How Consumers Want to Hear from Nonprofits

Struggling to figure out how much emphasis to put on new versus old media? According to the Cone Trend Tracker, while new media offer powerful ways to reach and engage consumers, nonprofits will have more success communicating messages or calls to action by using traditional media, advertising, and events.

The 2010 Cone Nonprofit Marketing Trend Tracker online survey reports that while word-of-mouth is tops, mobile messaging is last. Here's a ranking of the most effective approaches, according to survey responses; use it to help guide your marketing and promotion strategy and tactics:

• 81% by word-of-mouth from family or friends
• 80% through traditional media (e.g., newspapers, magazines, television)
• 74% in advertising
• 69% at events
• 66% in the store, on a package or at the register
• 64% through standard mail
• 59% through e-mail
• 49% through social media channels (e.g., Facebook, blogs, YouTube, Twitter)
• 29% on mobile devices (via text messaging)

It wouldn't surprise me if this information applied to communication from small businesses and other organizations, too. What has worked best for your nonprofit?