Be Consistent, Not Confusing with Multi-Channel Nonprofit Marketing

Call it what you will — integrated, holistic, multi-channel fundraising and marketing — but there’s no variance in my recommendation that you take this approach right now, if you’re not already.

Without multi-channel marketing and fundraising, your target audiences are confused by the inconsistency of what they’re hearing from you via various “channels” (your emails vs. Facebook page vs. in-person events). No one likes to be confused and in many cases, the response is to flee your call to action. This doesn’t mean you have to use every channel. It does mean that when you focus on the channels where your target audiences already are, strive for consistency.

With multi-channel marketing and fundraising, you make it easy for your network to “get it,” as they’re absorbing consistent messages across channels. It may be that the 3rd time they hear your call to action (let’s say to support a new program) is the magic charm…the time when your message resonates (and it took hearing or reading it three times to make this happen) to spur action and strengthen relationships. So make the build happen with rigorously-monitored multi-channel marketing!

Thanks to the folks at Blackbaud for sharing this infographic emphasizing that reaching out consistently across (RELEVANT) channels increases results at least three fold (and that offline fundraising is still the source of 90% of donated dollars!):

More on the value of consistency here: 4 Steps to Creating a Strong Nonprofit Brand (Case Study)

P.S. Get more in-depth case studies, templates and tools, and guidance for nonprofit marketing success — all featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update. Subscribe today.