From Scattershot to Strategic: A 90-Day Nonprofit Marketing Reset

Nonprofits do incredible work, but many operate with a patchwork of logos, outdated web pages, sporadic emails, and social posts made on the fly.

I see it every day in my roles leading communications at a community foundation and supporting a fast-growing school: lean teams, limited time, and big goals.

This guide gives you a realistic 90-day plan to take control of your marketing, without hiring a big agency. It’s the same core system I implement with organizations: clarify → simplify → systematize.

Signs Your Marketing Is Running You (Not the Other Way Around)

• Your website and print materials don’t match or feel outdated

• Nobody owns the calendar, posts and emails happen last-minute

• You’re sending to one generic email list with low open rates

• Staff spend hours designing everything from scratch

• You can’t easily explain what’s working (or what’s not)

  
  

If this sounds familiar, you don’t need more content... you need a system.

The 5-Part Backbone of a Small-Team Marketing System

1. Clarity: Know Who You Serve and What You Want Them to Do

• Draft 1-paragraph audience snapshots: donors, advisors/partners, program participants, community supporters. Include their goals, pain points, and preferred channels.

• Define a single primary CTA per audience (e.g., Join our donor circle, Book a school tour, Subscribe for grant alerts).

  
  

2. Brand Basics You Can Use in Minutes

• Mini brand kit: logo files, 4-color palette, 2 fonts, photo style.

• Template set: 10 social graphics, 2 email layouts, 1 one-pager, 1 event flyer. Store in a shared folder with clear naming.

• Voice guide (1 page): tone, preferred/avoided words, and 2 approved mission boilerplates (short and long).

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3. A Channel Strategy You Can Sustain

• Pick one storytelling channel (newsletter or blog) and one social platform your audience uses.

• Post consistently, not constantly: aim for 1 newsletter + 2 social posts/week tied to a monthly theme.

  
  

4. Email That Actually Segments

• Build three core lists: Donors, Partners/Advisors, Programs/Community.

• Write tailored subject lines and CTAs. Keep emails short, scannable, and action-focused.

  
  

5. Measurement That Fits on One Page

• Track monthly: email open/clicks, top website pages, form completions, social saves/shares, inbound inquiries.

• If it doesn’t support one of your CTAs, rethink it.

Your 90-Day Reset: Week-by-Week Plan

Weeks 1–2: Audit & Align

• List audiences + primary CTAs

• Inventory all marketing channels and assets; archive outdated ones

• Draft your 1-page voice guide and key messages

  
  

Weeks 3–4: Build the Toolkit

• Create your mini brand kit + shared file structure

• Set up templates for social, email, one-pager, flyer

• Refresh your Google Business Profile + top 3 web pages

  
  

Weeks 5–6: Content Calendar System

• Choose a monthly theme (e.g., “Back-to-School Impact”)

• Map a 4-week content calendar:

  • Week 1: Impact story

  • Week 2: Resource or FAQ

  • Week 3: Behind-the-scenes or partner spotlight

  • Week 4: Direct ask with CTA

• Build a content folder with copy + images

Weeks 7–8: Email Segmentation & Automation

• Create 3 segmented lists + simple welcome email for each

• Add 1 follow-up automation per CTA

  
  

Weeks 9–10: Website Essentials

• Make sure every page has one clear CTA + working form

• Add an Impact page (1 short story, 3 stats, 1 quote)

• Create a Media/Resources page for downloads

  
  

Weeks 11–12: Measure, Improve, Repeat

• Compare month 1 vs. month 3 on your 1-page dashboard

• Keep what worked, cut what didn’t

• Plan the next quarter’s content in one sitting

What “Good” Looks Like (Simple Benchmarks)

• Email: 30–40% open rate, 2–4% click rate

• Website: 1:30+ average time on top pages; 2–5% form conversion

• Social: Saves/shares increase; more referral traffic to your site

Benchmarks vary by audience, but these are healthy starting points.

Low-Lift Tools for Lean Teams

• Project Hub: Google Drive + single “Marketing HQ” doc or Notion

• Design: Canva brand kit + locked templates

• Email: Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or Constant Contact with 3 segments + automation

• Website: Existing CMS + quarterly refresh of top 5 pages

• Analytics: Built-in email/social metrics + Google Analytics

  
  

Choose the simplest stack your team will actually use.

If You Only Do 3 Things This Month:

1. Define your primary audience and primary CTA

2. Set up and use templates for social, email, and one-pagers

3. Send one segmented email with a clear, trackable ask

Progress > perfection. Consistency beats intensity.

How I Help Organizations Like Yours

• Rapid Audit & Reset (2–3 weeks): audience + CTA clarity, mini brand kit, templates, priority web fixes

• Quarterly Content Systems: themes, calendars, ready-to-post assets

• Email & List Health: segmentation, welcome emails, simple reports

• Coaching for Small Teams: monthly check-ins, KPIs, light creative support

Whether you need a one-time reset or an ongoing system, I’ll help make your marketing clear, repeatable, and doable for a small team.

Steal This: 10 Prompts for Your Next Month of Content

• “3 ways your gift changed ___ this quarter” (include a stat)

• A 60-second tour of your program space

• Partner spotlight: why they care and how you collaborate

• “Your donations at work” before/after story

• Staff Q&A: one mission-driven question

• “How to get involved this month” (donate, volunteer, attend)

• Short myth-busting carousel (3 slides)

• A powerful quote from a beneficiary (with permission)

• “Where your dollars go” pie/bar chart

• A save-worthy checklist (e.g., “Year-End Giving Made Simple”)

Ready to Get Your Arms Around This?

If you’d like a lightweight audit, a 90-day reset, or a quarterly content system tailored to your team, I can help. Send me your top two priorities and your main CTA, and I’ll outline a right-sized plan you can start next week.