Making It Personal Builds Brand Affinity

By: Andrew Glover
July 18, 2018
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There are currently 1.5 million non-profit organizations registered in the United States. So, when it comes to marketing to current members or trying to reach new donors, one of the most effective methods is making a personal connection with your targeted audience. People are less likely to stop supporting a non-profit if they feel a personal connection between themselves and the organization.

A personal approach will also allow organizations to reach new members more effectively. Promoting and maintaining a personal communication with members and donors builds brand affinity exponentially.

What is Brand Affinity?

Brand affinity is the highest level a person and organization can achieve in a relationship. Brand affinity is reached when an organization and donor share the same values which allows the connection to remain unbreakable.

Brand Loyalty vs. Brand Affinity

Brand loyalty is the stage before brand affinity. People may be loyal to a brand, but a similar brand could always come in and it’s possible the individual may switch to the new brand. People are only loyal to a brand until a newer brand comes along that is more appealing. The reason for this is that most people don’t feel like they have a real connection with organizations through brand loyalty.

Brand affinity is achieved when a real, emotional connection is established between a person and an organization. Before that emotional connection is established, people are sitting in the brand loyalty category and could leave for another, similar organization with similar values. It’s vital for your organization to focus on building strong connections with members because your brand affinity will continue to grow, and you will keep and gain members indefinitely.

Make It Personal

Maintaining a positive reputation has always been an essential task for keeping an organization prosperous. But people also want a personal element added to the mix now too. Marketing your mission and sharing your values with a personal image expresses a more intimate image to organization supporters.

Creating a personal connection with members and donors will lead to long-term bonds. Making personal connections with members will encourage them to be lifelong partners with your organization. Personal relationships also encourage donors to stay linked to your organization instead of searching for other organizations with a similar message. People want to feel connected to organizations they support, so a personal approach allows their values to feel appreciated while also feeling appreciated themselves.

How to Make It Personal

Members want to be involved with organizations that they support. One of the best ways of keeping them engaged is by sharing the news with them that matters. They already support your organization, and by sharing relevant news with them, you are keeping them engaged and informed. The more informed a donor is, the less likely they are to forget about their support. They may then continue to help with promoting the values of the organization.

Remembering anniversaries is another excellent way of building a personal connection to donors. Recognizing their anniversary date of when they joined your organization is a fantastic way of saying you appreciate them. By acknowledging their anniversary, you remember their ongoing dedication and support for your mission. Informing members of the organization’s anniversary is helpful too. Members want to celebrate milestones with your organization, whether it was when it was founded or when a substantial accomplishment was reached.

Another way to create and build connections with members is by listening to them. Listen to their feedback and based on what they share, give them what they want most. If they have an idea for the organization, show that you value that information and deliver on what they are requesting, if possible. Building brand affinity is about having a two-way connection between your organization and the members and donors.

Valtim and Personal Connections

Creating affinity among your members isn’t an overnight task. It won’t just happen, and it’s always earned. One of the best ways to earn affinity is to show your members and donors that they are valued. Keep them in the loop by sharing news that matters to them, remember important anniversary dates, and give them what they want most.

Need help with this? Give Valtim a call. We would love to sit down with you and create a comprehensive strategy for developing personalized relationships between you and your members.

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