3 Proven Marketing Tactics That Can Boost Your Brand Image.

If your current marketing plan looks pretty much the same as it did last year, you can expect to see the same results. It might be time to raise the bar, and update your marketing to-do list. Don’t worry if you’re not sure where to start. Here are a few Leadership Marketing tactics that can help your Biomedical Nonprofit stand out this year:

1. Focus on Inbound Marketing:
Cold calling is not always an effective way to break the ice with potential donors, which is why many nonprofits are spending their energy on Inbound Marketing instead. So, what is Inbound? It is basically getting potential customers to contact you. Inbound Marketing starts by building an online presence through blogs, articles, Enewsletters and other forms of content that don’t directly ask for a donation. The goal is to provide compelling online content that encourages audiences to reach out with questions or for more information. And when they do, you can be sure they are both interested in your expertise and motivated to support your work.

Tip: Choose topics that are both relevant to your brand and of interest to your target audience, and then use your expertise to create share-worthy content on those subjects. Be sure to tag your content with your company URL.

2. Share Your Passion:
Nonprofits have something going for them that for-profit companies may not: They have a passion for a cause that others share. This shared passion is a built-in conversation starter. But instead of just talking about it, why not make this the year that you demonstrate your passion? Show your commitment to the greater good by providing community education, sharing resources, or creating online tools that benefit others.

Tip: Sharing your Biomedical Nonprofit’s passion and expertise with the community doesn’t have to be done online, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. For instance, consider starting a Science Café. Science Cafés are live events normally hosted by a scientist, but open to the public. Science Cafés aren’t intended to be lectures. Rather, they are casual meet-ups where everyone is encouraged to join in, ask questions, and share their ideas about the topic at hand.

One of my clients, the MDI Biological Laboratory (MDIBL.org), a Biomedical Institution near Acadia National Park, has been hosting Science Cafés for some time. My team helped them successfully brand their events with a marketing program that invited the public to “Learn about the science that affects your life”. This has helped MDIBL own these events, build recognition and foster trust within their community. Your nonprofit can host a Café, too! To find out more about the grassroots Science Café movement, visit sciencecafes.org.

3. Communicate Like a Leader:
Biomedical Nonprofits are natural leaders. They lead the way with innovative research and ask questions that others have not. Unfortunately, many Biomedical Nonprofits don’t market themselves as the leaders that they are. It’s a shame, because Leadership Marketing is one of the most inexpensive ways that nonprofits can build awareness, trust and support for their cause. Commit to actively showing thought leadership by sharing your insights and expertise online and in your community.

Tip: Every marketing communication is an opportunity to show leadership! Specific thought leadership tactics can include blogs and advertorials, microsite sponsorships, audio/video interviews, survey sponsorships, whitepapers and infographics, round-table webinars, in-person events, and more.

What is Leadership Marketing?

• Leveraging an organization’s original insights, innovative thinking and unique perspective to show thought leadership in a particular industry
• Sharing those insights online and in your community to build trust, gain allies and move supporters to act
• Building and maintaining a brand persona that thinks and acts like a leader