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CALLING ALL MARKETING PROFESSIONALS: sponsored by NONPROFIT BOARDS NEED YOU
CALLING ALL MARKETING PROFESSIONALS:
sponsored by
NONPROFIT BOARDS NEED YOU
MARKETING PROFESSIONALS &
NONPROFIT BOARDS
► Overview of Project
► Key Research Findings
► 10 Ways You Can Impact a Nonprofit Board
► Tools/Resources
► Questions/Feedback
SPECTRUM OF VOLUNTEERISM
MAKING
BUDGET
EXTRA HANDS INFRASTRUCTURE AND
LEADERSHIP
SKILLS-BASED VOLUNTEERING
FINANCIAL
SUPPORT
HANDS-ON
VOLUNTEERING
GENERAL SKILLS PRO BONO
EXPERTISE
BOARD SERVICE
►Cash Grants
►Dollars for Doers
►Matching Gifts
►Beach Clean-up
►Soup Kitchen
►Habitat for
Humanity
►Tutoring
►Junior
Achievement
►Science Fair
Judge
► IT assistance
►Collateral
Design
►HR Consulting
►Board
Placement
►Board Training
THE IMPACT OF BOARD SERVICE
THE INSPIRATION
“What if nonprofit boards had a
CMO or VP of marketing to
serve as treasurer of an
organization’s brand and social
capital?”
- Aaron Hurst, President & Founder of Taproot,
2009 BoardSource Leadership Forum Keynote Speech
WHAT IS “LITERACY” RELATIVE TO A
BOARD?
LITERACY is enough familiarity with an area to understand issues and challenges to
aid decision making
� Boards often focus on Financial Literacy
� Other kinds of literacy are highly relevant to board service
• Marketing Literacy
• HR Literacy
• IT
• Legal
• Engineering
PROJECT GOAL & RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
► PROJECT OVERVIEW
META GOAL: To identify new opportunities for board leadership that:
• Create tangible entry points for board service
• Provide practical tools for organizations to identify, recruit, orient and engage
new board leadership
DELIVERABLES:
• Recommended “roles” for marketing professionals within the board
• Handbooks and how to guide for engaging new board leaders
► METHODOLOGY
INTERVIEWS
• 24 interviews with professionals (both on and not on boards) and nonprofit
Executive Directors
SURVEY
• 261 responses from professionals (both on and not on boards)
THE OPPORTUNITY
560,490 Marketing Professionals (US)
92% of surveyed Marketing
professionals are interested in
board service
Marketing professionals can
� Play an integral role in the
strategic planning process
� Help set the branding &
messaging strategy
� Provide a “laser focus” to the
nonprofit’s positioning
� Be the “guardian of the
brand”
PROFESSIONALS WHO SERVE ON BOARDS
95% said it’s important to share their expertise with the
organization
TOP THREE REASONS TO JOIN A BOARD
� A positive volunteer experience with the
organization
� To use professional skills to help a nonprofit
� Professional networking
PROFESSIONALS WHO DON’T SERVE ON BOARDS
9 in 10 expressed some interest in serving on a nonprofit
board
BARRIERS TO BOARD SERVICE
� Don’t know where to start or who to approach
� Time commitment
� Reluctance to fundraise
� Uncertain about what role to play
WHY DON’T MORE PROFESSIONALS SERVE ON BOARDS?
Point
Consistent Finding: LACK OF AWARENESS on both
sides
Marketing Professionals
want information on
� Need for board service
� How to get started
� How to leverage their
specific skill set,
once engaged
Nonprofits need education
about
� Marketing in general
� How to articulate what they
NEED to these
professionals
� What these professionals
can do for their boards
HOW MARKETING
PROFESSIONALS
CAN DRIVE IMPACT
FOR A NONPROFIT
BOARD
CASE STUDY
THE PROFESSIONAL
Tammy Brown, Marketing Director, Technicolor
THE NONPROFIT
THE NEED & FIT
“I just knew exactly what the Executive Director was looking for. They wanted somebody who lived and breathed their new marketing strategy, really giving the rest of the board a repository of knowledge.”
► Working board
► Oversees branding & marketing strategy
“Marketing is the one thing people think they can do, but they can’t. Most nonprofits would kill for marketing experts to be on their board to guide the perception of the organization and build PR strategy; it’s just a matter of making the marketing professionals aware of the need.”
“Manage” the
organization’s reputation1
“Organizational reputation is very important,
especially in the nonprofit space, where there is
so much competition. Organizations are
constantly bombarding people for time, attention,
and resources. A strong reputation is essential to
stand out.”
Help articulate and
refresh the
organization’s mission,
vision, and values
2
“Particularly with newer nonprofits, I see a great need
to really set up a solid mission and goals, and then
have monthly reviews to ensure that they’re following
these. It’s way too easy for nonprofits to go off on
different tangents that don’t really move their
organization forward. As well, having a succinct
mission makes development of a marketing plan or
branding much easier and more beneficial to the
organization.”
Serve on the fundraising
or development committee
and/or help develop
fundraising messaging
3
“I happen to be a ‘connector’ so I want to use my
capabilities to help connect my nonprofit with
companies, individuals, and other organizations that
can move it forward.”
Take part in a branding
exercise4
“Branding is not just for external reasons — it pulls the
organization together — like a North Star.”
Participate in strategic
planning5“If you think of a nonprofit like any other type of
organization, with the need to attract funding, clients,
and volunteers5and if you have a budget of a certain
level, you are at the scale at which marketing expertise
would be very valuable. Through a strategy lens, you
review whether or not you are engaged in the right
activities, using your resources in the best possible
way, how you are aligning your mission back to the
way your resources are deployed — are they in the
best places?”
Provide access to pro
bono marketing resources6
“There’s always a need for pro bono. I’ve never met a
nonprofit organization that isn’t stretched beyond full
capacity.
Two pieces that are needed: 1) a compelling case
made for pro bono service to be provided to the
nonprofit organization and 2) both parties need to be
clear in contracting — what are the roles each side
needs to play to have a successful outcome. Nonprofit
readiness is key.”
Lead board
communications training7
“Few nonprofits have marketing staff, and as a
result, very few have a clear understanding of
what marketing is (and is not). They also do not
understand what's involved (time, resources,
discipline, focus) in embarking on a marketing
effort. It is important for board members with
marketing expertise to understand and anticipate
those factors. A large part of what they will have
to do is explain, persuade, and advocate for a
market-driven point of view.”
Develop and review an
organizational crisis
management plan
8
“A crisis plan should be simple and unencumbered
so that it can be activated should a crisis occur. It
must be approved by everyone, and reviewed on a
regular basis. You can’t simply put it on a shelf and
never review it again. I recommend a review on a
quarterly basis, so that preparedness becomes
inculcated into the organization’s culture.”
Provide access to media
through public relations9
“A marketer needs to make sure nonprofits are
representing their brand correctly — everything from
making sure sound bites are the correct ones, to notifying
the right people, etc. Sometimes folks get daunted by a
“PR” program, but it’s just a normal part of a marketing
plan; for example — rebranding? — notify the media.”
Increase organizational
awareness of emerging
networking technology
10
“Nonprofits need more integrated marketing strategies
that utilize social media, new media, product placement,
and creative media partnerships5.move beyond
traditional methods and explore innovative ways of
marketing and communicating their brand to a broader
audience.”
MAKING THE
CASE FOR PRO
BONO
MAKING THE
CASE FOR PRO
BONO
HOW TO
CONNECT WITH
NONPROFITS
1. DETERMINE YOUR INTERESTS
� What causes do I care about most?
� What type of organization and board will best match my personal interests
and working style?
� Where am I already volunteering?
2. FIND AN ORGANIZATION THAT FEELS RIGHT
� Does your company have a formal/informal board matching program?
� Check with your corporate foundation to inquire about their relationships
with local nonprofits who may be recruiting for a board member
� Check out board matching programs at the local United Way or local
community foundation
� Online resources: www.bridgespan.org
www.allforgood.org
� Ask your personal network for referrals to nonprofits they may know
� How about pro bono service?
3. DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE
� Once you've identified an organization you’re interested in that is
recruiting for board members, find out everything you can about
the nonprofit
� Set up an interview with other board members or the Executive
Director
� Check out www.guidestar.org to review their Form 990
4. UNDERSTAND WHAT BOARDS WANT
1. Proven interest in their mission
2. Knowledge and understanding of their work
3. Professional knowledge and skills needed by the board
4. Connections in the community (media, politics, health care)
5. Fundraising experience and willingness to participate
6. Ability to make a substantial financial contribution
7. Experience in working with people from other ethnic backgrounds
8. Ability to listen well
9. Ability to express ideas and opinions clearly
10.Ability to participate effectively in a conversation (neither monopolizing
nor hanging back)
11.Sense of humor, positive presence
12.Ability to ask appropriate questions
13.Ability to participate on a regular basis in the board’s work
RESOURCES
BOARD MATCHING PROGRAMS
Bridgestar: www.bridgestar.org
Corporation for National and Community Service: www.serve.gov ; www.allforgood.org
VolunteerMatch: www.volunteermatch.org
Boardnet USA: www.boardnetusa.org
CORPORATIONS
Board matching programs within Public Affairs / Community Involvement departments
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
American Marketing Association (AMA) www.marketingpower.com
PRO BONO VOLUNTEERING
Taproot Foundation: www.taprootfoundation.org
Catchafire: www.catchafire.org
Sparked: www.sparked.org
TOOLS & RESOURCES
� FREE HANDBOOK AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
� SHARE YOUR STORY!
www.taprootfoundation.org/leadprobono/bo
ard_service.php
www.boardsource.org/Workshops.asp?ID=
147.528
QUESTIONS & CONTACT INFO
Vice President
AMANDA PAPE LENAGHAN
Senior Manager, Development & Strategic Initiatives
DEBORAH DAVIDSON
Vice President for Governance Research and Publications
