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Print Marketing Tips for Nonprofit Organizations

resources imagePrint marketing for nonprofit organizations is both fun and challenging; a successful print marketing campaign brings satisfaction in the knowledge that your efforts have not only generated money for the organization, but also that you've played an integral role in furthering a worthy and noble cause. Unsuccessful campaigns, on the other hand, not only jeopardize an organization's stability but also potentially let down so many others who need what the organization provides. Most nonprofit marketers know the basics, but there are some alternative nonprofit print marketing techniques rarely employed that have tremendous power with the public. Here are a few:

Table tents

Sure, many nonprofits use table tents to promote their cause at their own events, but the point is somewhat moot since those who would donate are already in attendance. To really pitch with table tents, you need to get them in front of restaurant patrons, on hotel nightstands and on local retail counters. Anywhere there's a lot of traffic and a few moments to read and understand your message is a good place to put your table tents.

Shock posters

PETA is (in)famous for creative posters that rocks the media world. That doesn't mean you have launch a campaign as controversial as PETA's '"Save The Whales"' billboards but it does mean you can take creative liberties in your advertising to make your point. Don't be afraid to turn heads, because that's what turns pages - and ultimately turns some interested parties into volunteers and donors.

Catalogs

resources imageYou can create a catalog that "sells" the things that donations go toward. For example, a nonprofit organization that plants trees could distribute a catalog that sells tree plantings in lots of one, five, 10, 50 and 100. A nonprofit organization that provides food for the poor could "sell" cereal, a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk or a full-course meal for a family of four. Prices would correspond with the cost of supplying these items, plus administrative costs. The idea is to offer donors a concrete idea of what their donations will actually go toward, instilling trust and confidence in your organization.

Event tickets

Print event tickets to sell for your next charitable event and have them designed to be keepsakes attendees can frame. Go one step further and sell the frames themselves with proceeds going toward your nonprofit organization. Last step: Make the event good enough so that attendees will want to proudly display their ticket stubs. You'll need star power, so seek celebrities, musicians and athletes whose ideals complement your organizations'.

Hang tags

Partner with a retailer, distributor and/or manufacturer to place hang tags on popular products. Your organization's cause will be branded to everyone who browses the shops and to those who make purchases. If you can get your hang tags on a well-known brand, your organization will gain credibility and will likely also get a boost in donations from your new audience. Try to collect contact information so you can continue marketing to this crowd.