What It Takes to be a Successful Nonprofit Leader in Changing Times?

Successfully managing and leading a nonprofit is very challenging—particularly in times of change like we are now in.  This is why Bay Path’s Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy program trains students to be critical thinkers and creative problem solvers so they can develop novel solutions to the uncharted challenges their organizations are likely to face in the future.   

These program goals came to mind this morning while I was out walking my dog, Charlie, and listening to a Podcast (Episode 128) about how a consulting company in Copenhagen uses the human sciences to help solve the hardest business problems of their clients.   At minute 34 a particularly interesting discussion begins about the different skills a successful CEO must exhibit in stable vs. dynamic times.   Essentially, the discussants say that in stable times a successful CEO can simply oversee the regular performance of routine operations while in changing times s/he must also ask and answer the “why” questions in order to correctly understand--and proactively meet-the change that is occurring inside and outside their organization.   Thoughts?  

(Don’t be put off by the “cool/hip” language of the interviewers.  The guest speakers are thoughtful and interesting.)   

More information on New Marketing Course for Nonprofit Organizations

We’re still tinkering with the syllabus. But in the meantime, I thought you’d be interested in knowing about a Podcast series put out by “Copyblogger”. As its name suggests, Copyblogger is all about writing good marketing copy. But it also has some very interesting conversations about “marketing” with experts who understand and clearly articulate how the Internet and social media have fundamentally changed the relationship between the “marketer” and the “consumer”. If you substitute “nonprofit stakeholder” for “consumer”, you get some real insights into how nonprofits should be marketing their organizations and their missions.

For your exploration, below are links to and comments on selected podcast from Copyblogger’s series entitled, “Internet Marketing for Smart People.” I'd be interesting in hearing your reactions.

1) “Seth Godin on When You Should Start Marketing your Product, Service, or Ideas”

http://feeds.feedburner.com/imfsp

This is the definition of marketing and I think a great introduction to the topic in the first week. He makes a very strong case that marketing is not advertising.

2) “How to Attract an Audience by Integrating Content, Social, and Search.”

http://feeds.feedburner.com/imfsp

This is an interview with Lee Odden, author of Optimize, on how you can use on-line content to attract and inspire customers.  He is basically saying that you have to attract and hold an audience with content that appeals to them. And so you have to really know your audience so they will stay with you.

3)“Jay Baer on How to Turn Interested Prospects into Lifelong Customers”

http://feeds.feedburner.com/imfsp

This is an interview with Jay Baer and his take on how to build long-term relationships with your customers (I’d say stakeholders). He speaks of three ways of connecting with customers:

• Top of mind awareness: Where the customer just somehow remembers you have the product they need at the moment. This is the old way.

• Frame of mind awareness: Where you make a connection with the customer through providing them content they find interesting so that when they want you or your service they will seek you out.

• Friend of mind awareness: When you get a level of trust with the customer by simply answering the question, "What can we do to maximize the life of the customer whether this is directly related to our product or not. " This is clearly related to philanthropy being a "transactional" gift or a "transcendent gift".

He has a great saying toward the end of the interview: It’s more about farming relationships than it is harvesting opportunities.

5) “How Chris Brogan Built His Content Platform”

http://feeds.feedburner.com/imfsp

This is about how to develop marketing “copy” that will actually develop the friend of mind awareness that Jay Baer speaks of . At the end of the interview he gives some great advice on how to develop good content: Be helpful! Do it often.

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Curriculum Improvements: Spotlight on "Marketing in Nonprofits"

For the past few months we have been working hard enhancing our curriculum to better prepare students for success in a changing nonprofit work environment.   This effort has involved revising some older courses and developing completely new ones.  I will be spotlighting these changes is a series of upcoming blogs.    

Today,  the spotlight is on the total makeover we are giving our “Marketing in Nonprofits” course that will be taught in our next session beginning on March 3rd.    These changes are being made in response to the marketing opportunities and challenges presented by social media and an expressed interest by students to know more about developments in this fast moving field.  

The course is being designed and will be taught by Sarah Nathan, PhD, our new full-time nonprofit faculty member, with assistance from Lawrence Mathieson.    Lawrence recently completed his NMP degree requirements and wrote his capstone paper on how he is using social media to significantly increase on-line donations to the Ronald McDonald Houses of South and Central Alberta of which he is the Executive Director.   Lawrence will add to the class a wealth of practical experience and knowledge about the intersection of marketing and social media. 

Below is an overview of the course taken from the course syllabus:

 "A recent Wall Street Journal article asked, “Why can’t we sell charity like we sell perfume?” While nonprofit organizations must market to promote their missions, to attract funding from a variety of sources, and to entice or retain clients, the methods of doing so differ from private sector approaches to marketing. Nonprofit marketers need to understand and adapt marketing philosophy and practice to the special threats and opportunities of the current marketing environment.

Course Description and Student Learning Outcomes

This course will introduce you to the fundamentals of marketing in nonprofit organizations and offers a practical application of marketing tools and techniques. You will learn basic marketing concepts such as understanding the marketing mix, utilizing SWOT analysis, developing position statements and branding an organization to help formulate effective marketing strategies. Students will examine the challenge presented to traditional marketing theory and practice by emerging social, technological, economic, environmental and political trends. We will explore the impact of the ever-growing use of social media, the need for responsible resource management and the demand for financial transparency and accountability.

By the end of the term, you should feel confident responding to these questions:

1.              What is marketing?

2.              How does nonprofit marketing differ from private sector marketing?

3.              What does a nonprofit marketing plan include?

4.              How do you understand marketing philosophy and practice in response to threats and opportunities in the marketing environment?

5.              How do you measure marketing results?

6.          How social media tools can be effectively utilized and integrated into larger marketing effort? "