In the nonprofit world it’s easy to get laser-focused on your area of expertise; but if each department in a non-profit is so hyper-focused on their own area, we have—whether intentional or not—built silos that cost us money, time and keep us from building a lasting relationship with donors.
The first step in maximizing your nonprofit marketing strategy
The greatest and most impactful step you will ever make toward true integration is to eliminate the barriers that keep your people (and thus your campaigns and messages) operating independently of each other.
This division usually occurs in three areas:
- Donor pyramid levels
- Program and service areas
- Offline and online channels
The lack of a unified effort toward shared goals results in wasted investment and missed opportunities. If the measures of success are customized to each department or program unit and don’t roll up into broader goals, then even well-meaning teams are unintentionally being given incentive to work against each other.
Make it a top priority to realign your internal structures and metrics before launching your next major campaign. Arrange planning meetings with key representatives from your executive, development, and program teams. Set the strategy and allow individual stakeholders to execute their own portion accordingly. One overarching goal will allow each area to move in concert.
Learn how to effectively engage donors through traditional and digital communications
Having a centralized strategy that each staff member supports within his or her area of responsibility will be the foundation for every other decision you make. If you want to learn about more ways to work across channels to reach your donors, download the free resource, the Intelligent Fundraiser’s Guide to Integrated Fundraising.
What are some ways that you can begin to break down silos today?