red cross1I have had cause to monitor activities and dispositions of some non-profits towards brand management and my conclusion is that many are yet to see a need to use branding to enhance their activities as well as dealings. The danger with many of them is that they do not remember that they are being sustained by charity of individuals who seem to share the cause they are ‘championing’. In a recent survey we carried out, many of the non-profits thrive more on connection or relationships they had with the sponsors, volunteers and not necessarily based on real cause activities or solid brand management. They may be taken these people for granted without knowing. Ideally Non-profit stands on a cause that appeals to a section of the society or those who share in the cause, have same feelings with the cause the non-profit represents. For instance religious houses thrive on a need for better lifestyle here and hereafter. A strong belief in a stronger power that created and sustained the universe and who also helps maintain its operations. Many other non-profits thrive on causes that support either human creation, protect against the spread of disease or provision of comfort for those who have suffered one thing or the other. Some thrive of championing the cause those who are unjustly treated. While we can not deny that everything thrives on solid relationships, effective branding will differentiate a non-profit from those who are assumed to be created to fan the ego of the owners or to cater for personal family finances of the initiators. Particularly in this time when there is recession, getting attention from the funding organizations will be fun if adequate efforts are made to make the brands stand out. The followings are areas that non-profit need to work on.

1. Name: A name can spell the doom for anything. Non-profit needs to consider a name that will enhance the cause. While we are not advocating that the cause has to be mandatory entrenched in the name of the Non-profit, inclusion of the cause purpose in the name will enhance proper understanding by potentials. Most human rights associations have gained so much from this.

2. Tagline: A non-profit tagline can give competitive advantage to the brand and help build strong attachment to the brand.. To be effective, the tagline must show programme impact or value, memorable and must not be easily used by others.

3. Experience communication: everything must communicate unique experience associated with the cause it is originally created for. If yours is supporting cancer awareness, do not create a website with pictures of lovers or ‘party goers’. Your events must be packaged in a way that it will appeal to both your sponsors, volunteers, stakeholders at large.

4. Staff: never hire a staff that is not passionate about the cause you are promoting. Everyone must be passionate about the cause and truly represents, stand up for the cause in their daily lifestyles. If a potential employee is not touched by the cause, he/she will not be adding any value to the cause so never hire such to become a staff. Even if the person is a volunteer he may do more damage than good.

5. The founder lifestyle: The initiators can say anything but if their lifestyles do not show that they are really concerned about the cause they started the brand’s equity will go down and eventually become irrelevant. Look out for our supplementary post on this.

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