Title: Branding Through Websites Using features, content, and graphic design to help constituents and funde
1Branding Through WebsitesUsing features,
content, and graphic design to help constituents
and funders see you as you would like to be seen
N-TEN WebinarNovember 15th, 2005
2What Well Cover
- What is a Brand?
- Influencing Your Brand
- Influencing Brand Through Your Website
- Speed Branding Exercise
- Branding Through
- Statements
- Information and Functionality
- Prioritization
- Graphic Design
- Speed Branding Part Two
3The Logistics
- Well try to make this webinar as interactive as
possible. - There are two ways for you to ask a question
- Typing your question into the chat box
- Raising your hand
- But for now please mute your phone by pressing
6 - Un-mute it again by pressing 7
- I can also mute or un-mute you
4Introductions
- Lets introduce ourselves.
- What organization are you with? What do you hope
to get out of this session?
5What is a Brand?
6What is a Brand?
- A brand is a persons gut feeling about an
organization
The impression we share of these organizations is
their brand
7What is a Brand?
- Brands are influenced by all sorts of different
things, both rational and not so much
They sent those stupid stickers that got stuck
all over the dog
That woman was so nice on the phone
Theyre always on the news with important things
to say
They won the Nonprofit of the Year award from
that foundation
They have such an informative website
Their name sounds so technical
8What is a Brand?
Brands often speak to the gut rather than to the
head
Care for some salad dressing?
9What is a Brand?
- A brand is not what you say it is.
Its what they say it is
10Influencing Your Brand
11Influencing Your Brand
You have a brand its what your constituents
think of you
Theyre extraordinarily knowledgeable, but that
means theyre hard to talk to
They only work with old people
Theyre caring people, but not great with money
They look so good, they must be expensive
They dont quite have their act together yet
The idea is to change what you do and say so that
people see your strengths clearly
12Influencing Your Brand
- This isnt deceptive. Its about clearly
informing people what youre about and then
practicing what you preach
These companies have largely branded themselves
through quality and service
13The One Minute Brand Definition Guide
- Consider (honestly) how you are perceived
- Brainstorm how you would like to be perceived.
Try the mad-lib approach - XYZ Organization is so (adjective)
- Theyre great at (noun)
- Theyre different because (reason)
- Define concise and compelling answers for
- What do you do?
- Why does it matter?
- What makes you different?
14For Instance
- Red Cross
- Provides disaster relief care internationally
- Helps people prevent and prepare for emergencies
- Red Cross saves lives
- Neutral, international, caring, extremely
professional, politically savvy, logistically
sophisticated
- Wave Hill
- A public garden dedicated to aesthetic
horticulture and the arts - A world renowned horticultural destination
- Not a botanical garden, not a historic estate
your own country house - A uniquely tasteful, serendipitous, beautiful
place which must be visited in person
15Branding Through Websites
While uniqueness is important, there are some
things that nonprofits frequently would like to
communicate
Expert
Responsive
Professional
Eager for your involvement
Trustworthy
Caring
Friendly
Financially sound
These arent sufficient, but theyre a good start
16For More Information
This topic could (and does!) fill books
- Marty Neumeier, The Brand Gap
- Alina Wheeler, Designing Brand Identity
- Al Ries, Jack Trout, Positioning The Battle for
Your Mind - Community Wealth Ventures, Branding White Paper
http//www.pavingpathways.org/tools/Branding_White
_Paper.pdf - DK Holland, Whats That Branding Buzz I Hear?
http//www.fdncenter.org/pnd/npodesign/npodesign.j
html?id37800053
17Influencing Your BrandThrough Your Website
18Branding Through Websites
A website is only one of many ways to influence
your brand
Logos
Naming and signage
Services
Public Relations
Print materials and letters
Websites
Phone interactions
Etc.
but a powerful one that can influence many
audiences
19Branding Through Websites
Many distinct aspects of your website influence
your brand
Statements
Graphic Design
Overall Site Feel
Prioritization
Information Functionality
20For instance.
www.redcross.org
Were an expert international relief organization
doing tangible, important work on the ground.
21For instance
www.wavehill.org
Its an amazingly beautiful place. We care a
whole lot about plants.
22For instance.
www.826NYC.com
Were a fun kind of tutoring. For kids.
Different. Possibly somewhat insane.
23For instance
GIVE US MONEY! Cmon, dont you trust us?
24Speed Branding Part One
- Were about to look at a real organizations
homepage - Take a look, and think through three questions
- What does this organization do?
- What would you say theyre really good at?
- What makes them different than other similar
orgs? - If you can, enter your thoughts into the chat
screen - Ill give you a couple minutes, and then well
discuss
25- What do they do?
- What would you say they are really good at?
- What makes them different?
26Influencing Your BrandThrough Your Website
27Branding Through Websites
And now to delve deeper into the website aspects
that influence your brand.
Statements
Graphic Design
Overall Site Feel
Prioritization
Information Functionality
28Branding Through Statements
29Statements
Simple, concise statements can be a very
effective way to communicate your message
www.groundspring.org
www.heifer.org
30Statements
Taglines the most useful thing that youre
(likely) not using
A tagline can gracefully appear on every page
31Statements
Its best not to take statements too far, however
Statements of more than simple facts can appear
insincere and sales-y
32Statements
The tone and voice of the text throughout your
site also affects how people perceive you
Got a question, query, or comment for Truth? Or
maybe you just want to tell us how super awesome
you think we are? Or aren't. Or whatever. Lay
it on us.
The Cancer Journal is devoted to experimental,
epidemiological and social investigations. The
editor gives priority to didactic publications
on biology for clinicians.
Instructional text on Contact Us page
www.thetruth.com
Text about how to submit an article
www.tribunes.com/tribune/cancer-j.htm
33Branding Through Information Functionality
34Information Functionality
Providing actual services on your website gives
evidence of your value in the most genuine of
ways
www.scorecard.org
Make sure your website contains useful
information and functionality
35For example
A clearinghouse of news and resources in your
field shows you as central in your field
www.positiveyouth.org
36For example
Whitepapers are tangible proof of your expertise
www.nrdc.org
37For example
Articles about your own services show the human
side and the breadth of what you do
www.redcross.org
38For example
Pictures and videos are worth a thousand words
www.wavehill.org
39For example
Searchable databases show the depth of your
knowledge and your commitment to making it
accessible
www.nyhumanities.org
40For example
Community tools blogs, message boards, etc
show the strength of your community and your
passion to get people involved
www.techsoup.org
41For example
Games or interactive pieces can communicate
sophisticated ideas in a fun and interesting way
www.tryscience.org
42Information Functionality
The sky is the limit
Wikis/ document sharing
Chat functionality
Interactive maps
Sell products
Online training
Financial calculators
Glossary of Terms
Guides to services
The idea is to offer value rather than just talk
about it
43Branding Through Prioritization
44Prioritization
There is invariably a lot of information in a
website
Prioritize to draw your visitors to the key pieces
45Prioritization
Choose only a few things to highlight on your
homepage
www.heifer.org
If everything is featured, nothing is emphasized
46Prioritization
The elements in your navigation summarize your
site and your priorities as an organization
Make sure they say what you want them to say
47Prioritization
- Use clear teasers to direct visitors to key
parts of your site
www.peta.org
www.givingglobal.org
48Prioritization
- Carefully balance branding elements against links
to desired actions (like donating) to ensure that
both are noticeable
www.splcenter.org
49Branding Through Website Graphic Design
50Graphic Design
There are two key things that your graphic design
must do
51Graphic Design
Establish that you are professional and credible
Were low budget and unsophisticated
We know what were doing
52Graphic Design
And reassure your audience that the site is
intended for them
www.thetruth.com
53Graphic Design
An inappropriate graphic design can dramatically
impact your message
Not CESPs actual site
54Graphic Design
Graphic design themes can effectively reinforce
your message, but can look heavy-handed.
America
The environment
55Graphic Design
The colors, fonts, shapes, and overall image
projected by your graphic design strongly
influence your message
Choose your design and your designer carefully
56Putting It All TogetherOverall Site Feel
57Overall Feel
All the elements of your site in combination send
cues about your organization.
Were artsy
Were detailed and practical
58Overall Feel
The key is to combine all the elements to present
a cohesive statement about your organization
Were a friendly, caring child care center in
your neighborhood.
We present innovative, cutting edge art.
59Overall Feel
Each piece sends a message make sure you know
what message it is
We want you to be able to serve yourself.
Were easy to reach.
Go away - dont bother us.
60Overall Feel
Your website should feel unique and highlight the
uniqueness of your organization
Your Website Here
61Speed Branding Part Two
- Back to the Voices.org website!
- Were going to look at what theyre trying to
accomplish - And then were going to split up and each
consider a specific branding area for this site
Remember this one?
62Speed Branding Part Two
- What is Voices.orgs intent for their website?
- Voices for Americas Children is a nonpartisan,
national organization committed to speaking out
for the well-being of children at the federal,
state and local levels of government. Since 1984,
Voices has supported child advocates nationwide
who have achieved public policy victories for
children. - The goals of the website are to
- Engage people in child issues
- Encourage people to take action for instance,
to contact their representatives - Get media attention for child issues
63Speed Branding Part Two
- What should people say when looking at the site?
- Wow, this organization is so important
- They look like they're really good at getting
Congress to do whats right for kids - This organization is really different because
they make these issues more understandable and
interesting
64Speed Branding Part Two
- With those goals in mind, lets consider the
homepage - Well each take on one of the four components of
website branding weve just discussed - For your area, consider
- whats working well?
- what you would do differently (if anything is
possible)? - Enter some thoughts into the chat box if you can
- Ill give you a couple of minutes
65www.voices.org
- For your area
- What are they doing well?
- What else could they do that would help?
66Questions?
67Contact
- Laura S. Quinn
- laura_at_alderconsulting.com
- www.alderconsulting.com/resources.html
- 718-208-8172
68In Summary
- Your brand is what people think about you
- Use your website to influence it
- Your website should show the uniqueness and
importance of your organization
Statements
Graphic Design
Overall Site Feel
Prioritization
Information Functionality