Online marketing is essential for today’s nonprofits – but don’t forget the value of good old fashioned ink-on-paper!
Most people today, when they think of forming a cause and promoting it, immediately think of web-based tools. Social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn, email newsletters, maybe even a YouTube video about the importance of your cause. But don’t forget to include printed materials in your “marketing mix”.
Business cards with the website address of your cause (and maybe the name of your Facebook group) are a great thing to carry in your pocket so that when the topic comes up at that next cocktail party you are prepared. And postcards to send out to your friends – with compelling color pictures associated with you cause – can be a great additional way to spread the word about your cause or nonprofit organization.
Fortunately, today you can integrate your web world with the print world in ways that are powerful, easy, and very affordable. Our favorite example is Moo, where you can have photos you select from your Facebook albums printed directly on business cards, postcards, and note cards.
So, let’s say you’ve formed a rainforest preservation cause, and you’ve got a great collection of photos from your most recent trip to the rainforest in Costa Rica. By using Moo you can create a set of business cards – each one with a different photo on the back, and create a set of note cards as well. With just a few clicks, your photos go directly from your Facebook account to the printing facility at Moo, and the finished printed materials are shipped directly to you – at a price that is a fraction of what it would probably cost you to do at a local print shop.
In addition, they have things like sticker books as well – fun for a kids’ cause – and you can even get your cards printed on recycled paper, in order to keep your cause green.
So as you think of ways to market your cause, and spread the word about your nonprofit, don’t think of it as being “web vs print” – think of the ways in which you can integrate your online efforts with creative and colorful printed material as well.
