While individuals and institutions gave nearly $308 billion in pledges during 2008 – a healthy commitment by any standard – it nonetheless represents a decline of over $6 billion from 2007, or 5.7% on an inflation adjusted basis. While the real decline started in the Fall of 2008, this year isn’t shaping up to be much better. What can a nonprofit do to begin turning this around?

The Importance of Branding
Some nonprofits have understood the importance of branding their organizations, but most give it only “lip service” while continuing to put pressure on their fundraisers to produce even more. Now, an important new study from Cone, LLC and Intangible Business quantifies the leverage that a stronger brand could provide.

The study ranks the top 100 U.S. nonprofit brands among organizations providing social, environmental and animal related services. Historically, while many surveys have analyzed the financial side of nonprofits and many have looked at image and awareness data, this new study puts both sets of information together and presents a Power Brand Rank. Comparing a brand’s “revenue rank” with its “image rank” points to a number of marketing implications:

• A high “revenue rank” coupled with a low “image rank” suggests the potential financial growth if the image rankings were strengthened;
• Similarly, leveraging a strong brand image asset should lead to incremental financial rewards.

The question then becomes, what’s the best approach for a nonprofit to take to build brand awareness and image. (It should be noted that while this study did not include universities, civic or cultural institutions, there is no reason to believe the conclusions regarding the importance of branding would differ for these organizations.)

Nonprofit Anniversary Marketing
The anniversary of your nonprofit’s founding is an ideal opportunity to galvanize your employees, board members, donors, foundations, government and corporate sponsors, and to re-kindle their commitment to the relevance, importance and needs of the organization.

This is a unique opportunity, with the potential for a yearlong marketing program that, done properly, sets the stage for your fundraisers, strengthens your longer term brand image and improves the organization’s ROI.

For-profit organizations, both large and small, have long recognized the importance of company anniversary marketing because it isn’t just the latest advertising, public relations, direct mail, internet or event program. Rather, it is a unique chance for an organization to link the strength of its past to its plans for the future. For nonprofit organizations this story can be especially important among new members, volunteers and donors.

And, importantly, anniversaries do not need to be celebrated in multiples of 25 years. Your 33rd can be as powerful as your 75th.

Planning for an anniversary marketing program should begin well in advance of the anniversary year. As you begin to develop your strategic plans and budgets, you also should audit your resources and perhaps conduct research to determine what your stakeholders really think. This research also can provide a benchmark against which to measure your progress and ROI at the conclusion of your program.

A theme and logo are essential. You should also consider a historical book, or CD, newsletters, direct mail, multiple events and the internet to communicate your story. Advertising and public relations may also play a part. All of these tactics require coordination and integration with your overall strategy, mission and vision statements.

Further, you should consider hiring an outside consulting group. Not only will they bring “fresh eyes” to your situation, but they will have the experience and ability to coordinate all of the facets of your program, something that your staff or volunteers may not have the time or expertise to do.

Today’s marketplace is uncertain, distrustful and, frankly, afraid of the future. When you celebrate your historical success, and position yourself for a vibrant future, you reassure people about your staying power and relevance. Ironically, the current environment couldn’t present a stronger marketing opportunity.

GUEST BLOGGER

Gary Kullberg has served on five nonprofit Executive Boards, two as President and one as Vice Chair. He is the CEO of the Kullberg Consulting Group (KCG), founded in 1994, a strategic alliance of sixty entrepreneurially driven marketing and marketing communications companies whose service, http://www.MarketingMilestone.com, provides both effective strategy and execution to organizations and brands celebrating their milestones. KCG brings together the combined experiences of its members, who have worked with over 585 organizations, profit and nonprofit, in 21 major industry groups.

Author: Gary Kullberg
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable Multi-cooker

Image by mark_am_kramer via Flickr

So, you tell me:  Can a person have their Facebook account disabled for promoting and marketing their brands, products and services?

SCENARIO 1.

Just the other day, as the anchor for Social Media Television, I had the distinct pleasure interviewing a guest who described what he did to have his Facebook account disabled (unknowingly).  He’d created a business page, but because of SEC rules, and his profession, he had to take it down.  So, he began engaging his community and “promoting” his products and services on his personal profile.  To his horror, one day, Facebook sent him a nice little note that said:  ”Your account has been disabled”!

SCENARIO 2.

Today, I received an exciting note, that a community member had reached 5,000 “friends” on his personal profile and Facebook said, in other words, “time to get a Fan Page” (i.e. Business Page).  He was shocked at the limitation.   Here’s my reply, and I’m curious what you would add to this:

Dear X,

First, Congratulations on reaching this milestone with the equity of your brand!

Can I respond / weigh in?  Just a few thoughts, which I know you “already know” …

You make sense, but think about it:

If your personal profile has nothing to do with your business or profession, then a Business Page (i.e. Fan Page) is the most appropriate.

What I’ve observed is that we start building a personal brand/and or our services or products, and sometimes, we’re promoting them on the personal profile (and thus a violation of the terms of service) and that really isn’t the purpose of FB personal profile.  It’s intended to be, well, personal.

You can determine what you’re promoting by looking at your profile picture.  If it’s a logo, or image and NOT your personal picture, then, you may be tight-walking the “promotion” violation, and risk having your account disabled by Facebook.

If you aren’t doing anything to build your business or brand, and you reach 5,000 “friends”, then I say, you really need to have a “celebrity” page on the the Business side (you know you have a choice when you create your page to be a local business, product/service,  “celebrity”, or public figure, etc.).

At any rate, the content that you publish on your Fan Page will push through to your wall, so your entire community will have visibility.

Just my two cents, unsolicited, but given out of sincerity.

Have a great evening and congratulations again on your “stardom” success!!

Tiffany Odutoye, Social Brand Equity Coach

SCENARIO 3.

My client was sharing their progress to date and had great engagement on their business page.  However, they shared with me the personal profile, which was:

1) In a business name

Violation:  Your personal page must be a “real” first and last name.  A business entity should have a presence on the Business Pages.

2) Highlighting ONLY a business in the “info box” and promoting their products and services

Violation:  Well, this is walking that tightrope again.  I cannot be dogmatic.  However, here is where people come to learn about “you”, not necessarily your business.  If you want to have your business in the URL section, great, but lets stop promoting what we do, and focus more on “who” we are.

We reviewed the Facebook terms of service, they decided to make some changes.

What about you?  What do you think?  Is this approach too strong? Should Facebook ease up and “allow” personal profiles to be whatever we want?  Should they force you to have a business page?  Should they open the limits to the number of “friends” you can have on your personal profile? Since they’ve reached 400M+ users and would not be able to manage enforcement, should we take a chance and promote, promote, promote?

Pick an area and let’s hear from you!

Many received a notice via email from SMC Columbus with this invitation:

Our time has come social media lovers … And It’s Official! Thanks to Mashable.com, Social Media Day is being held worldwide on Wednesday, June 30, 2010. In Columbus we’ll be celebrating at O’Shaughnessy’s Public House at 7:00 p.m. Come along and bring a friend … while we ring in what we hope to celebrate for years to come!

And…

An intimate group in Columbus Ohio gathered.  All that was needed was the promise of a video shoot, talk of Facebook, a few cold ones, and viola!  The room was full of buzz and chatter.

Some met for the first time, but most we excited to be a part of a global media movement.

Social Media Television was on site to cover the event. Here is a quick recap of the evening.

What is Social Media Day?  Here’s what Mashable.com said about  it:

Thanks to @CherylHarrison, @SMCColumbus and others for organizing the first of many such events!

Sponsors:

Today I got a nice little nugget in my inbox, and thought – yes! This definitely should be shared.

How many times have you spoken, and realized that what was heard, was not at all what you said? Communication is part art and part science and must be practiced. There are four main goals: to inform, to request, to persuade, and to build relationships.

If we don’t master the art of communication, we may waste our time doing pointless activities that amount to, well, pointless activity.

For example: is your social networking NOT working? Has your sphere of influence and reach expanded? Chances are you are not building the type of relationships that benefit from your influence. Perhaps you are talking to the wrong people. So, what can do?

Take a look at this list and identify one or two items that fit your objectives for communicating (informing, requesting, influencing, or building relationships). Try them right away and be sure to pop back on this page to share your comments and stories. I want to hear them!

Article Resource: 99 Ways to Improve Your Communication [http://www.getinfrontblogging.com/communication/99-ways-to-improve-your-communication/]

Additional resource: Lynne Waymon founded an organization called: Contacts Count. Check out some of the resources she offers for effectively connecting and building relationships (communicating) at live events.

Find them at http://www.contactscount.com

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Public social networking platforms (like Facebook and MySpace) offer a free space to cultivate connections and collect friends. The data is frequently erroneous and the site lacks reporting features. On the plus side it is free and available and comes with a site name that everyone knows.

Private online communities and membership sites offer your members the same robust, entertaining features and ability to connect, while providing your administration with something that we all long for — accountability. Reporting features within private communities deliver a strong level of accountability and allow you to monitor and export data on your members and their activities.

The number of friends (or fans) on your public site is not a viable measure of return on investment. In addition to bogus information/member data, the ease at which someone can become a friend or fan of your site actually becomes a negative for your organization as many individuals will merely succumb to the ease/pressure of pressing a fan button because their friend sent it to them, not because they have any interest in your organization. Becoming a member of a private online community is a much bigger commitment because it is an active approach and one that speaks (silently) to their intention.

The perfect fit for your organization may be a combination of both approaches — having a public membership site that funnels traffic to your private site. It’s often a good tactic to incorporate public social networking sites into your marketing mix. It’s certainly a good idea to fish where the fish are! But be sure to bring them home to your organization’s private community — where you can capture valuable member information and provide measurable value to them in return.

About YourMembership.com Inc.
Founded in 1998, YourMembership.com Inc. develops online member communities and web-based membership software for associations, non-profits, government organizations, corporations, congregations, secondary schools, universities, foundations, fraternal organizations and private social networking sites. Serving hundreds of customers around the world, YourMembership.com creates truly dynamic, secure and connected member communities with all product features, design, hosting, future product upgrades and customer service included for one low fee.

David L. Sieg
Vice President, Strategic Marketing
YourMembership.com Inc.

Author: David L Sieg
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Creditcard Currency Conversion Fee

This morning is day three of  Start-Up Weekend 2010 and I’m uber excited that my idea for a new tech company got selected.  We’ve been locked in a room since Friday, with necessary breaks for food, sleep, etc.  Today, we’ve got to brand our project.  In searching through the corners of my mind for a compelling brand, I took a quick look on the web and found the article below that I wanted to share:  Why Weird Words Make Great Brand Names, by Phillip Davis.

In the interim, we’ll do a brainstorming activity today and hopefully leave the room with a great name!

Here’s that article I mentioned:

When creating a truly great company name, the number one consideration should be the level of “engagement.”

“Engagement?” you ask incredulously.

Yes… engagement.
While there are all sorts of naming strategies… metaphors, acronyms, coined/invented, key attributes, positive connotations, etc., the one common denominator that separates the mediocre from the memorable, is the degree to which the name engages the mind of the consumer. Most new business owners opt for company names that inform and describe, leaving nothing to the imagination. They often fail to realize that the context surrounding the name (the ad, the store sign, the proposal, the brochure copy, etc.) will define what they do, so the name can be free to describe how they do it. In other words, no customer will hear or see the name in a mental vacuum. Yet this is the way we often judge names when “brainstorming”. And it’s why focus groups are such

notoriously bad judges of good names. It’s not the people that are flawed, it’s the process itself. Most of the feedback takes the form of free associations, all in an effort to determine if a name is “good” or “bad.” It goes something like this…

Interviewer: “What do you think of the name Monster?”

Respondent: “Ew! They’re scary and dangerous!”

Interviewer: “What about Amazon?”
Respondent: “Jungle… drowning… snakes… piranhas…”

Interviewer: “Apple?”
Respondent: “A bad apple spoils the whole bunch.”

Interviewer: “Caterpillar?”
Respondent: “Squishy, soft, and squirmy.”

Interviewer to new business owner: “I think we can safely assume these would be bad brand names…”

So if it’s not a matter of free associations, then what determines a good name? Again, it’s that all important element known as “engagement.” Engagement is what causes you to lean forward, ask twice, invite more information and pursue the conversation. A good name should invite a discussion, start a conversation and “engage” the other person’s interest and attention. That’s why Amazon, even though it says nothing about what it does, works better than Books-A-Million. Amazon is open and inviting and Books-A-Million is literal and descriptive. Amazon speaks to the process…flowing, easy, abundant. Books-A-Million speaks to the products… books. And while Amazon leaves room for the company to grow in any number of directions, Books-A-Million leaves the company in a bind. I once heard an ad for a company called Just Brakes. Since they had outgrown this narrow niche, they adopted a new tag line… “We’re more than just brakes.”

Let’s take another example. Linens & Things is needlessly redundant since most people, after seeing a newspaper ad, or walking by the store window, will know the company sells linens and things. It would be better to use the name to capture some key strategic position or advantage, or to evoke a feeling or emotion. Is Linen & Things the best, the fastest, the biggest, the most service oriented, the trendiest? We simply don’t know. They have described but they haven’t evoked. They’ve explained but they haven’t engaged.

The objection I routinely hear is “But with names like these, no one will know what I do!” And that’s when I explain that trust is needed… trust in the power of context to fill in the blanks. That way the name is freed to paint a picture, engage the senses and position the brand to reflect not what you do, but how you do it.

So will any weird word work?

No.

Weird for weird sake will just leave the customer scratching his or her head in bewilderment of moving on in indifference. Bold, engaging names will create the desire to know more, and that’s where you need to be ready to tell the story. The name then becomes a segue to a larger story. It starts with the name and tagline and then continues to the :15 second elevator speech and beyond.

One of our clients we named was TKO Surgical. When asked if that’s a boxing reference, our client gives an emphatic “yes,” explaining that they have a mission to both defend and fight for their clients’ needs. They’ll champion their cause and remain in their corner until the last bell sounds. Their tag line? “Technically Superior.”

So whether a name is based on a metaphor, a key attribute, an acronym, or a positive connotation, the overarching goal is to create a name that engages. Perhaps that’s why Albert Einstein asserted that “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” If given the choice of engaging vs. informing, opt for a name that begs for more. It may seem weird, but the results can be wonderful.

Phillip Davis is president and owner of Tungsten Branding, business naming consultants specializing in brand creation, product naming, tag line development, corporate identity and strategic brand repositioning. Phil’s client list includes PODS, Team Logic IT and Sea Of Diamonds to name a few. His complete client list and company naming philosophy can be viewed at http://PureTungsten.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phillip_Davis

She kicked off the call with her review of a newer tool:  Foursquare.  Here’s an excerpt from her blog on the tool:

Could FourSquare be the next social media darling for business? Could Twitter possibly be de-throned? We think so. FourSquare is a location-based application that you run on your smart phone that allows users to “check-in” when they are out and about. Headed to Publix? Check-in. Out with the guys at the neighborhood pub? Check-in. It definitely…read more here:  Get FourSquare and Get Busy.

I have to admit, at first, I wasn’t too keen on publicizing my every movement, as if I had a tracking device on me, but I can see the merit of it in some instances.  Just wondering, all you “foursquare” users, what has been your experience?  Do you like it?  Is it worth it?  Take a poll here.

I’ll weigh in after 10 days of trying it!

Several years ago some marketing consultants got smart and realized that CFO’s and other finance centric professionals live in a world that is focused on ROI (Return on Investment) and want to run spreadsheets that show the outcomes of dollars spent before committing to the expenditures. Since the money people make many decisions, these consultants and other “gurus” created programs that spoke the language of the finance department and created “ROI” algorithms to sell their services to these decision makers.

By speaking their language they were able to appear more intelligent (key word: appear) and win the business. Left-brainers everywhere rejoiced, as now these disciplines were under their control.

For too long marketing, business development, networking, direct mail, advertising, branding, PR (and more recently social media) were viewed by the left brain professionals as “the Black Arts”. They admitted that these were necessary, but since they were more creative and not always predictable, that they were some how less important to the success of a company than the more predictable departments on the org chart.

However, while this trend toward analyzing “return on investment” on everything makes people feel good — it has paralyzed many companies.

During a job interview years ago I told a CFO that sometimes to find success in marketing you have to try a variety of tactics. I used the old saying “throw some spaghetti against the wall and see what sticks!” The CFO responded that if a marketing campaign could not prove out results in advance, then his company would not do it. “No spaghetti could hit the floor!” The company hired a “ROI” oriented marketing manager (they did not hire me) and the company had minimal success in growing its image. The person they hired lasted 14 months on the job before the company changed direction, yet again.

While you do not want to waste dollars in promoting the image of your company, if you think there is a magic formula that will guarantee success, you will spend your life over thinking every opportunity and you will miss out on the allusive successes you seek. There is a difference between throwing money around and having an instinctive feeling on how to have an impact on your company’s positioning in the marketplace.

Instead of spending hours looking at the return on every investment on a spreadsheet, you should redefine the definition of ROI in regards to marketing.

ROI = Rely On Instincts.

Raising the visibility and brand of your company is not as easy as building a new website, joining Twitter, or sponsoring an industry conference. You need to fine tune your instincts or hire someone who knows the landscape of how all the “black arts” actually work together.

Take social media for an example: The term is getting a lot of attention in business circles, but it is not magic. Just like advertising, PR, networking, marketing, or branding alone will not make you rich…. social media is just another tool (although a trendy tool as this is being written). There are many “experts” advising companies on ROI in this medium, but I have seen few who can deliver the goods they present in a brochure. The real success here comes from hands on involvement of the company’s executives. You can’t outsource authenticity.

In a vacuum none of these marketing related disciplines will rocket your success toward the sky. But when strategically used together, they will have the long lasting power to help bring in new business.

If your instincts are rusty on these right-brain activities, then you need to do a little work and experimentation. You can learn to understand how to help promote the image of your firm by paying attention to the world around you. A good lawyer does not stop studying new laws and statutes that come into play and just rely on what they learned in school. They keep fine tuning their practice. (Note that it is called a “practice”, which means they never master it… but keep working on the whole process!). Likewise an accountant will not rely on tax law from 1989 to prepare their client’s return this year (at least you would hope not!).

Embrace the marketing world for the power it has to help your company, rather than try to cram it into a pre-structured spreadsheet. If the world worked that way then you would not be frustrated by lack of marketing success… and your competitors could buy the same structured program as you, and thus make you both a commodity, anyway!!! (Feeling like your product or service is becoming a commodity? Hmmmm, maybe there is a connection to the lack of creativity in your efforts!!!)

I expect this post will not be well accepted by those who want the world to be viewed in black and white… and by those who use fancy words and spreadsheets to win the business from left brain decision makers. But I am not attacking, as much as I am asking people to love the gray area for the possibilities for growth that are living there.

Thom Singer is a professional business speaker and the author of four books on the power of business relationships and networking. More information is available at http://www.thomsinger.com

Author: Thom Singer
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Mobile device news

I don’t know about you, but the hype over having large communities might be a little over rated.  That is if you look at sheer numbers to determine influence.

Here’s what I mean, if you have recently received a “Facebook Friend” request, then ask yourself:

1) How does this person know me?

2) Why do they want to connect?

3) Do I really care?

4) What will I give back?

5) Have I tossed the ping-pong ball back by visiting them and giving a meaningful “shout-out” or acknowledged their presence?

It’s so easy to accept a request, only later to find out that you’ve been fooled by a spammer! Or worse, that you’ve become a “taker” and not a giver.

That applies to Twitter too!  Really, any community that you commit to joining expects something of you–engagement.  Will you “bring it” when you join?

Here are five tips to being a “giver” and not a taker while social networking:

1) Listen first.  Try get a sense for what your audience likes.  If it doesn’t work for you, swap out a friend or two to improve the quality of your network and relationships.

2) Think about what they need.  Give them both what they want and need.  You’ll only know this if you’ve grown your community in a targeted way.

3) Mix it up a little by making the shift from “marketer” to “problem solver”.  Stop pushing your stuff and pull a little to figure out a solution you can respond with.

4) Stop looking for your angle.  You know what I mean…you’ve got a favor “you” need.  STOP!  Put agendas aside and just “be here now”.

5) If you feel you have nothing of value to say, then be okay with contributing a “ditto” via RT (re-tweet).  Imitation is still the greatest form of flattery. Oh, and saying nothing at all might be the wise course too.

Ultimately, never forget that social networks are just platforms, and that we must humanize the tools.  A case in point, not long ago I noticed that Starbucks had a post on Twitter for a talent opportunity. Notice the human touch after I contributed a response…

Saw this while online

Thought of who in my network would fit.

They provided a human response. Notice the initials.

At the end of the day, people care about, and want to do business with people that the know, like and trust.  So be more than a “friend” or a “follower” taking up space on someones profile – be engaged and watch your influence shoot through the roof!

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