Issue 39
August 9, 2005

NEWSNOTES is a monthly email newsletter published by Nonprofit Enterprise at Work. It includes items of interest to the nonprofit community in Washtenaw County and the surrounding areas, as well as resources available at NEW. NEWSNOTES is proud to celebrate its fourth year of publication, with delivery to over 540 subscribers every month! We welcome your feedback and suggestions!

NEW would like to recognize the generous support of its Community Partners:

IN THIS ISSUE

LEAD STORY

Nonprofit Marketing: Three Ideas from Peter Brinckerhoff*

First: Why be concerned with marketing?

We hear more and more about not-for-profits doing marketing. In some cases, this is just another term used for public relations. In some cases, it really is marketing; that is, identifying a customer group, asking them what they want, and giving it to them to the best of your ability. This is a lot of work, and a different way of doing things for many organizations. So what results will you get? At least these:

1. Happier funders, happier service recipients. When you ask people what they want and give it to them (as best you can), the customer, whether that is someone in your service group or a funder, is happier.
   
2. More return customers, more referrals. Happy customers come back. And, in the competitive environment that not-for-profits are in, return customers are gold. Imagine if 90% of this year’s donors to your fund raising effort donated again next year? That's an example of a return customer.
   
3. More efficient, targeted services. By asking people what they want and giving it to them, you will target your resources on the real needs in the community, and perhaps discontinue services that are no longer needed or in great demand.
   
4. More income. It stands to reason that happier customers who return will also refer people to you. All of this translates into more income for your organization.

Good marketing is good mission. Good marketing brings about good mission results. Get your marketing into high gear and you'll see the results.

Second: What’s the marketing cycle?

Despite what you may have heard, marketing is not just sales. It's not just promotional materials, advertising, or asking. Marketing, good marketing, complete marketing is a combination of all those things, plus some others, put into the correct order and then incorporated into an endless cycle that becomes part of your organization's mind set, its culture, it's very fabric. Marketing is not an event, it is a process that you never complete. Why? Because at its core marketing is a way to respond to changes -- changes in your community, changes in the wants and needs of the people you serve, changes in the way you get paid, changes in the way your competition is acting. Since all of these things are constantly in flux, marketing is never complete. It's a process. The process that I have outlined below works for not-for-profit organizations. I'm sorry to have to tell you that you can't do just the portions of the cycle that you want to, or the ones that look easy, or the ones that you already have in place. You need to do them all. In brief, the marketing process looks like this:

1. Identify your markets
2. Find out what your markets want
3. Adapt to the markets
4. Look at cost and price
5. Promote the service
6. Get the service delivered
7. Evaluate your efforts

This process works for the organization as a whole, and for every single part, program, service in it. But you have to overcome a big, big issue, which is idea #3….

Third: Overcome the marketing disability.

As a professional, you have probably been well trained in doing diagnoses or needs assessments. And, you therefore know what people need. But that is often not what they want, and, in marketing, wants win, every time. I call this conflict between needs and wants, the Not-For-Profit Marketing Disability, and it really gets in the way of success for many organizations. You need to ask people what they want, and then do your best to give it to them. And, you can do that and still stay close to your mission. Remember that no matter what your organization does, you are a mission-based business, one that has to appeal to your many markets to survive. These markets may be customers, people you serve, or people who pay you (including for many readers, the government). Not only do you need to treat everyone like a customer, but you need to make sure that you meet people's wants, not just their needs. All of us have needs, but we buy wants. Don't let this disability get the best of you.

*Peter Brinckerhoff is an internationally-known speaker and author of many books on nonprofit issues. Many of you had the pleasure of seeing him in action at the full-day seminar on nonprofit stewardship last spring. Visit Peter’s website and subscribe to his monthly email newsletter.

Additional Resources:

• To help put some of Peter’s suggestions into practice, sign up for one or more of NEW’s fall workshops focused on marketing
  
  
  • How to Invigorate a Ho-Hum Brochure. Tuesday, September 27, 2005, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
  • Getting the Most out of Your Media Relations. Thursday, September 29, 2005, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
  • Designing Surveys. Tuesday, October 4, 2005, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
    
    
• ResourceConnect gives you links to professionals, websites, and books that can guide you through the marketing process. Visit the Borders Group Nonprofit Resource Library to check out relevant titles.
  

FEATURED ITEMS

Attention! Workshop Scholarship Application Deadline Approaches!!

August 19, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. is the deadline for organizations to complete the online application form for workshop scholarships to carry through the academic year. A one-time award this fall will allow nonprofits to use monies as needed throughout the Fall ‘05 – and Spring ‘06 sessions to send staff, volunteers and board members to trainings. The Managing for Nonprofit Excellence workshop series runs September 9 through December 9.

Please be aware that there will be no separate scholarship application process for spring term workshops. Questions? Contact Dallas Moore, Director of Education, (734-998-0160 x210).

Our thanks for workshop scholarships go to the three funders: Washtenaw County, the Junior League of Ann Arbor and Anthony and Patricia Werderitsch.

An impressive line-up of talented professionals will be sharing their expertise on a wide variety of topics during the fall term. If you are not applying for scholarships, please feel free to register online at any time for workshops. If you have not received a print copy of the workshop catalog and would like one, please contact NEW (734-998-0160).

Coit Ford Joins Board Programs

Nonprofit Enterprise at Work is pleased to welcome Coit Ford III to the staff as Director of Board Programs. He will be directing our BoardConnect program which provides training and matching services for nonprofit boards. He will also lead an expansion of the BoardConnect program to serve other areas in Michigan. This includes BoardConnect SE, a recently established collaboration with the Detroit Regional Chamber to augment the capacity and sustainability of nonprofit organizations in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties. Contact Coit (734-998-0160 x 212).

Leadership²Go: Executive Directors Series

Friday, September 30, 8:30 a.m. -10:30 a.m.
Ann Arbor – location to be decided

A Roadmap to Compliance: Preparing to Navigate New Regulations is the topic for discussion at the next gathering of executive directors. Be prepared for the intensified regulation of nonprofits -- it is coming whether you like it or not! There are steps you need to take now to prepare yourself, your staff and your board. In A Roadmap to Compliance, we will present crucial up-to-date information to you in a concise, convenient and practical manner.

Expect to walk away armed with a list of effective action steps and sample policies you can implement in your operations today. And, as always, find out how your peers are dealing with this rapidly approaching reality. The $10 registration fee includes a continental breakfast. Please register in advance.

National Philanthropy Day Volunteer Recognition

The Association of Fundraising Professsionals (AFP) Detroit Chapter is hosting their 14th annual National Philanthropy Day celebration on Thursday, November 17 at the Ritz-Carlton, Dearborn. This is a wonderful opportunity to recognize the valuable contributions of your volunteers and highlight the services they provide to our communities. Distinguished Volunteer Recognition forms must be received by September 9.

Questions regarding National Philanthropy Day 2005 may be directed to Patty Paquin, Event Co-Chair (313-577-0026).

The Nonprofit Finance Fund

The Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) serves nonprofits in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne Counties through the Nonprofit Facilities Center.

Take advantage of a free session How NFF Works for You in Detroit on August 25 to learn how NFF can help you plan and finance growth, including facility projects and program expansion. Register by August 11.

Upcoming fall workshops in Detroit include:

• Facility Projects: Planning for Success
• The Balancing Act
• Facility Proejcts: Funding and Financing Strategies
• Real Estate: Making the Right Decisions
• Facility Projects: Hiring & Managing the Project Team
• Green Buildings: Helping Nonprofits Consider Green

Contact The Nonprofit Facilities Center (313-226-9420).

Reminders

Office space is available at the NEW Center. Contact Lia Stevens (734-998-0160 x 203).

MNA sponsors Indiana University Fundraising School this fall in Dearborn.

Women’s Expo in October.

Nonprofit Day Sept. 21 in Lansing. Online registration is now available.

REGULAR FEATURES

Nonprofit Bulletin Board

Visit NEW's Nonprofit Bulletin Board to post and view notices about free resources, fundraising opportunities, and other items relevant to the southeast Michigan nonprofit community.

Events Calendar

Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau calendar of events. E-mail Nick Miller to request a password to submit an event.