Pro Bono Marketing: How to Get Free Help for Your Nonprofit

Marketing can be expensive, especially if you work for a nonprofit. Even though budgets are tight, it’s still imperative that you have a well-planned marketing strategy in place. Here’s the good news: pro bono nonprofit consulting help is available to nonprofits! With the right plan and some legwork on your end, you can find high-quality help without spending any money at all. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get down to business!

Define your problem.

Now that you’ve got a handle on the basics of pro bono marketing, it’s time to define your problem.

The first step in any good project is defining the scope of work and goals for it. This can be challenging for nonprofits because there are so many different types of problems that need solving–and often times those problems aren’t clear until you’re knee deep in them! To help get a better sense of what kind of problems your nonprofit faces, take some time now (before starting) by asking yourself:

What are some tangible fitness goals I could achieve within 3-6 months?
Which social media platforms do most users use at my organization/organization type (e.g., youth organizations)?

Ask around.

Ask around.
Get recommendations from people you know, or use LinkedIn to find people in your field who might be able to help.
Ask for help from people who are already doing what you want to do.

Use social media to your advantage.

Social media is a great way to find pro bono marketing help. Search for relevant hashtags and use social media to connect with potential volunteers, as well as post a call for help on your own profile. Be patient, and be aware that privacy settings may limit how much information you can share.

Check out the experts’ websites and portfolios.

When you’re looking to hire a pro bono marketing expert, start by checking out their website and portfolio. You want to make sure that their work is relevant to your needs and that they have a track record of success in the area that you need help with.

If you see examples of successful campaigns or projects from them, look for evidence that they have expertise in those areas too. And if there are other organizations listed as clients or partners on their site, check out those websites too!

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

You are asking for help, not money.

As a nonprofit, you need to do what you can to promote your cause and get people involved in your mission. If this means asking for free help from social media influencers or other people who have large followings online, then ask away! You will be surprised how many people want to lend their skills and expertise if it means they can make an impact on the world around them. It’s also important that these individuals know that they won’t be compensated financially (at least not by you). This may sound like a lot of work on both ends but it can be incredibly rewarding once everything gets rolling!

Be prepared to give something in return.

As you’re working on your proposal, keep in mind that there’s a lot of work involved in getting free marketing help. If you can offer something in return, such as a case study or testimonial (as well as time), it will be much easier for the pro bono marketer to say yes.

Here are some ideas:

Training: Your nonprofit might have an employee who could use training on social media or SEO.
Case studies: If your nonprofit has recently completed a project that was successful thanks to the help of volunteers or interns, write up a case study about it and offer it as part of the deal with your pro bono partner so they can share their success story with others who might need similar assistance.
Donations: Some companies will donate money directly toward your cause if given an opportunity like this one!

You can find pro bono marketing help if you know where to look

Pro bono marketing is a great way to get help without paying. You can find pro bono marketing help through social media, personal connections and websites. Here are some places that you might look for free assistance:

Social media sites like LinkedIn or Facebook have groups where you can ask questions about your nonprofit’s needs and get answers from people who may be able to provide the information you need.
Check with local colleges or universities; they often have students who want experience in their chosen fields and would be happy to help out a nonprofit organization like yours.
Look at the referrals from other organizations (such as Chamber of Commerce memberships).

Conclusion

Pro bono marketing for nonprofits is a great way to get help with your nonprofit’s marketing. It allows you to get expert advice without having to pay for it, which can be a huge expense for small organizations like yours. The key is knowing where to look–and when it comes down to it, that might just be social media sites like Facebook or LinkedIn!