In the last decade alone, the number of non-profits in the US increased at a rapid pace of 29%. There are now, according to the NCSS a total of 1.5 million non-profits in just the US and 10,000+ are Jewish organizations. To say the least, we definitely find ourselves in a very charitable and idealistic era, change-makers across the globe are building problem solving organizations to make our world a better place.

Some organizations seem to be making a huge impact, they’re getting the right attention resulting in successful campaigns and a great overall donation income. Others are struggling to get the spotlight they deserve and fail to engage an audience. Let’s explore some of the fundamental tools for building an audience that’s deeply moved by the non-profits mission. 

It’s become difficult to get attention.

We live in the digital age, a vast, noisy and cluttered marketplace, slogans and colors shouting in every direction. A statistic done by Forbes in 2017 revealed that the average American consumes 8,000 ads per day! Competing for brand recognition in 2020 seems like a daunting task, and in all truth it is. Non-profits are the biggest victims in this regard, most organizations struggle to deeply connect with their audience, resulting in a lower end donation stream and an uphill battle to keep the non-profit afloat. Drowned out by the noisy market, the cause just isn’t resonating with the right people and compelling someone you’ve never met to donate their hard-earned money isn’t easy.

How can your organization possibly stand out?

The most fundamental tool for communication is design. Especially in the non-profit’s case, design plays a major factor in almost every aspect of communication. Brochures, websites, campaigns, ads, social media and of course the very brand identity of the organization, all rely on the power of strategic and professional design to actually make an impact and drive results.

Inspiring your audience to take action.  

People are highly moved by visual expressions. Design expresses the organization’s mission. Design serves as a tool to interpret the strategic ideas and messaging of an organization into visual communication which makes the mission more tangible and builds an emotional connection with the audience. These visual expressions are what shapes the organization’s perception. 

The visual language of an organization needs to be aligned with its qualities. Good design inspires a positive and emotional reaction in the audience to actually take action and be a part of the mission. Therefore, when starting a non-profit or rebranding a non-profit, considering how a strategic visual identity will be crafted can ultimately build a culture and community around the organization, resulting in a strong awareness and financial support.  

The power of well-designed communication.

We’re seeing patterns of non-profit organizations that have invested in design, setting new standards for design and branding in the non-profit space. These non-profits understand the reality that donors need to feel compelled to donate, impacting donors on an emotional level through well expressed communication has become the minimum every organization must consider. If your non-profit organization isn’t well designed the potential donor isn’t pulled in, the donor isn’t engaged, the audience isn’t built.

For example, picture the following scenario. There are two brochures on your desk from two different organizations, one brochure was designed strategically, taking into consideration the audience it’s serving, the brochure is very well crafted and balanced, it catches the eye and expresses the organization’s mission and excites the reader. The other brochure was made in an hour and a half by your nephew who took a three-hour course on graphic design, the brochure is cute, but barley communicates, there’s no unique quality separating it from the saturated world of non-profit brochures. Ask yourself which brochure would turn around more donations, the answer is self-understood.

The above is just a parable but the concept applies to every piece of communication any organization puts out into the world. The non-profit’s website, the campaigns, the very logo and brand identity must communicate the soul of your mission with the soul of your audience, creating an unbreakable bond that snowballs into a large audience that’s deeply moved by the mission.

In any non-profit organization, strategy and design must work hand in hand. The non-profit may have a very well-structured strategy, a fascinating brand promise and a differentiating new offering. Nonetheless, without proper visual communication, it will be impossible to effectively impact the targeted audience and potential donors.

Key takeaways.

Keeping the organization’s communication relevant is a must for any non-profit that wants to stand out and make a ruckus. Consider who your target audience is and craft every piece of communication to fit their lens. The result will be an engaged audience, deeply moved by the mission.

Yaniv Ouaknine is the founder and creative director at Brandify, the strategy & design agency for Jewish non-profits. https://wearebrandify.com