08 Feb Non Profit: How to Turn Brand Advocacy Into Better Business

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There’s nothing like when someone else says your non profit is amazing. It’s simple, credible, effective and best of all, it’s someone else giving praise (not yourself). Because, well…hearing yourself say how great your organization is can get a little stale.

How many of you read reviews of a product before purchasing from sites such as Amazon? If the reviews are good, your purchase becomes much easier, right? The same concept works with donations, volunteers, funders and participants for non profits.

Just recently, one of our clients asked us during a meeting how they can get more of their donors to rate them online and share positive reviews about their non profit; in other words, how to get more people saying positive things about their organization.

Here are a few ways to get your audience to share positive reviews about your charitable organization and also be your best brand advocates.

Survey says. When was the last time you surveyed your donor or volunteer base? This is often one of the best ways to get testimonials and positive reviews for others to see. Best yet, you can ask for their permission to share their feedback for marketing purposes. We understand budgets are important, so free tools such as Survey Monkey are a great way to establish a survey for feedback.

Social media. Asking people to rate you on social media is a quick, painless and easy way for people to share their positive feedback. Most people are using social media anyway, so it doesn’t become an additional step for them to take. This is truly an organic way to get brand advocates to act on your behalf; but the key is you have to ask and put reminders on your social media in order for people to take action. Coming up with graphics to accompany your ‘ask’ is an approachable and non-salesy way to accomplish this. Don’t have a graphic designer? Check out free tools such as Canva to create your own graphics.

Get familiar. Becoming familiar with review and rating sites is important. Knowing the rating sites that are most used for your organization (for example rateMD for the medical professional, or Urban Spoon for a restaurant, Yelp and Google Business for most professional services). Know what your previous reviews say about your non profit or if you even have any reviews. Set up reminders to check this information closely or be prompted via email when you do receive a review. Becoming familiar with these sites allows you to understand your audience better, their behaviors, and what would further entice them to act as a brand ambassador on your behalf. So, what review sites are best for your organization?

Print out materials. Consider having cards or printed materials at your location (or at events) for people to know to review your non profit. Be sure to have this information where people will readily see it (such as attached to a receipt, check-in, or visible table). Brand ambassadors are great but even the best need to be reminded to share their positive words about your organization.

Reward. Some non profits can benefit by providing a reward for reviews. Be sure this approach complements your organization and doesn’t pose any conflict of interest. If your non profit can offer a reward, such as a free t-shirt, promotional material or coffee gift card, go for it!

Brand advocates are great for non profits. People heavily rely on other people’s comments and feedback before making a decision to get involved. If you’re not capitalizing on getting positive reviews for your group, you could be missing out on a key component in growth for helping others.

Download our quick Brand Advocate Checklist here. This quick checklist will ensure you’re hitting all the marks for obtaining more positive reviews for your non profit.

Need additional help with a brand advocacy strategy? No problem! Email us at info@nspublicrleations.com.

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