Contrary to popular belief, business-to-business (B2B) companies can connect with the nonprofit sector via their products and services. Seriously, nonprofits need to get stuff done too! They need training software, cybersecurity, HR services, email marketing services and more. So, this means that businesses have to market directly to nonprofits. Let’s call it business to nonprofit organization or B2NPO marketing. As the marketing professional of the B2B company, it’s your job to figure out how to “speak” to the non-profit sector.
Unfortunately, it isn’t like marketing to B2B companies. There are different rules, motivations and even language (theory of change, anyone?).
I work on the nonprofit side and have made a transition to the B2B side of things. While these mistakes I’m about to list are specific to B2B, they are definitely possible in any sector. I’ve definitely made some of these mistakes. So, the following advice is what I hope B2B marketers stop doing so that they can actually win.
Mistake #1: Using the wrong language
There are well-known terms in the sector that you should learn. Theory of change, capacity-building, logic model and collective impact are just a few. Knowing these terms connects your motivations and goals to where nonprofits operate from. Additionally, these terms provide more understanding about the structure of a nonprofit organization compared to B2B companies. For example, in B2B companies there are departments dedicated to the “customer” whereas in nonprofit organizations, that is not a thing. Rather, you have volunteers, participants, stakeholders, partners, donors and funders. Why? Because nonprofit work reaches and includes all of these groups.
You may also come from a B2NPO marketing or sales department. Nonprofits don’t usually have sales teams. But almost all of them have fundraising departments or just a dedicated fundraiser that targets a specific audience. If, for example, your product or service helps them do that job or make it easier, you need the right messaging. The messaging starts with the language. However, that doesn’t mean sudden keyword stuffing or pandering. No one likes patronizing marketing that downplays the importance of the work.
Mistake #2: Focusing on marketing instead of storytelling
I know it’s your job to market your company and its product or service. However, that shouldn’t be more important than why you’re doing it in the first place. In order words, nonprofits want to know if your company aligns (there’s that word!) with their values, mission and vision. Otherwise, it’s unclear why they should care about what you have to offer.
At the end of the day, it’s really about authenticity. For example, if you have an e-learning software that makes nonprofit employee training easier, nonprofits need to know what the investment is in their success beyond sales. Sales benefit you, the B2B marketer. It has no impact on the nonprofit you’ve sold it to.
This is not a call to abandon your marketing. It’s to shift your focus. The marketing side of things does the convincing about why your product or service is worth their time. The storytelling side of things is finding points of alignment and entry with the nonprofit so that they know what’s important to you.
Mistake #3: Ignoring relationship-building
I’ve written about this before, but I’ll mention it again: knowing your target audience is necessary. B2B companies and nonprofits frequent different spaces online and offline. For example, nonprofit professionals go to conferences, events and trainings that have almost zero overlap with B2B companies. You want to find them to better understand how the sector works. However, you don’t want to show up like a B2B marketer looking for a sale. Be personable, humble and ready to listen and learn. Show up as someone who is genuinely curious about the sector.
Over to you
B2NPO marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to be real and relatable. Once you learn more about the nonprofit sector, you can begin making authentic connections that lead to marketing that works.
If you’re not sure where or how to start, let’s get in touch.