How to compete like a champ
- Wed, June 18 2008
- Filed under: Marketing essentials
I recently chatted with a roomful of nonprofit folks before giving a speech, and I heard the same things over and over:
1. Money is tight.
2. They feel a keen sense of competition for resources from other organizations. (No wonder, given more than 100 new nonprofits crop up every day)
3. They are anxious about the future.
So how do you stand out? How do you compete in that environment?
By focusing on your audience, NOT your competition. This is about reaching out to your audience better than anyone else. You must do a better job connecting with those people than your competition does.
We get into so much trouble imitating others organizations. Don’t waste energy worrying about another nonprofit’s website, event or corporate sponsor. Focus like a laser beam on pleasing your audience.
When you meet with corporate partners, stand out by impressing them with your ability to listen to them and by showing how you’re uniquely qualified to help them reach their business and philanthropic goals. It’s not about your needs, it’s about theirs.
When you reach out to supporters, stand out with your ability to connect to their interests and values - and with your gracious gratitude for their help.
That’s how you win - by focusing on the people you want to reach, not the organizations around you.
Comments
Better yet - collaborate with your competition! Donors and Funders highly favor collaboration. Lets not look at our neighbors as a threat, but as someone who can help us focus on our audience - Like Kayta said.
Hi, Katya. Well said. One caveat, if I may…
I feel it’s important to check out the competition when writing a marketing plan. It helps to understand what others are doing so an organization can examine how it differs. It’s those points of difference that can create a more powerful case for support.