Strengthening communication strategies for NGOs is important to promote their social impact.
To this end, the third sector should spread the word about its work and purpose to as many people as possible. Thus, new volunteers become interested in the project, donations arrive through engagement, and investors get to know the institution.
In this context, digital presence becomes fundamental in attracting permanent collaborators. There are 4.14 billion people connected to social media worldwide, according to a report released by DataReportal.
Therefore, online media is a way to connect with the public and investors, attract donations, and generate automated surveys that allow you to get to know your audience better. The communication strategies for NGOs help meet the challenge of publicizing the campaigns and actions of your cause.
Besides helping to increase resources, since the greater the visibility, the greater the possibility of investments in the third sector.
In other words, communication strategies for NGOs structure a way to transmit the work done to society.
Digital Marketing for NGOs
Let’s see how to apply this strategy to the online medium in order to attract more investments and volunteers for NGOs.
Brand strengthening is one of the goals of digital marketing. A social purpose that everyone remembers is what a third sector organization needs to attract people.
Therefore, digital activism spreads the NGO’s credibility and results. This influences the public to engage, which leads to greater contribution to the cause.
Therefore, digital marketing is an ally for non-governmental organizations to increase resources, which are so important for the maintenance of the project and its performance. It also stimulates the active participation of volunteers in the movements.
We see that the dissemination of the projects carried out and their purpose create a network capable of making the NGO a reference within the defended cause, one of the great challenges of the third sector.
This way, the organization exerts influence on society and is able to fund its expenses with more investments and donors engaged in the cause.
Define your NGO’s positioning
In order to put together a communication strategy for NGOs, you need to know who the people are that are willing to volunteer for your organization.
Engagement only works with a well-defined identity of this persona. Know the profile of your campaigns and reach more than the target audience.
For this, segmentation is fundamental, because the content production will be directed to those who are interested in the disclosed cause.
First of all, this clear vision leads to the perception of who are the people who seek your organization. Moreover, you know where they are and, most importantly, how to reach them.
Goals become easier to achieve, since the NGO knows how the message should be directed and what the ideal language to use is.
The study of the persona increases objectivity, as you narrow down the target audience. The creation of the persona is the representation of the ideal person willing to donate and become a volunteer.
Ideal marketing plan for the third sector
Above all, we now know that strategies for the third sector involve marketing for NGOs.
As a result, the ideal planning for non-governmental organizations, small or large, must sell them in a way that engages the volunteer/investor.
This effort in marketing leads to the identification of a larger amount of people. The phrase of the famous professor and “father of marketing” Philip Kotler exemplifies well the ideal plan, adjusted for the third sector: “Marketing involves identifying and meeting social human needs.
The social marketing plan must have a detailed roadmap that will attract the attention of your audience and master the communication strategies for NGOs.
Social marketing campaigns focus on the persona already defined and can be:
- Informational;
- Promoting action;
- Focused on changing attitudes;
- Or transformation of beliefs.
It is important to have clear objectives to achieve the desired results in the ideal plan. And the ideal plan only exists if the organization’s action design is well defined.
Essential Marketing Strategies
Digital marketing actions for the third sector must convey credibility, which is extremely important for a positive and lasting impact. So, the effective marketing plan takes into account the image and positioning of the NGO.
At the same time, the indispensable strategies follow elements focused on the history of the non-governmental organization. People are interested in the brand’s trajectory, which creates more engagement.
In summary, convey passion for the cause and tell stories through the storytelling technique in marketing.
Digital marketing for NGOs works together with other formats, that is, social media are part of the brand exposure for attracting investors and volunteers.
Therefore, having a strategy in which the highest point is to motivate passion in people completely reaches the audience.
So does create valuable content on social media consistently connects with donors. Storytelling is the way to tell stories in surprising ways, creating an incredibly positive impact.
Digital presence of the third sector
The best way to increase engagement is to invest in digital media. The value generated by these media is the real goal to be achieved.
Below we have listed some of the main means of online presence with key strategies for results in the third sector:
Social Media
The use of this media is the most prominent for digital presence today due to the great interest. Social networks have a large number of hits, so they increase the reach of donors and new volunteers. Not only that, it can attract investors for partnerships.
Website and blog
The NGO with a website explaining its history and a blog creating empathy with the projects and campaigns are great tools for traffic generation. It is also another channel to attract online funding.
In the blog, it is possible to invest in content marketing and, therefore, in the creation of posts that generate value to the public, as well as information about the resources invested.
Discussion forums
Groups with similar themes to the NGO projects create an open space for discussion and exchange of information of common interest. You can even include links to the organization’s blog, or advertise your social networks when discussing a subject.
Automatic form of interaction with the public
The communication channels for NGOs can be used in an automated way, as well as the service to the public.
For example, messaging is essential to maintain a constant presence with donors/investors through email marketing, SMS and WhatsApp. Mainly to capture new opportunities and create rapport.
The customer service sector is also optimized when the volunteer or future donor can contact the NGO at any time and through various means.
Chatbot with artificial intelligence is a solution that helps automate these processes.
What is a chatbot and how it works
It is a virtual assistant that enables conversation with visitors to your website and social networks through the use of artificial intelligence.
Besides being a marketing solution, because the chatbot enables integrations that trigger personalized messages and is very powerful for capturing and qualifying leads.
It is also a customer service solution.
In what way? Having a way to communicate 24 hours a day makes it much easier. So, the chatbot, being a robot that talks to your audience, is always available for any frequent question.
It is the automation of your Customer Service and FAQ, also offering the necessary support. This way, your NGO will not miss any more opportunities.
Thus, the service is transformed and becomes very effective, because the chatbot can be used on WhatsApp, social networks and your website. Therefore, it increases the chances of employees being permanent in their contact and generates value to the brand.
In short, enchantment is paramount when it comes to the third sector. And your audience is surprised by the total availability in various channels and the constant presence of the organization.
Increased engagement for NGOs
In conclusion, being present in digital media is important for the engagement of your network.
Your NGO’s transparency, conveyed through accessibility and content published on blogs and social networks, increases donor trust and satisfaction.
Use digital tools to your advantage. Improve fundraising and publicize your organization’s work on social media and by direct message.
Moreover, the closeness generated by automatic messaging boosts this relationship between donors/investors and the institution. In this way, you share news about the cause defended by your NGO, keep the relationship active, and diversify your reach.
Above all, through content, it is possible to engage and turn your audience into fans. In addition to increasing the network of contacts more and more.
In conclusion, get to know your NGO’s persona. From there, establish an assiduous conviviality by sending WhatsApp, e-mails marketing or even SMS, according to the mapping and marketing plan established.
All this impacts on the interaction with your audience!
