Maximize Your Reach

Understanding the different ways that you can increase or strategically direct your organization to specific groups can involve a number of ideas. The following describes ways you can employ to maximize your reach to your targeted community.

1. Use technology

Technology allows non-profits to work to develop a larger reach and have a greater social impact. Technology can increase your organizational capacity, enhance your effectiveness in communication and reach new audiences. With complex databases and an abundance of information available online, computers and software systems are increasingly important to nonprofits.

Some examples of technology that can enhance your organization are:

• Electronic newsletter and email updates
• Library of resources for a specific group
• Order forms for collateral and educational materials
• Storage of constituent database to track contact information, participation in organizational events and other relevant information
• Online data collection through surveys, analysis tools and evaluation
• Website that describes and promotes your organization
• Interactive website capabilities, such as blogs, chat and message boards and search functions
• Utilization of conference call lines
• Updated computes, printers, software, fax machines as well as projectors and televisions

2. Understand media outreach and public relations

Media and public relations are also a crucial part of marketing your organization and message. It is often a good idea to develop key messages that can be used and reused with the press and public. This not only makes your message consistent and clear, as you want your branding to be, but also provides you with easy responses to press inquiries. Understanding the Types of Media as well as best strategies for Talking with the Media is key. You will also want to learn how to develop an effective Press Release.

3. Develop a strong brand

Your brand is more than just your logo. The logo is often the visual piece of your brand but your brand encompasses so much more. Your brand is how and what people convey in their mind when they think of your organization. Your brand should distinguish you from other cancer organizations. It is the intangible asset of your organization that provides the essence of what your organization provides and who you serve. If possible, seek out assistance from firms and studios that offer this creative service. The way a brand looks can truly turn people on (or off) during their first few exposures.

• Create your brand by:
  • Determining what your message is
  • Determining what you want to be and who you want to reach
  • Making yourself memorable or differentiating yourself
  • Developing a tag line, jingle or slogan
  • Creating a visual image (symbol or logo) reflective of your style, attitude and color
  • Seeking out all appropriate opportunities for brand exposure
  • Providing the same basic message regardless of media outlet
  • Thinking through the unanticipated outcomes of your brand and planning for that
• Your brand should:
  • Help your constituents understand who you are
  • Invoke loyalty, quality, awareness and associations
  • Establish yourself in the cancer community
  • Be used throughout all of your printed or online materials
  • Once established, be able to stand on its own
  • Deliver a clear message
  • Confirm credibility
  • Connect emotionally to the user
  • Motivate the audience
  • Establish standards of consistency
• Traits of good brands:
  • Are organizational, not individual
  • Show personality
  • Create emotion
  • Are shared by word of mouth
  • Provide excellent customer experience

Legal restrictions and appropriate use of logo and branding:

• Create a "Terms of Use" and/or Style Guide for your organization. This guide should discuss issues such as minimum size of the mark, not manipulating the scaling or the color, and where and when it should be used. The guide should be displayed on the website or provided to partnering organizations as needed. This will ensure proper use of logos and information. In addition, it will assist in accurate representation of the organization. Also, review your style guide and usage with all internal staff in order to ensure they are using your mark correctly.
• Consider trade marking your brand and be sure you are not violating someone else’s trademark. There are so many similar phrases in the cancer community, you will want to acquaint yourself with the various ones.

4. Worksheets and Samples

1. Types of Media and What Makes Them Different
2. Tips for Talking to the Media
3. Press Release Sample

5. Resources

Non-profit Technology Enterprise Network (N-TEN) promotes technology use in non-profits: www.nten.org

Techsoup provides technology information for non-profits: www.techsoup.org

Google Grants provides free AdWords space for qualifying non-profits: www.google.com/grants/

Non-Profit Public Relations provides tips, ideas and inspiration for non-profits and PR: http://www.nonprofitpr.com

Npower is a non-profit whose mission is helping target="" non-profits use technology to better serve their communities: www.npower.org