The channels nonprofit organizations can use to engage their various audiences continue to proliferate...which is both a blessing and a curse. Drawing from her own experience building marketing communications functions, sometimes from scratch, Michele will deliver practical, actionable advice on how to build a team that can achieve your goals, while working within your organization's resource realities.

1. Building An Effective Marketing
Communications Team
Michele Levy
May 16, 2012
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2. INTEGRATED PLANNING
Advising nonprofits in: www.synthesispartnership.com
• Strategy
• Planning (617) 969-1881
• Organizational Development info@synthesispartnership.com
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3. Affordable collaborative data
management in the cloud.
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4. Today’s Speaker
Michele Levy
Chief Marketing Officer,
Walnut Hill School for the Arts
Assisting with chat questions: Hosting:
April Hunt, Nonprofit Webinars Sam Frank, Synthesis Partnership
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5. Today’s discussion topics
• What’s the new context for marketing in a nonprofit
environment?
• What’s the difference between a traditional
communications function and an integrated marketing
communications function?
• How do I evaluate the skill set I need to meet my
marketing communications goals?
• How can I build a culture of marketing across my entire
organization?

6. Multichannel engagement:
A blessing and a curse

7. The marketer’s dilemma
How can I build a team
that will help achieve
my organization’s goals,
while working within
my organization’s
resource realities?*
*without making myself insane?

8. Start (and stay) grounded
• Know your goals
• Know your audience
• Know your most effective channels

9. Let’s face it…
• You can’t do everything
• You can’t reach everyone
• You can’t possibly make effective
use of every single channel available

10. So first…

11. Quick question
• How many people in your organization are full time
dedicated to marketing communications?
• A second take…how many people have a marketing
role in addition to their “regular” jobs

12. An evolving role
Communications
Department

13. An evolving role
Integrated
Marketing
Communications
Team

14. What does that mean???

15. It’s not just about
PR and publications
any more…

16. HistoricNewEngland.org Publications
Public education
Historic properties programs
BRAND PROMISE
Bringing to life the heritage and Outbound
Library &
stories of New England through marketing
archives the homes and possessions of
those who lived here.
Traveling Development
exhibitions communications
Speaking
engagements

18. Requires a broader skill set
• Great writer (still), but across a broader range of media
(writing for an annual report ≠ writing for the web ≠
writing for online newsletters ≠ writing for social media)
• But perhaps more broadly, a prolific content generator
and repurposer (written, video, photo, audio)
• Marketing generalist (traditional + new channels)
• Proactive communicator and connector
• Strategic counsel, broad perspective
• Rockstar project manager
• Stickler for quality and brand consistency
• Metrics driven
• Up to date on best practices and emerging
tools/channels

19. Ideally…
A combination of
“big picture thinking” and
“roll up your sleeves doing”

20. The special sauce
“Sprinkled among every walk of life…
are a handful of people with a
truly extraordinary knack of
making friends and acquaintances.
They are Connectors.”
- Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point

21. Finally…
Don’t just sit there.

22. Marketing…it’s everyone’s job
Educate
Equip
Reward
Communicate
Repeat

23. Development
Member services
Education
Volunteer management
Events
Integrate across the entire organization

24. Be present, be helpful,
but don’t take orders.

25. Find listings for our current season
of webinars and register at:
NonprofitWebinars.com
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