#151: Expert Strategies for How to Increase Membership in a Non-profit Organization
Are you a non-profit looking for ways to drive more enrollments? If so, then you’ve come to the right place! Today, I’m going to share five key strategies that all marketers, non-profit owners, and stakeholders should take into consideration when striving towards boosting enrollment numbers. From experimenting with social media marketing campaigns to creating content specifically targeting potential applicants, there is sure to be something that can help your organization thrive in no time! So let’s get started - here are my top five tips on how to increase enrollments at your organization today.
1. Utilize Online Forms to Make Enrolling Simple and Easy
Navigating the enrollment process can often feel like traversing an intricate labyrinth, full of twists and turns that leave many lost and frustrated. Fear not, dear reader, as the modern marvel of technology has given us a means to combat this peril! Enter the world of online forms – portals waiting to effortlessly guide you through the realm of enrollment, all while curling up with your favorite hot beverage. Our online forms, crafted with a dash of simplicity and a pinch of ease, are a delight to your senses, casting away the gauntlet of paperwork and unveiling the path to a seamless enrollment experience. Time is of the essence, lovelies; so embrace the digital era and embark on a journey with online forms that will make enrolling not only simple and easy, but an experience worthy of the tales of a victorious heroine.
2. Reach Out to Your Target Audience Through Social Media
With the undeniable impact of social media in our digital age, savvy businesswomen know the importance of connecting with their target audience through these powerful platforms. Combining feminine charm, witty one-liners, and professional acumen in your posts can create a magnetic persona that your audience simply can't resist. The golden rule: engage with your followers, listen to them, and customize your content to reflect their interests and values. As you master the art of balancing self-promotion with genuine interaction, watch your social media presence flourish into a thriving community of brand enthusiasts. Just sit back, sip your latte, and watch the power of social media work its magic on your business.
3. Hold Events That Appeal to Your Target Audience
When it comes to community outreach, nothing beats hosting events. Not only do they give you a chance to engage face-to-face with your target audience, but you can also make sure that the events are geared towards their interests! You can demonstrate the value of what you offer and encourage more enrollments. Plus, hosting events is great because it provides excellent marketing opportunities - people get to learn about your organization and how helpful it can be for them. Hosting events is an effective way to build community while increasing your organizational exposure.
4. Launch a Referral Program with Incentives for Participants
Imagine this: you're strolling through the virtual streets of social media, sipping your carefully crafted latte as you scroll past the mundane updates and the overdone memes. You stop in your tracks as you stumble upon a post from a brand you absolutely adore. Hold on to your pearls, ladies and gentlemen, because they're offering a fabulous referral program that rewards you and your friends for simply sharing the love! Presto! You've just discovered the fairy godmother of marketing magic: a referral program with irresistible incentives. As a savvy and witty professional, you know that these delightful perks can have your clientele doing the cha-cha and spreading the word like confetti at a surprise party. So, go ahead and slip on those strategic stilettos, honey, and launch a referral program that will have the crowd going wild, while expanding your ever-growing empire of devoted followers. Cheers to that!
5. Build Relationships with Local Businesses to Help Promote Your Cause
Building relationships with local businesses can be a great way for your cause to gain visibility and increased enrollment. As relationships between businesses and organizations continue to grow, social media has become a powerful tool for marketing. Consider exploring relationships with nearby companies by offering a discounted rate or donating a portion of the profits. You may even find that some business owners are more than willing to share information about your cause on their website or social media pages in an effort to help out fellow members of the community. All of these initiatives work together to support mutual benefit and create relationships that will open many doors while helping promote your cause as well.
Listen to the Show:
Laura 00:00
If you're the founder of a nonprofit or an executive director or CEO, or you're a consultant looking to help nonprofits, you probably know that enrolling new members is so important to the success of the program. Increasing enrollments in your programs can be challenging, though, but it's very important for it to be a focus. A lot of times nonprofits are very focused on fundraising. But what happens is you get the funds but you don't know how to grow the program. Or, even better, it's so much easier to go to your resources to go to your philanthropists or the high-net-worth individuals who are donating and say, hey, we just for 4x our program, can you help us versus an you give us money so we can 4x our program? That's a tougher ask, right? So, I hope that already I'm getting your wheels turning when it comes to how important it is for nonprofits to be able to predictably increase their enrollments. And in today's video, and audio, if you're listening to the podcast, I'm going to be sharing with you exactly how to do that, based on my experience, helping nonprofits scale in a way that predictably increases enrollment and also has an amazing impact on their community.
Laura 01:17
Hello, and welcome to the next level leap podcast. My name is Laura Meyer and I'm thrilled to be your guide on this journey. With over 20 years’ experience as an entrepreneur and growth strategist for some of the country's fastest growing nonprofit and for-profit organizations, I'm passionate about the power of marketing to create massive positive change in the world. In this podcast, we'll explore how you can use marketing to create a ripple effect of change that will impact lives and communities for years to come. I'm so excited to share my insights and strategies with you and to help you discover how you can use your talents and skills to make a difference in the world. So, let's dive in together and create a marketing ripple effect that will change the world.
Laura 01:59
Hey there. So, if we haven't connected yet, my name is Laura Meyer, I'm a growth strategist to both for profits and nonprofits. And I'm also a mentor to consultants. And mission driven organizations are so fun to serve, because they have this incredible lasting impact. But the challenge is if nobody knows about these programs, or nobody's participating in them, the results will stay stagnant, and the program won't grow. So today we're tackling this issue head on, we're discussing how to increase program enrollment for any nonprofit organization. And if you're a for profit, this is going to help you just as much a lot of nonprofits face this really huge challenge of not knowing how to promote their nonprofit in order to reach more members of their public and their community so that they can have the biggest impact possible. So today, I'm going to share with you just actionable ways that you can lead and implement those changes in order to boost program participation. So, make sure that you're listening in if this is in your wheelhouse, make sure that you've got a notebook and you're writing this down,
because it's all about being able to create an effective marketing campaign for potential attendees, and making sure that everybody and anybody knows about your mission.
Laura 03:18
So, the first thing to consider when you're developing a process by which you want to increase enrollment, is by thinking about the customer journey. And what I find is many nonprofits, and also for profits. really miss that piece on how to market more strategically. They're beginning way down the decision-making process. So, what I mean by that is maybe the button on their website says Enroll Now, if you're a nonprofit leader, and you're listening, like I'm talking to you, you know, we're assuming that they come to us already knowing what all their problems are. And we they automatically somehow know that we are this incredible solution to their biggest problem. And what happens is, they actually don't know that the general public doesn't have a deep understanding of all the ways in which you can help them. And so, they're just kind of looking at maybe your website, because they're curious, but they're not ready to enroll. Now, even if it's a free program or a program that cost very little, there's still a lot of barriers in their mind to being able to say yes, I'm ready to fill out this application. Nonprofit applications tend to be quite long, particularly if you're participating in a type of research study, which is a lot of the nonprofits I work with, and they end up not doing anything not taking any action. And what I also find is a big challenge with nonprofits is they tend to have a big fundraising list, so they have an email list that they send out to people who they want regular donations from, but they don't have a lead list for their program. And that is a huge missing piece. So, when they go to grow the program, and they go to do the things that they promised when they took all of the money, they are a little bit stuck. They don't know what it is that they need to do next, in order to predictably increase those enrollments.
Laura 05:20
So, if this is you or something that you struggle with, or if you're working with a nonprofit, as a consultant who has this issue, the most important first step is to stop making assumptions about what your audience already knows and start reaching out in more meaningful ways in a way that generates engagement and conversation. The thing is most nonprofits are speaking to people that may or may not be aware of their options and solutions. But there is a large assumption that they are. And that's why it's so important to start marketing earlier in the decision-making process, rather than waiting until an audience member is aware enough to start taking action. So, without proper visibility, and understanding your potential participants won't even know that your solutions exist or how they could benefit from them. And there's not a lot of options to be able to learn earlier on in the decision-making process. So, by crafting a campaign directly related to an audience's problems earlier on in their awareness stage, and in being able to support them in that beginning of that awareness process. Nonprofits can begin to equip prospective clients with knowledge that helps them discover what services might be available and how they could find it valuable.
Laura 06:39
So, one particular strategy that I find very useful is what I would call gated content. And this is an effective strategy for nonprofits, to reach potential participants and a way more personable, but professional way. And this form of content offers value beyond what you're asking without pushing for the sale. And I know that's a for profit language. But in the for-profit space, this type of effort is really widely used. However, many nonprofits are just not taking advantage of the benefits that for profits No. And they know how to draw in people earlier on in the decision- making process, because most people are going to be hesitant about enrolling in something new, right. So, implementing gated content can offer a lot of reassurance that the enrollment will not only be beneficial to them, but worth their time and effort and participation, even for free or inexpensive programs. And even if it's much needed. So, here's if you're watching the video, here's an example of something that we created for a nonprofit called Corner to Corner. Rather than say, enroll right now you can see that we drew in the right type of person for their programs by inviting them to a free training on three simple steps to turning your business dream into a money-making reality. This is for a nonprofit that is based in Nashville that specifically helps minority aspiring business owners get the knowledge and specialized skills that they need in order to begin with their dream business. So, by giving them some free content earlier on and helping them overcome maybe some of the internal objections that they might have around been able to see themselves as a business owner, they can then decide whether or not corner to Corner to Corner's program called The Academy would be a great fit. It's certainly tempting to think that free or cheap nonprofit programs are a no brainer. But the truth is, it's not always the case, like people really want to make sure that any program that they're part of aligns with their values and the outcomes will have meaningful impact on their lives.
Laura 08:52
So, it's really key if you're a nonprofit leader, or you're consulting them to nonprofits to make sure to remember that low price alone won't necessarily drive-up enrollments and exchange of value doesn't necessarily have to involve money, time and effort are also invaluable resources to any individual. So, there's other factors like Oh, other people think of me if I join a program like this, or what if this is a scam? What if I'm being taken advantage of. So, respect for people's commitment should be at the forefront of any exchange for information or to ask them to be part of your program. And this needs to happen whether or not there is an economic transaction involved. And being able to do this earlier on will increase the mutual respect and appreciation among all members of your programs, you'll have higher engagement rate and show up rates. This is what we find. And it results in better performance and greater returns for everyone involved, which again just helps nonprofits be able to fundraise better.
Laura 09:53
Second, a shocking number of nonprofits really overlook the power of data tracking. I find this time and time again. And it's often assumed that it's expensive or complex. And that's not necessarily true. So as somebody who has been involved in nonprofit consulting specifically to increase enrollments, I can attest that the immense impact that data tracking can have on an organization is game changing to their ability to grow. So even with simple tools, like a Google spreadsheet, very simple, a shared spreadsheet that everyone's putting data into and analyzing together. As a result, nonprofits can be empowered to make more informed decisions and assist in long term ROI marketing. This is shockingly simple. And this small step shouldn't be overlooked because it's so simple, especially because of the low investment and high potential return.
Laura 10:43
When used effectively, data tracking facilitates many and valuable insights into whether or not a nonprofit can have a good return on investment if a fundraiser a fundraising effort is fruitful, and also identify some really meaningful opportunities for improvement. Without data tracking, nonprofit marketing can be a gamble. Maybe you feel like that if you're a nonprofit leader, and the outcomes are kind of questionable. Leaders often coin this as like fluffy marketing, which leaves budgets and goals in limbo when it comes to increasing ROI and being able to prove out the effectiveness of your program. So, all things considered creating effective enrollment experiences for your nonprofit is probably simpler than you thought. So, between considering the customer journey and utilizing gated content, there's new ways that you might not be considering on how to reach out to potential participants. And furthermore, it might just be like tempting to think that free services or inexpensive services or programs are a no brainer. But it's important to remember that resources are needed in order to be able to catch people earlier on before they just say no, that's not the program for me. And last but not least, data tracking provides really valuable insights, and how you can make enhancements and identify gaps or opportunities for improvement.
Laura 12:16
So, if you found this pretty interesting, this is something that you hadn't thought of before. Or if you're a nonprofit leader, and you're thinking to yourself, wait a second, I didn't even stop to consider that my fundraising would be so much easier if I was actively growing enrollment. Some nonprofits don't struggle with this, they have more people that need help than they have the capacity to help them. And if that's the case for your nonprofit, amazing, good for you, and thank you for the work that you're doing. But if you're a nonprofit, and maybe you've grown to a certain point, and now you've plateaued, I really want you to think about some of the tips that I shared with you in this video and how it might apply to your organization. If you're consulting to nonprofit which many of the people who are listening to this are. Hopefully this helps kind of help you think about not only consulting to the fundraising side of nonprofit, but also the enrollment side. And if you enjoyed this at all, let me know. Leave me a comment, leave a
review. I would love to hear from you. And I'll look forward to seeing you in the next time of the next level leap podcast and this YouTube channel.
Laura 13:23
Thank you so much for joining us today on the next level leap podcast. I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did, and that you gained valuable insights from our time together. If you want to see any of the visuals I mentioned in this video, you might want to head on over to our YouTube channel where you can see a lot of the things that I'm explaining and in a way that might be a little bit more applicable. And if you want to learn more about our consulting business, make sure to visit joybrandcreative.com. And finally, if you're enjoying this podcast and you want to support our mission of creating a ripple effect of change in the world, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback means everything to us, and it helps us reach more people who can benefit from the power of positive marketing. So, until next time, keep making waves and spreading joy. I'll see you soon!
Welcome to the Next Level Leap Podcast! Join our guide, Laura Meyer, a 20-year entrepreneur and growth strategist for some of the country's fastest-growing nonprofit and for-profit organizations, as she shares her insights and strategies for using marketing to make a difference in the world. In each episode, we explore how marketing can create a ripple effect of change that impacts lives and communities for years to come. From social media to branding to storytelling, we cover a range of topics to help you harness the power of marketing for good. So if you're ready to make waves and spread joy, tune in to the Next Level Leap Podcast podcast and let's create a marketing ripple effect that changes the world!