Running a non-profit organization is not an easy task. It takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication from the team members to make sure that their work is effective and that their cause is well supported. Outreach is key when it comes to non-profit organizations. It allows them to connect with the animals or people that they want to help and the donors who can support their work. If you have been wondering how to improve the reach of your non-profit, these tips may help.
Speak multiple languages
Whether you are based in the United States or overseas, you should use a variety of languages to address your audiences. This will help expand your reach and allow you to connect to more people with different backgrounds. While websites such as Google Translate can translate words and short phrases for free, you should engage professional native speakers to ensure that your messages are translated correctly and clearly. Some companies offer non-profit translation services at affordable rates to help your organization save costs without compromising the quality of communication.
Build your social media presence
These days, almost everyone uses some form of social media regularly. Social media sites are a good place to reach younger people who may not be very active in other traditional media channels such as television or print. By creating social media profiles for your non-profit organization, you will be able to reach a wider audience and increase your exposure. Having a social media profile does not mean that the work you do is not serious or important; in fact, the opposite is true. You can share important information about your cause and provide regular updates to show people how impactful your organization’s work is.
Optimize your website for mobile
More people are using their mobile devices to access the internet today than ever before. Hence, you must make sure that your website is optimized for mobile viewers and that it loads quickly enough that people will not get bored of waiting. To improve your site’s performance on mobile devices, you can use tools such as Google’s PageSpeed Insights, which helps identify optimization issues and suggests ways to fix them. If you do not have the knowledge or resources to work on web development, look for volunteers who may be happy to dedicate their time and skills to get your website up to scratch.
Make use of video
More and more organizations are making use of videos in their marketing campaigns. Video is an effective way to get attention and convey your message to your intended audience. Modern audiences are more likely to watch a video than read an article and videos can evoke emotions and offer a more immersive experience than text or photos can. Try to make a few short clips (three minutes or less) about your organization and upload them onto social media so that people can learn more about your cause. You can also make longer clips (about five to ten minutes) that go into a little more detail about your work and publish them on your website.
Design merchandise
You can make shirts, caps, and tote bags with your logo or message on them and sell these items to fundraise for your cause. Clothing and bags are great items to sell, and they also help to promote your organization whenever their wearers are out and about. Be sure that all your merchandise has an obvious logo that passersby will be able to trace back to your organization. Some platforms such as CafePress allow you to easily create designs on a variety of merchandise. If you want something a little more unique, try enlisting a local designer to come up with an original design and promote their art at the same time.
Partner with other non-profits
Often, people who support one cause will be more likely to support another. By collaborating with other non-profit organizations, you will be able to learn more about your target audience and improve your marketing strategies. You can also benefit by sharing office equipment and saving money on bulk printing. Such relationships can be very beneficial for all the organizations involved. Some ways you can work with other non-profit organizations include hosting joint fundraising events, joining forces for educational programs, and organizing volunteer activities together.
Develop relationships with local businesses
Local businesses usually form strong connections with their customers and support the community in a variety of ways. When you develop a good relationship with a local business, they will be more inclined to support you and share your work with their customer base. By supporting your non-profit, these businesses can enhance their corporate social responsibility image as well. A win-win way to work with a local business is for them to become an official sponsor. You can promote them on your organization’s social media and vice versa. You can also invite the business’s team members to volunteer at your events.
Having a wide audience reach can greatly affect the success of a non-profit organization. After all, nobody will support your efforts if they do not know what you are doing. With the help of the above tips, you should be able to reach more people, gain more supporters, and raise more funds in no time. Keep up the great work!