Creative

Often, we fundraisers and direct marketers want to try something new because we were tired of it long before the donors are. We are always trying to come up with new stories, new ideas, and new approaches. But at some point, the creative juices stop flowing and we’re getting closer to burnout.

Testing is about the most basic best practice we have in direct marketing. It’s how we measure what works and what doesn’t. In fundraising, it’s critical because if there’s one lesson we’ve all learned over and over, it’s that direct mail is counterintuitive. Logic and common sense do not apply. Except when they do.

From increased revenue to improved volunteer and donor engagement, new data from 99designs by Vista reveals how investing in professional design and visual branding creates tangible financial benefits for charities and nonprofit organizations around the world. 

Here are some best practices you can use to expand your creative choices and optimize your nonprofit campaign’s chances for success.

Here are five tips to develop innovative nonprofit marketing campaigns that will raise awareness and let you stand out from the crowd.

When was the last time you updated your brand style guide?

Our stories have to engage readers on such a powerful emotional level that when we transition from them to the ask, readers feel compelled to take an action or make a gift. Like a still-life painting or a well-written haiku, archetypal images set a scene for readers in just a few words...

We all know telling a good story engages readers and gets them emotionally involved so that they feel compelled to send a gift to your organization. But simply being advised to “tell a story” is pretty empty advice without some concrete guidance about what kind of story to tell and how to tell it.

It’s probably the most common piece of wisdom people give to fundraising copywriters: “Tell a story.”

Welcome back to #NPPTrendingNow, where NonProfit PRO Editor-in-Chief Nhu Te breaks down the top three coveted stories of the week.