Nonprofit organizations often struggle to overcome the challenge of small marketing teams and restrictive advertising budgets. But, creativity does not have to be stifled by limitations. When there’s a will to get the message out, a team with vision can find a way to stand out, as the following eight ideas for standing out on a shoestring budget demonstrate.

1. Create Unexpected Special Days Or Months To Help A Nonprofit Stand Out

To bring awareness to disease or other health conditions, non-profits often create special days or month-long events, sometimes partnering with stores to build awareness through promotions, discounts and free health screenings. 

To create special days or months that are effective at building nonprofit awareness and fundraising, the events need to stand out. A celebration that is slightly unexpected may be better at getting noticed and driving results than a celebration that stays within the expected rules of nonprofits.

Digital Media Solutions helps nonprofits raise awareness and increase donor acquisition and retention with cost-per-donor based campaigns designed to meet fundraising objectives. Learn more about DMS nonprofit advertising campaigns.

2. Use Symbols To Represent Hope

Flowers, icons and colors can be used to represent hope or cures. In addition to raising funds for causes, the sale of items tied to causes can be displayed to show support and build cause awareness. When used within marketing and advertising, symbols of hope can have stopping power.

Talk with the DMS team today to learn how you can broadly use your symbols of hope to drive donor retention.

3. Be Creative On Social Media

Nonprofit social media campaigns that do something a little bit different to surprise and delight audiences can result in significant engagement, with the potential for campaigns going viral. Don’t be afraid to be bold or to tap into current trends.

4. Drinking For Causes

Nonprofits partnering with bars often raise awareness and funds by creating special events and displaying materials that provide essential information, including proactive advice or real-life stories. Many bars will contribute a percent of sales to nonprofits and additional fundraising can be conducted simultaneously at the event.

5. Give Jobs To Supporters

Many donors want to be more involved so they feel as if they are part of the solution. Providing calls to action that are connected with the solution, instead of just tied to fundraising, can be a great way to create additional engagement that results in both more volunteer hours and more dollars coming in.

6. Offer Education Opportunities

Understanding is often the result of education, and those who understand the reasons for a cause are more likely to feel connected and want to donate. Don't be shy about offering education opportunities. Especially in today's Zoom-friendly world, opportunities to meet with experts can be great ways to educate and raise funds.

Email marketing and newsletters are common channels for disseminating nonprofit information or for inviting supporters to events. Contact DMS to learn how you can build a database of opted-in email subscribers for your organization’s messaging.

7. Give People A Reason To Dress Up

There's a reason why galas are so successful for nonprofit fundraising — people love to dress up. But not every “gala” needs to be an expensive black-tie event. Consider creating a series of “dress up” events that fit the various profiles of your donors.

8. Leverage Nostalgia

Nostalgia is a great way to celebrate anniversaries because people love to think back and remember fondly, celebrate or laugh at the past. But don't keep the nostalgia focused on just the nonprofits. Allow people to be nostalgic about their lives too — especially if your audience steers older.

Creative executions that leverage nostalgia are often successful in social media, where people can comment and engage.

Scale Your Donor Acquisition & Retention Strategies

Start by contacting DMS.

Digital Media Solutions^® (DMS) helps nonprofit brands across the country build consistent and sustainable fundraising revenue with innovative digital performance advertising solutions.

• Multichannel Digital Advertising Campaigns: Include programmatic display, email advertising, social media advertising, paid search and SEO
• Performance-Based Donor Acquisition Solutions: CPL, CPA, CPD, CPC
• Results Focused: Post-transaction messaging and donor re-engagement and retention planned from campaign inception

DMS works with top nonprofits around the country to build and scale sustaining giving programs. We develop and maintain initiatives that exceed performance expectations.