Marketing and Communications  View RSS Feed Last updated 3/27/2009

Marketing and Communications are essential tools for nonprofit organizations. They can help you attract funding, serve more clients, and advance your mission. The need for nonprofit organizations to reach out and engage new audiences is more important and challenging than ever. This topic area is devoted to marketing issues and strategies specific to effective communications and resources to guide organizations through successful implementation.

Legal Considerations
Legal Considerations are the factors governing sound judgment and lawful decision-making. Marketing and communications support the legalities with contracts, Fair Use, and Nonprofit Law, etc. An organization should be considerate or aware of the legal responsibilities and constitutional obligations to be entrusted in them to minimize legal ramifications and lawsuits.
Marketing
Marketing is the process of acquiring and understanding target audiences to maintain a relationship with them. Marketing and communications is used to help relay an organization’s mission and to pair their services to the people who need them to through product, place, price and promotion.
Planning
Planning is the process of determining the needs and wants of an organization to produce suitable goals and objectives. Marketing and communications can assist in the research and development of a plan. Methods of achieving the goals and objectives will come with or after the implementation of the plan.
Public & Media Relations
Public & Media Relations are methods an organization uses to build and maintain relationships with intended audiences and constituents to gain publicity. Marketing and communications help in keeping the lines of communication and understanding open from organization to individual.
Technology
Technology is the practical application of knowledge in a given discipline to produce data or objects. The use of marketing and communications in technology can further lessen the communication barriers, making for an easier transport of information.
Written & Oral Communications
Written & Oral Communications are methods in which information is exchanged between individuals, organizations, institutions or the public. Marketing and communications aids in the effective exchange of ideas, opinions and thoughts on a subject matter via written or oral communication mediums. Written communication takes the shape of printed or handwritten materials such as emails and letters. Oral communications is spoken or word-of-mouth tactics including public service announcements.