But that’s not true.
Branding is not just about logos, colors, and slogans. Branding is about creating a unique and memorable identity for your organization that helps people recognize you, trust you, and support you. Branding is about communicating your values, your vision, and your impact in the world. Branding is about building relationships with your donors, volunteers, partners, and beneficiaries.
Branding is your greatest asset as a non-profit.
Here are some statistics that prove it:
- According to a study by Stanford Social Innovation Review, nonprofit brands are more trusted by the public than the best-known for-profit brands.
- According to a report by Crowdspring, some of the most recognized nonprofit brands in the United States, such as United Way, Feeding America, The Salvation Army, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the American National Red Cross, bring in billions of dollars in donations every year.
- According to a survey by WebFX, 77% of consumers buy from brands that share their values, 64% of consumers build relationships with brands that share their values, and 59% of consumers prefer to buy from familiar brands.
- According to an article by InsideCharity.org, nonprofits that invest in their brand identity can see an increase in awareness, engagement, loyalty, fundraising, and advocacy.
As you can see, branding is not a luxury for nonprofits, but a necessity. A strong brand identity can help you stand out from the crowd, attract more supporters, and amplify your social impact.
So how can you create and strengthen your brand identity as a non-profit? Here are some tips:
- Define your mission, vision, and values. These are the core elements of your brand identity that guide everything you do and say as an organization. Your mission is your purpose, your vision is your goal, and your values are your principles. Make sure they are clear, concise, and compelling.
- Develop your brand voice and tone. These are the personalities and emotions of your brand identity that shape how you communicate with your audience. Your brand voice and tone should reflect your mission, vision, and values, as well as the needs and preferences of your audience. For example, if you work on a serious issue like human rights, you might want to use a formal and authoritative voice and tone. If you work on a fun issue like animal welfare, you might want to use a casual and playful voice and tone.
- Design your brand visuals. These are the visual elements of your brand identity that make you recognizable and memorable. Your brand visuals include your logo, colors, fonts, images, icons, and more. They should be consistent across all your channels and platforms, such as your website, social media, email newsletters, flyers, etc. They should also be aligned with your brand voice and tone.
- Deliver your brand promise. This is the most important part of your brand identity that determines how people perceive and experience your organization. Your brand promise is what you offer to your audience in terms of value, benefit, and impact. It’s what makes them choose you over others. To deliver your brand promise, you need to be authentic, transparent, reliable, and impactful.
By following these tips, you can create a strong brand identity for your non-profit that will help you achieve your mission and vision.
Remember: branding is not just for businesses. Branding is for nonprofits too.
Branding is your greatest asset.