Synopses & Reviews
BrandraisingIn today's uncertain marketplace, every nonprofit organization faces the same core challenge: how to demonstrate value and win charitable dollars with limited staff, budget, and communications experience.
Brandraising offers nonprofit leaders a proven approach to fundraising that puts the focus on marketing, branding, and communications. In this vital resource, Sarah Durham—an acclaimed nonprofit communications expert—reveals the importance of an integrated marketing and fundraising plan based on a foundation of clear mission and relevant strategy. She offers detailed, practical guidance for building a recognizable and meaningful brand, and developing a comprehensive, multi-level communications strategy.
Brandraising is a holistic approach to communications that involves everyone within the organization—board, staff leadership, volunteers, program staff and in some cases funders and donors. Readers will learn how to coordinate every aspect of their branding and communications efforts, from start to finish.
Durham shows how to boost fundraising, programs and advocacy efforts by
Articulating an organizational profile: vision, mission, values, objectives, position, personality
Developing a solid identity: visual platform, messaging platform
Conducting smart outreach: online, print, in person, on air, mobile
Moving beyond brandraising: measuring communications impact on programs, fundraising and advocacy, and sustaining successful communications as change occurs
The Brandraising method enables nonprofits to raise more money, reach a wider program audience, and maintain closer contact with legislators, the media, and the community.
Review
"Sarah Durham, author of 2009's Brandraising, founded communications firm Big Duck in 1994 to help nonprofits raise money, gain visibility, and make effective use of social media. After 16 years, Big Duck continues to assist organizations from the Cancer Research Institute to the Women's Sports Foundation in building strong relationships with key constituents both online and off." (Fast Company, March 23, 2010)
Synopsis
Brandraising outlines a mission-driven approach to communications and marketing, specifically designed to boost fundraising efforts. Emphasizing the importance of building upon the core of a clear mission and relevant strategic plan, this book guides nonprofits through the process of creating a recognizable and meaningful brand, and a comprehensive, multi-level communications plan. Readers will learn how to coordinate every aspect of their branding and communications efforts, from beginning to end, including:
1. organizational profile (vision, mission, values, objectives, position, personality)
2. identity presentation (visual platform, messaging platform)
3. experiential outreach (online, print, personal, broadcast, mobile)
4. moving beyond brandraising (measuring communications impact on programs and impacts, sustaining successful communications and fundraising)
Synopsis
In the current economic climate, nonprofits need to focus on ways to stand out from the crowd, win charitable dollars, and survive the downturn. Effective, mission-focused communications can help organizations build strong identities, heightened reputations, and increased fundraising capability. Brandraising outlines a mission-driven approach to communications and marketing, specifically designed to boost fundraising efforts. This book provides tools and guidance for nonprofits seeking to transform their communications and marketing through smart positioning, branding, campaigns, and materials that leverage solid strategy and great creative, with a unique focus on the intersection of communications and fundraising.
Synopsis
Praise for Brandraising"Brandraising is a timely, critically important contribution for all nonprofits. With its sage, step-by step guidance, this book should be a dog-eared resource for perceptive chief executives in the sector."
—Mark Lipton, consultant on nonprofit board strategy and professor of management, Milano: The New School for Management and Urban Policy
"If you lead a nonprofit organization and you want to be successful, you better read this book—right now!"
—Brian Reich, coauthor, Media Rules: Mastering Today's Technology to Connect with and Keep Your Audience
"Brandraising is a must-read for any organization operating in the noisy and crowded nonprofit arena today. Finally, in one volume we can find the structure and the techniques any institution can use to place itself above the din."
—Nancy Schwartz Sternoff, director, Dobkin Family Foundation
"Brandraising's hip yet down-to-earth tone is a perfect reflection of Sarah herself, as is its finely balanced respect for traditional strategies with a serious, forward-looking nod to new technologies."
—Margaret Battistelli, editor-in-chief, Fundraising Success
"In today's highly competitive nonprofit sector, creating an effective brand is essential. Brandraising tells you how to do it right!"
—Cheryl A. Clarke, consultant and author of Storytelling for Grantseekers and Grant Proposal Makeover
About the Author
Sarah Durham is the principal of Big Duck, a firm she founded in 1994 that works exclusively with nonprofits to help them raise money and increase their visibility through smart communications. Clients include the Robin Hood Foundation, United Way of New York City, American Jewish World Service, Women's Sports Foundation, Partnership for a Drug-Free America and other regional and national nonprofits. She frequently writes and contributes to articles in nonprofit trade publications. She is a volunteer trainer for the Support Center for Nonprofit Management and a frequent presenter at Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and other nonprofit industry conferences.
Table of Contents
1 BRANDRAISING.What "Brandraising" Means.
Measuring the Value of Communications.
In Summary.
2 PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS.
Seeing the Long View.
Communicating on Their Terms, Not Yours.
Doing More with Less.
In Summary.
3 OVERVIEW OF BRANDRAISING.
The Organizational Level.
The Identity Level.
The Experiential Level.
Leadership Involvement in Each Level.
Measuring and Assessing Brandraising's Impact.
Quantitative and Qualitative Metrics.
In Summary.
4 BRANDRAISING AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL.
What Comes First: Strategic Planning or Brandraising?
Vision.
Mission.
Values.
Objectives.
Audiences.
Positioning.
Personality.
A Foundation for Everyday Activities.
In Summary.
5 BRANDRAISING AT THE IDENTITY LEVEL.
The Visual Identity.
The Messaging Platform.
Sub-Brands.
Integrating the Identity.
In Summary.
6 BRANDRAISING AT THE EXPERIENTIAL LEVEL.
Selecting Audience-Centric Channels.
Online.
In Print.
In Person.
On Air.
By Mobile.
In Summary.
7 IMPLEMENTING BRANDRAISING.
When You Can't Do It All.
Relaunching Your Nonprofit's Identity.
Brandraising After Relaunch.
Integrating Brandraising into Daily Communications.
In Summary.
In Conclusion.
Acknowledgments.
About the Author.
References.
Index.