Spread the Word: The Nitty-Gritty of Nonprofit Communications

Tips and Tricks for High Impact at Low Cost November 19, 2008

Saving money is on everybody’s mind these days. Making money is on there too, of course, especially if you’re a nonprofit with programs and services tied directly to donor gifts. Here are some tips and tricks for saving money while trying to make it:

Pick Up the Phone. Yes, times are so bad we’re reverting to old-school tactics to get us by. Don’t be ashamed. There’s nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned telephone call to get donor blood pumping again. Depending on the sector you’re in and the type of donor you’re courting, the phone just may be your best shot regardless of economic times. So, pick up the phone and say hello. Be your charming self. Schmooze a little. Show them you care with this antiquated personal touch. And send them a personalized follow up note that really expresses how much you enjoyed chatting with them. Your reward could be a good old-fashioned check with lots of zeros on it.

Go Digital.This is tough for a designer to say…but maybe you could lay down the Pantone book and surf the digital printing wave for a little while. Digital printing seems to be getting better and better these days. And, frankly, if I have to choose between a moratorium on print and going digital, I’m going digital. Sure the quality won’t meet our highest expectations, but we can live with it for a while, can’t we? We got through the last eight years after all….

Customize In Alternative Ways. I was recently working on a capital campaign for a new client. The finished product was to be a custom pocket folder containing material about the campaign designed for local movers and shakers. The quantity was low, under 200, and so the cost of printing of custom folders could be astronomical. My suggestion: Order gold embossed seals of the campaign logo and place them on generic black matte folders. It will look classy and save a fortune.

Investigate Your Electronic Options.The web moves so fast. There may be a solution today that wasn’t there last month. And new web solutions may be cheaper and more flexible than some software packages you’re considering upgrading to. Look around. See what’s out there. From file-sharing to web-building, creating online communities to managing events and members, it’s a whole new world of possibilities, and they even seem to be cheaper than they’ve ever been.

There are many more ways of saving money while still creating high-impact communications. What are your ideas?