The Importance of Branding for Non-Profits, Part 2
Nowhere is the importance or value of a genuine brand more evident than in last year’s tragic events in Haiti. Instantly, the Red Cross raised millions with amazing ease. They were able do this for one reason and one reason only: the Red Cross is a trusted brand name. Would the results have been the same if we’d been urged to commit ten dollars via cellphone to an organization we’d never heard of? The answer is an obvious “no.” Millions of dollars raised in mere minutes…that is the power of a genuine brand, perfectly aligned with its vision and mission.
Nonprofits like the Red Cross, Harvard University, Mayo Clinic, American Cancer Society, Unicef, MOMA, (the list is long) all understand the power of the brand to capture audiences and shake the money tree. They have consistently allocated marketing dollars and intellectual capital to building, protecting and nurturing their brand.
If, as a small (or not so small) nonprofit, you are thinking ‘But they’re big. They have deep pockets. We can’t do it”, the question you should be asking is “can we afford not to?” Branding is both a value proposition and a bottom line imperative. If no one knows who you are, and what you stand for, you cannot expect to grow and to thrive. And it shouldn’t be that hard to do. Let’s face it; most of us aren’t working on a global stage. You should be able to create meaningful brand awareness in a memorable, substantive, affordable way. But you need a blueprint.
Yes, you will have to allocate some financial resources to the effort, but building your brand should be considered so essential that it is an annual, non-negotiable budget line item. Find other places to cut if you must. You cannot underestimate the importance of cultivating your brand. Your financial stability and your future as an organization depend on it.
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