Like any entity, digital marketing can help a Non-Governmental Organization achieve its marketing or communication objectives. In the majority of cases. The main difference from a for-profit entity is the purpose: help improve the world. Next, I’ll explain how a digital marketing plan for an NGO differs from that of a for-profit company; and what are the most appropriate low-cost strategies for an NGO.
Like any business, the first step is to make a digital marketing and communication plan. As I explained in the article “How to make a step-by-step social media plan“Before implementing a digital marketing strategy, it is necessary to analyze the entity itself, in this case the NGO, the competition, the scope of action, the cause, the marketing and/or communication objectives. and the target audience.
Before continuing to explain what are the best low cost digital marketing strategies for an NGO, I will explain what are the main differences compared to a for-profit entity, which we will see when designing the marketing plan. digital: They are the value proposition, goals and target audience.
The value proposition
An NGO’s value proposition is why an NGO should be supported, and what is the differential value of that proposition compared to other NGOs. That’s to say, the benefit it will bring to society. To achieve this, it is important to focus on what the organization achieves, not what it does to achieve it.
Through different digital marketing strategies, the value proposition must be communicated to potential partners or volunteers in order to achieve the defined objectives.
NGO Digital Marketing Goals
The digital marketing goals of an NGO are often quite different from those of a for-profit entity. Precisely because the ultimate goal is not to obtain economic advantages, but improve the world we live in.
We can classify them into two groups: information Yes capture. The most common are:
“Information” objective.
- Sensitize society to a social problem.
- Publicize the social actions they carry out.
Objective “Acquire”.
- Attract new partners (individuals or companies)
- Collection of donations.
- Recruitment of volunteers and/or collaborators.
Target audience: Members or volunteers, not customers.
An NGO does not seek clients. Look for individual or business partners, donors, volunteers and/or collaborators. For this reason, each of these profiles must be defined in order to know which digital marketing strategies and actions to follow to arouse their interest in the cause.
It will therefore be necessary to define what are the interests of each of these groups, what concerns them, what is their way of life, their motivations, their social commitments, their purchasing power, etc.
Low Cost Digital Marketing Strategies for an NGO
A strategy is the path we follow to achieve our goals.
By digital marketing strategies for an NGO, I mean the specification of the actions that will be carried out on the Internet to achieve the objectives. In other words, to meet the 5 W: What we will communicate who we will inform you when, where – in which media – and What. “Strategy” and “tactical action” should not be confused. A very common confusion. For example, social media management is the strategy; and posting one type of content on social media is tactical action.
Qualified lead capture strategy
Nail lead capture strategy It consists of designing a set of actions with a single objective: to collect qualified data from potential partners or volunteers.
To capture the data and, later, start your conversation with a partner or collaborator, it is necessary to have a platform for sending and automating email marketing.
The mail marketing platform, Mailrelay, offers a free version for NGOs
For NGOs, the best option is to bet on Mailrelay. This email marketing web service offers a free account for NGOs with no limit for one year. Using this tool, you will be able to attract new members at no cost and keep your current members and volunteers informed of any initiative the non-profit is carrying out.
Thanks to this option, you will be able to save money, since there is no other tool that is free without sending limits or subscribers.
brand awareness strategies
A suitable brand awareness strategy It will help any NGO achieve its goals without committing large financial investments. It’s about doing actions with informational value so that the online and offline media echo these actions. Some examples would be:
- Conclude collaboration agreements with other entities committed to the same cause.
- Look for opportunities to be present in the media (interviews, opinion pieces, participation in debate tables, etc.)
- Build deals with influencers who help us get our message viral.
- Make good use of social media to actively participate in communities that champion our same cause.
Content strategy.
For content strategy I am referring to the planning, development and creation of valuable content that helps us communicate our value proposition, reach our target audience and capture their interest for later, and as we saw in beginning, to capture their data (qualified leads).
As for content, we can create an infinite number of formats: social media content, blog posts, podcasts, videos, infographics, ebooks, etc.. The important thing is that this content is always useful and relevant for potential partners or volunteers.
For example, if our value proposition aims to minimize food waste, we could well create a carousel on Instagram outlining 10 steps to avoid it.
There are different web applications that allow us to easily create this type of content, and many of them offer free or trial versions.
Loyalty strategies
It is as important for an NGO to attract new members or volunteers as to retain them. For this reason, it is also necessary for any NGO to design different loyalty actions in its digital marketing plan. Some tactical actions that can help us do this are:
- Sending personalized marketing emails on specific dates: birthdays, renewal of your subscription, thanks for extraordinary contributions, etc. For this we can well use – as I already mentioned – Mailrelay.
- Social media management. Thanks to social networks, we can generate an emotional connection with volunteers or partners, and involve them in the actions, activities or initiatives carried out.
- WhatsApp. You can also build loyalty by making good use of the WhatsApp Business application. It will serve as a service channel to answer any questions, report any activity or maintain direct communication with associates or volunteers.
Do you manage the communication or digital marketing of an NGO? Tell me! What strategies do you follow to achieve your goals? I read you
I am a digital marketing consultant, speaker and trainer specializing in social media strategies, search engine optimization (SEO and SEM) and personal branding at the agency “Un Community Manager” and blogger in digital marketing. Also, I recently created the influencer marketing agency The Troop.
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