Marketing solutions for little orgs with big dreams.
Categories
Nonprofit Fundraising

Year-End Fundraising

Not every nonprofit organization plans a year-end fundraising campaign. Did you know that 30% of all annual donations to charity are made in December? And that nonprofits receive 10% of their total annual giving donations on December 29, 30 and 31?

There are two ways to interpret this information. Many nonprofit leaders decide that it makes more sense to relax during the holidays and only focus their fundraising efforts on the bigger piece of the pie. I would argue that this is a mistake because there are two pieces of data you should be considering side-by-side. Your nonprofit mission deserves a strong fundraising strategy, and choosing to spend more than 90 percent of your time fighting for only 70 percent of the profits is not good strategy.

Year-end fundraising data examined

To be clear, I in no way advocate that anyone stop fundraising throughout the year. What I am saying is that if you are not engaged in year-end fundraising you are missing out on a huge opportunity.

Year-end fundraising in January?

Yes! Now is the perfect time to craft your 2022 fundraising plan. There is no reason to wait until November to think about your year-end giving campaign.

JTE Communications offers marketing consulting for small nonprofits with big dreams – and that includes planning and promotion for fundraisers.

A Case Study

In 2021 JTE Communications managed NOWCastSA’s year-end-fundraising campaign. Using only email marketing, a website and social media we surpassed the amount raised over the same period in 2020 (November 1 to December 31), earning an unofficial total of $13,944. And that is not counting the additional $13,000 in matching funds earned from a challenge grant that will arrive in 2022. Results like this are huge for and organization with an annual budget of less than $100,000.

We’d love to help you reach your fundraising goals in 2022. Schedule a free consultation now.

This above is affiliate advertising. JTE Communications may receive a kickback if you use this link to purchase Canva Pro.  Canva Pro is already free for nonprofits and schools/teachers.
Categories
Marketing Strategy

Strengths-based Marketing

Are you familiar with the CliftonStrengths assessment (formerly StrengthsFinder)? No, it isn’t one of those Facebook quizzes meant to lure you into surrendering all of your data. It’s actually a pretty neat tool from the folks at Gallup. It is meant to identify your talents and what you are naturally good at. 

It is still available as an actual hard-cover book that explains what each of the 34 possible strengths are and ideas for action, as well as tips on working with other people who excel in each area. The book is still called StrengthsFinder 2.0, but newer versions also include the CliftonStrengths branding. You will find all of the same information if you take the assessment online and use the e-book, and the price is about the same either way.

No, I’m not paid to sell any of these products, but I recommend them just the same. I have not gone in for the premium CliftonStrengths 34 results, which apparently shows you how you rank in all 34 categories and gives tips for improving in the areas where you are “weaker.” I am personally only interested in the original, and coincidentally more affordable, Top 5 CliftonStrengths. (Here are resources on similar exercises that are actually free!

No business or nonprofit is too small to benefit from investing in this activity.

Amanda Evrard, JTE Communications

CliftonStrengths is one of several strengths assessments or personality tests executives assign to their employees as a team-building exercise. Some companies even require one of these tools as part of the application or onboarding process. I believe these assessments in general and the CliftonStrengths Assessment specifically are useful tools for teams of all sizes, including solopreneurs. No business or nonprofit is too small to benefit from investing in this activity.

Why should I care?

Why? Because when asked point-blank what our greatest strengths are most of us don’t really know. We can probably say which Harry Potter house we would belong to, whether we are more of a Carrie or a Charlotte, and maybe come up with a few things we think we are good at. Knowing what we are naturally good at and understanding these things at a deeper level is not only personally fulfilling, but it can also help you to successfully lead and market your organization.

To date I have used the knowledge from the original book as well as the book Strengths Based Leadership to better understand my coworkers as well as to write cover letters and resumes and to prepare for job interviews. I continue to use this information to build my business.

Two of my Top 5 fall under themes that are arguably innate ways of being that cannot be taught or gotten rid of. I understand that I am driven by core values that I believe give purpose to my life. I accept that I think strategically, I am mindful of patterns and evaluating potential obstacles, and I most often make decisions based on what I believe the most likely outcome will be.  I find that these strengths are the driving force for my approach to marketing for myself as well as for my clients.

Marketing and PR are fields that are not widely known for their ethics, altruism or integrity, but I know it doesn’t have to be that way. As a consultant I choose to work with people and organizations that are mission-driven and have big dreams of improving our world (I lovingly call them do-gooders). I love consulting because I know that I am good at helping others see the big picture and proposing solutions that they can put into action.

My other three Top 5 all fall under the Relationship Building theme. While I am at my core an introvert, I am still drawn to people because I enjoy seeing the potential in others and nurturing growth – both personal and professional. I am empathetic and flexible. These are traits that make it easier for me to facilitate clear communication between organizations and their target audiences. Marketing truly boils down to relationship building between an organization and its clients/customers, and I am grateful to be working in a field that values my strengths.

The next time you are wondering how to best market your organization, take a moment to reflect on your own strengths. Are you using your talents to develop your marketing plan?

Categories
Referral Marketing

Securing More Referrals for Your Small Business

With the internet came proliferation of choice like never before. With so much choice in the market, small business owners need effective marketing strategies to reach and retain clients. Referrals are one of the most effective marketing strategies for small businesses and nonprofit organizations. This is because most people typically trust recommendations from people they know.

When a client is satisfied by your services, they typically feel inclined to tell their family and friends about it. One referral can lead to a chain reaction of additional referrals and the ultimate growth of your business.

Why your business needs referrals

References have become an important currency for small businesses for the benefits they offer which include:

  • Cost-effectiveness: Unlike costly marketing campaigns, requesting referrals cost little to no money and time
  • Client retention: Clients who refer to your business are mostly loyal and enthusiastic.
  • Improved conversion: New clients from referrals already trust those who referred them and are likely to advance through the sales process faster.
  • Referral chain reaction: As more satisfied clients refer your business to their family and friends, the chain grows improving the chance of receiving more clients.
  • Expanded client base: As more potential clients are referred to your business by people they trust, your client base grows.
How to Get More Referrals for your Business

As highlighted above, the instant credibility that your business gets from having your clients as your advocates has many benefits. Business owners should be using this marketing strategy extensively. Unfortunately, referral marketing is harder than it looks.

Most clients only provide low-grade referrals. For a high-quality referral, you need a client to provide more than just your business name and email address. Your client should actively talk about your service and bring the prospect to the door. Here are strategies to secure more and better referrals for your business:

Ask for referrals

Referrals are not automatic. While some clients may take initiative to refer your business after a terrific experience, you should not assume that a good job will generate referrals by default. Ask for referrals and you will receive. While you may get some pushback from some clients, most of them will be open to telling their family, friends, and associates about something they have discovered.

Offer Incentives

With referrals, your clients market your business without getting any direct benefit. Nobody likes to work for free. Your clients need to get something from the arrangement to keep them engaged and committed. In addition to expressing your appreciation via email, phone call, or handwritten note, you need to offer a tangible incentive.

The incentive will depend on your business. It could be service credits, discounts, upgrades, or a freebie to entice clients to give quality referrals. Test different referral incentives to find one that works best.

Network with existing customers and other businesses

Once you’ve acquired a new customer, you should not assume that they will remain loyal. You need to nurture the relationship by keeping them engaged. Stay in touch after the sale to build a long-term connection. Continue to provide value through check-ins, informative content, and additional offerings.

Effective business networking is not about asking for favors. It involves creating trusting friendships and relationships. Part of building a strong business network is partnering with other businesses for cross-promotion. You should help other businesses by referring them to your customers, providing testimonials, or promoting their business in other ways. Keep these relationships alive by reaching out a few times a year.

Create a form for referrals

You need to be cognizant of how busy your clients are. You cannot simply ask for referrals and hope that they will follow through. A more proactive approach to ensure that you get referrals is providing a fillable template to eliminate some of the heavy lifting.

Final thoughts

An effective referral program can take your business to the next level. Use newsletters, blog posts, customer mailings, emails, or any other communication means you have available to market your referral program to your customers.

This blog was contributed to JTE Communications by Linda Chase, http://ablehire.org/. Need help creating a referral program for your organization? Schedule a free consultation now.

Categories
Recognition

JTE Communications Recognized as Top Marketing Strategy Company in New Mexico

There are infinite ways you can run a marketing campaign for your company. At JTE Communications, we remove the guesswork from your end. We are a marketing strategy and social media marketing company that helps businesses tell their story online and offline. We offer a variety of affordable, reliable, and professional services that focus on helping small businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Our goal has always been to help your organization reach your marketing goals!  Thanks to this drive and our passion in serving our clients, we were able to reach a new high for our company.

We would like to announce that we have been recently named as top marketing strategy company in New Mexico.

Thanks to Clutch for recognizing our talent and for this amazing award. In case you didn’t know who they are, Clutch is the leader in connecting global service providers with corporate buyers from around the world. 

Their ratings and verified review platform publishes the most extensive and referenced client reviews in the B2B services market. 

We are truly honored and overwhelmed to be named as one of the top companies in our state. But we would also like to give our clients and partners a huge shout out! We wouldn’t be where we are today without your partnership.

We can’t wait to meet you. We offer a free 30-minute consultation where we discuss your organization, goals, and budget. Schedule a call with us and let’s start working together to reach your goals.

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