The only thing more expensive than a good brand is a bad one.
❌ Bad brands cost a fortune.
✔️ Good brands cost some time and money.
❌ Bad brands chase one-time gifts.
✔️ Good brands cultivate lifelong partnerships.
❌ Bad brands motivate nobody.
✔️ Good brands inspire action, inside and out.
❌ Bad brands repel donors.
✔️ Good brands are a fundraising magnet.
❌ Bad brands sacrifice authenticity.
✔️ Good brands stay true to their mission.
❌ Bad brands blend into the crowd.
✔️ Good brands stand tall in the spotlight.
❌ Bad brands fade into oblivion.
✔️ Good brands leave a lasting legacy.
❌ Bad brands aim for quick wins.
✔️ Good brands play the long game.
❌ Bad brands rely on luck.
✔️ Good brands create their luck.
Which do you choose?
“Price is what you pay; value is what you get,” says billionaire investor Warren Buffett.
In other words, your brand work isn’t a great deal just because it’s a great price (or, worse, pro bono!).
Here’s the crux. 👇🏽
It’s expensive to build a cheap brand.
But even more expensive to build no brand at all.
And no, you don’t need much funding to get started.
Because:
Brand is the engine; fundraising is fuel.
Brand is strategy; fundraising is execution.
So brand first, funding second.
💪🏽💛
(P.S. — our new Brand Bootcamp online course makes brand building accessible to all nonprofits. It’s our entire Four A’s framework, consulting curriculum, and free templates for just $400. But if you’re a grassroots or locally-led nonprofit, comment BRAND FIRST below and I’ll message you a coupon code.)
The Daily Bonus
36 hidden messages in company logos you see all the time, from Reader’s Digest. 👇🏽
Apple
Why does the tech giant’s iconic logo have a bite taken out of it? The reason is pretty practical. The designer made the bite mark for scale so that a smaller logo would still look like an apple and not a cherry.
FedEx
The FedEx logo looks pretty normal at first glance, so it’s easy to miss the hidden message. Look at the space between the E and the x—it’s an arrow pointing forward, perhaps to suggest speedy and accurate delivery.
Toblerone
If you’ve snagged this delicious Swiss chocolate bar in your day, you’ve seen the mountain on its logo. But wait, what’s that on the left side of the mountain? That’s right: It’s a bear. The bear is the official symbol of the Swiss town of Bern, the original home of Toblerone.
The Double Daily Bonus
What do you get in our new Brand Bootcamp online course?
✔️ 40 days of video content in one, simple path to follow (go at your own pace!).
✔️ 4 bonus case studies from real-world, growth-stage Mighty Ally consulting clients.
✔️ A customizable, one-page Google Slides template for your theory of change, positioning strategy, marketing communications, and strategic plan.
✔️ A combination of Global North + Global South instructors with an international funding perspective.
✔️ Your own certificate of completion to be used for professional development credit.
✔️ Instant, lifetime access including future Bootcamp updates.
(P.S. — if you’re a grassroots or locally-led nonprofit, just comment below BRAND FIRST and I’ll message you a coupon code)