In an effort to keep my bookworm status up, I've been reading The Boss of You, by Lauren Bacon and Emira Mears. In their own words, it's "Everything a woman needs to know to start, run, and maintain her business."
Yes, well, that's very nice, you say, but this is supposed to be a blog about nonprofit marketing and fundraising, not about women who rock the world.
Ok. I hear you. But stay with me here. I'm going somewhere with this.
In the first section of the book, Lauren and Emira lead women through a series of soul-searching, yet very practical, questions about their soon-to-be-booming businesses. Big Question #2: Who are your customers?
And that got me thinking... Too often nonprofits don't ask themselves this question. No, they don't have customers. But they DO have donors.
To help paint an accurate picture of their potential customers, Emira and Lauren ask their readers to identify their ideal customer. And now, per their inspiration, I'm asking you to do the same.
- Who is your ideal donor? Draw a picture of him/her. Make a list of characteristics. Have fun. Just get as specific as you can. Here are some guiding questions from Emira and Lauren:
- Who are your donors?
- Where are they located?
- How will they use your product or service? In nonprofit speak, that's: How will they support you? Will they give frequently, or just once in a while? Will they give time instead of money? How will you interact with them?
- How must do they understand about your product or service? (And by product or service, I mean mission and programs.)
- What are they looking to get out of "buying" what your "selling"? In other words, what do your donors want in return for supporting your mission?
Now, post your donor profile someplace where you'll see it. Go through your fundraising and communication materials with this profile in mind. Do they "speak" to your donor? If not, think of ways you can revamp your message so it will resonate with your donor.
Want some help? Turnbull Marketing Group can help you meet your donor and strike up a nice conversation. Contact us today to learn how.
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