Helping vets: Promotion ideas for my non-profit

[Superfly]

Re: Promotion ideas for my non-profit

I've never tried, but I'd guess just make your case in an intelligent manner. And friend as many people as possible. Many will pass on (share) your message. My Facebook page is at least half ads. And I don't share.

ok thanks!

 

[jimbo]

BTW, you haven't given much information re. your non profit. Thus passing up an opportunity to gain a few followers with no cost, and possibly focusing the suggestions on your non profit.

I'd also be careful about labeling your plan as a non profit without that all important 501 cert. I'm no lawyer, but it wouldn't surprise me if soliciting donations under false pretenses might be a no no.

 

[TheGoverness]

Re: Promotion ideas for my non-profit

See post 19.

How about you say something like, "What avenues have you tried so far?", rather than, "Go look it up hurr durr".

 

[Superfly]

BTW, you haven't given much information re. your non profit. Thus passing up an opportunity to gain a few followers with no cost, and possibly focusing the suggestions on your non profit.

I'd also be careful about labeling your plan as a non profit without that all important 501 cert. I'm no lawyer, but it wouldn't surprise me if soliciting donations under false pretenses might be a no no.

Can't get the 501 without the funds. Can't get the funds without donations.

My books are 100% open to any IRS agent (or anyone else) who wants to look into them. Don't know what else I can do until I get the funds to get the certification.

As far as the non profit, it's basically for veterans and their families. I was originally just going to do it to help veterans who were struggling with getting increased compensation, but then I thought that I could help them out in other ways, too. Too much red tape dealing with the VA, so I thought that maybe I could help out without having to get tied up with the VA. Anything I can help with - food, clothing or shelter for homeless vets, information for vets and families (things that might not be widely known), stuff like that.

I am working on something, too - since 100% of the money is going back to the vets, I thought I'd do something like "If you donate $10, you can provide a veteran a shower if he needs it." "If you provde $20, you can provide a homeless vet clean clothes." Something like that.

 

[Xelor]

Re: Promotion ideas for my non-profit

How about you say something like, "What avenues have you tried so far?", rather than, "Go look it up hurr durr".

Because what I provided is actionable rather than merely interrogatory:

• Click the link I provided and one will see precisely what search terms I used to obtain a host of sites that offer a variety of suggestions for accomplishing exactly that about which the OP-er solicited input.
• Upon the OP-er reviewing the content found at some of the links, s/he is positioned to solicit specific input such as experiential information with using certain of the suggestions, more nuanced theoretical and/or action plan input about how to execute on one or more specific idea s/he found at one of the sites noted in the search results.
• Upon seeing the search terms I used to obtain the results I did, one may get some idea of how to tweak those search terms to obtain even better search results.

Of course, there is more than one way to skin a cat, as it were, and clearly you don't care for the way I chose to "skin the cat" of the OP-er's information request. That you don't is what it is, but it is also the way I chose to accomplish the three above noted bulleted ends.

 

[TheGoverness]

Re: Promotion ideas for my non-profit

Because what I provided is actionable rather than merely interrogatory:

• Click the link I provided and one will see precisely what search terms I used to obtain a host of sites that offer a variety of suggestions for accomplishing exactly that about which the OP-er solicited input.
• Upon the OP-er reviewing the content found at some of the links, s/he is positioned to solicit specific input such as experiential information with using certain of the suggestions, more nuanced theoretical and/or action plan input about how to execute on one or more specific idea s/he found at one of the sites noted in the search results.
• Upon seeing the search terms I used to obtain the results I did, one may get some idea of how to tweak those search terms to obtain even better search results.

Of course, there is more than one way to skin a cat, as it were, and clearly you don't care for the way I chose to "skin the cat" of the OP-er's information request. That you don't is what it is, but it is also the way I chose to accomplish the three above noted bulleted ends.

Yeah, I don't care for what you did,

What you did was condescending. Not helpful.

 

[Moon]

Re: Promotion ideas for my non-profit

Just some ideas off the top of my head:

1. Look into some web-based marketing and search engine optimization so when people are looking for a veteran's group to support your group pops up.
2. If you're providing a service that's unique, try hooking up with a larger group who doesn't focus on what you can do. This might work for a while until the larger group decides to provide your same service if the see you're having success.
3. Related to 2., get involved with any police or firefighter groups since they usually have a strong connection to veterans.
3. See if there are any events in your region that you can set up a booth or table so your name and mission become more widespread.
4. You could look into direct mailers. Mailing lists for a targeted demographic and location don't cost that much the last time I checked (which was a while ago)

 

[Superfly]

Re: Promotion ideas for my non-profit

Just some ideas off the top of my head:

1. Look into some web-based marketing and search engine optimization so when people are looking for a veteran's group to support your group pops up.
2. If you're providing a service that's unique, try hooking up with a larger group who doesn't focus on what you can do. This might work for a while until the larger group decides to provide your same service if the see you're having success.
3. Related to 2., get involved with any police or firefighter groups since they usually have a strong connection to veterans.
3. See if there are any events in your region that you can set up a booth or table so your name and mission become more widespread.
4. You could look into direct mailers. Mailing lists for a targeted demographic and location don't cost that much the last time I checked (which was a while ago)

Excellent ideas. Thanks!

 

[Barnacle]

Can't get the 501 without the funds. Can't get the funds without donations.

My books are 100% open to any IRS agent (or anyone else) who wants to look into them. Don't know what else I can do until I get the funds to get the certification.

As far as the non profit, it's basically for veterans and their families. I was originally just going to do it to help veterans who were struggling with getting increased compensation, but then I thought that I could help them out in other ways, too. Too much red tape dealing with the VA, so I thought that maybe I could help out without having to get tied up with the VA. Anything I can help with - food, clothing or shelter for homeless vets, information for vets and families (things that might not be widely known), stuff like that.

I am working on something, too - since 100% of the money is going back to the vets, I thought I'd do something like "If you donate $10, you can provide a veteran a shower if he needs it." "If you provde $20, you can provide a homeless vet clean clothes." Something like that.

Are you the Coastal Veterans Advocacy Center?

 

[Superfly]

Are you the Coastal Veterans Advocacy Center?

yes I am.

 

[Barnacle]

yes I am.

I'd advise you to remove that statement "As of right now, I am not even accepting a salary."
It sounds like you're hoping for a cushy income financed by strangers who think they are helping vets.

 

[jimbo]

Can't get the 501 without the funds. Can't get the funds without donations.

My books are 100% open to any IRS agent (or anyone else) who wants to look into them. Don't know what else I can do until I get the funds to get the certification.

As far as the non profit, it's basically for veterans and their families. I was originally just going to do it to help veterans who were struggling with getting increased compensation, but then I thought that I could help them out in other ways, too. Too much red tape dealing with the VA, so I thought that maybe I could help out without having to get tied up with the VA. Anything I can help with - food, clothing or shelter for homeless vets, information for vets and families (things that might not be widely known), stuff like that.

I am working on something, too - since 100% of the money is going back to the vets, I thought I'd do something like "If you donate $10, you can provide a veteran a shower if he needs it." "If you provde $20, you can provide a homeless vet clean clothes." Something like that.

Nevertheless, I'd be careful. Good intentions are not always adequate. I think you are going to need better advice than you'll get from an internet forum.

 

[Superfly]

I'd advise you to remove that statement "As of right now, I am not even accepting a salary."
It sounds like you're hoping for a cushy income financed by strangers who think they are helping vets.

Cushy? :lol: No. Everything is out of pocket right now. Everything. I'm not in this for anything other than trying to help people who need it.

But I am open for suggestions, so if you think that will help, I will change it. Thanks for the tip.

 

[HowardBThiname]

Can't get the 501 without the funds. Can't get the funds without donations.

My books are 100% open to any IRS agent (or anyone else) who wants to look into them. Don't know what else I can do until I get the funds to get the certification.

As far as the non profit, it's basically for veterans and their families. I was originally just going to do it to help veterans who were struggling with getting increased compensation, but then I thought that I could help them out in other ways, too. Too much red tape dealing with the VA, so I thought that maybe I could help out without having to get tied up with the VA. Anything I can help with - food, clothing or shelter for homeless vets, information for vets and families (things that might not be widely known), stuff like that.

I am working on something, too - since 100% of the money is going back to the vets, I thought I'd do something like "If you donate $10, you can provide a veteran a shower if he needs it." "If you provde $20, you can provide a homeless vet clean clothes." Something like that.

Nice site! I donated. Hope you get lots more donations! You're doing a good thing. Keep us updated!

 

[HowardBThiname]

Cushy? :lol: No. Everything is out of pocket right now. Everything. I'm not in this for anything other than trying to help people who need it.

But I am open for suggestions, so if you think that will help, I will change it. Thanks for the tip.

You're doing great -- ignore the naysayers.

 

[Barnacle]

Cushy? :lol: No. Everything is out of pocket right now. Everything. I'm not in this for anything other than trying to help people who need it.

But I am open for suggestions, so if you think that will help, I will change it. Thanks for the tip.

Then make it clear on your website, instead of proclaiming that "eventually your donations are gonna fund my life".

In your headline you talk about "we". In your write-up, you talk about "I". Even if it's only your husband/son/daugther who help - even if it's every so minuscule -, refer to your "organization" as "we". You can't be a one-man(woman) show if you want your organization to be taken serious.

As to getting the starting funds, others have already made good suggestions.

 

[Superfly]

Nice site! I donated. Hope you get lots more donations! You're doing a good thing. Keep us updated!

Thank you, hon. You are officially the first. <3

And yes, I will keep you updated. Hope this takes off OK. I know from experience how frustrating it is dealing with the VA - especially regarding compensation.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Cushy? :lol: No. Everything is out of pocket right now. Everything. I'm not in this for anything other than trying to help people who need it.

But I am open for suggestions, so if you think that will help, I will change it. Thanks for the tip.

Many charities seem to suffer lower ratings because they spend a lot (40% or more) of each $1 donated on fundraising and administrative overhead.

On the Wounded Warrior Project’s website, the charity says it spends 80 percent of its donations on its main services. But tax records show it also includes some fundraising expenses in that mix. Charity Navigator subtracts the fundraising and -- in its most recent report -- said the Wounded Warrior Project spends less than 60 percent on its services. The rest, according to Charity Navigator, went to fundraising and administration.

How does the Wounded Warrior Project spend its donations? | WTKR.com

 

[Superfly]

Then make it clear on your website, instead of proclaiming that "eventually your donations are gonna fund my life".

In your headline you talk about "we". In your write-up, you talk about "I". Even if it's only your husband/son/daugther who help - even if it's every so minuscule -, refer to your "organization" as "we". You can't be a one-man(woman) show if you want your organization to be taken serious.

As to getting the starting funds, others have already made good suggestions.

Good grief, Barnacle. Nowhere did I say this was going to fund my life. :roll:

I took your suggestion. I changed it. Can we move on now?

 

[Superfly]

Many charities seem to suffer lower ratings because they spend a lot (40% or more) of each $1 donated on fundraising and administrative overhead.



How does the Wounded Warrior Project spend its donations? | WTKR.com

That's just bananas. Thanks for the link. I found this particularly interesting:

lists on its tax return the salaries for its eleven executives as $2.2 million. That includes a base salary to CEO Steve Nardizzi of $375,000. The charity also lists fundraising expenses of nearly $32 million.

So much money could have been gone towards the vets. I seem to remember about a year or so ago a big fluff-up over this.

I have regularly donated to certain charities, and if I find out that their executives and CEO/COO make ridiculous amounts, I move on to the next charity.

I have tried to build my business model around a breast cancer charity called "The Pink Daisy." If someone makes a $50 donation to the Pink Daisy foundation, they take that $50 and buy a gift card to a grocery store for someone dealing with breast cancer who can't afford to buy groceries. If someone makes a $20 donation, they might use it to buy a gas card for a patient who needs gas to get back and forth to chemo.

It's very baseline, "What do you need? Let me get it for you," instead of going through miles of red tape that eventually really get you nowhere.

 

[Barnacle]

Good grief, Barnacle. Nowhere did I say this was going to fund my life. :roll:

I took your suggestion. I changed it. Can we move on now?

Yes, you did ... "As of right now, I am not even accepting a salary." ... insinuating that at a later stage, you will pay yourself.

 

[ttwtt78640]

That's just bananas. Thanks for the link. I found this particularly interesting:



So much money could have been gone towards the vets. I seem to remember about a year or so ago a big fluff-up over this.

I have regularly donated to certain charities, and if I find out that their executives and CEO/COO make ridiculous amounts, I move on to the next charity.

I have tried to build my business model around a breast cancer charity called "The Pink Daisy." If someone makes a $50 donation to the Pink Daisy foundation, they take that $50 and buy a gift card to a grocery store for someone dealing with breast cancer who can't afford to buy groceries. If someone makes a $20 donation, they might use it to buy a gas card for a patient who needs gas to get back and forth to chemo.

It's very baseline, "What do you need? Let me get it for you," instead of going through miles of red tape that eventually really get you nowhere.

The CEO salary and fundraising figures alone are not as important as their realtionship to total overhead. For example the American Red Cross CEO makes $500K annually but that is a relatively small portion of its overhead.

https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3277

 

[Fearandloathing]

Looking for promotion ideas for my non-profit.

Live in a small town with no TV station, so I can't go that route.

I need to be able to get my name out there for donations, as well as to let veterans and their families know that I'm around.

It's brand new, with zero dollars in funding as of yet, so this needs to be moderately inexpensive.

So I guess cost is an issue.

So, make a sign, big as possible and rig it so you can put it on a bicycle. Then, with say a vet who can or more have them ride around town with the sign. The use of the vet puts them face-to-face with the public if conversations ensue (and they will) even better. They get exercize and a feeling of belonging and acceptance and a chance things can get better.

A friend of mine raised money for a drug program by having Tupperware style parties, inviting possible donors.

But, what will have to happen is getting on the phone and contacting community leaders to explain your business plan. With that, DO NOT hit on them for cash right off the bat. Better to seek advice like you are doing here, determine what, who, when and how, and what makes the donor give. I will tell you out of the gate they want to hear about cost-effectiveness. They do not want money wasted and they want to see results, concrete results.

And that's where your vets come in. Money will swell like crazy once you start putting 'successes" in front of them. Believe me when I had my social enterprise, I would stage a luncheon with ten, 12 invites and a half dozen clients, addicts in recovery we always met a target. When business people share a lunch with recovering addicts and see successes, talk to them the money will flow.

And use the old tested and true system of "phone, mail, phone. Call them, contact and explain your plan, then send them the paper work, your financial plan. Give them no more than two weeks to read it a call back.

Not only maintain a low budget but make sure what you send them looks professional but cheap, cheap paper, cheap printing, envelopes...donors get slick make ups all the time and as a recipient I look at slick, polished stuff I figure a lot of the $, my money, goes to marketing.

And recruit, recruit recruit help.

 

[Superfly]

So I guess cost is an issue.

So, make a sign, big as possible and rig it so you can put it on a bicycle. Then, with say a vet who can or more have them ride around town with the sign. The use of the vet puts them face-to-face with the public if conversations ensue (and they will) even better. They get exercize and a feeling of belonging and acceptance and a chance things can get better.

A friend of mine raised money for a drug program by having Tupperware style parties, inviting possible donors.

But, what will have to happen is getting on the phone and contacting community leaders to explain your business plan. With that, DO NOT hit on them for cash right off the bat. Better to seek advice like you are doing here, determine what, who, when and how, and what makes the donor give. I will tell you out of the gate they want to hear about cost-effectiveness. They do not want money wasted and they want to see results, concrete results.

And that's where your vets come in. Money will swell like crazy once you start putting 'successes" in front of them. Believe me when I had my social enterprise, I would stage a luncheon with ten, 12 invites and a half dozen clients, addicts in recovery we always met a target. When business people share a lunch with recovering addicts and see successes, talk to them the money will flow.

And use the old tested and true system of "phone, mail, phone. Call them, contact and explain your plan, then send them the paper work, your financial plan. Give them no more than two weeks to read it a call back.

Not only maintain a low budget but make sure what you send them looks professional but cheap, cheap paper, cheap printing, envelopes...donors get slick make ups all the time and as a recipient I look at slick, polished stuff I figure a lot of the $, my money, goes to marketing.

And recruit, recruit recruit help.

Thanks. Great ideas. And I am glad you mentioned that about the cheap paper. I was going to try to get nicer, heavier paper. I thought it might help me look more professional.

 

[Fearandloathing]

Thanks. Great ideas. And I am glad you mentioned that about the cheap paper. I was going to try to get nicer, heavier paper. I thought it might help me look more professional.

The biggest mistake. I say "be professional" look "aspiring".

I have found in business 'professionalism' is lacking and one of the reasons my gardening social enterprise exploded. I drove a nice truck, ten years old and dented, dressed in second hand clothes but good ones, wore work boots even if I wasn't working and conducted myself the same as I had when selling $100,000 computer systems.

"Being professional" is mostly common sense but there are a thousand or more free sites that offer suggestions. I had no such help when I walked away from television producing and reporting and became a "computer consultant". So, I acted the same with clients as I did with interview subjects. I rose to top salesman in this company in 6 months. I had made a friend of their worst customer (he had quit ordering) and brought him back as a top reseller by grasping that my company cheated him out of $20 and wouldn't bend. I was going to hand him $20, but you see the issue wasn't money, it was pride and they were in the wrong. So, I went to the general manger and paid the $20, phoned the bad customer and said "I did my part, when can I expect an order" in jest. He stunned me by placing a large order, my first six figure deal.

Later, at lunch, I asked him why? Why me? So many had tried before and not even go in the door. And he told me. "Because you're a pro. See me in four or five months" meaning he wanted to hire me.

I cannot stress enough how being professional, which includes trust/honesty, will beat a lower price by 20% or more. I sold PC based networks to law firms and did so by making my word my bond, but letting them know getting my word could be difficult as I never bet on anything but a sure thing.

Like I say, check out the internet about professionalism, but don't hesitate to be pro. Feel free to call any businessman (find out as much as you can about him beforehand) and politely ask for a few minutes of his time, at any time for a discussion on professionalism in business. I guarantee you won't make ten calls before getting a yes then and there.

Then you do the most professional thing of any occupation, the king maker, the conquerer of Everest moment, you shut up and listen. I never sold anything in my life, whether it was getting a source to talk to me in reporting or flogging a $100 K system by talking. I have interrupted people in stores and told them "you're loosing me as a customer by talking too much."

One last thing. You're going to get a lot of "no's". This can be depressing and although you may not notice it will show in your voice on the phone. I have a long list of dos and dont's about phone etiquette but another day so you need to set some realistic goals, be careful about mood and know this cardinal rule: in one hundred phone calls you will get 20 "yeses" of interest, of those twenty one will buy. That will mean that at first you're going to get no, and no and no and no until you think its useless. Then the yeses start, first one, then five, then you no longer have the time to make those initial calls.

What makes the difference? Stamina.