Creativity.
It is a word that evokes a variety of thoughts.
Some naturally have it, others want it.
Can anyone be creative?
How can you be more creative?
What is considered creative?
Can it be switched on at a moment’s notice?
It can be difficult to truly define it, but we can recognize the characteristics of it when we see it.
Essentially, creativity is finding things or concepts that have already been created and combining them in new ways.
But what informs the creative process in marketing?
Research.
David Ogilvy, a British advertising executive known for his emphasis on creative copy and considered the “Father of Advertising,” wrote about the importance of research before any creative is done.
Before writing a headline or designing anything, we must do the research first.
"We all have a tendency to use research as a drunkard uses a lamppost -
for support, but not for illumination."
- David Ogilvy
The Four Knows in Research
Know Your Product
What are you offering? What life change are you bringing about? What’s your mission? How does it solve a problem? What benefits does it bring?
Research to understand your “product” more thoroughly than anyone else.
Know Your Customers
Who are they? What are their desires? Why are they buying or using your service? What are they looking for? What kind of attributes about your “product” are they looking for?
Research to understand your target audience and if they truly understand what you offer.
Know Your Competition
What are people doing that is similar to your product or service? How are they effective? What makes them unique? What should you avoid to not look and sound like them?
Research to understand what your competition is saying and doing in the marketing space.
Know The Trends
What trends could benefit your nonprofit? What trends could harm your brand if it’s implemented? What aspects of industry that are moving in a certain direction?
Research to understand the trends to avoid the risk of being overtaken by someone else.
Marketing your nonprofit is equivalent to advertising your cause so more people will get involved or support it. The more research you do, the more creative you can be with your marketing. The more effective your marketing, the more effective your cause can be.
