B2B Marketing For NGOs and Non-Profits

While preparing my application for the B2B Manager role for the Nigerian branch of AIESEC International, the largest youth-run Non-Governmental Organisation in the world.

I was surprised to find out that there wasn’t enough literature and content on what B2B marketing strategy should look like for NGOs and Non-Profits.

You see, B2B Marketing for NGOs and Non-Profits is slightly different from traditional businesses in the following areas:

• Motivation: The motivation for traditional businesses is to increase profits and revenue, whereas for NGOs it is to achieve their mission and social impact.
• Target audience: Traditional businesses typically target other businesses, whereas NGOs may target both businesses and individuals.
• Value proposition: Traditional businesses offer products or services that can generate revenue, while NGOs offer social impact and a sense of purpose to their stakeholders.
• Brand identity: Traditional businesses often focus on promoting their brand and products, while NGOs may focus more on promoting their mission and impact.
• Resources: Traditional businesses may have more resources, such as funding and staff, than NGOs, which can affect the scope and scale of their marketing efforts.

Because of these differences, NGOs need to tailor their B2B marketing strategies to effectively communicate the value of their mission, impact, and partnership opportunities to target businesses.

While traditional B2B marketing strategies still apply to NGOs/Non-Profits, in the broader sense, you’ll have to do things a little bit differently to get results.

Why B2B Marketing Is Important For NGOs and Non-Profits

NGOs often rely on donations, grants, and other forms of philanthropic support to fund their operations.

But, this funding is often unpredictable and can be subject to the whims of donors.

Enter B2B Marketing

B2B marketing, also known as business-to-business marketing, promotes a company’s products or services to other businesses.

It differs from B2C (business-to-consumer) marketing, which focuses on promoting products or services to individual consumers.

B2B marketing can be a powerful tool for NGOs to attract funding, partnerships, and resources from businesses.

It can provide a more stable source of funding by building relationships with businesses that are aligned with the NGO’s mission and values.

Tips For Developing A B2B Marketing Strategy

Here are a few pointers for developing a B2B marketing strategy for your NGO/Non-Profit.

1. Identify Target Businesses

The first step in developing a B2B marketing strategy for your organisation is to identify target businesses that align with your organisation’s mission and values.

One way to identify target businesses is to conduct research by looking at industry reports, online research, and talking to other NGOs and stakeholders in the field.

It helps to filter for brands that have a history of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and philanthropy.

Once the target businesses have been identified, you should create a list of key decision-makers within those organisations, including their names, titles, and contact information.

2. Develop a Value Proposition

The next step is to develop a value proposition that clearly communicates the benefits of supporting your organisation.

The value proposition should explain how your work aligns with the target business’s mission and values, and how your organisation can help the business achieve its goals.

Helps to remember that you are not selling profits. Keep that in mind when preparing your pitch.

For example, if your organisation is working on a project to promote good and sustainable financial habits, the value proposition could highlight how supporting your work can help the target business achieve its sustainability goals, improve its reputation in the community, and access new markets e.g young people.

3. Build Relationships

Once the target businesses and value proposition have been identified, you can begin to build relationships with the key decision-makers within those organisations.

This can be done through a variety of methods, including networking events, social media, email, and phone calls.

4. Offer Tailored Solutions

This is where you get creative. You should look at offering tailored solutions that meet your target businesses’ specific needs and goals.

Carry out in-depth research on their pain points and try to offer solutions

This can include customized funding packages, strategic partnerships, and targeted research and consulting services.

For a better understanding, let’s go back to the financial sustainability project.

Say you’ve identified a fintech company as a prospect and potential partner, and you’ve started to build a relationship with them; you could offer to beta test their mobile app within your organisation and have members of your organisation signup for their services and leave reviews.

This is how you offer tailored solutions to a partner.

5. Leverage LinkedIn

One of the most effective ways to reach out to target businesses and build relationships is through LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is a professional social media platform that allows organizations and individuals to connect, network and share information.

You can use LinkedIn to:

• Create a company page and share information about your organisation”s mission, values, and work.
• Connect with key decision-makers in target businesses and engage with them through private messages, comments, and shares.
• Share content that is relevant to the target businesses and their industry
• Build a community of followers who are interested in your organisation’s mission and work.
• Host or participate in LinkedIn groups and discussions related to volunteering.
• Utilize LinkedIn’s advanced search feature to find decision-makers in specific industries and roles
• Use LinkedIn’s ad platform to promote your organisation’s content and reach a broader audience.

By leveraging LinkedIn, you can build relationships with target businesses and increase visibility for your organisation’s mission and work.

6. Use Case Studies and Testimonials

One of the most powerful tools in B2B marketing is the use of case studies and testimonials.

Case studies and testimonials can help to demonstrate the value of your organisation’s work and the impact it has had on other businesses and organizations.

You can use case studies and testimonials to:

• Show how your organisation has helped other businesses achieve their goals
• Demonstrate the impact of the your ogranisation’s work on the community and the environment
• Highlight the expertise and experience of your organisation’s staff and partners
• Provide social proof that your organisation is reputable and trustworthy.

Case studies and testimonials can be shared on your organisation’s website, social media channels, and through direct communications.

7. Measure and Adjust

Finally, it is important to measure the success of your ogranisation’s B2B marketing efforts and adjust the strategy as needed.

This can be done by tracking key metrics such as the number of businesses contacted, the number of partnerships formed, and the amount of funding or resources secured.

You should also gather feedback from the target businesses and use that feedback to improve your strategy.

For example: adjusting your value proposition, targeting different businesses, or offering different solutions.

Conclusion

B2B marketing and sales are crucial for NGOs and Non-Profits looking to secure funding and partnerships with businesses.

By understanding the unique challenges and opportunities that NGOs face in B2B marketing and sales, organizations can develop strategies that effectively communicate the value of their mission and impact to target businesses.

With the right strategy, NGOs can leverage the power of B2B partnerships to achieve their goals and make a meaningful impact in the world.