JotForm User Guide
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Maximizing Donations for Nonprofits
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Chapter 8: Why Nonprofit Branding Matters to Donors
Chapter 8: Why Nonprofit Branding Matters to Donors
Marketers frequently talk about branding, but what is it exactly? According to Seth Godin (an author, business executive and speaker who’s in the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame), a brand is “the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.”1
Branding isn’t just for companies with something to sell — it can help reinforce a nonprofit’s mission, communicate its values and attract donors and supporters. Nonprofits should pay attention to their branding and implement practices that will help capture the attention of prospects and send important messages about the organization.
Branding 101
These are the three hallmarks of branding2:

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A good brand instantly conveys the character and intent of a nonprofit. Strong branding enhances the good reputation of an organization and makes donors feel confident that they are donating to a worthy cause and to an organization with a clear vision.
Developing a Strong Brand
Start with the strategy of your nonprofit, which should be clear, concise and focused. Develop your brand to align with your organization’s values rather than the other way around. Building your visual identity and crafting the words that convey the mission of your organization are two key steps to take when developing a brand.3

Creating a Visual Identity
A visual identity includes the following elements:
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Written and Verbal Messaging
Your organization’s brand is more than just its visual identity. Branding includes verbal messaging as well. Here are some key elements of strong written and oral messaging:

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Brand Guidelines
When it comes to your organization’s brand, it’s important to establish clear guidelines and to communicate these guidelines clearly to staff and board members. Brand guidelines include guides to both the visual and written/verbal elements of the nonprofit’s brand.
Visual brand guidelines include directives about how and where to use the organization’s logo and other assets. For example, you might specify that logo colors cannot be changed and that sub-brands can or cannot be added to the logo (if your organization has more than one location or many programs). You can specify which colors and fonts can and can’t be used, and include other directives about icons and graphics.
Verbal guidelines (sometimes referred to as style guides or voice guidelines)also help shape an organization’s brand. Perhaps you want to be perceived as friendly and approachable, and you want your staff to always refer to your organization using “we” rather than “it” or “the organization.” Maybe you want everyone to avoid certain phrases, such as using the term “survivor” rather than “victim”. You might want to discourage people from using phrases that you feel are cliché in your sector (such as “state-of-the-art”). Lay out all these specifics in your brand guidelines.
Employing Your Organization’s Brand
How, when and where should you use your organization’s brand? Use the brand wherever and whenever you’re communicating about your organization: on its website, in written materials, on the website and in social media posts. In addition, your stationery, letterhead, business cards and annual reports should all be consistent with your brand.
Widely Recognized Nonprofit Brands
Amnesty International, Habitat for Humanity, World Wildlife Fund, American Cancer Society and the American Red Cross are among the most widely recognized organizations in the nonprofit world.6 These organizations have strong branding that you can call to mind immediately. Their messages are clear and consistent, and their branding reinforces their visions. Take a look at these organizations and their branding elements to see how they create instantly recognizable and memorable brands.
What Branding Means to Donors
Branding assures donors that your organization behaves consistently. A strong brand fosters trust in an organization and tells donors that you’re staying true to your mission and remaining focused. Consistent branding can help build community and excitement about a nonprofit7. Pay attention to your branding, and your donors will pay attention to your organization.
1 Seth Godin, “define: Brand”
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/12/define-brand.html
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/12/define-brand.html
2 NonProfitPRO, “How to Create a Winning Brand Strategy (and Why It's Critical for Nonprofits)”
http://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/how-to-create-a-winning-brand-strategy-and-why-its-critical-for-nonprofits/all/
http://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/how-to-create-a-winning-brand-strategy-and-why-its-critical-for-nonprofits/all/
3 Nonprofit Hub, “Tips and Tools to Build Your Organization’s Brand”
http://nonprofithub.org/nonprofit-branding/tips-and-tools-to-build-your-organizations-brand/
http://nonprofithub.org/nonprofit-branding/tips-and-tools-to-build-your-organizations-brand/
4 The Balance, “How to Write Great Taglines and Mission Statements”
https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-write-great-taglines-and-mission-statements-2502295
https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-write-great-taglines-and-mission-statements-2502295
5 Nonprofit Hub, “Nonprofit Mission Statements – Good and Bad Examples”
https://nonprofithub.org/starting-a-nonprofit/nonprofit-mission-statements-good-and-bad-examples/
https://nonprofithub.org/starting-a-nonprofit/nonprofit-mission-statements-good-and-bad-examples/
6 Stanford Social Innovation Review, “The Role of Brand in the Nonprofit Sector”
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_role_of_brand_in_the_nonprofit_sector
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_role_of_brand_in_the_nonprofit_sector
7 The Chronicle of Philanthropy, “Branding Can Help Clarify Mission and Attract Donors, Say Authors”
https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Branding-Can-Help-Clarify/153949
https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Branding-Can-Help-Clarify/153949
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