Boost Nonprofit Marketing Efforts With Lapel Pins

by Caryn Smith © 2007
http://www.lapelpinsrus.com

Loyalty.  Appreciation.  Connection.  In order to maintain an active donor base, all nonprofits have to keep contributors loyal and feeling appreciated.  In addition, bridging a connection with individual donors is also a vital step in ensuring repeat contributions.  That's what makes lapel pins such a wonderful and flexible marketing tool.

Whether used as a stand-alone device or in conjunction with other marketing programs, lapel pins help fill the needs of donors so they keep giving year after year.

Branding

Branding may sound like a corporate concept, but in today’s noisy world, branding is equally critical to the success of a nonprofit. Your organization is well-branded when someone can mention an icon or your tagline and people immediately think of your group.

Quick, what comes to mind when you see a pink ribbon pinned to someone’s lapel?  Breast cancer.  That’s branding.  If I say “Where Girls Grow Strong”, do you think of The Girl Scouts? That’s branding.

Take the first step down the path of instant recognition by creating a lapel pin with your logo or your tag line.  There are a multitude of ways the pins can be distributed, all of them furthering your organization’s branding and marketing efforts.

Fundraising

Include a stylish lapel pin with your annual appeal to encourage donor generosity.  Alternately, you could offer a series of pins to recognize individuals as they reached incremental fundraising goals or donation levels.

Membership Development and Retention

Offering members a small, but high quality, token of your appreciation - just because - can go a long way towards maintaining their loyalty.

Welcome Gifts

Who doesn’t like a gift?  Lapel pins make wonderful welcome gifts for new members. What a great way to say: “We’re grateful for your support!”

Anniversary Markers

Long-time members can be rewarded for their faithfulness with lapel pins that denote five, 10 even 50 years of membership.

Identification

Does your organization offer an online discussion group?  Lapel pins are a great way to put a face to a name that you have seen on your computer screen.  Provide lapel pins to members of your online community so they can connect and share a good word at tradeshows and other events.

Or, at your next meeting, use different color lapel pins for people from distinct geographic areas. Lapel pins can also be used to identify first-time attendees. This way, long-time members can seek out new comers and make them feel welcome.

Volunteer Recognition

A small, but meaningful, memento of recognition can go a long way towards making volunteers feel appreciated and keeping them committed to achieving your organization’s goals. Give volunteer awards according to a set schedule (number of hours volunteered or projects completed) or for new ideas generated. Similar to the membership idea above, years of volunteer service awards can also be given.

Memorialize Special Events

Do you host an annual conference, golf outing or other membership event?  Create lapel pins in honor of each event. 

Marketing touches everything a nonprofit organization does from fundraising and membership development to volunteer recognition and special events. When your organization is looking for a high quality, reasonably priced way to further your marketing efforts, lapel pins are the answer.

Caryn Smith is Manager of Lapel Pins R Us. When you need attractive, memorable lapel pins visit http://www.lapelpinsrus.com today for custom lapel pins in just 10 days, guaranteed!