As nonprofits continue to grapple with the constraints of shrinking budgets and dwindling donor support, PR pros must focus their efforts to reach the most applicable audiences and deliver messaging that inspires giving. Here are four tips from marketing/PR agency 4GreenPs staff to get the dollars flowing.
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Research Is Critical—Lynn Miller, CEO of 4GreenPs, says regardless of the timeframe, insist on doing historical research. “You need your own data in order to make reasonable assessments,” she says.
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Assess All Stakeholders—In working with the National Children’s Center, Miller and her team initially thought to focus on restaurants for fundraising, but discovered a core group of vendors that the NCC had relationships with as potential donors. Look across the board at everyone who could be potential donor and home in on the ones that would be likely to give and become supporters.
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Convey the Passion—Nonprofits are very passionate about the groups that they service. It’s important to convey that passion they feel in your PR efforts, says Leslie Gilliam, a PR consultant for 4GreenPs.
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Look at What’s Not Working—Don’t view roadblocks as personal failures, or to try to hide them. Instead, confront them head on and change course, says Miller. To do that successfully, it helps to have solid research to fall back on, to remain objective and to present creative solutions to problems.
PR News subscribers can read more about 4GreenPs' fundraising and PR efforts in the the case study—"Despite Tough 'Giving' Climate, PR Drives Record Donations for Washington, D.C., Respitality Program."