What Is Bespoke Marketing and Is It Right For Your Nonprofit?
Historically, the term “bespoke” had referred to a tailored suit, evoking the notion that the suit was customized just for the wearer. Imagine how perfectly fit a suit made just for the wearer would be! Today, however, the term “bespoke” has taken on a different feeling. Now, it is used to describe anything that can be “customized” or “tailored” just for a particular person or intimate group of people. When the term “bespoke marketing” started to show up all over, we jumped into research mode to keep up to speed. We found that, really, it’s a new trendy phrase without a clearly defined meaning.
In our research, we’ve found marketing companies use this term to mean:
- Personalized promotional items (sending a prospect swag with their name/logo),
- In-house marketing agencies in large companies, OR
- Marketing catered to your target market
Let’s briefly review how each definition applies to nonprofits:
- Sending personalized promotional items to donors can make for a fantastic, memorable thank you for a larger donation. The quality of the gift should scale with the size of the donation.
- Most nonprofits do not have the resources or the need to have a full-fledged in-house marketing agency. For most nonprofits, it is more cost-effective to partner with outside marketing agencies who, ideally, are experienced in marketing for nonprofits.
- Any marketing initiative should be customized for your target market. This means considering the best platforms and targeting strategies to engage your audience and reach your goals.
The last definition is the most relevant one. Yes, you should utilize marketing strategies that are customized to your audience and your goals. But that is not anything new. And if you’re a Cause Inspired client, that’s what you’ve been getting since day one. At Cause Inspired, each nonprofit we work with is assigned to a specific marketing expert who will work in their account every month.
If you’re a current client with new goals or audiences you want to reach, contact your strategist today. If you’re a nonprofit that wants expert, custom marketing services, contact us.
