Guess what! We originally wrote this post in January 2020. So, why are we telling you this again? Because repurposing content is actually more than OK when you work at a nonprofit!
Have you ever compared your own organization’s communication strategy with the ones you donate to? You may have found yourself wondering how some organizations come up with so much amazing content.
Well, the truth is, it’s easier than it looks! You can take the content you already have and repurpose it in ways that feel new and engaging to your audience.
Sound too good to be true?
To be fair, we’re not saying you should copy and paste your old appeal letter into an email. Just like we didn’t just change the date on this post and call it a day. There’s still some work involved!
But you can extend the shelf-life of your stories, images, and messages by repurposing content for different touches in your fundraising strategy.
Don’t look too hard!
You may not be sure where to start when you set out to repurpose your nonprofit’s content. And that’s OK.
In fact, that’s why we’re here. To help!
First, it’s important to identify the foundational pieces of your content strategy. These communications will contain a lot of elements you can use in other aspects of your outreach.
For example, the story you tell in your annual appeal is a great place to start. This story should already effectively communicate why your work is important and how donors can further the cause. It should also be supported by images that appear in your appeal package.
And your nonprofit’s website is also a treasure trove of information, ready to be repurposed. You can pull fast facts about your mission and impact. Or borrow other stories about specific programs and initiatives.
Your website also probably features many great images that might be new to parts of your audience. Despite our deepest desires, most donors are not stalking your website, actively reviewing every new page or post added.
If you have a robust email strategy, you probably have even more stories and images that can be used in other aspects of your campaigns!
These are just some of the places you can start repurposing content for your audience. Of course, you can pull ideas from elsewhere. But we find the areas we just discussed are great places to start.
READ MORE: How to rise above the noise.
Share it on social.
A lack of content is one of the biggest problems nonprofits face when launching a social campaign. However, we find many organizations with this concern are thinking too narrowly.
Social media is a completely different animal than direct mail or email. You need to use it to its strengths.
So, don’t just take the story in your appeal and make a Facebook post about it.
Instead, break up the story into a series of posts. This helps extend the life of your content and creates a more engaging experience for your audience.
Nobody wants to read a long, multi-paragraph post on social media. So, tell your story in parts, and use images that help convey the story’s emotions in each post. Build suspense so users check back later for the next part of the story.
And of course, make sure the posts guide users towards the action you want them to take and encourage them to share and get others involved.
You can also take fast facts about your mission from your website and create infographics for social media. And don’t forget to update your audience about the progress of your campaigns and how your stories are evolving!
READ MORE: Repurposing assets for your social media outreach.
Have you heard the news?
Starting a monthly eNewsletter is a great option for nonprofits that are consistently developing new content on a blog, vlog, or podcast.
It’s great that you are continuing to tell stories. But there may be large parts of your audience that don’t visit your site regularly to see them!
So, start a new monthly e-newsletter and ask your audience if they would like to receive monthly email updates. Half of your job is already done if you produce three or four pieces of content every month! All that’s left to do is lay it out in an engaging email.
If you don’t produce a ton of new content, you can still compile a quarterly or bi-annual newsletter to make sure you reach more of your audience with your stories.
It’s nice to meet you!
Here’s the great thing about repurposing your nonprofit’s content for a new donor welcome kit – They will only see it once!
If you don’t have a new donor welcome kit yet, look at your past few appeals and see which had the story that captures what your nonprofit is all about most. Then use this story as the foundation of your welcome kit.
Take the social media infographics we mentioned earlier and include them in your welcome kit. And be sure to include information from your website about volunteer opportunities and other ways to support the cause new donors are unaware of.
And remember to keep longevity in mind when designing this piece. A strong donor welcome kit built with repurposed content can help you retain more of your first-time donors.
Is this just being lazy?
No! Repurposing your nonprofit’s content is not just about making your job as a fundraiser easier. It’s also a great way to build familiarity with your audience.
When they receive an email with the same images as your campaign’s landing page or direct mailer, they will immediately know they are part of the same initiative.
Repurposing content is the key to a thorough, engaging communications strategy. So, the next time you find yourself stuck, searching for a new idea, remember how many great ideas you’ve already thought of and developed!
Chances are your initial message missed part of your audience. So, find ways to take the content you already have and tell it in a fresh way or through a different channel. This not only saves you time. It also creates a more connected experience for your donors.
Still not sure how to get started? Then click here, and let’s chat!
