Many nonprofits leaders are conditioned to believe that digital/marketing efforts are extravagant and not integral to their core mission.
I believe this is a critical mistake.
Pull out your mission statement and read it again. I guarantee that to make it a reality will require a huge amount of trust and authority.
In today’s world, you must pay attention to your online presence as the number one way to build the trust and authority to will accomplish your mission.
You have numerous stakeholders such as employees, volunteers, strategic partners, government agencies, clients/patients, and your community, just to name a few. How they intersect with your organization’s digital presence can make the difference between whether people trust you, want to work with you, refer to you, partner with you, and give you time and money.
Digital Is So Much More Than Marketing
Paying attention to your digital assets and online presence is about more than just getting new clients. It is the first (and sometimes last) impression your community may have about your organization.
Here are five reasons your digital presence matters:
- Having a digital presence drives awareness and affinity, which establishes your organization’s credibility with government funders and foundations.
- It attracts community support.
- An online presence drives social and behavioral change.
- It serves as a rallying point to get everyone in your organization on the same page.
- Digital excellence is a matter of equity and access.
Equity, Access & Respect Matter
I want to take a minute to expand on that last point, because especially for mental and behavioral health this may be the most important.
Providing up-to-date communications is a matter of equity, access and respect for underserved populations. Marginalized and underserved people are often not treated with dignity, even in agencies who are designed to serve them.
Over 80% of internet users are surfing the web on mobile phones, and that number is even higher for underserved populations who often don’t have access to the internet or computers. When they come to your website that is old and broken, they cannot access your services. And you cannot fulfill your mission.
Related: The Top 5 Barriers to Mental Health Care
At a bare minimum, providers should be offering an excellent mobile experience that makes it easy to make appointments, etc. Mental and behavioral health providers should offer attractive and workable digital solutions as a part of their mission to serve.
Bottom line? It’s impossible to be an agent of change when you aren’t taken seriously, and having an up-to-date, working website and other digital assets is a great place to start.
Need Some Help With Your Digital Presence?
I think you do some of the most important work on the planet so I created a company just to help nonprofits, community health organizations, and other mission-driven brands succeed. In fact, we have a proven process to help you not only survive, but become the go-to authority in your local market. If you want to learn more about how we can help with your digital presence, schedule a free strategy call.
