Black Friday and Cyber Monday Marketing Resources for Social Enterprises

Last month, we covered #GivingTuesday resources for nonprofits, so this month I thought we’d tackle Black Friday and Cyber Monday marketing resources for social enterprises. Not only that, I wanted to also make sure we gave a proper and well-deserved shoutout to Small Business Saturday.

Even through it’s been trending that way for many years, 2020 will certainly shift in favor of online shopping due to the pandemic.

As a social enterprise leader, you are already aware that consumers are on the hunt for more social impact products, but I think this year’s spotlight on the election as well as racial injustice has really fueled the desire for people to understand how they can make a bigger difference each and every day. Your socially conscious products are certainly a part of that, and by supporting you, people can feel good about where they spend their money.

We just have to make sure they can find you online (or in person)! So, here are some marketing resources that can not only boost your presence, but help your social enterprise increase sales this holiday season.

Feel like you’re too late to get into the game this year?

Some of the resources below may help provide you with some quick and easy ideas, but even if they don’t, you can still plan to at least push gift cards as an alternative!

Gift cards are an easy marketing message to communicate, contribute to your bottom line, and allow people to support your mission.

GENERAL MARKETING AND AWARENESS RESOURCES FOR SOCIAL ENTERPRISES

Besides the holiday season, there are plenty of things you can do year-round to spread the word about all the good that you’re doing.

• Apply to have your products listed on the DoneGood website, which features a large variety of social impact brands.

• Hive’s goal is to “Reimagine retail. For good.” and may remind you a little of Thrive Market—without the membership fees. You can also apply to partner with them.

• Interested in catering to the business crowd? Gifts for Good specifically targets corporates gifts, and is looking for partners.

• Find online directories like my friend LeeAnne’s Change the World By How You Shop or The Honest Consumer to get your company listed on ethical purchasing sites. Every link helps build your reputation and increase your awareness. It may take some leg work to find websites like this, but the more people that know about you, the better, right? This could also be a strategy you implement during your slower months when you have more time on your hands.

• Pitch yourself to podcasts like my friend Molly’s Business With Purpose podcast, which focuses on generous individuals and social impact companies. You can even catch yours truly on episode 96.

• GoodCarts was launched specifically to help social enterprises in the e-commerce space. And it’s easy and fast to get started!

• Though this post is technically talking about Black Friday/Cyber Monday, I’m including it here because what The Good suggests is terrific information for optimizing your website, but it’ll be really time-intensive. So, maybe put this on your 2021 to-do list.

• I’ve learned most of what I know about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) from Meg at Love at First Search, and I highly suggest checking out these two posts: 6 Tips to Get Your E-commerce Product Page to Show Up on Google and Want to Boost Search Traffic? Set Up Google My Business. By the way, I’m also an affiliate for Meg’s Attract and Activate SEO course. I’ve taken it myself, and she is a terrific (and patient) teacher!

• Your website is more important than ever, so to get it in the best shape possible, check out my Ultimate Guide to Social Impact Websites.

BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER MONDAY MARKETING RESOURCES

Now merged into one days-long holiday, Black Friday/Cyber Monday (or BFCM as it’s becoming known), is the Super Bowl of retail. Here’s how you can get a piece of the action.

• Contact BlackFriday.com and GottaDeal.com and get your deal listed.

• Shopify has a ton of resources for your Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday extravaganza, including 27-point checklist to keep you on task.

• It’s no surprise that Square has some advice for you, and I particularly like #2 that says to reward existing customers.

• Wondering what mistakes to avoid in your marketing and communications? AppSumo wants to tell you about five things they learned in 2019.

• Yotpo has outlined their trends for 2020’s Black Friday, and I particularly recommend reading their advice on advertising and making meaningful connections.

• Paypal put together an entire webinar that you can re-watch for Black Friday and Cyber Monday info. You’ve probably seen options similar to their “Pay in 4” selection pop up on websites already, and I think that trend will continue to grow.

• Mailchimp has their own list checklist for planning your promotions, and tells you how to use their services for maximum impact.

• Planoly gives some great suggestions on not only what you need to do to prep for BFCM, but also conveniently put them into a timeline for you!

• Check out #2 and #6 from eDesk on their social media specific recommendations for making the most of BFCM.

• There is some great technical advice in this post from Ai Trillion, including making your return policy clear and creating a welcome email sequence.

• Take a look at #6-8 on Sumo’s list of “Better Cyber Monday Emails” and see if one of these options could work for you. (It takes some list segmenting!)

• Feeling overwhelmed yet? Take a look at #2-4 in this post by New Relic to help put you at ease and keep you focused for a tight timeframe.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY MARKETING RESOURCES

Though it’s only been around since 2010, I love the support that Small Business Saturday has garnered, and applaud American Express for being one of its founders. This year, it’s more important than ever to support small businesses, and I hope people turn out in record number for you!

• The American Express website gives you the ability to add your small business to their directory and also download promotional resources.

• Vivial put together a list of 11 Small Business Saturday Promotions Made Easy, several of which take minimum time and effort. I especially like #2, the idea of partnering with others, and that can be as simple as sending an email to each other’s lists.

• Though this article from Entrepreneur is from 2017, before COVID-19 was part of our daily vocabulary, it has some pretty timeless advice. I’d like to point out #6, “Don’t compete with the Big Boxes.” Stick with what makes you spectacular, and that doesn’t always come down to the price.

• SmartBiz made a smart move by giving you guidance on how to follow-up with your customers after Small Business Saturday. “Thank you” goes a long way!

• Square wants to remind you to showcase where your products are sourced from, since that is increasingly important to consumers.

• Not that you forget we’re in the middle of a pandemic, but Marlin reminds you to offer contactless pickup and delivery to make your customers feel safe and remove any excuses of buying from you.

• There is some great info in this post by When I Work, but I really like the second category about how to make decisions easier for shoppers.

• Some of this advice from Local IQ is repeated above, but if you want more specific examples, take a look at these 40 Easy Small Business Saturday Marketing Ideas to Stand Out from the Crowd. I like the idea of bundling products for a discount.

By the way, did you notice that a lot of resources suggest partnering with a nonprofit to increase visibility and goodwill? High fives that you already have a built-in cause component!

EXAMPLES FROM OTHER BUSINESSES (AND TEMPLATES, TOO!)

Need some inspiration? Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

• Keap put together five case studies for Small Business Saturday as well as ideas for how to track what promotional efforts worked.

• I found numerous city, district, and Chamber of Commerce websites promoting their local brick-and-mortar businesses for Small Business Saturday, so if yours doesn’t have something like that, gather your fellow business and city leaders to create one for the future! This is a nice Detroit example.

• What’s better than examples? Free visuals and templates. Printful has you covered.

• Honeycomb Credit has a social media kit with templates that you can download for free.

• Mailerlite now only has examples for you, but tells you exactly what emails you should be sending for Black Friday.

• SendGrid has some additional email marketing examples for both Black Friday and Cyber Monday, including from favorites like Patagonia and REI.

• Do you use text messaging in your campaigns? Postscript has both data and SMS examples for you to view.

• Need to skip 2020 and focus on 2021? I hear ya. OptinMonster will give you a timeline and examples so that you can take it slow and prep for next year.

• Here are 18 creative ideas from Oberlo with examples that companies of all kinds can try now or later.

• Wondering about the best Black Friday email campaigns of all time? SmartrMail has put together their own list. Do you agree?
  

Anything to add? Include it in the comments so we can learn from each other!

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I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.

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Want Your Social Impact Website to Look Good? Start Here.

It takes about 50 MILLISECONDS (that’s 0.05 seconds) for users to form an opinion about your website that determines whether they like your site or not, whether they’ll stay or leave.

- SWEOR

Ummmmm….ok, that’s FAST (and scary!) That means your website needs to pack a visual punch in a hurry. So, let me ask you, how does your website look?

Does your nonprofit or social enterprise website look like it’s worthy of the dollars you’re asking people for, or does it look like you’re still trying to get your act together?

As a copywriter, obviously, I believe that the words on your site matter a great deal—and they do. But the first thing people will notice is the design.

And once you’ve made it past the hurdle of having a well-designed website that people stick around for, there’s something else you should consider that I see overlooked all the time, especially on DIY websites.

If you want your website to look good, you need to think about the consistency of your visual identity, or visual brand:

• It needs to be unmistakeable.

• It needs to be cohesive.

• And it needs to reflect your organization’s mission and personality.

A simple tool that will help you get there is a style guide, or brand guide. With it, your nonprofit, social enterprise, or social impact company can look like a million bucks (even if you aren’t). Without it, your organization can unknowingly communicate that you’re an amateur.

Let’s talk about how you can create your own style guide, even if you don’t have a designer on staff.

Let me give you two caveats before we jump in:

1. I think, whenever possible, you should work with a professional graphic designer or brand agency. I regularly get compliments on my logo, website, and branding, and that’s because I went to the pros. Even as a marketing consultant, I couldn’t have done this on my own. They set me up for success. And certain colors make people feel a certain way, so depending on your area of work, there may be colors they can advise you to run toward, or run away from. (It’s not always just based on what you personally like.)

2. If you weren’t aware by now, I’m not a graphic designer. I can Canva the heck out of a project, and I’ve art directed many times over the years, but it’s not my main focus. However, I keep coming across this problem with clients and friends, and felt the need to address it here on the blog.

Why DoES YouR Nonprofit or Social Enterprise NEED A STYLE GUIDE or brand guide?

Let’s do a quick refresher on what a “brand” is, in case you’re unfamiliar with the term, but nod along in a crowd like you understand, or in case someone made the mistake of telling you that a brand was a logo.

First of all, a brand is not a logo!

My designer friends really want you to know that.

This misunderstanding is where many organizations go wrong from the beginning.

In simple terms, think about your organization like a person. A person is made up of lots of characteristics, like what they look like and how they make you feel. A brand is similar. It’s all the little details, physical, emotional, and more, that make them who they are. So, it’s way more than just a logo.

Now that we’re on the same page, let’s talk about the importance of a style guide, also sometimes known as a brand guide. (I’ll distinguish the two of them for you below.)

A style guide, or brand guide, can be your best friend when you’re designing something new. This might be a website, social media posts, printed materials, or anything else that has a visual component.

Having a style guide (or brand guide) is important because it helps ensure that everything you design looks consistent and cohesive. It makes you look professional, and maybe even like you’re a bigger organization than your actual head count.

“The more cohesive and consistent you branding, the easier it will be for your audience to recognize you. Constantly switching up fonts, colors, and photography styles seems exciting, but it can actually cause you and your brand to get lost in the crowd.”

- Madison Beaulieu of Mad + Dusty

WHAT DOES A STYLE, OR BRAND, GUIDE DO FOR YOUR SOCIAL IMPACT ORGANIZATION?

Let’s think beyond social impact organizations for a moment.

• Do you have a favorite sports team? I bet you can tell me what their colors are immediately.

• FedEx and UPS? You can probably tell me their colors, too.

• The Disney font? Yep, you can see it in your mind.

• The Apple and Windows logos? They might be in front of you as you read this post!

• The shape underneath the word Amazon? You’ve seen that curved arrow a million times.

See what I mean? When you think about brands that you know and love, you can instantly recall their logo, colors, fonts, and more. Their visual identity is the same no matter where it shows up.

What if you went to the UPS website and saw neon green everywhere? It would stop you in your tracks, and you’d probably wonder if someone hacked their site.

This is why you need to think about creating a style guide for your nonprofit or social enterprise. You want people to have the same, thoughtful experience with your brand.

You should think about a website, social media posts, and collateral as all part of the same family. The design, look, and feel should be intentional and made to go together.

Brands with a consistent visual identity look more professional and trustworthy.

Don’t unintentionally send up red flags to your donors and customers with a brand that looks haphazard and amateur. You’ve worked too hard for that—even if you’re just starting your nonprofit.

Plus, it can be hard enough to keep your brand consistent when it’s just you, but add team members into the mix, and it can get out-of-hand quickly. This is especially true because, if you don’t have any guidelines, people may choose what they personally like best, whether you’d consider it in-line with your brand on not.

“Brand guidelines are so important. You need more than just a logo, you also need a guide to using your branding across both print and digital media. Stick with the same colors, fonts, and photography styles. I know it can feel boring to you after a while, but it’s not to your customers! You're in it every day, whereas your customers or donors may only interact with you once or twice a month, or even just a few times per year.”

- Madison Beaulieu of Mad + Dusty

TWO EXAMPLES OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE A STYLE GUIDE

As I mentioned above, having an inconsistent visual identity often shows up in DIY websites. And why wouldn’t it? That probably means that the site is usually create by someone who is not a professional designer, so it makes perfect sense that they wouldn’t know better.

However, it can happen even when you hire someone to design your website. Let me give you two examples:

Client #1:

One of my clients is a nonprofit who has been around for over 15 years. They do incredible work overseas, but like many nonprofits, they bootstrapped, utilized volunteers, and called in favors when it came to their website design.

I started working with them on what I think was the third iteration of their website. I was asked to audit their marketing and communications before they launched their brand new website to their donors and stakeholders.

What I immediately noticed was that their brand lacked cohesion. A lot of the same colors were used in the design, thanks to a WordPress template, but the colors in the photos were all across the board. So, they didn’t have a look and feel that I could easily identify as theirs.

In fact, in 15 years and three websites, I was the first person to suggest that they use a cohesive color scheme or color palette! They really liked the idea, but had never heard it before.

Now, they have a color palette that they intentionally chose, and use it as a guide for anything new that they create. And it’s helped them look more polished, which is a better reflection for their years of experience.

Client #2:

Another client is a for-profit social impact company, who also works on a global scale. He’s been in business for about 10 years, and is currently in the process of launching his company’s second website.

The same graphic design agency who built his first website is completing the rebrand. Not long ago, he and I sat down to discuss the changes that should be made before the site goes live.

In clicking through the pages and links, he stopped on one page in particular, which had caught his eye for a very good reason!

He said, “I don’t like the photo at the top. It just doesn’t feel right.”

And he was correct. The stock photo on this page was completely off-brand. His colors are bright blue, red, and gray, for the most part. This photo was pastel. So, he couldn’t articulate why “one of these things was not like the other,” but he knew something was wrong.

This example goes to show you that even professionals can make a mistake. And it again reinforces the importance of having a style guide. If he had been given a style guide, or if the designers had been working with one, they would have immediately been able to see that the photo didn’t make sense.

how to diy a STYLE GUIDE OR visual brand guide

When we’re talking solely about design, I prefer the term style guide. If we’re talking about the brand as a whole, down to the brand message and brand voice, I like the term brand guide. But I wanted you to be aware of both because they’re frequently used interchangeably.

So, whether you DIY’d your website and need to create a style guide, or your graphic designer didn’t provide you with one, let’s talk about how you can create your own.

Basics to Include in Your Style Guide

Here are the nonnegotiables you should include in a style guide:

• Logo colors and usage: What are the correct proportions of your logo, and what colors should it only appear in?

• Brand mark colors and usage: Do you have only a portion of your logo that gets used from time-to-time? If you look at your website tabs above, you’ll see that mine is just the lightbulb part of my logo. (This section of your style guide can also include icons that you frequently use.)

• Brand color palette: You’ll likely have two to four main colors that should be front-and-center at all times. Then you should have another two to four-ish that get used only as accent colors. As an example, my primary colors are red, yellow, and light gray. My accent colors are a teal, dark gray, and two other green-ish colors. Of course, they all have fancy names, but this gives you an idea.

• Typography: What are your fonts? You probably have a primary font and one or two secondary fonts. My primary font is Raleway and my secondary is Arvo. This gives me a sans serif font and a serif font to play with.

“Let your branding be a reflection of your values. Design trends come and go, but values rarely change. Personal values (honesty, courage, kindness) spill into your business. It's a great place to start when thinking about how you'd like to translate your business to the visual space.”

- Madison Beaulieu of Mad + Dusty

other ideas IN CASE you want to go the extra mile:

• Mood board to give examples of colors, photos, and textures

• Basic details about your organization that might affect the visual design, such as values

• Key messages to keep in mind and reinforce when sharing in different formats such as a website or social media

• Contact info in case there are any questions or decisions to be made

Want to include the entire kitchen sink?

Create a brand guide that encompasses the A to Z of your organization. One of my clients has a brand guide that’s 100 pages—no joke! But you don’t have to go that far.

Here are additional components for your brand guide:

• Examples of what was done well in the past

• Market research or details about your target audience, including words and emotions that represent them and what they’re looking for from your organization

• Goals and objectives for different mediums, such as how specific stories should be used or what is considered a win

• Brand message and brand voice, including words and sentiments that should and shouldn’t be used

Which is right for you?

I think just starting with a basic style guide is a terrific idea, especially if you’re a small nonprofit, social enterprise, or social impact company. If you’re a little larger, or frequently utilize contractors and freelancers, I think you should expand your guide to ensure that your brand stays tight, even as it grows.

SIGNIFY’S Brand Guide As An Example

Want to see what a brand guide looks like? Here’s mine!

Click the image below to see the full, nine-page PDF.

3 PRO TIPS to Help You Keep Your Brand Consistent

1) Pinterest

What do you do if you don’t have a graphic designer handy, don’t know what your colors are outside of “green” and “blue", or don’t consider yourself a style guru?

You turn to Pinterest!

And you thought it was only for recipes and hair styles . . .

Head on over to Pinterest, and type in some variation of “color scheme", such as “light green color scheme”, for example. There are thousands of color palettes already put together by professional designers that you can use!

Just type in one or two colors plus “color scheme” or “color palette” and you’ll be amazed at what you see. This is exactly what I suggested to my nonprofit client above, and they quickly found one that worked for them.

2) Canva

I can’t believe how many people still don’t know about Canva! This amazing (and free) website lets anyone become a competent graphic designer. There are hundreds of templates for social media posts, presentations, flyers, and much more. You can even pre-set a couple of your main brand colors so that they’re always handy.

But use responsibly!

Just because you have so many templates at your disposal doesn’t mean you have to use them all! The idea is to create consistency, right? Find a template that can be used over and over again for social media posts, brochures, flyers, presentations, and more.

My Canva account is set up for my social media posts, Pinterest posts, and more. So, when I or my interns log in to create new ones, all we have to do is make a copy of a previous design. This keeps the same look and feel intact each and every time. Remember, you want a brand that is recognizable.

3) Professional Photography

Of course, we can’t talk about a style guide or brand identity and leave out photography. But if you don’t have a photographer on staff or aren’t planning a photo shoot anytime soon, you want to find photos that both look good and also fit within your color scheme.

For this purpose, I like Unsplash. But other great options include Pexels, Pixabay, and Pikwizard. These are all royalty-free sites, meaning you don’t have to pay to use the photos. Choose whichever site has the best options for your brand.

In Unsplash, I have an account so that I can earmark photos that work well for my brand as I come across them. Because I post on this blog twice per month, I’m always searching for new photos, or looking to see what I’ve already saved. This not only makes them easy to find in the future, but again, my interns can choose from photos I’ve already approved.

Before I go, let me reiterate: I still suggest working with a professional designer whenever possible. They can help you set up colors and templates to use on your own when you can’t afford them, or are capable of creating something in-house. I never would have achieved the consistency that I have no without help from the pros in the beginning.

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.

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Why Your Social Impact Mission Isn't Enough

• Have you ever read an entire nonprofit or social enterprise website, only to find yourself still wondering what they actually do?

• Have you ever had a fantastic conversation with someone about their mission, only to find that their website lacked the same passion?

• Have you ever seen an organization use different styles and tones across their social media, website, blog, and even when they speak in person?

If you’ve seen any of these issues in action, you’re witnessing a lack of clarity and consistency in the nonprofit or social enterprise’s brand message or brand voice.

They probably know internally what they do, but it may not be translating well outside of their walls. And, as you can imagine, that’s a big problem, especially when trying to find new customers, donors, and partners.

For your mission to not only engage the right people, but compel them to act, you need a clearly defined brand message and brand voice. You may think of your “brand” as only part of your marketing, but your brand informs what you say, how you say it, and what your mission looks like visually. It’s essential to every aspect of your organization.

With a strong brand message and brand voice, people will know what you do, why it matters, and how they can be a part of it. Without it, people could be left confused or even apathetic to the incredible work that you’re trying to do.

Let’s talk about how you can make your effort more effective.

Why Is knowing your brand message Important to Your Nonprofit or Social Enterprise?

I’ve already mentioned how having a strong brand message and brand voice contributes to your bottom line, but before we move on, I want give you a couple of other reasons why this subject should be on your radar.

Do you ever write about your nonprofit or social enterprise? Do you have employees, board members, volunteers, or other key stakeholders that talk about your mission? Have you ever hired a third-party contractor, freelancer, or intern that communicates on your behalf in person or online? If any of these situations apply to you, so does this topic.

Having a clear and consistent brand message and brand voice ensures that everyone (including you) is talking about your organization in the same way.

It helps everyone communicate the right message in the right way. To put it simply, it gives every person a common language to use, and a template to work from. One of my clients even called it her compass because it guides her in the right direction, and steers her back when she gets off track.

Wouldn’t it be great if everybody used the same playbook?

Even if your nonprofit or social impact company is just you right now (hi, fellow solopreneur!), a solid brand voice allows you to talk about your work in a way that resonates with the people you want to reach. Meaning, people get excited when you talk about your mission! No more difficulty trying to explain what you do, watching someone’s eyes glaze over as you struggle to reach your point, or your message falling flat when you simply recite your mission statement.

What Do People Say About You?

Jeff Bezos is often quoted as saying, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” And while I think there is a lot of truth to that, I also like how my friend, Jaci Lund of Treebird Branding, states it, “A brand is an expectation.”

No matter how you look at it, though, a brand isn’t just a logo, an elevator pitch, a mission statement, a color palette, or even a website. Your brand is the culmination of all of these things and more.

If your organization were a person, your brand would be all the little characteristics that make that person who they are.

It’s a lot, I know.

For now, we’re going to talk about your brand message and brand voice, which are two of my favorite characteristics. And, without clearly defining these two pieces, your brand’s puzzle is incomplete. Without them, it could mean that donors and customers don’t connect with your mission, resulting in stagnant sales or donations. It’s that important.

Brand Message and Brand Voice Defined

Think about the companies or nonprofits that you love most. One of the reasons you probably love them is because you know some of their background, what they stand for, what problems they solve for you, and where they’re headed in the future. You know their story, and you know how you fit into it. In that way, they’re a little like a friend you’ve gotten to know over time. 

You’ve had these ongoing conversations with them internally and externally via their brand voice. Whatever they said, and however they said it, made you a fan out of you. And we want that same thing for your audience.

Your brand message is what you want people to understand about your organization.

Your brand voice is how you communicate your organization’s message to others. 

Essentially, your brand message is your mission, and your brand voice is your mission in motion. You can’t have a clear and compelling brand voice without first defining a strong brand message.

Your brand voice is the specific mix of words and tone that you use—not just what you say and do, but how you say it. A great brand voice is easy-to-understand, consistent, repetitive, and uniform no matter where it shows up. And it always reflects your organization’s core message.

That means the words on your website, your social media posts, the conversations you have with people, anything you say from a stage, emails, printed materials, packaging, advertising, and more should all be using the same language and emotion to describe your work, mission, and vision. Think of it like your unique vocabulary and personality rolled into one.

You want people to hear your “voice” and know it’s you, with or without your logo or photo present. Like your own distinct personality, your brand message and voice is what will help authentically attract others to you.

Having a firm grasp of how to communicate your story, mission, and vision in all your marketing and communications will help you attract the right (and more) donors, customers, sponsors, and partners.

A Brand Message in Action

Not long ago, I was out with my friend, Katrell, who owns Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party here in Atlanta, and also founded the charity project, The Learning Tea. While I was waiting for her at the tea shop, a guy sat near me at the community table. He was looking around wide-eyed like it was his first time there. In fact, when he caught my eye, he gushed, “This place is awesome! I’ve never been here before.”

We chatted for a minute, and I told him that the proceeds from the tea shop put girls through college in India. Turns out, he was at the tea shop waiting for an event to start just a few blocks away. It was a social impact arts show, so he was thrilled to know of the store’s greater purpose.

After Katrell and I left the tea shop, we went to a nearby restaurant and sat at the bar. While chatting with the bartender, we found out even though he’d been in the Atlanta area for a while, he was only recently taking the time to discover the local haunts. And he actually mentioned going to Dr. Bombay’s recently. As the unofficial brand ambassador, I mentioned that Katrell was the owner. He got so excited, threw his head back and his arms up, and said, “That place is like a warm hug!” He loved the unique, but cozy vibe.

A couple of hours later, Katrell and I were about a block away from Dr. Bombay’s, peeking in the glass windows of a store that was yet to open, trying to figure out who her new neighbor would be. A man rode by on his bike and struck up a conversation with us. We all noted that the architecture of this building looked very out of place on that street, so we were curious about it. The guy said, “I wonder what Dr. Bombay will think about this building?” To which I replied, “This is Dr. Bombay!” while pointing at Katrell. He laughed, smiled, and said, “I love your shop! It’s one of the only places I let my kids ride their bikes to in the neighborhood.” (And then proceeded to tell her which ice cream flavors she should swap out, ha!)

True story—all three of those conversations happened in a matter of hours. It was a marketer’s dream come true!

So, out of these three men, which one nailed the brand message?

The answer: All of them. Each of them found something about Katrell’s tea shop that resonated with them. And, for that reason, each of them was going to come back.

How to Define Your Brand Message and Brand Voice

Okay, so now that we’ve talked about how utterly important it is to have a clear and consistent brand message and voice, as well as who it benefits, let’s talk about how to get you there.

Here are a few questions to think about regarding your brand message:

• What are the two or three top things someone should know about your work?

• Why does your work matter?

• What makes you different from your competitors?

• What problem do people have that you solve?

• What is the transformation you provide?

Here are a few questions to think about regarding your brand voice:

• How do you want people to feel when they think about your organization?

• How does your audience describe themselves?

• What words and phrases do you find yourself repeating over and over again?

• What words or phrases would you never use to describe your organization or work?

• What tone should your organization communicate in? (ex: serious, playful, authoritative, compassionate, etc?)

Hopefully, these questions will get you started, but if you get stuck or need help, I’m here.

I can guide you through my own five-part framework for defining your brand message and brand voice.

I’d love to help you communicate more effectively, so that your work gets the attention it deserves.

Here’s what one of my clients said:

Kristi’s Brand Message Consultation serves as a "compass" for everything from communications to fundraising to partnerships and more. It really lays out the language you can use in your website, newsletters, presentations, and social media to stay true to the organization’s mission and values. You can reflect on anything that you are working on, and quickly see if it aligns with the current narrative.

During the consult, we really dug deep into who we are, why we do what we do, what makes us different, and more. Afterward, it's spelled out in a document right in front of you that you can always refer back to! It’s so helpful.

The Brand Message and narrative that we worked on really boosted my confidence in being able to explain what we do and what makes us different. And I think having that solid foundation really helped me to secure early grants.

- Jaycina Almond, The Tender Foundation

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I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.

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Should You Invest in a Copywriter For Your Nonprofit Website?

Do you actually need a copywriter for your nonprofit website? If you’re creating your first site, or relaunching a new one, this question may have already popped into your head. And just because I’m a copywriter that specializes in nonprofits, social enterprises, and social impact companies, my answer is not going to be an automatic, “Yes.”

I’m here to serve my clients, and that means doing what is best for them. So, I’m going to lay out the benefits as I see them, and you can decide for yourself. And if the answer is, “No,” or “Not right now,” I’m also going to give you some options for writing your website on a budget without a copywriter. Sound good?

7 Reasons Why Hiring a Copywriter for Your Website Is a Good Idea

If you’re on the fence about hiring a website copywriter for your nonprofit, here are a few reasons it might be the right move.

1) You have lost perspective.

When you’re in the weeds of your mission each day, it’s easy to lose perspective. This could mean that you forget to include much-needed website content, use jargon that others don’t understand, or can’t see your work as a perspective donor or partner would.

Additionally, many nonprofit websites I read are written for “insiders,” or the people who already understand what you’re up to and have supported you for years. You want people to find your website and become engaged, but your site isn’t written for those who aren’t familiar with you and your work.

Sometimes it takes an “outsider” to spot this issue, and then write it in such a way that will draw in website visitors.

2) You aren’t a good writer.

Let’s face it: Not everyone is a good writer. And not everyone enjoys writing.

If this is you, that’s okay. (I probably can’t do what you do either!) However, when people are in this position, I find that they’re continually trying to force a square peg in a round hole—and it’s exhausting.

You’ll also likely keep putting off writing your website because it’s not something you enjoy. At that point, you find yourself frantic and desperate, trying to cobble together a site that you don’t love and aren’t happy with. And that’s probably not the outcome you’re looking for.

These are also issues that website visitors could pick up on, which doesn’t serve your mission at all.

3) It takes you a long time to write.

One of my amazing clients, Anne Kerr, once told me that she hired me to write for her because it’s a task that simply takes a long time. She’s actually a really good writer, and can communicate her mission very well, but it might take her days to write something that I can knock out in a fraction of the time.

With what feels like a hundred other items on your To Do List, you have to assess where you should spend your time.

4) You don’t know how to write a website.

Just because you write well, doesn’t mean you can (or should) write your website. Your website is a powerful marketing, sales, and fundraising tool, which means the copy (<— the words) should not just be informative, but persuasive.

It might take a different skill set to tell your story and talk about your work in way that pulls the reader in, and makes them want to take action.

5) Your team is maxed out.

Even if you have a team of people that you work alongside, it’s likely that they’re all at capacity. It’s hard to find anyone anywhere that doesn’t have a full plate of tasks to complete each day. So, you have to ask yourself if one or more people really need to juggle this one as well.

By hiring someone to write your nonprofit website, you are freeing up your team to do what they do best.

At many small nonprofits, employees are already wearing multiple hats, so adding something large and substantial like writing a website could easily overwhelm them. Do your team a favor, and bring in a professional who can guide them through the process, and get it done quickly and efficiently.

6) YouR time is better spent elsewhere.

I spoke a little about this in #3, but it’s quite possible that you may have other items on your agenda that need your attention more. As a founder or key leader, you probably have responsibilities that need your personal attention, and if that’s the case, you should leave the copywriting to someone else.

For example, let’s say it’s a busy season for your nonprofit (I know, when isn’t it!), and you really need to be getting in front of large donors. Well, you can’t show up to meetings, schedule coffees, or attend high-profile events if you also need to sit down and write a website.

There are some things only you can do. Is writing your website one of them?

7) Words Matter.

You may also be wondering about the role of design when it comes to your nonprofit’s website. The truth is that it’s important. How your website looks is the first thing people will see, so I definitely believe your website should look good.

However, you have to back up your visual brand identity with compelling words. The copy informs and enhances the photos, heightens the way colors make you feel, and encourages people to take action. They complement each other—and when they work together, you have a fantastic online experience for donors and partners.

Can’t Afford to Hire a Copywriter For Your Nonprofit Website?

I get it. You can’t squeeze blood from a stone, as they say. If this is your first website, or you’re still in startup mode, you may not yet be able to invest in a copywriter. I don’t fault you for that, since I know the DIY feeling.

However, I do have some suggestions if you need to bootstrap the words on your website.

• Get an audit.

  Before you dive head-long into creating your new site, hire someone to audit your current one. For example, my friends at New American Pathways are about to redesign and rewrite their current site, which they’ve had for five years. But before they begin, they hired me to assess what works and doesn’t work from a marketing perspective.

  I went through the website as a visitor would, and took note of everything that could be improved, from photos and colors to the writing and brand messaging. This allowed them to have a more informed direction as they approached a website designer, and for the team member who will handle most of the writing in-house.

• Hire an editor.

  Even if you’re a good writer, I suggest hiring someone to edit your website. That person can not only look at grammar and punctuation errors, but sentence structure and continuity. He or she might even be able to help you cut any clutter and make suggestions for improvement.

• Barter.

  Bartering isn’t talked about much, but I’m a big fan. If you’ve got something someone else needs or wants, it’s possible you can swap. For example, one of my friends does some copywriting for her accountant, and gets her taxes done for free in exchange. Get creative!

• Get more opinions.

  Remember when we talked about perspective above? Well, you only have one. Whether you’re the only employee at your nonprofit, or you have a whole team, it’s good to get the opinions of others. Putting your heads together can lead to significant improvements all-around, especially if you need to rewrite your website quickly.

• Invest in a copywriting Course or coach.

  Want to improve your skills? Maybe a copywriting course or writing coach is the best move for you. However, the investment may not be all that different than hiring a copywriter, and it will also require more of your time. So, take a hard look and see if this is something you should pursue. If so, it can also serve you well in the long-run.

• Find a mentor.

  I’m a big fan of finding a mentor, and it’s advice I give out often. Of course, having a mentor can be a huge benefit in many ways, and this is certainly one of them.

  The downside of simply getting outside opinions, as I talked about earlier, is that they still may not know any more about writing for websites than you do. However, a mentor may have an expert opinion, if you’ve sought one out that has that skill set.

• HIRE AN Intern.

  Though they don’t have years of experience under their belt yet, students and interns who are majoring in marketing or journalism do have a lot of value. And, obviously, you can be a terrific resource for them, too. The first project I give any new intern is to audit my website, and tell me what doesn’t make sense, what links are broken, and what could be made better. I get complements on my site all the time, and I know that is in part due to my interns’ contributions.

One Thing You ABSOLUTELY Must Consider

Have you thought about the ROI of hiring a copywriter for your nonprofit website? If not, the return on investment may help you make a decision.

It’s not just the cost of investing in a copywriter, it’s what could happen as a result:

• Copy that makes you look and sound more professional to your potential partners and donors

• Copy that’s more engaging than what you could write yourself, which results in more donations and sponsorships

• An experience that teaches you how to think about your overall marketing strategy

Additionally, they cost less than you might think because it’s a short-term cost with long-term benefits.

• You likely won’t rewrite your website but every few years.

• You don’t have to pay for their taxes or other benefits like insurance.

• You don’t even have to buy them pizza at the next office party.
  
  

YOUR NEXT NONPROFIT WEBSITE

You may not be able to hire a nonprofit copywriter for your current project, but I suggest adding them into your budget for the next one (or your Phase 2 upgrades). You’ve seen the benefits above, and they aren’t to be overlooked.

You’ve no doubt spent years getting better at your job, and copywriters like me have as well. So, when it comes to something as important as your website, make sure it’s in the best possible hands.

Having someone else handle the writing can bring new perspective, streamline your process, and free you up for what you do best. Plus, having their expertise can help you create a website that is more compelling, more engaging, and brings in more dollars.

Isn’t that worth the investment?

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.

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