Nonprofits have a unique perspective in the community they serve: being a good steward of their resources while still being generous with the group that they serve. While for-profit companies are in the business of making money, nonprofit organizations work to gain financial, material, and volunteer support to keep their focus on what matters most to them.
That means that nonprofits allocate resources carefully and intentionally to use all of them wisely. But skimping on how a nonprofit presents itself to the community, partners and potential donors can backfire by making the organization’s leadership look unprofessional or even unintentional in their work.
Nonprofits should lean into the genuine benefits of presenting their brand cohesively and beautifully with branded nonprofit printing that presents them in the best way possible while also functioning as necessary and valuable tools to keep the nonprofit moving forward.
Show the Community and Your Supporters Your Value
As a nonprofit, the community may not have as many opportunities to understand who you are, what you stand for, or all the details about who is benefiting from the undoubtedly countless hours that go into the work you do.
But one way to demonstrate the value of the nonprofit is with cohesive, intentional branding on nonprofit printing materials you use that are shared with the community you serve.
Nonprofits that communicate with sleek, coordinated printed supplies show supporters, donors, and the community that the nonprofit is responsible and capable of providing significant contributions to their cause.
While we don’t want to always judge an organization by how it looks from the outside, a nonprofit that demonstrates that they are organized and deliberate in its planning and execution of communications will appear professional and successful and may lead to more support for its cause.
Using Nonprofit Printing as Branding
Nonprofits have the unique challenge of making sure that the community and potential donors or volunteers know who they are and what they do. One easy way to communicate this is by using branded marketing and communication materials that look great and reflect the tone and importance of the work done by the nonprofit organization.
From first contact brochures to event invites and response cards to thank you notes, nonprofit printing can take many forms. Each organization’s needs are unique but nonprofits all share the need to present annual report information to the community, create fundraising events, and communicate regularly with the community.
Utilizing nonprofit printing with consistent branded messaging helps to attract the attention a nonprofit needs to secure funding and important affiliations.
Nonprofit Printing Basics
Running a nonprofit involves focusing on potential targets within the community as well as maintaining critical relationships. Nonprofits can develop nonprofit printing materials that introduce their organization’s key members to the community as well as explain the heart and focus of what they do.
Providing a unified look across all aspects of the nonprofit’s marketing and communication materials will help to keep the nonprofit’s name recognition high as well as diminish any potential issues that come with volunteer or staffing changes.
So what kind of nonprofit printing projects should nonprofits consider for their organization? Let’s look at the most common nonprofit printing projects and how they can help your organization stay on brand and present clear messaging to the community.
Business Cards
Long a mainstay in the business world, nonprofits can utilize business cards for not only paid staff but also for key volunteers that interact with the community and potential donors or volunteers. Business cards can provide staff contact information as well as the organization’s mission statement or other vital information about the nonprofit. But business cards can also be used by volunteers as well.
Cards can act like a compact marketing tool to leave with potential volunteers, fundraising targets, or with potential partners for the organization. Rather than offering a specific staff member’s name, a nonprofit might use a business card to present the organization itself.
Simple to buy in bulk and distribute at will, this use of a business card is evergreen making it an excellent use of a nonprofit’s likely limited marketing funding.
These cards can also be slipped into goodie bags, appeal letters, community communications, or even handed out at large non-organization events to raise awareness about the nonprofit’s works and mission.
Branded Envelopes
When a potential donor receives print communication from a nonprofit organization, a branded envelope gives the first impression. Over time, the community members who receive branded envelopes will associate your nonprofit with quality, value and intentionality as they see the consistent attention to detail that these small but meaningful types of print bring.
Brochures and Flyers
Instead of relying on digital outreach, nonprofit organizations can benefit from nonprofit printing brochures and flyers, because they are a physical notice that is often kept in a visible location.
No amount of digital communication can compete with a beautiful, full-color brochure or flyer that is tacked up to a bulletin board or hung on the fridge as a reminder.
Whether they are sent out to the community to raise awareness for the organization as a whole, announce upcoming events, or explain the nonprofit’s mission, nonprofit printing flyers or brochures are a great way to provide a lasting piece of marketing at a low cost relative to the potential long-term outreach they can provide.
Newsletters
Digital newsletters are a great way to provide frequent updates to your volunteers, staff, and community at large. But nonprofit printing newsletters offer a unique opportunity to not only give the latest information about what your nonprofit is up to but also to leave a lasting impression about your organization.
Newsletters can be used to introduce new staff members, highlight important business or donor affiliations, and inform the community about upcoming events and activities.
Newsletters can contain calendars or even invitations to find out more about how the community can become involved with the nonprofit in meaningful ways.
Printed newsletters can be an excellent addition to digital updates and can be sent out at strategic times to coordinate with big fundraising events or other critical activities that benefit the organization.
Annual Reports
An essential part of providing the community with a wellness report about nonprofits, annual reports are the perfect opportunity for a nonprofit to utilize the power of printed materials to project success and the realistic challenges that they face each year.
Donors and business affiliates appreciate hard copies of annual reports that are Saddle Stitch bound, as well, since they are less bulky than other types of bindings but still look professional.
Nonprofits should think of the nonprofit printing annual report as a long-lasting marketing opportunity as well since these more involved types of communications are often kept and referred to over time to assess the health and viability of a nonprofit by businesses and potential donors.
Invitations and Response Cards
The heart of a nonprofit organization’s fundraising efforts is event planning. Printed invitations and response cards are a simple but effective way to present a professional image to the community as well as send a lasting reminder about the nonprofit for invitees to keep.
Posters
Event posters are a useful way to announce upcoming activities or to increase community visibility. Partners and affiliates can display them to announce their connection to the nonprofit throughout the year as well.
Nonprofits can announce donorship appreciation through posters as well as use them during events as signage or other notices needed before, during, or after an event.
Gifts
Whether it is an annual calendar or a branded notepad for community members to use and think about the nonprofit throughout the year, small nonprofit printing projects can be used as a thank you or a reminder of the organization’s good works.
They are a great way to market the organization in an impactful way while giving volunteers, donors, and the community a useful gift.
Digital and Print Both Matter for Nonprofits
While digital communications are an obvious and effective way to communicate with supporters and volunteers, most people receive a flood of daily emails every day and electronic outreach is likely to become lost in this crush of digital communications.
So organizations that utilize printed collateral projects like brochures, annual reports, fundraising information, or even newsletters are likely to feel a return on their investment because not only does the thought-out printed piece last longer than an email, but people also simply enjoy having a tangible reminder.
Nonprofits that combine the smart use of both digital and print communication will widen their opportunity for engagement with the community with this two-pronged approach.
Getting Started with Your Nonprofit Printing
Using a reliable and proven digital printing company like Dazzle Printing will ensure that your nonprofit’s projects look great and represent your mission well to your community.
Whether your reach is small or large, growing community support for your nonprofit’s goals is easier when you put your organization’s mission and brand into your community’s mailbox.
When you are ready for nonprofit printing materials for your organization, be sure to check out all of the offerings on our website.
