Maximizing Non-Profit marketing, sponsorship and fundraising opportunities for more revenue

How to do we maximize our marketing opportunities for more revenue for our organization? When it comes to sponsorship and the fundraising that results from it, good PR strategy cannot be ignored. In fact, potential sponsors expect you to have a solid communications strategy! I hope from this recent video that if you have had any doubts about the relation between solid communication strategy and its impact on revenue generation for your organization, that doubt is now removed!

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Please let me know your thoughts! What has been your experience? Please leave a comment.

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Mark A. Buzan, APR
Principal & Chief Magnifying Officer
Action Strategies
#3, 270 rue Champlain
Gatineau, Quebec J8X 3S1
819.770.2899 phone
http://www.actionstrategies.ca (Action Strategies website)

LinkedIn Profile: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/markbuzan
LinkedIn Group for Public Relations: http://tinyurl.com/nonprofitideas
LinkedIn Group for Government Relations: http://tinyurl.com/nonprofitlobbying

Please take a look at my just released book: Online PR and Social Media for Associations and Not-for-Profits - http://www.onlineprsocialmedia.com/associations

How I go after link strategies to market clients

Wikipedia defines Link exchanges as a practice of exchanging links with other websites. There are many different ways to arrange a link exchange with webmasters. The simplest way of doing it is to email another website owner and ask to do a link exchange. Also visiting webmaster discussion boards which offer a dedicated link exchange forum where webmasters can request a link exchange be it of a certain category or open to anybody.

Link exchange has been a long time practice by website owners since the beginning of the web. In the last few years (after year 2000), this practice has gained more popularity as search engines such as Google started favoring sites that had more links in the rankings. This system was very accurate at gauging the importance of a website when it first started, leading to the popularity of Google.

Personally, one of my favorite means is monitoring blogs, newsgroups and a clients' linked-in sites via Alexa.com. Additionally, there are more and more resources out there for PR professionals such that Action Strategies can hit a broad range of numerous websites in a fast period. To clarify, the need for PR practioners in the internet age has never been clearer.

Just as in traditional PR, I pride myself on building a rapport with the webmasters of websites I know would benefit a client should a link be placed on their site. The message has to be clear to them, nonetheless. There needs to be a real interest placed in the mind of the webmaster as to why a link to your site is beneficial.

If there's to be any doubt as to the value of reciprocal linking, check out Alexa.com's report on EQAO. Impressive to say the least! Nearly 120 sites linking in and Action Strategies will be increasing that number!

Be forwarned, this strategy is not for the faint of heart. It takes time and consistent monitoring. For advice on implementing your own link exchange strategy, consult a PR consultant. Action Strategies can advise you on the best methods available in building a ''buzz''on the internet and raising your link-ins.
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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Marketing Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultantcy. Make sure to contact him for advise on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications campaigns. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.

Podcasts...What are they & why do I need them?

In my view, Podcasting offers professionals the opportunity to literally skyrocket their credibility and reputation with their clientele and prospects. As said in the Magnifier newsletter, imagine if you will the creation of your own downloadable radio show. With the properly attracted crowd, the quality of the information you provide in a more easily followed form than written form is very powerful.

But concretely, how can professionals, organizations, and associateions leverage this newest tool on the internet block? In terms of Public Relations efforts, podcasting is truly incredible.

My favorite example is one that I have been using most frequently: trade shows or conventions. Imagine if you will, the trouble most go through in making their presentation and booth a success. Months can go into the details and building of momentum only to have an anti-climatic deflation of buzz the day after the convention.

Not following me? Take for example, the work that goes into building the appropriate marketing material, booth and driving media attention to your offer. A good publicist can drive up awareness and develop good public relations because there is something big forthcoming. However, once the event is done, what left is there to report?

Podcasting allows organizations the opportunity not only to report via audio OR video the happenings of the trade floor show, but also leverage all that buzz AFTER the event. For example, by encouraging prospective members and/or media who could not attend to subscribe to the podcast, one allows them to experience the event for themselves and at their convenience. The podcast allows you one more kick at the can in terms of driving awareness and credibility.

One other example

Let's say you run a business with a very long sales cycle. Most often, consultants or businesses with very specialized and more expesive lines of services fall into this category.

Credibility and reputations are everything! Trust can only be built up over a long period of time.

With podcasting, you are afforded the opportunity to provide a very select form of information to a niche and build regular communication to it. With such a direct channel going to such a select audience, your public relations efforts a bound to pay off.

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Mark Buzan is the Principal and Chief Magnifier of Action Strategies, a full service Marketing Communications, Public Relations, and Public Affairs consultancy. You can visit his new website at www.actionstrategies.ca