How Does a Non-Profit Gain Traction? Part 5

This is the fifth & final post that deals with the kind of ?hand waving? response you often get from people who have never actually run a non-profit.

Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4

Answer No.5

Document all the work you do for your organization. Document them in text, photos and video. Make sure that you and your team are wearing the T shirts/badges of your organizations when your out doing work. Try and request bloggers to write a blog about your organization and put your logo up on their charities list. This will help your organization gain more exposure.

This will help build some traction. I think you would know how to take it from here

Cindy responds

And, in your copious spare time:

Document all your work, text, print, photo and video, well sure, of course, who is going to be doing this? Who makes it, uploads it, tweaks it, edits it, corrects it posts it, files it and categorizes it? Who archives it for retrieval?

Be on top of your wardrobe, and do be sure to have plenty of extras on hand for those who forget to bring their shirt, hat, badge.

Which bloggers? Who are their audiences? What is their interest in your cause? Why should they use their followers to showcase your charity? What is in it for them? How frequently do they blog and why would you choose them?

Last Thoughts

I love the fact the person who wrote this did sincerely want to offer good advice, but this is almost dangerous, IMHO. There is a depth and thoughtfulness and intricacy that is required for each of these steps that is glossed over by the author. With the chronic shortage of the most essential resources of money, time, and expertise at many nonprofits, the adoption of any effort must be thoroughly considered in the best interests of the group.

For sure, certain steps must be taken in a certain order, for instance your mission and logo are how the world connects with you, spending time and effort on this upfront is crucial. Perspective and planning are crucial, as are the tests which must be applied to any plan under consideration.

• Why are we doing this?
• What is the purpose and what do we want to get for this?
• Who, how, when and how much?
• Is it worth it?
• Does it honor us and our work?

When any project can pass these tests, then the planning can commence and some of these good ideas can be made real, and more importantly, provide for you the traction, awareness, funding and attention you seek and deserve. Not as a pageant with pretty handwaving, but with thoughtful, planned and effective strategies.

Got this far? Get in touch here or call us on 310 828 6979 and let us help you choose and engineer what will work for you.

Image Credit:
19/366 Nail Done, Hair Done, Everything Did!! by Malilatte on Flickr.