Marketing Tactics: The Ultimate Checklist

As a marketer, you want to use as many ways (tactics) as possible to increase brand awareness and drive more stakeholder engagement and donations. Perhaps you want to reach certain marketing goals, but you need to take strategic actions to get there and then you need ways to reach new potential followers. Below, we’ll discuss some of the most popular and current ways you can reach your audiences and we’ll also give you a downloadable checklist of marketing and advertising tactics. (Or, if you’re itching for it, jump to the bottom!) Don’t dismay if you have a limited budget for these items, the idea is to get you thinking about all the possible ways a message can connect with a person, and then you can get crafty from there.

1. NATIVE ADVERTISING

Online advertising is a must these days. If you’re not there, your competitors are (or other worthy causes) are. Native ads have a better chance of grabbing a user’s attention and cutting through the digital clutter. This is because native ads match the look, feel, and function of the media format in which they appear. In other words, native ads don’t really look like ads. They’re often found in social media feeds, or as recommended content on a webpage. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr use native, in-feed ads. Even the publishing industry (i.e. Time Inc., Forbes, Wall Street Journal, etc.) is leveraging native ads that match the form and function of their editorial.

Below are common native ad formats:

• In-feed native ads: Replicate the look of social media posts. May appear as written or visual (i.e. image, video, etc.). The best way to envision this is to think about a boosted post on Facebook. It looks like a post, but it’s a paid ad.
• Mobile web native ads: Designed specifically for mobile versions of websites. Most platforms will auto resize for you or require to supply special mobile sizes.
• In-app native ads: Shown in-game or in-app. Finding games and apps that appeal to the audience you want to reach is a great way of finding niche audiences.
• Content recommendation widgets: Display sponsored links in the form of recommended content at the end of an article or feed.

2. PRINT

While digital marketing has taken center stage, print is not dead. Print outlets are still an effective way to draw attention to your business and build trust with your audience. If you’re a nonprofit, a lot of your partners either own publications themselves or purchase print ads that you could piggyback onto. If you’re an association, take advantage of a barter with partner organizations’ publications.

Print ads can take many forms including:

• Magazines: Niche magazines are great for advertising because they cater to very specific audiences based on both demographics and interests (psychographics).
• Newspapers: Newspapers of the 21st century are modernizing every day. Nowadays, they sell packages that include both print and digital to ensure your ad reaches as many readers as possible.
• Trade publications: Advertising in trade publications are effective because they have laser-focused targeting, are a trusted source and often reach decision-makers.
• PSAs: PSAs can take many shapes and forms, one of which is print. Local and national publications, from magazines to newspapers are generally very open to using your ad to fill unsold advertising space.

3. OUTDOOR

I think outdoor advertising is one of the most interesting channels these days because it goes beyond billboards, digital billboards, posters, bus benches, airport advertising, to experiential (seen a sign spinner lately?) or mobile (seen a wrapped vehicle?). Outdoor ads can be quite effective in building brand awareness because you can promote them in specific geographic areas, often in places that are least expected.

4. FACEBOOK LIVE

You’ve probably been using social media to build brand awareness and increase engagement. But maybe you haven’t considered using “Live” to leverage the power of video to connect with your audience and build authentic, deeper relationships with them. This is a perfect platform for nonprofits and associations because it offers your stakeholders another window into the group (your mission) that they want to be a part of. On Facebook, for example, you can alternate between going on Facebook Live and creating other content to maximize your organic reach. By making your live videos engaging and interactive, you can attract viewers, gain trust, and encourage more people to engage by liking, commenting, and sharing the video. But, don’t be intimidated by the word “video” because even short, insightful messages can be just as potent. This can really supercharge your social media marketing strategy.

5. INFLUENCERS

81% of marketers who have used influencer marketing say that it’s effective and on average, for-profit businesses generate $6.50 for every $1 invested in influencer marketing. This is one place where you can see similar results in the non-profit sector. It’s because we all have a tendency to trust the recommendations of those we “know.” You can leverage influencer marketing to grow your audience by using key brand advocates to drive your message to the larger market in an organic way. Influencers typically have a large social media following and have a large number of people who trust them. These influencers can get the word out for you in an effective way because they’re positioning your mission and vision to their large network of followers who trust what they have to say. It’s your job to identify the right influencers and arm them with a message that will come off as genuine and thoughtful.

6. EMAIL

How many times have you received an email from a nonprofit asking you to visit their website or donate? Probably more times than you can count, right? While there is a place for direct asks in your marketing, there is also a way to use email marketing to attract your audience to your website and landing pages in a more subtle way. The great thing about email marketing is that you can use it to serve many purposes. You can use it to re-engage a cold lead (i.e. donation “cart” abandonment, remarketing, etc.), inform your audience using a newsletter, and showcase one of your programs/services and mission wins. The key here is variety and timing.

7. PRESS RELEASES

Sending out press releases is another great marketing tactic to increase exposure to your cause. To increase the effectiveness of your press releases, you need great storytelling. Powerful stories can illustrate in a better and more persuasive way the need for your nonprofit’s existence and its impact. You can share research and data that helps your audience gain real insights, but make sure you have a story that makes that research and data come to life.

These are just a few tactics that you can include in your marketing strategy. Looking for the ultimate checklist?

Download our Advertising & Marketing Checklist today.