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July 2008: Volume 7
Marketing tends to be seen simply as a creative process that includes graphic design, advertising, or selling. However, marketing is actually much more than that. It is critically important to the sustainability of nonprofit organizations. The danger of nonprofit leaders thinking in the simplified terms is that marketing can seem like an optional business activity or unnecessary expense that does not directly meet client needs or impact the organization's mission. Nonprofit leaders must keep in mind that the primary purpose of marketing is to determine and anticipate customers' (clients) needs and wants and to develop solutions that meet those needs. Marketing activities weave through the very fiber of the organization - from conception to completion.
There are four (4) areas of focus in the marketing process:
- Product: Determining the True Needs of the Client
- Price: Planning to Fund Your Organization
- Place: Making Your Services Accessible
- Promotion: Getting the Word Out
Each of these areas plays a critical role in the success and sustainability of nonprofit organizations. Let discuss each of these areas and their impact on nonprofits.
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