourself from similar causes. Finally, identify the core pillars that define your values and culture. These foundational elements will help inspire the audience to remember your brand and come away with positive perceptions.

3Empower everyone to be accountable for your brand

This is a group effort, and each person plays a part in making decisions on behalf of your brand. Take the time to educate your team, making sure that they understand the importance of your brand strategy and reputation. Equally important is leadership. Consistent, genuine, and transparent leadership can inspire purpose-driven accountability.

4Know your audience

Identifying your audience is an essential step on the way to building a strong brand. In order to connect with your audience, you need to understand who they are. What moves them? What compels them? Your initial urge may be to cast a wide net, but it’s important to have focus. Your brand cannot be all things to all people. Uncover how they think, what they want, and how they speak. Utilise your research findings to gauge what is most motivating for your audience. Given the impact your brand will have on the lives and well-being of others, you have an even greater responsibility to reach your audience effectively.

5Meet them where they are

Media consumption habits continue to evolve and change at a quick pace, meaning your single ad on a single network may not reach your entire audience. Take the time to properly evaluate your audience and learn where they’re consuming information. Embrace this as an opportunity to be even more precise, responsive, and efficient in delivering messaging to your audiences.

6Lean into innovation while staying true to core values

Sitting still is a sure-fire way to get left behind – especially in a day and age where disruptions to the status quo seem to come at a faster pace. In the face of disruption, transformation and innovation are essential. Start small, test new innovations, and gather insights before investing heavily. As you move forward, it will be important to embrace positive, future-facing innovation while remaining true to the central tenets of your brand.

Just as the landscape around us is constantly in flux, your nonprofit’s brand will evolve. While your mission will remain concrete, it will always be important to adapt. By carefully and consistently applying your brand story, leaning into your differentiators and evaluating your audience’s response, you can create an environment ripe for success.