Episode Summary: Marketing Made Simple #182: Talkin’ Shop—Why Your Nonprofit's Message Isn’t Connecting (And How to Fix It)
Release Date: November 13, 2024
Host: Dr. J.J. Peterson
Co-Host: April Sunshine Hawkins
Guests: Christian Hinojosa & Natasha Paradeshi, StoryBrand Certified Guides
Introduction
In episode #182 of Marketing Made Simple, hosted by Dr. J.J. Peterson and co-host April Sunshine Hawkins, the discussion centers around the challenges nonprofits face in crafting messages that resonate with their audiences. Leveraging the StoryBrand framework, the episode delves into strategies for nonprofits to clarify their messaging, engage multiple stakeholders, and ultimately enhance their impact.
Understanding Nonprofit Messaging Challenges
April Sunshine Hawkins opens the conversation by highlighting the unique positioning of nonprofits. Unlike for-profit businesses, nonprofits must view their donors and volunteers as customers but in nuanced ways. She emphasizes that clear messaging through the StoryBrand framework can transform how nonprofits communicate, making their missions more compelling and inclusive.
“Nonprofits have a unique space. In some ways they do have to view their donors as customers, but really not in the same way.”
— April Sunshine Hawkins [01:08]
Guest Insights: Christian Hinojosa and Natasha Paradeshi
Christian Hinojosa's Journey with StoryBrand
Christian shares his early experiences with StoryBrand, recounting how applying its principles to a nonprofit's website led to significant international reach.
“Within a few weeks of launching that website, they're an international organization. They had gone from reaching one or two countries with their website to 37.”
— Christian Hinojosa [11:44]
This anecdote underscores the framework's potential to amplify a nonprofit's visibility and engagement.
Natasha Paradeshi’s Nonprofit Success
Natasha discusses her background in founding and growing a nonprofit, The Landing, an anti-human trafficking organization in Houston. Through clear messaging and effective marketing collateral, her organization scaled its budget from grassroots beginnings to nearly $2 million within eight years.
“So I wanted to be able to help other organizations do the same, which is why I decided to join my husband in our marketing business, Solace Media, to help just work with other nonprofits.”
— Natasha Paradeshi [10:11]
Key Strategies for Effective Nonprofit Messaging
1. Multi-Stakeholder Communication
Natasha emphasizes the importance of addressing diverse stakeholders—donors, volunteers, board members, and those served by the nonprofit. Understanding each group's unique perspectives allows for tailored messaging that speaks directly to their motivations and needs.
“You're messaging and you're communicating with multiple stakeholders, right? So you have... those that you're serving, that you're talking to, you're also talking to your donors, your volunteers, your board, your team.”
— Natasha Paradeshi [12:45]
2. Creating Multiple Brand Scripts
Both Natasha and Christian advocate for developing distinct brand scripts for different audience segments. This approach ensures that each group's specific problems and aspirations are addressed effectively.
“Don't be afraid to create multiple brand scripts. That I think a lot of times people come to and they say, but I have multiple people... Those are two very different audiences. So when you're saying don't be afraid to create one for the donor, for the board, for the people that you serve, the clients, those people all are. You're approaching them differently because you solve different problems, problems for each of them.”
— April Sunshine Hawkins [26:11]
3. Engaging Different Generations
Christian highlights the differing motivations between younger and older generations. Younger audiences, often Gen Z, are driven by hope and vision, while older generations may feel a sense of duty and responsibility.
“One thing about my generation is we're very hopeful and aspirational in a way that I would say is unprecedented in recent generations.”
— Christian Hinojosa [16:01]
Natasha adds that transparency and demonstrating impact are crucial for engaging younger donors, whereas older donors may respond better to appeals based on duty and responsibility.
“Young generations... wanting to know where are the dollars really going to like, are you making an impact?... older generations, there's a sense like a duty and responsibility.”
— Natasha Paradeshi [16:52]
Success Stories: Real-World Applications
Marcus Performing Arts Center
Christian shares a success story involving the Marcus Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee. By restructuring their website with multiple brand scripts tailored to different stakeholders, the organization saw a 310% increase in returning website visitors and a 133% increase in time spent on the site.
“We structured their website from the bottom up... In just six months, 310% increase in returning website visitors... 2.1 million interactions.”
— Christian Hinojosa [29:45]
Christian Community Service Center (CCSE)
Natasha recounts her collaboration with CCSE, a Houston-based organization providing relief through food assistance and workforce development. By clarifying their story and enhancing the user journey on their website, CCSE experienced a 44% increase in new visitors and a $60,000 increase in online revenue within a year.
“They saw a 44% increase in new visitors... a $60,000 increase in 12 months, which is huge for this organization.”
— Natasha Paradeshi [32:54]
Ethical Storytelling in Nonprofits
Natasha stresses the importance of ethical storytelling, ensuring that narratives respect and dignify those being served. This approach prevents exploitation and fosters genuine connections with audiences.
“It's always important to be ethical, no matter if you're for profit or nonprofit. But specifically in nonprofits, we want to make sure that when we're using stories that we're not exploiting those that we're serving and we're giving dignity in that story.”
— Natasha Paradeshi [35:26]
April echoes this sentiment, cautioning against over-reliance on distressing imagery which can lead to donor fatigue and disengagement.
“There are ways to talk about needs in a way that doesn't feel exploitative or take advantage of people, that still can get people to be moved to action.”
— April Sunshine Hawkins [35:49]
Actionable Steps for Listeners
April concludes the episode by providing listeners with practical steps to apply the discussed principles:
-
Identify Different Audiences: Catalog all the distinct groups your organization communicates with, such as donors, volunteers, board members, and those you serve.
-
Create Tailored Brand Scripts: Develop specific brand scripts for each audience segment, addressing their unique problems and how your organization serves as their guide.
-
Implement Multiple Messaging Paths: Ensure your website and communication channels allow each audience to access the messaging most relevant to them quickly and effectively.
-
Focus on Ethical Storytelling: Craft narratives that honor and dignify those you serve, avoiding exploitative or purely distressing content.
“When you are able to create a brand script that specifically targets the audience that you want to engage in a more nuanced way, what you're doing is you're identifying a problem that they have that might be a little bit different than other audiences.”
— April Sunshine Hawkins [44:59]
Conclusion
Episode #182 of Marketing Made Simple provides invaluable insights for nonprofits striving to enhance their messaging and engagement strategies. By adopting the StoryBrand framework, understanding diverse stakeholder motivations, and committing to ethical storytelling, nonprofits can craft compelling narratives that resonate deeply and drive meaningful action.
Notable Quotes:
-
“Nonprofits have a unique space. In some ways they do have to view their donors as customers, but really not in the same way.”
— April Sunshine Hawkins [01:08] -
“Within a few weeks of launching that website, they're an international organization. They had gone from reaching one or two countries with their website to 37.”
— Christian Hinojosa [11:44] -
“You're messaging and you're communicating with multiple stakeholders, right? So you have... those that you're serving, that you're talking to, you're also talking to your donors, your volunteers, your board, your team.”
— Natasha Paradeshi [12:45] -
“One thing about my generation is we're very hopeful and aspirational in a way that I would say is unprecedented in recent generations.”
— Christian Hinojosa [16:01] -
“It's always important to be ethical, no matter if you're for profit or nonprofit. But specifically in nonprofits, we want to make sure that when we're using stories that we're not exploiting those that we're serving and we're giving dignity in that story.”
— Natasha Paradeshi [35:26]
For those seeking to deepen their understanding or apply these strategies, consider reaching out to StoryBrand Certified Guides like Christian Hinojosa or Natasha Paradeshi through marketingmadesimple.com to clarify your message and create effective marketing campaigns.