Don Akchin

When revenues fall, what’s the first thing the operations folks want to cut? Marketing, of course. Nonprofit marketing consultant Nancy Schwartz offers some good advice on how to defend your budget in bad times.

When revenues fall, what’s the first thing the operations folks want to cut? Marketing, of course. Nonprofit marketing consultant Nancy Schwartz offers some good advice on how to defend your budget in bad times.

When revenues fall, what’s the first thing the operations folks want to cut? Marketing, of course. Nonprofit marketing consultant Nancy Schwartz offers some good advice on how to defend your budget in bad times.

Lipman Hearne and the American Marketing Association surveyed large organizations and small to arrive at not-very-startling conclusions (e.g., building awareness and generating revenues are top priorities). They find, however, that marketing budgets average 2-3 percent of total operating budgets. Check out the full report – as well as an alternative take on the results by nonprofit marketing blogger Nancy Schwartz.

Lipman Hearne and the American Marketing Association surveyed large organizations and small to arrive at not-very-startling conclusions (e.g., building awareness and generating revenues are top priorities). They find, however, that marketing budgets average 2-3 percent of total operating budgets. Check out the full report – as well as an alternative take on the results by nonprofit marketing blogger Nancy Schwartz.

Lipman Hearne and the American Marketing Association surveyed large organizations and small to arrive at not-very-startling conclusions (e.g., building awareness and generating revenues are top priorities). They find, however, that marketing budgets average 2-3 percent of total operating budgets. Check out the full report – as well as an alternative take on the results by nonprofit marketing blogger Nancy Schwartz.

Lipman Hearne and the American Marketing Association surveyed large organizations and small to arrive at not-very-startling conclusions (e.g., building awareness and generating revenues are top priorities). They find, however, that marketing budgets average 2-3 percent of total operating budgets. Check out the full report – as well as an alternative take on the results by nonprofit marketing blogger Nancy Schwartz.

A 2007 survey of high school students by Noel-Levitz found that 57% would prefer to receive information about colleges through the Internet. But as higher education marketing expert Bob Johnson observes, audience preference doesn’t correlate with marketing budgets: two-thirds of private colleges and universities spend less than $25,000 for online recruitment. Has your budget kept up with your audience?

A 2007 survey of high school students by Noel-Levitz found that 57% would prefer to receive information about colleges through the Internet. But as higher education marketing expert Bob Johnson observes, audience preference doesn’t correlate with marketing budgets: two-thirds of private colleges and universities spend less than $25,000 for online recruitment. Has your budget kept up with your audience?

A 2007 survey of high school students by Noel-Levitz found that 57% would prefer to receive information about colleges through the Internet. But as higher education marketing expert Bob Johnson observes, audience preference doesn’t correlate with marketing budgets: two-thirds of private colleges and universities spend less than $25,000 for online recruitment. Has your budget kept up with your audience?

If you had the princely sum of $1,000 to spend to launch an online marketing campaign, what could you do with it? Blogger Kivi Miller details her plan.

If you had the princely sum of $1,000 to spend to launch an online marketing campaign, what could you do with it? Blogger Kivi Miller details her plan.

If you had the princely sum of $1,000 to spend to launch an online marketing campaign, what could you do with it? Blogger Kivi Miller details her plan.

As everyone outside Washington recognizes, we’re in a recession. Well-prepared organizations, however, have actually fared well in past downturns. They can be opportunities to discard strategies that aren’t delivering for you and concentrate on what works best. Kevin Kibble at the Resource Alliance suggests ways to recession-proof your fundraising. Blogger Beth Dunn makes a case for keeping interactive marketing in your trimmed-down budget because it is inexpensive, measurable and effective. Jeff Brooks at Donor Power Blog argues that slashing the fundraising budget during a downturn only makes matters worse.

As everyone outside Washington recognizes, we’re in a recession. Well-prepared organizations, however, have actually fared well in past downturns. They can be opportunities to discard strategies that aren’t delivering for you and concentrate on what works best. Kevin Kibble at the Resource Alliance suggests ways to recession-proof your fundraising. Blogger Beth Dunn makes a case for keeping interactive marketing in your trimmed-down budget because it is inexpensive, measurable and effective. Jeff Brooks at Donor Power Blog argues that slashing the fundraising budget during a downturn only makes matters worse.

As everyone outside Washington recognizes, we’re in a recession. Well-prepared organizations, however, have actually fared well in past downturns. They can be opportunities to discard strategies that aren’t delivering for you and concentrate on what works best. Kevin Kibble at the Resource Alliance suggests ways to recession-proof your fundraising. Blogger Beth Dunn makes a case for keeping interactive marketing in your trimmed-down budget because it is inexpensive, measurable and effective. Jeff Brooks at Donor Power Blog argues that slashing the fundraising budget during a downturn only makes matters worse.

If a Peterbilt truck has ever passed you on an interstate, you’ll recognize the brilliance of this bumper sticker for Wyoming libraries. “Mudflap girl” is a perfect example of a way to maximize your low-budget marketing by modifying a symbol or idea that’s already well known. Dan and Chip Health, the authors of Made To Stick, call it “idea judo” and discuss it in a Fast Company column.

If a Peterbilt truck has ever passed you on an interstate, you’ll recognize the brilliance of this bumper sticker for Wyoming libraries. “Mudflap girl” is a perfect example of a way to maximize your low-budget marketing by modifying a symbol or idea that’s already well known. Dan and Chip Health, the authors of Made To Stick, call it “idea judo” and discuss it in a Fast Company column.

If a Peterbilt truck has ever passed you on an interstate, you’ll recognize the brilliance of this bumper sticker for Wyoming libraries. “Mudflap girl” is a perfect example of a way to maximize your low-budget marketing by modifying a symbol or idea that’s already well known. Dan and Chip Health, the authors of Made To Stick, call it “idea judo” and discuss it in a Fast Company column.

A colleague who markets for a university complained the other day about a hard-to-please internal constituency. Last fall, with a significant marketing budget for the first time in a decade, she launched an online campaign. So far, inquiries have doubled, applications have doubled, quality is higher – yet some members of the faculty (the difficult constituency) want empirical proof that marketing deserves the credit. Here’s some proof from a survey by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and Lipman Hearne, a fundraising consulting firm. The key finding is that colleges and universities that invest more than 0.5 percent of their operating budgets (excluding salaries and benefits) in marketing get good returns in quality applicants and higher enrollment yield. But that won’t satisfy my colleague’s inquisitors. These faculty understand cause and effect, but that’s not their issue. The real issue is that marketing got a budget increase.

A colleague who markets for a university complained the other day about a hard-to-please internal constituency. Last fall, with a significant marketing budget for the first time in a decade, she launched an online campaign. So far, inquiries have doubled, applications have doubled, quality is higher – yet some members of the faculty (the difficult constituency) want empirical proof that marketing deserves the credit. Here’s some proof from a survey by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and Lipman Hearne, a fundraising consulting firm. The key finding is that colleges and universities that invest more than 0.5 percent of their operating budgets (excluding salaries and benefits) in marketing get good returns in quality applicants and higher enrollment yield. But that won’t satisfy my colleague’s inquisitors. These faculty understand cause and effect, but that’s not their issue. The real issue is that marketing got a budget increase.

A colleague who markets for a university complained the other day about a hard-to-please internal constituency. Last fall, with a significant marketing budget for the first time in a decade, she launched an online campaign. So far, inquiries have doubled, applications have doubled, quality is higher – yet some members of the faculty (the difficult constituency) want empirical proof that marketing deserves the credit. Here’s some proof from a survey by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and Lipman Hearne, a fundraising consulting firm. The key finding is that colleges and universities that invest more than 0.5 percent of their operating budgets (excluding salaries and benefits) in marketing get good returns in quality applicants and higher enrollment yield. But that won’t satisfy my colleague’s inquisitors. These faculty understand cause and effect, but that’s not their issue. The real issue is that marketing got a budget increase.