Something I’ve noticed about most marketing collateral is that nobody expects very much from it. I don’t mean this as a criticism, exactly. It’s just an observation of how things are. Everyone makes sure to have a website, brochure, and video because it’s become the standard and they don’t want to be seen as falling behind. They spend a chunk of money on it, and they do their best to achieve a result that looks polished and impressive, that strikes a charming tone and represents their organization correctly.

But beyond that, there’s no real demand for results. The money spent is seen as an obligation, not an investment with a measurable return. That idea isn’t even on the table, so no one sees it as a loss if a video or brochure doesn’t see any real response from their supporters.

No goals are set. No metrics are put in place to track performance. Even if you were suddenly to become curious, there isn’t actually any way to tell if new materials have been successful or not.

When enough time passes, you or someone else in your organization might decide that it’s time to refresh this material. You want a new look, something more exciting, something more viral.

But what does that mean, exactly? What’s the point of this makeover? Deep down, are you hoping it will achieve something? Do you know what that something is?

Since you’re not used to thinking about your marketing materials in this way, you probably don’t spend any more time trying to be strategic with the new stuff than you did with the old stuff. And when it’s all ready to launch, once again, you don’t try to quantify the results.

In fact, if a donor or someone else compliments your latest creation, you may take that as all the proof you need that you’re on the right track. But, while compliments are nice, they aren’t an indication that you’ve built an effective tool.

And it’s my belief that that’s what your marketing collateral should be.

Expecting more

There are three steps to creating successful marketing material.

• First, you need to know whom you’re creating it for. You need to have identified the group, the specific audience, that you’re trying to reach, so that you can make sure your word choices, visuals, and overall message are speaking their language and addressing their concerns.

• Second, you need to know what you’re creating it for. You need to have a purpose in mind that’s more specific than just “impressing people” or “getting the word out.” What actions do you want people to take after seeing this material? If you want to impress people, is the goal for that feeling to bring them to your website to learn more? If you want to get the word out, is the goal to get them to share the material and pass it on?

• Finally, you need to have a utilization plan. Where will the material be used? What do you need to do to ensure the viewer is able to take the desired action in this context?

Once these few crucial elements are in play, you’ll be able to track if your collateral has been successful. You can measure how often it’s been shared or how often it led visitors to your site. You can add up donations or applications received.

And once you can track your collateral and measure its effectiveness, you’re able to see what is and isn’t working. With this knowledge, you can build off the successes; you can optimize, counteracting weaknesses while keeping the parts that are performing well in place.

Without this key step, at best you’re making shot in the dark after shot in the dark. You might get rid of a good thing without ever knowing how much success it brought you, or stick with a bad one without realizing it’s the thing holding you back.

On the other hand, by taking your marketing collateral seriously, you gain the ability to improve your messaging and bring in more supporters, participants, members, or volunteers. 

Want some hands-on assistance taking this step?

Learn more about my consulting services for fundraising and recruiting on my website.