nonprofit help

October 3 2012

Mission Based Marketing: An Essential for Charities and Churches + All New FREE Webinar

Thomas R. Reich PhD SEO, Social Media, Thomas R. Reich, Uncategorized marketing tricks, mission based Marketing, nonprofit board of directors, nonprofit book keeping, nonprofit help, SEO, starting a nonprofit, Thomas R. Reich, top 10 fundraising projects, top 12 fundraising projects, TRoblinReich, Twitter for nonprofit, Uncategorized

Mission Based Marketing: An Essential for Charities and Churches + All New FREE Webinar

By Melanie M. Swift MNM

When consulting nonprofit administrators and talking about Mission Based Marketing, I have found that many individuals involved in nonprofit operations, especially those in small grassroots organizations, carry the belief that their organization is not a business. I suppose the term “business” lends a for-profit connotation, and makes many nonprofit leaders feel that it violates their charitable mission. It has been my goal to make these emerging leaders aware that increased organizational capacity can only be generated if they begin to undertake administrative tasks that were once found only within for-profit entities.

With the increased competition that is becoming apparent within the sector, one such critical task is adequate marketing of the organization. Market-driven nonprofit organizations are implementing a variety of market strategies in order to fulfill their mission, meet their programmatic goals, and achieve long-term financial stability through Mission Based Marketing.

In the nonprofit sector, Mission Based Marketing incorporates focusing on the needs of your constituents and planning to satisfy those needs over time. Program services to clients are the primary reason that nonprofit organizations exist. Therefore, it is critical to know how to plan Mission Based Marketing programs. To become highly effective, begin with understanding your program’s target markets. You’ll need to identify what groups of potential clients exist, what their needs are, what groups you’d prefer to serve, and what programs you might develop to meet their needs through Mission Based Marketing.

Business Plans
Market Research
SWOT Analysis
Strategic Plans
Website Development (A must in today’s technology-driven world!)
Search Engine Optimization
Social Media Marketing
Corporate Branding

Keep in mind that an essential aspect of Mission Based Marketing is continuously developing a positive self-image for the organization. The relationship between price and perceived value is nowhere more evident than in the nonprofit sector. Thus every organization must find ways to make clients believe your programs or services have the most value.

Careful Mission Based Marketing planning allows a nonprofit organization to position itself best to compete for all kinds of support, including funds, by looking systematically at Mission Based Marketing, image, constituents, competitors, resources, strengths, and weaknesses, and then devise strategies to gain more favorable position in the competitive marketplace. Ultimately, adequate Mission Based Marketing will help your organization to meet its strategic goals, whether they are to increase revenue, expand your client base, or promote your organization in a new market.

Free Webinar
Wednesday October 10, 2012 2PM EST

Cause Marketing with Melanie M. Swift

New Blog

Related Blogs

September 29 2012

10 Tips and Tricks to make Your Website a Lead Generating Machine!

Thomas R. Reich PhD SEO, Social Media, Thomas R. Reich, Uncategorized Business start up, church fundraising ideas, Free small business resources, Lead Generating Machine, marketing tips, marketing tricks, NFP help, nonprofit board of directors, nonprofit help, seo for nonprofit, small business advice, Social Media for small business, Thomas R. Reich, tips and tricks, TRoblinReich

10 Tips and Tricks to make Your Website a Lead Generating Machine!

by Thomas R. Reich PhD

Books are judged by their covers, websites are judged by their landing pages.

You have heard it 100 times; the first 10 seconds in any meeting are the most crucial. A visitor to your internet site will size up the site like a customer walking in a store or showroom. The colors you employ, the size, style and relevance of your visuals, text and your brand are what can make you a Lead Generating Machine. Any time a new potential customer visits your website they must know in just 10 seconds whether they have arrived in the absolute right place. There must be no indecision here – they must know they are in the right place. Make it clear to them right on first thing page see:

• We are important to you because…

• We sell or provide…

• We want to solve your need.

• How can we help you?

Then clearly lead them to what they are looking for.

Keep your home page and all pages open and uncluttered to create a Lead Generating Machine .

Many websites try to cram so many pictures and text on a page it confuses the viewer and they leave. How fast does your internet site load for you? Do every one your visitors possess broadband internet access? Your rule is 8-seconds with a 56K dial-up modem, any longer and you will be losing visitors. Specifically, avoid the temptation to create your webpage as some massive logo image or flash web presentation. Remember, convey who you are, what you sell, and how you can help the visitor with what they are looking for if you want your website to be a Lead Generating Machine. Do this in a clean, uncluttered way branded with the same colors and typeface throughout. Keep it simple, stay on target, and stay branded throughout the website.

Link destinations should be targeted and links on your blog should be mostly internal.

The normal landing page for a website is the home page, often times the visitor feels trapped or overwhelmed and quickly departs. A link from an email or e-news letter should bring the visitor to a blog on your site which concentrates on a target topic which relates to your product or service. The blog should have many links within them but these links should bring them to the answers within your website which then becomes a Lead Generating Machine. If you need to use a knowledge source outside of your website it should be generic not a competitors site. This seems obvious but many make the mistake of sending the competition a lead you yourself generated!

We may hate pop-ups but they are still very effective!

Do you dislike those infuriating pop-up windows that many internet websites use? You know the ones…in your face some won’t go away no matter what you do. Bear in mind that pop-ups do work and do increase email lists if used properly within a Lead Generating Machine. Use a cookie based conservative pop-up, do not block the site and allow the visitor to easily opt out. You may try once again when they leave the site but offer something free, more on this later!

Tempt, coerce or bribe

So, what is the point of pop-up windows – they should only exist for a single reason exclusively – to highlight a special offer, or even better, to spotlight the free email information newsletter. Everybody knows that it is much easier in selling to an active consumer rather than to a new one. Remember what you offer the visitor for free is getting you a potential client for FREE. This is the time to give a free trial or a free white paper or a free Webinar in exchange for the visitor signing up to your email news letter. Incentivize your visitors if you need to, but get their email address and details right away, it is all part of a Lead Generating Machine.

Never believe visitors are browsers and can’t be sold right then!

Many website owners just accept that there are lots of competitive websites and the visitors are not necessarily purchasers. That may have been true in 2005 but today things have changed! Web browsers are searching with a goal in mind – they are searching for a result that will solve their need or problem – and if you don’t meet their needs, then they will keep searching. What if they are not willing to purchase yet, but you are the answer they have been looking for? In that case, seize their details for the opt-in e-newsletter list is more important than ever in a Lead Generating Machine, if they leave without giving their email you have lost them; the internet is simply too big for them to come back on their own. Do you believe that you have a great online business, the correct products and services, and the right price level? Then demonstrate it and scream it from your online business! Your email list is your chance to bring them back for another look, or make a better offer, possibly introduce an even better product for their needs or make a personal contact!

Employ the effectiveness of FREE in your favor.

Alright, I can hear you arguing, “But… But… But…” The most effective way to close a client is to engage that client! A single pay per click can cost more than $5 just to attract a visitor, and you give them nothing when they arrive! Think of your website as a booth in a huge trade show, offer a free white paper for a email sign-up, but what if you have a cool little free give away, think about it, you then get their full information, and when you mail the item, you get to include whatever sales material you wish! Yes, everyone loves free stuff, of course, we all do. SO GIVE THEM FREE STUFF as part of a Lead Generating Machine! Though – whenever you provide free things, provide it in exchange for their details, in order to get back to them, if not they remain just numbers in analytics.

Guide your visitors through your website, like a good salesman in a showroom.

The moment you have gained your online visitors interest and attention, you then want to virtually take their hand and direct them to every page across the website, this is an essential part of a Lead Generating Machine. This is achieved by using links and clever words and phrases to take your visitors to the answers they are looking for. Find out what your visitors want and make sure you provide those answers on your website.. Lead them bit by bit towards the contact us web page, until you have their name and email address.

Once you have the Visitors Email, use it wisely, with a plan to build their interest, not to pester them.

Once you have got hold of them (your new potential customers) – Don’t let go! Love them, care for them, and even if they have not opened their wallet for you – show them the same level of gold service that you normally reserve for the spending clients, if you want your Lead Generating Machine to produce customers. It is important to email and update them with new data and facts and to personalize your company, welcome the visitor to your circle of friends! Do not abuse their trust; your emails should give them information on your products and services. Never sell or misuse your email list for other products not represented on the website they signed up under!

Make your website one portion of a network.

First, make sure you have a Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pintrest, and YouTube accounts all branded the same as your website and all attached to your website which is your Lead Generating Machine. Additionally, you may want to make link deals with related but different product and services websites to exchange leads and traffic. Remember, the goal once the traffic gets to your site is to get at least their opt-in email address, without that email contact the visitor is just a useless number on an analytics report. It is the difference of a customer walking through a mall looking in store windows and a customer walking in a store! Get those Email addresses.

Using Your Website and Social Media to create a Lead Generating Machine!

This webinar is free and as always, if you register and are unable to make the live webinar we will send a recorded version to you after the event!

Title:	Lead Generation Strategies
Date:	Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Time:	2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT

We will explore the many aspects of lead generation. Wether you are a small business looking for new customers or a nonprofit looking for donors or volunteers, this is the webinar for you! Using your Social Media Network as a leads funnel to your blog and website, can generate many leads. Once you have leads what is an easy way to tell a hot lead from a cold lead, what lead can generate sales not and who should be followed up on in the future? When does a lead become a prospect?

All this and more will be answered by resident marketing expert, Thomas R. Reich.

This webinar is free and as always, if you register and are unable to make the live webinar we will send a recorded version to you after the event!

Related Blogs

September 8 2012

How to Write a Strategic Plan

Thomas R. Reich PhD SEO, Social Media, Thomas R. Reich, Uncategorized business plan, business plan success, Business start up, Free small business resources, NFP help, nonprofit board of directors, nonprofit book keeping, nonprofit help, small business investors, Small Business Resources, Thomas R. Reich, TRoblinReich, Twitter for nonprofit

How to Write a Strategic Plan

Not to oversimplify how to create a strategic plan, but by placing all the parts of a plan into three areas, you can clearly see how the pieces fit together. The three pieces of the puzzle are:

Where are we now?

Where are we going?

How will we get there?

Each part has certain elements to show you how and where things fit it.

Where are we now?

As you think about where your organization is now, you want to look at your foundational elements (mission and value) to make sure there has not been a change. More than likely, you will not revise these two areas very often. Then you want to look at your current position or your strategic position. This is where you look at what is happening internally and externally to determine how you need to shift and change You should review your strategic plan regularly through the use of a SWOT. These elements are as follows:

Mission statement: The mission describes your organization’s purpose in a good strategic Plan — the purpose for which you were founded and why you exist. Some mission statements include the business of the organization. Others explain what products or services they produce or customers they serve. Does your mission statement say what you do? Why does your organization exist?

Values and/or guiding principles: This clarifies what you stand for and believe in. Values guide the organization in its daily business. What are the core values and beliefs of your company? What values and beliefs guide your daily interactions? What are you and your people really committed to?

SWOT: SWOT is an acronym that stand for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. These elements are crucial in assessing your strategic position with your organizations starategic plan. You want to build on your company’s strengths; shore up the weaknesses; capitalize on the opportunities; and recognize the threats.

Where are we going?

The elements of the question Where are we going? help you answer other questions such as What will my organization look like in the future? Where are we headed? What is the future I want to create for my company? Because the future is hard to predict, you can have fun imagining what it may look like. The following elements help you define the future for your business:

Sustainable competitive advantage: Sustainable competitive advantage explains what your are best at compared to your competitors. Each company strives to create an advantage that continues to be competitive over the time. What can you be best at? What is your uniqueness? What can your organization potentially do better than any other organization?

Vision statement: Your vision is formulating a picture of what your organization’s future makeup will be and where the organization is headed. What will your organization look like in 5 to 10 years from now?

How will we get there?

Knowing how you’ll reach your vision is the meat of your strategic plan, but it’s also the most time consuming. The reason it takes so much time to develop is because there are a number of routes from your current position to your vision in a strategic plan. Picking the right one determines how quickly or slowly you get to your final destination.
The parts of your plan that layout your roadmap are listed below:

Strategic objectives: Strategic objectives are long-term, continuous strategic areas that help you connect your mission to your vision. Holistic objectives encompass four areas: financial, customer, operational, and people. What are the key activities that you need to perform in order to achieve your vision?

Strategy: Strategy establishes a way to match your organization’s strengths with market opportunities so that your organization comes to mind when your customer has a need. This section of a strategic plan explains how you travel to your final destination. Does your strategy match your strengths in a way that provides value to your customers? Does it build an organizational reputation and recognizable industry position?

Short-term goals/priorities/initiatives: Short-term goals convert your the strategic objectives into specific performance targets. You can use goals, priorities, initiatives interchangeably. In this book, I use goals to define short-term action. Effective goals clearly state what you want to accomplish, when you want to accomplish it, how you’re going to do it, and who’s going to be responsible. Each goal should be specific and measurable. What are the 1- to 3-year-goals you’re trying to achieve to reach your vision? What are your specific, measurable, and realistic targets of accomplishment?

Action items: Action items are plans that set specific actions that lead to implementing your goals. They include start and end dates and appointing a person responsible Are your action items comprehensive enough to achieve your goals?

Scorecard: A scorecard measures and manages your strategic plan. What are the key performance indicators you need to track to monitor whether you’re achieving your mission? Pick 5 to 10 goal related measures you can use to track the progress of your plan and plug them into your scorecard.

Execution: In executing the plan, identify issues that surround who manages and monitors the plan and how the plan is communicated and supported. How committed are you to implementing the plan to move your organization forward? Will you commit money, resources, and time to support the strategic plan.

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/400866258

Developing a Strategic Business Plan with Melanie Swift

How do you determine if your ready to apply for a 501c3, are you jeopardizing your organization by not having one? What are the advantages and protections of having a 501c3? How can a 501c3 open new fundraising doors and allow more freedom in your organization? Join us for this free webinar, and find a fact filled discussion on one of the most important issues facing our industry today, 501c3!. All of this information and much more is yours in this FREE webinar

We invite you to spend a valuable hour with CharityNet USA and our Director of Nonprofit Services Melanie Swift and discover another way we can help your nonprofit organization cannot only overcome, but grow during the current economic conditions.

As the past shows: the economy will recover, resources will catch up with us and finances will level out. Don’t wait for recovery to happen, get started growing your nonprofit now. When America recovers, your nonprofit will not only be in the game, but you will be an MVP!

Contact Marketing Coordinator Thomas R. Reich for more info at tom@Bizcentralusa.com or call him at (407) 857-9002 ex 510

Webinar Registration

Wednesday,Sept 12, 2012
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm online from CharityNetUSA
Key Note Speaker: Melanie Swift

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/400866258

Related Blogs

August 11 2012

9 free Twitter application Reviews to Clean up Your Twitter Stream

Thomas R. Reich PhD SEO, Social Media, Uncategorized BizCentral USA, Business start up, CharityNet USA, Free small business resources, free Twitter applications, nonprofit help, small business marketing, Small Business Resources, Social Media, Social media for nonprofits, Social Media for small business, Thomas R. Reich, TRoblinReich, Twitter for nonprofit

9 Killer Free Twitter Application Reviews to Clean up Your Twitter Stream;

Make Twitter Work for Your Small Business!

By Thomas R. Reich PhD

Here is a list of free Twitter application reviews to help you make your Twitter account more productive for your small business. Twitter can be an awesome tool, but like with any small business tool, good results require an established schedule, some simple rules and some weekly maintenance. Some goof free Twitter applications to help small business be more efficient can improve your small business social network! The rules for a successful small business Twitter site are:

1) Always stay on target, pick a topic that relates directly to your business and stay on that topic. Offer interesting facts and tips and use Twitter as a way to funnel potential new clients to your website and your company

free twitter applications Thomas R. Reich — Free Twitter applications to unfollow the nonfollowers

3) Don’t have grand expectations of what Twitter can do for you alone. Twitter is an important part of a social media network, if it is designed to funnel interest to your website and blog!2) Always have a link to your website blog or a link to an upcoming event in every tweet. I know that makes your words of wisdom even shorter, but someone seeing your tweet in a twitter stream may want to click and go somewhere for more information.

4) When someone thinks enough of you to follow you on twitter, always follow them back. If they are the kind of twitter site that you don’t want to follow, and then remove them from your twitter stream right then, more on this later. The free Twitter applications listed below will help you with this task.

5) If you follow a Twitter site and they do not follow you back within a week or so, unfollow them. Again, the free Twitter applications listed below will help you with this. Twitter only lets you follow a certain amount more than those following you, so does not use up your Tweet space for an account that won’t follow you back. There are exceptions, if you are a CPA and it is tax time, you may want to follow one of the IRS Twitter streams to provide daily updates from the IRS in your Tweet Stream. This is a good reason to have a non-follower, as government agencies and celebrities rarely follow back.

6) If you notice one Tweeter follower in your Tweet stream with constant tweets, and saying nothing, unfollow them, your followers will thank you for that service! Not all the listed free Twitter applications listed will help you with this task, but some will help you with this clean up as well read on:

You may have noticed that unfollowing one of your followers is as easy as clicking the unfollow button. But the problem is, who is not following you, who are tweeting too much, and who is following you that you forgot to follow back?

The 9 free Twitter Applications listed below will help you do those things. Each one of these free Twitter applications has its strengths and weaknesses. You may find that the ones I like aren’t as easy for you, and you like the ones I do not. This is the wonder of Social Media, choices make it so personal, the more you learn the more you will love what a well run social media network can do for your business!

All these programs have a FREE Twitter application version, as well as several levels of pay to play. Usually the pay versions do far more, and have more automated functions. For now try several of them in the free Twitter application version, if you want, you can convert later, but all these FREE Twitter application versions will do what you need to do now!

1) UNFOLLOW: This free Twitter Application is a simple tool to just unfollow Twitter users, who are not following you. JustUnfollow provides you the list of twitter users you are following and that are not following you back. You can select the ones you want to unfollow from the list and simply unfollow them.

2) DoYouFollow: A free Twitter application that is good basic system, these tools helps you to know who you are following and are not following you back. One of the good things here is that you can unfollow the twitter users who are not following you in bulk. Apart from unfollowing Twitter users you can also create and schedule tweets with DoYouFollow Tool.

3) TwitSpinner: is much more than just free Twitter application or a tool to unfollow the twitter users who are not following you. It is an advance tool to manage your twitter direct messages, followers, designs and additionally allows you to schedule tweets. If you are looking for a complete twitter management system, then you can consider TwitSpinner.

4) Your Twitter Karma: Apart from removing the Twitter users who are not following you back, this free Twitter application Your Twitter Karma also follows the Twitter users who are following you. It can easily follow or unfollow the twitter user in your profile in seconds.

5) Untwitted: This free Twitter application is very simple and user-friendly unfollow twitter tool. It helps you to unfollow the people who are not following you on twitter in bulk. It is safe to use and saves your time to unfollow unwanted Twitter users. It does only one job, but does it perfectly.

6) ManageFlitter: is a free Twitter application that is a critically acclaimed set of Twitter Tools people have used to manage their Twitter account. It comes in both free and pro version. The free version will enable us to find out who has unfollowed us on Twitter, unfollow users who no longer post, unfollow people who tweet too much, prune and clean up stream to get more out of Twitter. The pro version offers even more amazing set of tools such as Follow and Twitter Search & Analytics.

7) FriendorFollow: Another free Twitter application tool which helps you find out who followed you on twitter and who you are not following back after they followed you. It also finds the twitter folks you followed that are not following you back. Find detailed information about your twitter account by using FriendorFollow tool.

8) Tweepi: Possibly the easiest free Twitter application to unfollow your twitter non-followers. Easy to flush and even clean up inactive accounts. You can even force twitter followers who you do not follow to unfollow you by using it’s new feature. This is helpful when you do not want your competition seeing your tweet stream! Visit the Tweepi website for more information.

9) iUnfollow: A free Twitter application which provides more than what you expect. Some of the great features of this tool are that you can check the history of who you followed and who followed you, the quickest possible way, with keyboard shortcuts. Additionally, you can unfollow your non-followers through keyboard shortcuts as well.

Try some out and experiment. Remember, if you have a limited # of Twitter followers that you can unfollow in the free Twitter application version of one of these programs, I have given you 8 more to try! Have fun and let me know which free Twitter application works best for you, I would enjoy hearing feedback.

Successful Business Plans

with Thomas R. Reich

Join us for this FREE webinar Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 2 PM EST.
We want you there live! There will be a live question and answer session at the end of the webinar session!
However, simply register and if you can’t attend at that time you will be sent a recorded version of the live webinar after the event is over.

Thomas R. Reich

Related Blogs

August 4 2012

Top 10 Tips for Grant Funding Resources: Making Sure Your Nonprofit is Grant Ready

Thomas R. Reich PhD Thomas R. Reich, Uncategorized grant, grant funding, grant funding resources, grants, NFP, NFP help, nonprofit board of directors, nonprofit book keeping, nonprofit help, Thomas R. Reich, top 10 grant funding resources, TRoblinReich

Top 10 Tips for Grant Funding Resources:

Making Sure Your Nonprofit is Grant Ready

In today’s world of nonprofit grant funding, competition is stiff. Overall, available grant funding has greatly diminished and organizations must use every accessible resource to their advantage. A grant writing service can assist you in obtaining grants and ultimately grant funding, but you must do everything in your power to adequately prepare. Melanie M. Swift, MNM, Director of Nonprofit Services for CharityNet USA, has prepared a list of the top 10 things your nonprofit must have well established prior to the commencement of a grant funding campaign.

Mission– Know your mission in and out. Be prepared to describe your organization’s specific mission and know how you work each day to fulfill that mission. Be sure your mission statement reflects your purpose, your unique method of delivery, and your organization’s core values.

History– What inspired your organization’s founding? What have been the major milestones since? Has your organization received any recognition for its efforts? Be able to provide success stories to demonstrate your capabilities.

Funding– How have you sustained your organization thus far? Who are your major contributors? How do you fundraise? It is extremely important to funders that potential grant funding recipients be able to demonstrate past fiduciary responsibility.

Need– Can you show that there is really a significant need for your organization’s programs within the

community you serve? Research statistical data on the problem you address as well as the degree of other efforts being made to combat the same problem.

Governing Capabilities– Are you able to promote members of your board or staff as responsible, knowledgeable, nonprofit professionals? Be prepared to describe their education and experience. Convince me that they are competent leaders.

Objectives– Know the difference between a goal and an objective. You must be able to provide targeted, measurable objectives! Identify objectives that are realistic and attainable, which is a necessity in order to receive grant funding.

Methods– Do you really know, step-by-step, how you will meet your objectives? Are you aware of everything and everyone that will be involved, down to the smallest detail? It is essential that the questions of Who-What-When-Why-How be answered for each proposed activity.

Evaluation– How will you evaluate the success of your proposed project? Take the time to develop a scientific plan for evaluation that describes who will be involved, at what intervals, and what costs will be incurred.

Sustainability– You must think past the grant award period. Exactly how will you continue to fund this project once the grant funding runs out? Funders seek out projects that will exist into perpetuity.

Budget– Learn to develop a precise line item budget. Know the difference between an operating budget and a project budget, and learn how to allocate your administrative costs within each program. This activity requires significant board involvement.

Our Director of Nonprofit Services, Melanie Swift, has laid out the steps involved in the strategic preparation for undertaking a grant campaign, so you’re prepared for the legwork that goes into getting grant funding in this blog. Now learn the importance of a clarified mission and vision, an existing tax exemption, a strategic plan, a qualified Board, and a unique method for service delivery. In addition, discover the power of forthright financial information. Howard Walker has been a Federal Grant Grader for the U.S. Government and continues to consult with them annually. Howard will give you real world insight into the preparation and mindset needed to apply for and win a grant in today’s economic environment.

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/132790322

Howard Walker, Nonprofit Consultant for CharityNet USA, will be conducting a FREE Webinar: “Making Sure Your Nonprofit is Grant Ready” Wednesday, August 8th, 2012.

Join us for a webinar on making sure your nonprofit is “grant ready”. If you are you getting ready to apply for a grant, or even thinking about it, then you can’t miss this opportunity to learn more about grant funding.

If you would like more information on the full range of services offered to set up and service a charity, foundation or church please contact CharityNetUSA by visiting www.CharityNetUSA.com or by calling 407.857.9002. Please follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook to receive free daily tips and tricks as well as notification of our FREE Award Winning Webinar series!

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July 28 2012

Small Business Branding and Graphic Ideas to get You Noticed!

Thomas R. Reich PhD Social Media, Thomas R. Reich, Uncategorized branding for small business, business plan, business plan success, Business start up, Dr. Thomas R. Reich, Free small business resources, nonprofit help, SEO, Small Business, small business branding, Small Business Resources, Social Media for small business, Thomas R. Reich, TRoblinReich

Small Business Branding and Graphic Ideas to get You Noticed!

By Dr. Thomas R. Reich

Ultimately, a small business branding must be designed. A new identity must be created and made
concrete, or an existing brand reshaped and renewed. Symbols, logos, colors and graphics are an important part of the small business branding process. Once, they were as functionally linked to the small business branding as business cards, retail store design, packaging design, or corporate identity. Today, these applications often are secondary.

Today, small business branding identity is created for an online world. The website is a primary application. Any new or evolved brand must succeed as a dynamic web destination, as definitively as it exists anywhere. Your web team must be part of the new small business branding. And your design team must be smart about the web, blog and social media.

Brands are living things. They communicate, act and react. Create experiences. Build relationships. But how will your small business branding do these things? What will define your style and expression? How will your people engage with customers and prospects? How will you relate to influencers? And what about web content? Will your writers and designers do whatever they feel like doing? Or will they build distinctive qualities in their work, reflecting who you are and what you believe?

In a world where everyone wants to stand out, style is power. Style elevates you. Sets you apart, commands attention and respect, helps people find themselves in you. Style does all these things.

One of the vital things that are required of small businesses to achieve long term success is proper small business branding. A common mistake is that people regard branding as a logo development project. What many small business owners fail to see is that small business branding is actually managing the feelings and the thoughts of your customers so that you can be sure that your product or service is what they desire and relate that to a look and feel that represents your business. Today, branding is not just for large and multi-national companies, with the advent of the internet, no one can know for sure you aren’t a major player, if your branding is properly in place. So take a look at these tips for getting your small business branding project underway!

Logo

Your logo is the symbol of your company, it is the center of your branding effort, but it is not your small business branding. Your logo should represent the image you are trying to present as a company, color, shape design are all factors. If you have a logo, it can be modified but once you decide on the color shape and graphics involved, a color and graphics package should be designed around it. A branding book can help you when going to a printer or even a web designer, this lays out the rules for color, shape and other considerations. A branding book makes sure you logo and color choices are consistent and used in a way which is in line with your mission statement and company policies.

Website Branding

It is important to understand that having a website is not enough today. You need to create a professional website that will reflect your small business branding image, both graphically and in terms of color and temperament. If you are a serious law office or an accounting firm, would it fit your brand to have animations and wild pictures? If someone recommends your business in today’s market, the internet is certainly the first place where possible customers will look for you. That is why you need to update your site on a regular basis. Gone are the days of the static websites. People are looking for connections and websites that are active and engaging. They want to connect to your LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and see a video. All this must follow the small business branding rules you have set up in your branding book, color, logo, design must all match. If the client is at home in one part of your business, then they should feel at home in all parts of your network and you business proper.

Your “About” page is very important to the overall brand

The “About” page is key to your potential customer’s understanding of your company and your small business branding. It doesn’t have to be long, but it needs to be well thought out and provide your readers with enough information about your company to form a positive opinion. If you are a sole proprietor, do not use the term I, use the pejorative we. A reader should be given enough information here to become comfortable to do business with you. You may want to consider including a feature function value of your product or service, and why it is best to buy that product or service from you. You may also want to include a few testimonials and a short case study if appropriate to your business.

Branding Your Blog

It is also important to have a company blog attached to your website, since the valuable and relevant information found there makes you look like an expert in your field, if presented properly. People now a day’s want experts in the field they are looking to transact business in. With the internet if you do not provide a constant flow of information and news about your product or service someone else will, and they will get the business. The top keys to creating and maintaining a blog are creativity and consistency. Your graphic look must equal the rest of your business network, your customers must know they are on your site as they read the facts and information you are giving them. You must give your potential customers an easy route to your blog from email newsletters, twitter, facrbook and your website, all looking the same, branded and logoed to your identity.

Network with Fully Branded Social Media

Connect with people online and offline. When you meet potential customers in person you give them a card or brochure, right? When you meet through social media you must have your site as branded as your business card, and you must have links to your branded website and blog, just the same. Your social media sites, your email and your website/blog are you business card and brochure on the internet, take as much care in branding them as you do your printed material!

Have Total Consistency in Branding

I know I have mentioned this over and over, but it deserves mention again! It is so important I decided to create a separate paragraph on this topic. There are 2 types of consistency I am referring to; 1) all your sites, cards and offices must look the same. 2) Mind your personal small business branding, when you say to a client that you are going to do something, do it, your reputation is your brand. Remember, when customers experience consistency in look and in action, they tend to become brand loyal. Always consider the fact that the positive experience they have with you will give them good feelings about the company which will automatically lead them to refer others to you. Also remember that the look and feel you have created through your brand sites re-enforces that feeling of product consistency.

Pick Your Niche

Now this is a fact – you cannot be everything for everybody. If you are trying to please everybody, there is a very real possibility that you are attracting fewer customers than you actually can. You cannot be an expert in everything. Choose a specific niche that you want to focus on and stand for one single thing. Choose one small business branding identity that clearly identifies that niche, make a branding book and stick to that niche, in look and demeanor.

Small Busainess Branding is about how people see you and your business. If you’re current small business brand image is not what you’d like it to be, or if it is not carried consistently across all platforms of your business, you need to find out how to fix it and move on. Whether you are just starting your business or you are an existing entrepreneur, there are ways to make your small business branding attractive for your prospects and clients. If you need help in this area, we’ll be more than happy to be there for you. May we suggest, take our free marketing review and find out from an expert what you can do to become a wholly branded business. Marketing and branding is our nitche, let us help!

“Branding and Graphic Design made Easy” with Thomas R. Reich

Join us for this FREE webinar Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 2 PM EST.

We want you there live; there will be a live question and answer session at the end of the webinar session!

However; simply register and if you can’t attend at that time you will be sent a recorded version of the live webinar after the event is over!

Join us for a fun and fact filled free webinar; one that will expose you to a world of Graphics and Branding. among other things discussed will be: Logo design and the difference between Logo and Brand! How color can effect your business, how important matching the look and feel of your website to you printed material and social media. We will look deep into the Brand and just what it means! Then we will touch on tips and tricks in many areas of marketing so new even the experts will want to attend. This is a must see for any business interested in increased marketing presents; You will benefit greatly from the knowledge if only to enlighten you on what may be available for your company. As usual this fact filled webinar is FREE.
Can you afford to miss a learning opportunity like this?
Feel free to contact Tom Reich for any marketing related questions at tom@bizcentralusa.com

“Branding and Graphic Design made Easy” with Thomas R. Reich

Related Blogs

July 3 2012

Top 10 Mistakes You Must Avoid when Starting a Nonprofit Organization

Thomas R. Reich PhD Thomas R. Reich, Uncategorized church fundraising ideas, church help, Free small business resources, IRS, Mission, nonprofit board of directors, nonprofit book keeping, nonprofit help, starting a nonprofit, Thomas R. Reich, top 10 fundraising projects, top 12 fundraising projects, TRoblinReich

Top 10 Mistakes You Must Avoid when Starting a Nonprofit Organization

By Thomas R. Reich

1) Do Your Due Diligence; Initial Research: Is there a need for the mission you are passionate about in your area when starting a nonprofit. If there is another organization providing the same service, can you partner with them? Will your organization qualify for 501©(3) status?? Read and research everything you can on nonprofit organizations, their operation and the specific mission you wish to peruse.

2) You must have a Plan; Make a Thorough Business Plan: You will quickly discover, when starting a nonprofit, that a nonprofit organization is a business. In order to survive, a nonprofit ‘business’ must have as much money coming in as it has services and expenses going out. Have you written a realistic business plan?

3) Make sure you Mission is for a Charitable Purpose: Sure it’s a great idea, when starting a nonprofit, but does it qualify as a charitable cause? The basic definition of a tax-exempt 501©(3) nonprofit organization is one that serves the public good and is organized for religious, charitable, educational, scientific or literary purpose. If you are unsure, research similar organizations for information.

4) You must Register: In the US registration is required in most states when starting a nonprofit. Some people think they don’t have to register and since they are “nonprofit” they won’t get in trouble. Wrong! Registration of nonprofits, paid solicitors and fundraising counsels protects citizens from becoming victims of fraud and helps to maintain a responsible environment for charitable work.

5) You Must keep good records: As a business, the organization will be required to file various reports of business activity when starting a nonprofit. You just can’t make things up thinking that you won’t be held responsible. If you are not organized, learn to be before starting a nonprofit organization.

6) You Must have a Funding Plan: Raising money is a tough and competitive requirement of most nonprofit organizations when starting a nonprofit. If your experience with raising funds was through attending a dinner, golf outing, bake sale or car wash, you need help with fundraising. Without funding, there is no way to sustain a nonprofit organization.

7) You Must Comply with IRS Statutes: Most nonprofits must file federal and state forms and you need to learn what government requires of nonprofit organizations when starting a nonprofit. You receive great tax breaks by being a 501©(3) nonprofit and complying with reporting is a fair deal considering the benefits you receive.

8) Do not Misjudge Time Required to run a Great Nonprofit: Operating a nonprofit organization is not a hobby. If you think, when you think about starting a nonprofit, that you can run a nonprofit organization part-time, you need to have others helping you or you will fail. When you consider that it is a business and is subject to filing and reporting requirements in addition to service work, you quickly realize it requires a full-time commitment.

9) Building an Effective Board is Essential: Leadership is critical when starting a nonprofit and an effective board is one that is composed of talented, dedicated and connected people are best. Your board should add integrity to your work, offer access to funding, provide some of the expertise you need and be dedicated to your mission.

10) Make sure to have the Very Best Talent Involved: At a minimum, you will need very professional help that fully understands all aspects of the nonprofit industry, when starting a nonprofit. Some of the key specialized professionals do not need to be on staff, and can be retained only as needed. The same is true for Fundraising efforts; you need access to professionals that fully understand nonprofit fundraising. For key areas of nonprofit organization reporting and management you are best served hiring professionals who fully understand the legalities of reporting the collections and dispersal of funds. Having systems set up by professionals in the nonprofit world will save you money, time and possible major violations along the way!

Luckily for you there is CharityNet USA to help you starting a nonprofit, and entire organization dedicated to solving you nonprofit back office needs. From registration to filing for 501©(3) all the way to your fundraising plans and 990 tax filings, CharityNet USA can handle it quickly and efficiently. After more than 13,000 clients, CharityNet USA’s systems are fully tested and proved, and the pricing is far below the competition.

CharityNet USA is offering a free nonprofit review and a free session with a nonprofit business consultant just to show you what can be accomplished when we work together for the greater good!

Join us for a FREE nonprofit webinar Wednesday July 11, 2012 from 2PM-3PM EST “The Basics of Starting a Nonprofit Organization” with Nonprofit Industry Expert Howard Walker. https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/654680578

Related Blogs

June 22 2012

Top 12 Fundraising Projects and Ideas to Bring Some Fun in the Sun!

Thomas R. Reich PhD Thomas R. Reich, Uncategorized church fundraising ideas, church fundraising projects, church help, fundraising, fundraising ideas, fundraising projects, Howard Walker, NFP, NFP help, nonprofit help, not for profit fundraising ideas, Social Media, Thomas R. Reich, top 10 fundraising projects, top 12 fundraising projects, TRoblinReich

Top 12 Fundraising Projects to Bring Some Fun in the Sun!

By Thomas R. Reich

Fundraising projects do many positive things for a nonprofit organization. They can bring in much needed funds and that is important, but they can also foster a sense of community, both within the organization and with the community as a whole. Having car wash or bake sale can get your volunteers together with your supporters in a way that can be fun in the sun for all. Events and fundraising projects such as Golf Tournaments, dinners and expos can attract new volunteers, donors and associates of all kinds, as well as great PR and positive recognition.

Let’s look at the 15 innovative ways your organization may plan to generate funds with fundraising projects and foster community, adding a little fun to your nonprofit!

1) Bake Sale – The bake sale has long been a popular part of many nonprofit fundraising projects schedules. Let’s inject a little more fun in the sun into the proceedings. Encourage everyone involved in your organization to donate a prized baked good. Use your social Media and blog to publicize the event, this is a very effective way to draw new people and expose them to your cause. Possible hold a contest, judged by those that purchase the baked goods. Each purchaser gets a vote for their favorite baked good, this way the vote is anonymous and lots of fun!

2) Raffles – Raffles are an effective way to raise money. You can give away a few smaller prizes or one big one in these fundraising projects . No matter what you choose to give away, make sure the prize is something that people want and are thus willing to purchase a raffle ticket. Usually the profits from the ticket can cover the cost of the prize, better yet, try to get the prizes donated and leave as much of the money for the fundraiser cause. You should include a raffle in all the events that you hold and consider holding a large non-event focused raffle once a year. Just always make sure the prizes are really great!

3) Competition – Holding some kind of competition is a fun way to raise funds. These fundraising projects could be a singing competition, dancing competition, beauty pageant, or whatever kind of competition appeals to you. Sell tickets to prospective audience members and offer some kind of prize to the winner of the competition.

4) Flower Bouquets – On Valentine’s Day, Mothers Day even color themed for other holidays. Tie the bouquets with a color coordinating bow and offer a personalized card, even delivery for a price that makes the donation worth the time and expense of delivery. Always brand the flowers in these types of fundraising projects so the receiver knows the sender has made a donation to your cause, sometimes this gets an additional donation from the recipient or an order for another bouquet to yet another deliveries’, and the exposure and community networking goes on.

5) Doughnuts – Krispy Kreme Doughnuts has great fundraising programs where the nonprofit sells orders for the doughnuts, and after getting dozens or hundreds of orders, part goes to Krispy Kreme, but much is kept by the nonprofit. Your organization can either take the doughnuts to a central pick-up point, or deliver as suggested above, ether way can bring some fun in the sun!

6) Cookie Dough Fundraiser – For nonprofits with lots of volunteers willing to make lots of pre-made cookie dough, this can be fun fundraising programs. You can offer different kinds of dough or only 1, and again it can be delivered or picked up at a central point. An alternate plan would be to put the ingredients into a bag mixed but dry, with instructions to add appropriate eggs and butter or oil in attached instructions. Always include a message about your cause and a request for additional donations in this type of fundraising programs.

7) Car Wash – A car wash is another classic group fundraising programs! It is also simple and does not involve much investment of time and money in advance, and will defiantly bring some fun in the sun. The event should be properly promoted through community calendars, and all social media of everyone involved in the organization. Provide plenty of soap and water, towels and make sure to practice so the time it takes to wash 1 car well, is reduced. In addition, sell advanced tickets for car washes, you may find many who buy a ticket to participate, but never actually show up, and we love those kind souls!

8) Craft Fair – If you have many talented people in your organization who enjoy making crafts, hold a craft fair. It gives your participants a chance to show off their work in these types of fundraising projects, while bringing in much needed funds. This event could also give your organization the possibility of holding craft classes (an additional source of funding) and selling the resulting crafts in the craft fair as well. If you choose the class option, use the craft fair event to sell additional classes!

9) Penny Drive – Penny Drive fundraising projects ask people to donate the pennies that they have lying around. They can also donate any loose change or money they may have. Penny drives are good fundraisers because they don’t make people feel like you are asking too much, but also give them the freedom to give as much as they want. An alternative to this is a mile of pennies drive, get a local hardware store to donate 1 mile of masking tape. Take as long as it takes to fill up the tale, length by length, it is fun, attracts attention and really lets people participate in the drive!

10) Guided Tours – For a small donation, charities and nonprofits can arrange guided tours of various points of interest in the local community in these types of fundraising projects. You might want to theme it to your particular mission as a nonprofit, or just of seldom seen points of interest. This can be done as a onetime thing with ticket sales in advance, or it can be an ongoing activity of the organization. In any case you will bring some fun in the sun!

11) Sacking Groceries or Pumping Gas – this is a chance for visible members of your organization to get involved in fundraising projects and have some fun in the sun with a fun and substantial fundraiser. You sell tickets in advance to have a board member bag your groceries or pump your gas at a particular time and date. Alternatively, you could get local celebrities to do the same thing, the key is to sell tickets in advance, and set a specific time.

12) Singing Telegrams – If you have singers, or just fun loving good hearted types in your organization, this may be a great group of fundraising projects for you! It can be fun to pre-sell singing telegrams in line with an upcoming holiday, and is a great excuse to bring some fun in the sun.

No matter what the choice, fundraising projects should only be a part of what you do to raise funds for your organizations. We have tried to give you some ways to get out into your communities, bring some fun in the sun, meet people, gain some funds and have a little fellowship along the way.

Please join us this Wednesday for “Fundraising Ideas” with nonprofit expert Howard Walker.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm online from CharityNet USA .com
Key Note Speaker: Howard Walker

Nonprofit Fundraising Expert Howard Walker is back for this vital topic, Fundraising. Howard will bring real world examples of successful fundraising efforts, and set you on course for some great fundraising events. We will cover volunteer programs, managing the fundraising efforts, and the necessity of keeping proper control and security of funds and your good name. Fundraising can bring in more than just funds; it can gather new volunteers, donors and spread the word of your cause. All it takes is the knowledge and desire to succeed; we give you the knowledge FREE in this information packed webinar!

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/314521114