The nonprofit sector goes by many names. You’re probably familiar with some, such as the not-for-profit sector, the independent sector, and the third sector. Most of these labels do an adequate job of conveying what nonprofits do, but we still think it’s not enough.
The majority of Americans understand the impact of nonprofit activities—after all, 54.8% of the population receives services from nonprofits. So, we prefer another label: the humanity sector.
At Fifty & Fifty, we take pride in helping our clients share their stories and empower humanity around the world through marketing. Our strategy is all about asking and answering questions. Our favorite? “Why.” It’s what powers the mission-driven space and the world-changing work that happens within.
We’re here to spread the word about your “why.”
If you’ve never before worked with nonprofit marketing agencies and you’re still wondering what exactly it entails, we’ve got you covered. Here are the topics we’re going to discuss today:
- What are the benefits of working with nonprofit marketing agencies?
- What’s the value of top-notch nonprofit branding and marketing?
- What’s the Fifty & Fifty approach to nonprofit marketing?
- How do you begin working with nonprofit marketing agencies?
Without further ado, let’s answer some questions you may have about nonprofit marketing agencies.
What are the benefits of working with nonprofit marketing agencies?
Achieving your mission is a huge task. It requires supporters, volunteers, and donors to help out. Nonprofit marketing can set you apart from your competitors and further cement your organization’s reputation. Marketing your organization will connect you with interested benefactors and shape the change you want to achieve. None of this can happen without a strong partnership—a truly collaborative client/agency relationship.
Top Nonprofit Marketing Services
We offer a variety of branding, digital, marketing and support services to broaden your nonprofit’s reach and reinforce long-lasting public support. Here are our focus areas:
- Branding. A critical part of nonprofit marketing is crafting a brand identity and answering questions such as “who?” “what?” and “why?” To empower our clients, we focus on naming, logo design, visual identity, positioning, brand voice, key messaging, and target audience.
- Digital. In the digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for establishing your credibility and brand awareness. To achieve this, nonprofit marketing agencies create compelling and nuanced digital experiences associated with your organization. For example, we create websites, landing pages, microsites, and web applications. These spaces are ideal places to engage online users and maximize your nonprofit’s digital presence
- Marketing. If you’re a nonprofit professional, you know just how hard it is to distinguish yourself in the social impact space and catch donors’ attention. Nonprofit marketing agencies helps you share your “why” with the world. Through optimizing campaigns, social media, email, search, user experience, and analytics and reporting, we’ll do the research for you and provide a comprehensive guide to standing out.
- Support. We offer website updates, analytics and reporting, bugs and troubleshooting, site security and maintenance, 24/7 uptime monitoring, and performance optimization to ensure your new digital assets keep delivering value long into the future.
Our strategy includes all of the content areas that determine campaign success in the digital space.
What’s the value of top-notch nonprofit branding and marketing?
We know nonprofits are saving the world every day. Helping you maximize your impact is our “why”. We think everyone should know yours. This is where effective branding and marketing services come into play.
First-class branding can help your mission reach more eyes, minds, and hearts. With expert services on your side, nonprofit digital marketing brings your organization to the next level of public recognition.
We’re excited to work with a variety of purpose-driven organizations across sizes and focus areas. Here’s a better picture of the true value of nonprofit marketing from the results of our recent projects:
- Kindness.org brand refresh: 75% traffic increase, logins up 935%, organic search traffic up 30.02% within 6 months of launch
- The Game Changers web design, marketing, media strategy, and asset development campaign: 100,000 website visits, over 38,000 clicks to get tickets, and over 4,000 trailer views within 2 weeks of launch
- United Nations Sustainable Development Goals web design: 436 likes and 312 retweets on Twitter, 4,198 likes and 37 comments on Instagram, 135 likes and 45 shares on Facebook within 24 hours of launch
Nonprofit marketing experts know how to leverage your nonprofit’s strengths to create an even bigger impression, both on- and offline. We at Fifty & Fifty work at the crossroads of branding, marketing, digital design, and support to present your mission on a global stage.
What’s the Fifty & Fifty approach to nonprofit marketing?
Fifty & Fifty combines an intimate knowledge of the mission-driven sector with cutting-edge digital marketing techniques to reach and inspire new donors, prospects, and communities. Our mission is to help nonprofits with various inquiries, whether it’s organizing one campaign or an entire rebrand. After working with world-renowned organizations such as the United Nations, Susan G. Komen For the Cure, and United Way, we’ll help you surpass your wildest outreach goals.
We operate in three stages to take your “why” from vision to reality.
- Strategy. In this stage, we focus on clarifying and honing your nonprofit’s message so that we can clearly articulate your mission. Then, we determine the best way to package and present your organization so that your new brand is unforgettable.
- Digital. We create digital experiences that bring your organization’s mission and values to life online. We use sleek, stunning designs to streamline your digital presence and maximize user experience.
- Engagement. We help you increase brand awareness, catalyze change, garner supporters, and raise money for your campaign goals by driving engagement with your new digital assets.
Our comprehensive marketing and branding campaigns can wholly remodel your nonprofit’s image to optimize your impact and leverage your “why.” We’ll incorporate your vision for your organization and bring your story to life in an engaging way.
Top Nonprofit Marketing Agencies to Consider
Now that you know what nonprofit marketing agencies can help you achieve, you might be interested in getting started. Every nonprofit has different needs and resources, so finding the best option is crucial. Consider the following nonprofit marketing agencies and how you can leverage their services:
Best overall nonprofit marketing agency: Fifty & Fifty
Fifty & Fifty is your one-stop shop for all your nonprofit marketing needs, from web development and content creation to graphic design and brand identity. Fifty & Fifty also offers:
- Marketing campaign development and execution
- Social media management
- Email marketing management
- User experience optimization
- Analytics and reporting
- Personalized support and troubleshooting
- Website security and maintenance
- Brand creation and consultation, including naming, logo design, visual identity, key messaging, and audience research
Fifty & Fifty’s comprehensive approach to marketing is perfect for organizations prioritizing the big picture. Invest in your nonprofit’s resonance, reach, and results by partnering with the marketing experts at Fifty & Fifty.
Best Google Ad Grants agency: Getting Attention
With an unbeatable ROI and user-friendly interface, applying for the Google Ad Grants program to get $10,000 worth of monthly Google Ads credits is a no-brainer for nonprofits. However, while this channel is a crucial addition to your digital marketing efforts, it takes time, effort, and continuous upkeep to launch successful ad campaigns.
That’s why outsourcing your work to a Google Ad Grants agency is the best way to reap the program’s benefits while focusing on what’s most important: your mission.
We recommend working with Getting Attention, a Google Ad Grants management service that:
- Offers a free consultation to interested users
- Researches and bids on relevant keywords
- Writes ad copy
- Curates your keyword and copy strategy based on your goals, website, and Google Ad Grants history
- Reports on ad traction, conversion, and other relevant metrics
Don’t leave your Google Ad Grants application or campaigns up to chance! The professionals at Getting Attention can harness the power of the world’s most popular search engine to ensure that you reach the right audience at the right time, every time.
Best SEO agency: Cornershop Creative
Besides leveraging Google Ad Grants, you can conquer the Google search engine results page by making your website content SEO-friendly. SEO (or search engine optimization) is the practice of updating your website to align with Google’s algorithmic preferences so that you’ll rank higher for certain keywords.
Aligning your web content with SEO best practices can be tricky. Fortunately, the team at Cornershop Creative can craft your campaign and expertly execute it for you. In particular, they offer:
- A content approach focused on donor search intent
- Competitive analysis centering on conversions
- Technical and on-page website audits for SEO
- Extensive keyword research
Cornershop Creative’s in-depth knowledge of the nonprofit sector and donor search intent sets them apart as the best SEO agency for your organization.
Best direct mail marketing agency: TrueSense
Direct mail is a tried-and-true marketing channel that has stood the test of time. That being said, it can be time-consuming to create, print, and deliver all of your marketing collateral without outside help.
TrueSense is a direct mail provider that handles the complex logistics for you from start to finish. In particular, they offer:
- State-of-the-art in-house printing technology, featuring text, graphic, and image customization
- 24/7 production hours
- In-house mailing center with postage discounts
- Direct truck delivery
- Addition of customized QR codes that lead to your website
With its non-stop production schedule, TrueSense guarantees to get your direct mail materials printed and delivered in no time. Plus, their QR code implementation encourages website conversions and interaction with your other digital materials.
Best social media management agency: Fresh Content Society
Perhaps no marketing channel offers a bigger reach than social media. Taking a strategic approach to your social media marketing sets you up for long-term growth.
The professionals at Fresh Content Society (FCS) know what makes potential supporters tick and click on your content. Besides social media content creation, they can:
- Audit your social media accounts to create a data-driven strategy
- Conduct audience research to determine the best social media platforms to leverage
- Manage paid social media advertisements and promotions
- Leverage and manage influencer relationships
- Monitor community engagement and buzz around your brand
When it comes to social media content creation, the sky’s the limit. Launch your marketing campaign with help from the professionals at FCS so you can connect with passionate advocates for your cause.
Best telemarketing agency: Donorly
It can be daunting making donation appeals via phone call, but it doesn’t have to be. A consulting agency that specializes in professional telemarketing, like Donorly, makes deepening your relationships with donors easier than ever before. Their telemarketing approach includes:
- Call coaching
- Telemarketing strategy development
- Reports on conversions and other essential metrics
All you need to do is recruit passionate and friendly callers to your team, and Donorly will do the rest! With their support, you can make a lasting impression on your donors and spread awareness of your fundraising efforts.
Best email marketing agency: InboxArmy
Perhaps no other marketing channel is as revered as email. However, that also means that your recipients are likely receiving hundreds of emails a week from other organizations. Don’t let your marketing messages get buried. Instead, work with our chosen email marketing agency, InboxArmy.
InboxArmy’s full-service email marketing suite offers:
- Personalized email strategy based on audits
- Email template production
- Email campaign management and automation
- Deliverability reports
- Email Service Provider (ESP) vendor evaluation and migration
- Expertise in top ESPs such as Klaviyo, Salesforce, Hubspot, Mailchimp, Marketo, Sendin, Aweber, Iterable, Braze, Omnisend, and Infusionsoft
InboxArmy’s extensive knowledge of leading email management platforms makes them a top choice for your campaign, no matter which software you use. Plus, their focus on efficiency gives you the bandwidth you need to market effectively and execute your initiatives.
How do you begin working with a nonprofit marketing agency?
Getting started with a marketing agency involves more than just choosing one to work with, especially when marketing a social brand. The right agency will help you achieve the goals that help you impact your community, but you must first be prepared to discuss those goals! You can begin working with a nonprofit marketing agency in the following three steps.
1. Determine your marketing goals
If you’re looking for expert help with your nonprofit’s marketing, you must have a goal to accomplish through your promotional efforts! The vital first step toward accomplishing those goals is clearly laying them out.
- Specific: Clearly establish what needs to be accomplished and what needs to be done to accomplish your goals.
- Measurable: Quantify your goals and set benchmarks that can be easily tracked.
- Achievable: Evaluate your plan to ensure it’s reasonable considering your resources.
- Relevant: Consider how your goal fits into the big picture—does it help you meet your larger goals?
- Time-bound: Set deadlines both for smaller milestones and for the entire goal.
For example, let’s say your nonprofit wants to increase its number of Instagram followers in preparation for a peer-to-peer fundraiser. You might set a goal to gain 100,000 followers before the launch of your fundraiser on March 1 by promoting your Instagram handle on other communication channels and consulting a marketing agency for their help with social media advertisements.
2. Prepare your communication channels
As we mentioned earlier, a strong digital presence is key to promoting your brand. Before contacting marketing agencies, you’ll need to be familiar with all your digital channels and marketing strategies for those communications, including:
- Social media: How does your nonprofit currently use social media to spread awareness about its cause? What social media channels do you currently use, and which ones are your supporters most active on? Use insights from each of these platforms to determine how your number of followers, likes, shares, and other engagement metrics have performed recently. Then, you can discuss how to improve your social media engagement across all your accounts with a marketing team.
- Your website: Most information about your nonprofit likely lives on your website. What channels do you currently use to point back to this information? Do you intentionally market your website, using resources like the Google Ad Grant? Be prepared to discuss the strategy for your site, especially when looking for an agency that specializes in search engine marketing (SEM). That way, you’ll be able to work with the agency to enhance SEM strategies, such as optimizing your Google Ads, to drive more traffic to your site.
- Email: Do you have a weekly newsletter? Do you use email blasts to update supporters or make donation appeals? Gather your thoughts on your current email strategy, including the structure, content, branding, and frequency of your messages. Then, you’ll be prepared to revamp your email strategy to capture subscribers’ interest.
Your marketing strategies on these channels don’t have to be perfect, but be prepared to discuss your efforts and plans for these channels with the agency you choose. The right agency will have the expertise to execute your plans for each communication channel, but they first must know what those plans are and what you’ve been doing to achieve them.
3. Reach out to an agency
Reach out to us to discuss your ideas and vision for your nonprofit. If you’re not sure what you want yet, that’s okay! We understand that marketing and branding projects can be overwhelming. Our experts at Fifty & Fifty will support you through the discovery process.
Request a proposal or an exploration session for our marketing and branding experts to learn more about how they can help. We’ll walk you through our services and determine what best fits your current needs. Then, it’s time to get creative and create an action plan to achieve your unique goals.
Fifty & Fifty is your organization’s all-in-one nonprofit marketing partner. We’re among the leading movers and shakers in the social impact marketing space. Working with our clients has deepened our understanding of the mission-driven sector and made us more equipped to help your organization. It’s time to bring your “why” worldwide, and we’re here to help.
We’d love to start strategizing with your nonprofit. Get in touch here.
