Future Fundraising Now

How to tell if your brand is useless

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by

Jeff Brooks
in

In this short video, branding guy Ije Nworkorie addresses the question, Does brand matter in a recession?

His answer: If it’s about image, probably not. Check it out; it’s only two minutes.

Or watch it here on YouTube.

The key point: The best brands let customers know what they get from an organization. Not what the organization wants people to think about it.

And that’s why so much branding is dysfunctional: It’s all about “image,” not about what customers actually care about.

Same with nonprofit branding. When its purpose is to guide the way donors think, it’s not worth much. If its purpose is to show donors what their gifts make possible, it’s doing its job.

Short version: If your brand is about you, it’s pointless. If your brand is about your donors, it will help you grow.

I doubt the end of the recession will change this.

Thanks to queer ideas for the tip.

    Comments

    6 responses to “How to tell if your brand is useless”

    1. Tahmina Sultan Avatar
      Tahmina Sultan

      People are more driven by the purpose or the cause of an organization, which is also responsible for the gut response, trust and loyalty for that brand.

    2. Tahmina Sultan Avatar
      Tahmina Sultan

      People are more driven by the purpose or the cause of an organization, which is also responsible for the gut response, trust and loyalty for that brand.

    3. Shuey Fogel Avatar
      Shuey Fogel

      Hi Jeff,
      Thanks for posting this insightful video. It very much reminds me of a short speech I heard from an owner of a web consulting firm, Charlie Kalech (@charliekalech). He said that in marketing too often the written and spoken ads of a company focus on what the company provides — not what the customer receives. In any business, for or not-for profit, the focus should always be on the customer.
      Thanks again,
      Shuey
      @nonprofitbanker

    4. Shuey Fogel Avatar
      Shuey Fogel

      Hi Jeff,
      Thanks for posting this insightful video. It very much reminds me of a short speech I heard from an owner of a web consulting firm, Charlie Kalech (@charliekalech). He said that in marketing too often the written and spoken ads of a company focus on what the company provides — not what the customer receives. In any business, for or not-for profit, the focus should always be on the customer.
      Thanks again,
      Shuey
      @nonprofitbanker

    5. Debra Askanase Avatar
      Debra Askanase

      Hi Jeff,
      This video was completely inspired. I hadn’t heard of Ije Nworkorie but I’ll find and follow him now.
      I don’t think donors usually are left with the bitterness that Mr. Nworkorie describes in the video, but they would be if nonprofit organizations didn’t properly include them in their campaign and organizational development, or just thought of them as means to an end. That said, I think that social media offers the opportunity for the nonprofit or brand to listen and involve, and maintain meaningful relationships – even after the dollar has been offered. As you said, donors first (and all stakeholders) – now it’s up to nonprofit organizations to find the ways to do that.

    6. Debra Askanase Avatar
      Debra Askanase

      Hi Jeff,
      This video was completely inspired. I hadn’t heard of Ije Nworkorie but I’ll find and follow him now.
      I don’t think donors usually are left with the bitterness that Mr. Nworkorie describes in the video, but they would be if nonprofit organizations didn’t properly include them in their campaign and organizational development, or just thought of them as means to an end. That said, I think that social media offers the opportunity for the nonprofit or brand to listen and involve, and maintain meaningful relationships – even after the dollar has been offered. As you said, donors first (and all stakeholders) – now it’s up to nonprofit organizations to find the ways to do that.

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    The future of fundraising is not about social media, online video, or SEM. It’s not about any technology, medium, or technique. It’s about donors. If you need to raise funds from donors, you need to study them, respect them, and build everything you do around them. And the future? It’s already here. More.

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    Jeff BrooksJeff Brooks has been serving the nonprofit community for more than 35 years and blogging about it since 2005. He considers fundraising the most noble of pursuits and hopes you’ll join him in that opinion. You can reach him at jeff [at] jeff-brooks [dot] com. More.

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    The future of fundraising is not about social media, online video, or SEM. It’s not about any technology, medium, or technique. It’s about donors. If you need to raise funds from donors, you need to study them, respect them, and build everything you do around them. And the future? It’s already here. More.

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    About the blogger

    Jeff Brooks has been serving the nonprofit community for more than 30 years and blogging about it since 2005. He considers fundraising the most noble of pursuits and hopes you’ll join him in that opinion. You can reach him at jeff [at] jeff-brooks [dot] com.