Posted by Jennie Winton on November 22nd, 2021
Posted in Blog, Capital Campaign, Fundraising Case, Nonprofit Communications, Nonprofit Fundraising, Nonprofit Messaging
If your organization is planning a capital, endowment, annual or special fundraising campaign (and who isn’t?!), development of your campaign’s creative strategy is most likely underway. Your team will be thinking about donor relations, communications, and most of the time, planning a theme for your campaign.
Often at this stage, conversations turn to creation of a fancy, new idea or creative hook for the campaign. But is new what’s really needed?
If what you develop ultimately feels divorced from the rest of the organization, too much creativity may take you off course. Why? Because the most powerful messaging about your campaign should be about the heart of your organization as a whole, not the campaign itself. In short, successful campaigns remind donors why your work matters every day — not just through the lens of a moment-in-time fundraising initiative.
Great campaigns don’t create a separate brand; they lean strategically into the organization’s already established brand. This includes your values, personality traits, the experience donors have when they engage with you, and an emphasis on what makes you unique.
There are two main benefits of approaching your campaign communications this way:
It’s a virtuous circle in which the more on brand your campaign communications are, the more money you raise, and the more your brand elevates in the minds’ of your donors, you are set up for greater appeal now and in the future.
If you want to strengthen your organization’s brand and generate unique experiences for your stakeholders, Mission Minded can help! Let us know how we can support your next campaign project.
Jennie Winton is a Founding Partner of Mission Minded, a 25-year marketing veteran sought for her expertise in branding nonprofit organizations, and a one-on-one leadership coach.
See all posts by Jennie Winton