Your organization has grown. But with growth comes growing pains. You can’t believe how far you’ve come—what was once a dream to get your mission off the ground is now a reality.
Another reality is that the growth has brought up new challenges. You’ve hit a ceiling in growth and you aren’t sure why.
Let Me Ask You a Crucial Question
I have one question for you…
If I were to ask your staff and/or volunteers, “What does your organization do?” would their answers all be the same?
They might be similar responses, but not exactly the same. Why?
Because when you grow, so do the ideas about what you do. Staff members start to put their own experiences into the definition of what the organization does. Their definitions aren’t necessarily wrong, but they do tend to confuse outsiders who want to know more about you.
And the sad part?
Those outsiders could be potential donors. If those prospective donors knew the impact you are making and received the same powerful message about it from every staff member or volunteer, do you think they’d remember what it is you do and whom you help?
Absolutely!
Getting Clarity in Your Marketing Message Helps Your Mission’s Efforts…
- Stick with people
- Become easily recognized
- Get exposure
- Gain support
- Strengthen and unify your team
The difficult part with messaging is that it can be flooded with so many explanations. Think of those explanations like water droplets on the back of a sticky note. Each explanation that doesn’t add clarity to your mission is like one more drop of water that makes the mission slide to the back of your potential donor’s mind.
Creating a Marketing Message That Sticks
Now I have another question… What was it that President Trump said he was going to do for America?
Yep! Ding. Ding. Ding. You got it right!
He said he would “make America great again.” There was no doubt what he was going to do as he built up his campaign.
Everyone, Trump supporter or not, understood it because everyone on his team was saying—or even wearing—the marketing message. It either crossed every set of eyes or rang in every pair of ears in this nation.
And it stuck because it was clear, simple, and to the point. It begged the question “how?” In order to know how, he had to become president. That helped us as citizens close the story loop. Otherwise, we’d never know where the president wanted to take us.
But he got engagement, followers, and votes because his marketing message was clear.
If your organization can get a clear message that sticks with people, it invites your donors to ask the how questions (and so much more), such as…
- How do you do that?
- How do I get involved?
- What do I need to do next?
They may not even be aware that they are inviting you to share your mission with them, which only opens up doors for them to get involved.
At Viral Solutions, we understand you can feel stuck with your marketing message. Your mission is important and should get the exposure it needs to accomplish its impact goals.
This is why we’ve sought after expert education to help you create a clear marketing message through the StoryBrand Certified Guide training. We want to help you continue to transform lives so that, with the additional support necessary, you take your mission to the next level.
Imagine people asking your staff or volunteers what it is your organization does, prompting a clear and concise answer with no hesitation, so that it rolls off the tongue like it was there all along.
Imagine people coming up to you at the next community gathering and asking what you do. You state your message clearly, and they respond with, “Oh yeah! I’ve heard about you. It sounds like you are doing some amazing work! I want to talk to you more about that.”
Bringing Your Message to the Front of Their Minds
There are some easy things you can do today that will help you clarify your message for both your staff and your prospective donors.
- Ask your staff to define it. This helps you see where the messaging is slightly off. This can also give you a road map of a general direction you can go with your messaging if the answers are similar.
- Summarize it in one sentence. Many times, organizations will give a long explanation of what they do… because they do a lot! Unfortunately, the human brain fights against taking in too much information unless it is fully prepared to do so. When someone asks, “What do you do?” they often aren’t prepared to get a bucket full of information dumped on them. They need a small stream of fresh water at first. Then they will hold up their glass and ask for you to fill it up if they are interested.
- Start by communicating one problem that you solve. One mistake we’ve seen some amazing organizations do is tell others all the programs they have. This is great, but again, when people are first learning who you are, they need to be able to quickly identify one problem that you solve. Perhaps you help the homeless find employment. But you also might have an after-care program that follows up with them after they leave the program. Then another program helps them find a more permanent living situation. Start with one and then build upon that as they ask further questions.
If you are still struggling to find a clear message that truly captures who you are, what you do, and the problem you solve in 1 or 2 sentences (and these shouldn’t be run-on sentences), you can work with our certified StoryBrand guide who will take you through the process of developing a clear marketing message.
Your Message Should…
- Be easy for your staff to memorize
- Help create a foundation for a system of messaging that can be used in all marketing collateral
- Grab the attention of your prospective donors
- Talk about the problem you solve
You have a passion for your organization. It’s grown into something that you never thought possible. Don’t be overwhelmed. Clarifying your marketing message is a simple step you can take to get your organization positioned for growth.
Interested in finding out more? Click HERE to schedule a free consult and create a crystal-clear marketing message.