ABCs of Mission-Driven Marketing: P-T

ABCs of Mission-Driven Marketing: P-T

February 5, 2020

A new day, a new lesson in mission-driven* marketing jargon. We’re hoping you’ve begun to grasp a few of the industry’s most utilized (or over-utilized, depending on who you ask) terms. Perhaps you’re even excited about leveraging some of these marketing and communications concepts within your own organization! Which brings us to the letters “P” through “T.” Ready? Let’s dive in!

*For the purposes of this blog, we use the terms mission-driven organization, social enterprise and nonprofit organization interchangeably. There are important structural differences between them, but all are characterized by a commitment to social good.

Person-Centered Language

Have you noticed that, as a society, we LOVE to label folks? We’re accustomed to understanding who someone is (or who we think they are) based on the labels that describe them: black, white, female, male, gender queer, gay, straight…the list goes on and on. While we certainly can utilize prescribed labels like these to describe groups of people or individuals, it’s not our preference. It’s likely not the preference of the person you are describing or interacting with either.

This is where person-centered or person-first language comes in. The purpose of the language is to respect the person and acknowledge that they are not defined by their conditions or basic descriptors. For example, instead of “dyslexic person,” the correct person-first language would be “person with dyslexia.” Better yet, asking the person you are encountering what his/her/their preferred language is would be even better and truly showcase that you understand how to utilize language that puts the person first!

QR Code

Thank the pandemic for bringing these black and white squares back from the marketing grave. A QR code is a type of matrix barcode that you can scan with your phone to open a link in your browser. These have become insanely popular due to the no-contact policies many restaurants, retailers and businesses put in place during the pandemic. These codes have become a norm and are a great way to share information without taking up too much space.

Reach

Reach typically describes the distance you can spread your messaging and/or the number of people who potentially were “touched” by your communications. We can measure media reach based on the number of potentially viewers, listeners or readers who consumed an article, TV segment or podcast episode. We can also measure social media reach based on the number of social media users who potentially saw or were “reached by” your content.

Social Enterprise

Some of our favorite businesses to elevate, social enterprises are organizations that work to improve society financially, socially and environmentally. Instead of focusing on just community improvement or revenue, they create strategies that work towards both at the same time. These businesses are still focused on profit, but intend to be profitable in order to benefit the greater good. A few examples of social enterprises we admire? TOMS, Warby Parker and KIND.

Talking Points

Imagine you’re being interviewed on live TV for your organization's latest campaign when, all of a sudden, your mind goes blank. Nothing. Zilch. Everything you have ever passionately spoken about your organization has ceased to exist in your mind. This is why we have talking points! Talking points are used to keep speakers on track and remind them about the most important topics to mention. Talking points are especially useful when time is limited, as they guide the speaker in sharing an elevator speech in a short amount of time.

Hungry for more? Stay tuned for the next installment of The ABCs of Mission-Driven Marketing! See you next time!