Nonprofit Branding and Strategy
The primary purpose of nonprofits is to make an impact. And nonprofit branding can help organizations increase their impact by clarifying goals, translating mission statements into powerful stories, and bringing entire organizations into alignment.
The importance of branding for nonprofits can be seen in several notable names, including the YMCA, The Red Cross, Goodwill, and Salvation Army. These are all widely recognized brands, partly because they each have a great brand strategy.
Decision-makers and board members are looking to brand management to assess the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to an organization.
Brand
Is what people think—or their impressions—of your organization.
Brand Identity System
A guideline or methodology used as a foundation for developing visuals & communication materials.
Marketing
Creates awareness that strengthens relationships, acquires new supporters/customers & generates revenue.
Benefits of Nonprofit Brand Development
- Confidence & Credibility
All touchpoints will come from a place of authenticity. - Improved & Curated Image
Your identity is differentiated and relatable. - Increased Trust & Loyalty
Constituents will instinctually trust you and will be more likely to connect and invest in your mission. - Organizational Unity
Consensus creates a powerful belief in purpose. - Operations & Strategic Planning
Getting to the root of why you exist and why people care establishes a launching point for business improvement. - Increased Engagement
A “sticky” or memorable identity will keep you top-of-mind with key supporters – new and old.
94%
Target audiences are more likely to be loyal if the brand feels completely transparent
98%
Marketers say brand awareness is the most important goal, followed by sales and lead generation
92%
Nonprofits do brand development to better explain their work or to position their product/services
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How Can Branding Help Your Organization?
- The main benefit of branding tools, and reason to employ them, is to boost donations. (Forbes)
- Build brand loyalty on shared values with your constituents. It is not the number of interactions a person has with your brand, but the quality and relatability of the interaction. (Harvard Business Review)
- Successful branding yields benefits such as increased loyalty, an improved image, and a relatable identity. (TSL Marketing)
- Brands of all kinds fare better when they use emotive rather than rational marketing messages. (MarketingWeek)
- Brands that are consistently presented are 3 to 4 times more likely to experience increased visibility. (Lucidpress)
“Strong brands in all sectors help organizations acquire resources—financial, human and social—and build key partnerships. ”
THE RIPE STUFF
Nonprofit Branding Activities
Just some of the branding services Ripe provides:
- Brand strategy
- Name change
- Tagline or slogan
- Logo
- Key messages
- Print collateral
- Elevator pitch
- Websites
- Social media
- Communications plan
- Training for staff or board members
- Market research