Some time ago I stumbled over a little document that lists the 10 most common mistakes non-profit organisations make when putting together communication materials and strategies. It's provided by mission minded, a marketing communication agency for non-profit organisations, and some of the points could also qualify as marketing themselves. But nontheless here's what they say:

"More than a few nonprofit professionals find themselves being thrown into marketing
responsibilities without being formally trained or having much experience or support.
Some are program managers who find themselves responsible for creating their own
communications materials. Some are fundraisers who have a sense that better marketing
could improve their ability to raise funds. They’re right."

Here are the 10 mistakes

1. Thinking that your donors already know everything
   about you
2. Thinking that people read your newsletters to hear what’s
   going on inside your agency
3. Confusing features with benefits
4. Using boring photos
5. Letting the IT department manage web site content
6. Thinking that your annual report is just a financial
   reporting tool
7. Confusing your brand with your logo or your mission
8. Thinking that public relations (“PR”) is a synonym for
   “marketing”
9. Thinking that “everyone” is your audience
10. Thinking that you can’t afford market research

Do you recognise some of them? I surely did.

Full document (pdf, 475KB)