For-Profit Businesses Can Take Note from Nonprofit Organizations ...

A news article we found via LinkedIn, titled ?The Role of Brand in the Nonprofit Sector?? describes how Nonprofit organizations are broadening their brand marketing approach to go past fundraising and focus more on making a cohesive organization message.

What we liked about this article is the acronym they shared- IDEA. Standing for Integrity, brand Democracy, brand Ethics and brand Affinity. Working with nonprofit leaders, Harvard University?s Hauser Center performed an interview to better understand how a nonprofit sees their own brand. What they found is an extremely high level of pride in the organization by the leaders as well as an important emphasis on the roles that the brand plays inside these organizations.

Here?s how the acronym IDEA plays out:

Integrity means that the organization?s internal identity and external image are aligned and that they relate to the organization?s mission.

Brand Democracy means that the organization trusts its members, staff, participants and volunteers to help communicate their message to new prospects.

Brand Ethics means that the brand itself reflects the core values of the organization.

Brand Affinity means that the brand is a team player, working with other brands and sharing the message space and credit appropriately. This helps to build a collective, individual interest.

How Can IDEA apply to For-Profits? ?

Easily. What For-profits often focus their marketing efforts on is how to solve a consumer?s problem. However, how does a brand position itself as an advocate for these problems?

Here?s how:

Integrity- What does your internal identity look like? Are you using your own products and services? Are they solving your problems? If so, start telling people about it!

Brand Democracy: It?s easy to hire a PR person or a marketing consultant, tell them what messages you want to portray and let them help you build a marketing plan around it. Well, now with social media you can?t solely rely on that, you have to rely on your customers too. ?Do you trust them to spread the right messages? If the answer to that is no, then you should start focusing your marketing plans on how to educate your customers on the messages you want them to send.

Brand Ethics- This is a big one. If your business ethics don?t match the ethics that your customers value, or the ethics that you promote, then you?re going to get called out eventually. It?s best that your brand practices what it preaches.

Brand Affinity- Does your brand work with other brands and organizations to spread your message? If so, how are you showing that to your customers. Many companies are afraid to do this with the thought that competitors might swoop in and take your business partner. This is a risk that your company will have to evaluate before giving a yes or no.

IDEA is an acronym that has helped some nonprofit organizations develop a better marketing plan to increase their social impact and create a tighter organizational cohesion. Now it?s time that for-profits take a page out of their book to create a clear message and create trust within their customers.

How is your brand using IDEA?

Join the conversation on our Facebook page!

Like this:

Be the first to like this post.

Lowen Corporation is a world-class provider of graphic solutions for branding, advertising, information and display; serving the most recognized commercial brands within its major operating divisions. Here you will learn more about each of our divisions along with some helpful information that pertains to the industry. If you have any questions about how we can help your business marketing needs, feel free to contact us!

apple store academy barnes and noble nook 12 days of christmas a christmas carol arkansas football player dies anne mccaffrey