Jeff quotes Duct Tape Marketing:
. . . stunning businesses understand that no matter what they think they sell, they are really in: The information business. The community-building business. The experience business. The transformation business. . . .
and suggests that this is good advice for non-profits. I agree and want to take the idea a few steps further . . .
First, I think that what business you're in may depend on the customer you're dealing with. From Jeff's perspective, your customer is your donor and in that case, you need to think through what kind of business proposition they expect from you. At the same time, many non-profits provide services to people--in that case, the "nature of your business" may change, and change dramatically from who you are to your donor.
The trick in all of this, of course, is not to become a split personality. Figuring out where you can be in the same kind of business for all your customers would be ideal. But I think it's important to recognize, too, that depending on your mission and who you're dealing with, you may need to offer a different value proposition to each of your different groups.
Another thing to keep in mind is that these ways of doing business create a variety of synergies that you may need to explore. You may see yourself primarily as being in the community-building business, but in order to do that, you may also need to be in the information business. Each can build off the other and there's value in thinking through in what ways your organization may be a piece of all of these things.
What If You Were in the Information Business?
If you're in the information business, you need to focus on putting timely, up-to-date, relevent information in the hands of your customers. That information needs to be presented in a way that is useful to the customer. It needs to be easily accessible and easy to understand. It needs to provide the customer with the means to do what she really wants to do, and in a manner that makes it easy for her to do it.
is in the information business. They have info on cancer facts, statistics, symptoms, treatments, legislative updates, etc. Part of their goal is to educate and that puts them squarely in the information business.
What If You Were in the Community-Building Business?
Community-builders are focused on the strategies for creating and strengthening partnerships, on helping people feel like they belong to something special and worthwhile. They provide the venues and means for creating connection and for helping people become part of something bigger than themselves.
is in the community-building business. They help people connect to others who share their interests and passions. They prominently feature members on their site and provide access to affinity groups and community-building tools like blogs. You can send e-mails that help your favorite charity, engaging your friends and family in the experience of community, too.
What If You Were in the Experience Business?
Organizations that are in the experience business focus on evoking strong, memorable feelings in their customers through the use of products and services that stimulate the senses. Often these experiences are customized to the individual needs of a particular customer, making it even more likely that customers are engaged by the process
is in the experience business--they send donors pictures of "their" child, updating them frequently on how the donation is helping the child go to school or get medical care. Not only are you helping children, you're also getting to have the experience of "adopting" a child who is uniquely yours (at least according to the marketing campaign).
What If You Were in the Transformation Business?
Non-profits in the transformation business are engaged in the business of change. They are providing customers with products and services and experiences that help them transform into something else, something better and closer to where they want to be.
Many non-profits are in the transformation business--their goals are to help people "turn their lives around" in some way or another. The trick of being in the transformation business is two-fold--actually creating the transformation (sometimes easier said than done) and then telling the story of what you've done.
So what business are you in?
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