Branding

If we don't figure out how to differentiate ourselves in the minds of our donors, and then prove to them over and over again that their confidence is not misplaced, we're on a collision course with failure.

The new Smithsonian Institution branding campaign, “Seriously Amazing,” makes a central bet: Visitors and would-be visitors across the country have questions, and the Smithsonian has answers.

Its icon is a question mark, and it features red, green and spacesuit-silver characters, all asking for info:

What has given us water from Mars and daggers from India?”

“How is hip-hop like the microchip?”

“What exactly does a bear do in the woods?”

The $1.4 million campaign, which has been two years in the making, launched Thursday with a preview for staff, regents and directors, and a new website.

The fundraising proposition should be one of the sharpest tools in the fundraiser's toolbox, but its blade should never be allowed to dull. Look inside your organization to develop new propositions, and keep an eye on the external environment, too. Examine the propositions you use, and ask yourself, "Could they do with sharpening up a little?"

Relevance is the heart of memorable, motivating fundraising messages — "aha! messages." If your messages are irrelevant (more than seven of 10 nonprofits describe their messages as off target), your organization will fail to motivate the gifts and loyalty you need to move your mission forward.

In this archived episode of his Nonprofit Coach radio show, Ted Hart speaks with Larry Checco, president of Checco Communications, about branding.

I'm kind of embarrassed at how weirdly happy I am that freecreditscore.com has finally given in to consumer pressure and brought back its original spokesband featuring cheesy-adorable French Canadian lead man Eric Violette.

Marketing is how your organization builds and strengthens your relationships with the people whose help you need to move your mission forward, as donors, partners, volunteers or in other roles.

Here are five principles that characterize today’s most innovative nonprofits and thoughts on how you can apply them to your organization.

For most nonprofits, branding can't take the place of solid strategies. You have to match best-in-class branding with best-in-class fundraising to convert donors' propensity to give into actual revenue.

With life returning to the economy and many fundraisers reporting improved numbers, maybe now is the time for your turnaround.