Remaining Relevant

Two questions sparked and fueled my thinking for this blog post:

1)     How will digital media and technology impact brand marketing in 2012?

2)     What would you say are the 3 top components of a non-profit strategic plan?

I’m going to address #2 first.  This question was posed to the Strategic Planning for NonProfits Discussion Group.  As you can imagine, there were endless comments of the  same-ole, same-ole:  Vision, Mission, Values Statements, Core Purpose, SWOT Analysis, Goals, Objectives, Measurable Outcomes … yadda, yadda, yadda.  Are you bored yet?  I sure am. That is the stale, staid, that’s-the-way-we-always-do-it thinking that stymies innovative thinking.  Yuck.

Clearly those elements are necessary within a strategic plan, but what is first and foremost – whether writing a new plan or refining your current plan – is to take a new look at the organization through a new lens.  Times have plainly and painfully changed for non-profits over the past two years.  Therefore, it would behoove ALL non-profits to dust off their strategic plans (if they have one) to revisit and re-assess who they are. 

In my not-so-humble opinion, in order for any (old or new; gargantuan or itzy-bitzy) non-profit to remain relevant, vital and significant, the top 3 (non-negotiable) components within its strategic plan must be to (re)exam and clearly define with supporting rationale:

1) WHY does the organization exist?

2) WHO benefits because the organization exists?

3) HOW will the community/society improve because the organization exists(ed)?

OK, so you ask, “How is that any different than the other old, tired and yaddy-yadda verbiage?”

Well, it is aaaaannnnd it isn’t.  ‘It is,’ because the plan needs to speak to those same components.  And ‘it isn’t,’ because it entirely depends on HOW you rediscover, reveal and (re)tell your story.

Bill Hybels, founder and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, once posed this question to a group of corporate executives:  “What creates vision?” 

By far, the best answer I heard was not from some big-brained, Ivy-League schooled corporate executive within that crowd.  Nope. Instead, it was from a president of a tiny non-profit working with marginalized youth in the Middle East where children and teenagers within sections of its society see no vision, have no dreams and find little-to-no hope for their future.  He said, “Vision – and new vision – comes from new experiences.”

So, how do we have new experiences? (Another question I think I heard you ask.)  It organically occurs when we force ourselves out from our warm-and-cozy comfort zones and “tried-and-true” practices in a way that will challenge our minds to look at our situation (and ourselves) from another, unique, out-sight perspective.

I do this by taking my clients through a proprietary process called MyMosaicStory which creates environments that spark imagination to see, hear and think differently.

Which leads me back to question #1:  How will digital media and technology impact brand marketing in 2012?

After reading the Forbes.com article that posed this question, it was no surprise to learn that content is still king. The article provides good perspective on how to rethink engaging your target audiences digitally. The underlying message that will never change is "Meet them where they're at."  Studying behaviors and responding in kind will help you remain relevant ... whether marketing your company, non-profit, cause or yourself.