FOMO and Fundraising: A Guide to Community-Based Marketing for the Modern Non-Profit

Non-profits, hear me loud and clear: Community-based marketing is not only important but it's necessary when trying to tap into Millennial and Gen-Z donors. Transparency into not only your organization’s impact but also where the money is going is becoming non-negotiable for new donors. “I wanna see the receipts!”

Before you bring up “how things have always been” welcome to the Wild West where your resident Marketing Maverick encourages a little pioneering by future-proofing your marketing strategies using scalable tactics and technology. Creating a community-based marketing strategy means that while metrics are very important, you have to be more customer-centric. It means being personable, honest, and inclusionary, and more importantly, it means listening.

While not a social-impact organization, a great example of community-based marketing would be Topicals, a skincare company, that flipped the beauty industry on its head by promoting community through shared experience and creative events. Their most notable example showcases people wearing their under-eye patches out partying together in Ghana – a beauty treatment normally reserved for home. It’s innovative because they leaned into representing their primarily black audience by choosing young black influencers and made the eye patches a fashion statement. This sparked a wildfire of FOMO on social media and ultimately turned the eyepatches into badges to identify other community members ‘in the know.” #IYKYK

This type of marketing strategy means a true investment into gathering feedback from your audience AND acting on the feedback. And no, you don’t have to act on EVERYTHING, but your supporters need to feel heard. Creating space for a dialogue can be a challenge for more institutionalized organizations but having regular conversations through storytelling is the difference between transactional relationships and one rooted in true advocacy.

Firstly, to set your efforts up for success, you’ll need a team. While it might seem like an easy strategy to tack onto your existing marketing plan, this is not a one-person show because it requires a tremendous amount of consistency and effort:

1. Community Manager: Leads the strategy, oversees daily operations, and fosters a positive and inclusive environment.
2. Content Creator: Develops engaging content that resonates with the community.
3. Social Media Manager: Promotes the community through social media channels and interacts with potential members (This role can potentially be combined with the Community Manager depending on the size of the community).

Next, that team and the rest of the organization need to be clear on your North Star. This will keep everyone on track and prevent burnout or wasted resources. Generally, there are four objectives. Keep in mind, not all of them will be measured in the same way and in some instances, these objectives might actualize consecutively instead of concurrently.

1. Increase Brand Awareness
2. Engage Donors
3. Foster a Sense of Community
4. Drive Sales/Donations/Membership and Donor Retention

After you think through your objectives you need to start to think about the strategy to accomplish them. At a high level, you’ll bucket the components your strategies need to thrive and then break down your internal resources. Often non-profits and social impact organizations experience roadblocks because the idea requires resources you don’t have but don’t figure out until much later into the campaign. Since consistency can make or break community-based marketing, you need to know how you can deliver from the start even if you have to create multi-functional roles.

Strategy Components

1. Content Creation

Resources Needed: Blog, social media platforms, email newsletter, video content, photos, etc.

Hired Staff:

Content Manager: To oversee content strategy and creation.

Copywriters: To produce blog posts, newsletters, and social media content.

Graphic Designer: To create visually appealing content.

Videographer/Video Editor: To produce video content.

2. Social Media Engagement

Resources Needed: Social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite, Buffer), community forums/groups.

Hired Staff:

Social Media Manager: To manage and engage with the community on social media platforms.

Community Manager: To moderate forums and groups, engage with members, and address their concerns.

3. Events and Webinars

Resources Needed: Webinar software (e.g., Zoom, Webex), event planning tools, and guest speakers.

Hired Staff:

Event Coordinator: To plan and execute events and webinars.

Technical Support Specialist: To manage technical aspects of webinars and online events.

4. Influencer and Advocate Partnerships

Resources Needed: Influencer marketing platforms (e.g., AspireIQ, Upfluence).

Hired Staff:

Influencer Marketing Specialist: To identify and collaborate with influencers and brand advocates.

Partnership Manager: To maintain relationships with influencers and advocates.

5. Customer Feedback and Engagement

Resources Needed: Feedback tools (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform), CRM software.

Hired Staff:

Customer Experience Manager: To gather and analyze customer feedback, and implement improvements.

Customer Support Representatives: To engage with customers and resolve their issues.

6. Email Marketing

Resources Needed: Email marketing software (e.g., Mailchimp, Constant Contact).

Hired Staff:

Email Marketing Specialist: To create and manage email campaigns.

Data Analyst: To track and analyze the performance of email campaigns.

7. Loyalty Programs

Resources Needed: Loyalty program software (e.g., Smile.io, LoyaltyLion).

Hired Staff:

Loyalty Program Manager: To design and manage customer loyalty programs.

Rewards Coordinator: To handle the logistics of rewards and incentives.

Please don’t forget the tactics. Here are a few to spark some creativity:

• Seeding the Community: Recruit initial members through social media outreach, influencer marketing, and offering incentives for early participation.
• Incentivize Participation: Encourage user-generated content through contests, giveaways, badges, or recognition programs.
• Host Events: Organize online or offline events (webinars, workshops, meet-ups) to foster deeper engagement and connections.
• Live Q&As: Host live Q&A sessions with industry experts, brand representatives, or community members to spark discussions.
• Respond Promptly: Ensure timely and genuine responses to all member inquiries and discussions.
• Recognize and Reward: Appreciate valuable contributions, celebrate milestones, and acknowledge member achievements.
• Data Analysis: Track key metrics like engagement rates, member growth, and sentiment analysis to measure success and refine strategies.

• Brand Advocacy Program: Develop a program to empower and incentivize members to become brand advocates.
• Social Listening: Monitor relevant online conversations to identify potential community members and address any brand-related concerns.
• Partnerships: Collaborate with other brands or influencers to expand reach and attract new members.

Next up is your implementation plan. Building a community takes time and consistency so you’ll need to think of this as a long-term strategy. Plan it out for your entire fiscal or calendar year especially as you’re ramping up to ensure your well-intended efforts don’t die before they can flourish. This also will help to set the expectations of people outside of the marketing department.

Pro-tip: Share your implementation plan! If the organization has some insight into what you’re doing, they’ll likely be more supportive of your efforts over time.

 Implementation Plan

1. Phase 1: Planning and Setup (0-3 months) Hire necessary staff and allocate resources. Develop a detailed content calendar. Set up social media and community management tools. Identify potential influencers and brand advocates.
2. Phase 2: Launch and Initial Engagement (3-6 months) Launch content campaigns across various channels. Initiate social media and community engagement activities. Organize the first set of events/webinars. Roll out initial influencer partnerships.
3. Phase 3: Growth and Expansion (6-12 months) Expand content offerings (e.g., more video content, podcasts). Increase the frequency and scale of events/webinars. Enhance loyalty programs based on customer feedback. Analyze performance metrics and refine strategies.
4. Phase 4: Continuous Improvement (Ongoing) Regularly update content and engagement strategies. Maintain strong relationships with community members. Continuously gather and act on customer feedback. Adapt and evolve loyalty programs and influencer partnerships.

Finally, as I mentioned, this is a customer-centric marketing strategy but do not confuse that for an absence of data. Like any good marketing initiative, you need relevant KPIs. This is still marketing, and we have to make sure that we're responsibly spending money and resources for a positive ROI.

Monitoring and Metrics

• Engagement Metrics: Likes, shares, comments, and active participation in forums/groups.
• Content Performance: Website traffic, blog readership, video views, and social media reach.
• Event Attendance: Number of attendees and engagement during webinars/events.
• Supporter Feedback: Satisfaction scores, reviews, and testimonials.
• Revenue and Retention: Conversion rates, repeat donor rates, and average donation.

Alright, my fellow marketing trailblazers and social-impact rebels, you've got the blueprint, the team, and the know-how. Now it's time to saddle up (started with the Wild West theme… gotta finish strong)!  Remember, this isn't just another task on your to-do list; it's a dynamic and exciting approach to connecting with your audience in meaningful ways. So, make it your own and adjust along the way.

The road ahead might have a few bumps but stick with it. And hey, if Topicals can make under-eye patches the next big party accessory, imagine the impact your non-profit can make.