Katya's Non-Profit Marketing Blog

The three things we all forget

1. We’re not our audience
Check that appeal/letter/message before you send it. Is it focused on you or your audience? The correct approach: focus on, respect and engage the audience first.

2. Our audience doesn’t think like us
Check how you make your organization/services/information accessible to people. Is it presented to match your org chart or the mindframe of your audience? Correct approach: you guessed it, the latter.

3. Our audience doesn’t take action without guidance
Check every communication with your audience. Does it make it clear what you’re asking them to do and why? Is your “ask” unmistakable? Make sure it is.

Posted by on 01/23 at 10:44 PM

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Comments

Katya,

You’re right on target here. Thanks for such a succinct reminder to us all.

I can safely say that maintaining the perspective of “we are NOT our audience,” then getting that audience input/perspective, is the single most important step in nonprofit marketing success.

And yes, once you know ‘em, be clear and direct in your call to action.

Go, girl, go.

Posted by Nancy Schwartz on 01/24 at 09:44 AM

Katya,

Yes, yes, yes.

Remembering that you are not your org’s audience/customers/whatever you call them, and then going get and harvesting that perspective, is the single most important step to marketing success.

You’ve emphasized the second—make a clear, direct call to action.

Nancy

Posted by Nancy Schwartz on 01/24 at 09:46 AM

Oh, it drives me crazy when someone says, “I hate getting stuff in my mailbox, so we’re not doing direct mail” or “I hate golf tournaments, so we’re not doing one”. They just don’t get it that the people we are going after, our target audience, has different likes and dislikes than they do.

Thanks Katya for shedding light on this!

Posted by Sandy Rees on 01/29 at 03:58 PM

Great examples, Sandy! Yes, yes, yes, agreed!

Posted by on 01/29 at 04:37 PM

Katya,
don’t you think that, as B. Dylan said, times are changin? and the audience is dissapearing?
have you read this:
http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2006/06/27/ppl_frmr.html
?
I think that you underestimate other people. especially in the point 3 of this post.
I would rather say peoples differ from each other. dont forget it.

@ Sandy: I hate getting staff in my mailbox. so I just thinfk that I won’t do other people what I don’t like.
I’ts just opposite to my personal values

regards
Pawel

Posted by on 01/31 at 06:58 AM

Hi Pawel - I don’t think our audience is disappearing; I feel we fail to see them often enough. We see them as a reflection of ourselves -which is the big mistake. In terms of stuff in the mailbox, people like it if it’s good and speaks to their priorities. They hate it if it doesn’t. All the more reason to see and speak with your audience

Posted by on 01/31 at 09:12 PM