The number of nonprofits in the United States has been on the rise over the last few years. Although nonprofits share some similarities with the for-profit world, there are also many differences. These differences are important and provide valuable insight into how eCommerce businesses can continue to improve.
Remember the Mission
The primary purpose of a nonprofit organization is to fulfill its mission. All of their activities and the services they provide support the mission, which is the reason the nonprofit was established in the first place. Why did you start your business? What gap did you find in the market? Keeping this in mind will keep you focused on your company’s goals. Another point here is to focus on what you do well. As a nonprofit strays from its mission to satisfy donors or corporate funders, it becomes less effective at doing what it set out to do in the first place. Nonprofits must be careful about what grants they apply for or which sponsorships they solicit in order to stay true to the mission. There is always room for growth and innovation, especially in eCommerce, but you must continue to engage and delight your current customers.
Storytelling
Whether they are aware of it or not, nonprofits constantly use storytelling to get their message across. Storytelling works well for nonprofits because stories are memorable, emotional, and shareable. For example, an animal rescue might post a picture of an adoptable dog, along with a few sentences about the dog’s backstory and personality. For your business, you should always be striving to tell the story of your brand. Think about your target audience and what is important to them. How does your brand fit into their lifestyle? How do your products or services work for them? Forge an emotional connection by personalizing communications, providing great customer service, and creating content that elicits a reaction. For more about storytelling, check out our previous blog post.
Employee Appreciation
Since nonprofits generally rely on fundraising and donations, salaries in this field are not always the highest. However, nonprofits have become adept at showing appreciation for their employees, which has a dramatic effect on morale and productivity. Also, nonprofits value their volunteers, who operate much like paid workers. As a for-profit business, take care to show your employees how much you appreciate them. According to the latest Employee Recognition Report from Globoforce, employee retention and employee engagement were the top two concerns of employers. The good news is 90% of companies who used a values-based employee recognition program reported that the recognition program positively impacted engagement. Even if employees are earning a competitive salary, it takes more than that to keep people in an improving labor market. Remember the quote “a person who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected.”
Social Media
Effective nonprofits run great social media campaigns. This is a little easier for nonprofits because people feel so passionate about their chosen causes. If you follow any nonprofit organizations on social media, it is probably because you believe strongly in what they do. Therefore, you’re bound to feel an emotional connection to their posts. However, you can still attain this level of devotion from your followers. FedEx is an example of a company that is effective and creative on social. Their Instagram account features great pictures of FedEx trucks and planes all over the country, while their Facebook page shows quick responses to user comments. Choose your platforms carefully, post great images and content, and moderate your pages for customer satisfaction.
Brand Advocacy
Nonprofits organizations have the benefit of board members, volunteers, and community supporters who spread the word about their organization. These constituents are passionate about the nonprofit and are usually happy to encourage others to support it as well. eCommerce companies should strive to inspire this kind of loyalty and enthusiasm from customers. Brand advocates are customers whose expectations you have exceeded. They love your brand and encourage others to buy from you as well. Once you have these customers, make sure it is easy for them to share their experience. Make it easy for them to share your content, encourage them to write and share positive reviews, and continue to reward them with loyalty programs. Also, don’t forget about employees. The people who work for your company can be a huge resource for brand advocacy. If employees like where they work and believe they are doing something positive, they will share and speak well of your brand with their networks.
Check out some local and national nonprofits to see what other lessons you can find to incorporate into your eCommerce business.