Does the stereotypical “soup kitchen” come to mind when you think a non-profit? Well, homeless shelters funded by a single church or wealthy individuals are out there but these have not been representative of the sector for many years. Bring on the promotional items! Regional or nationwide, non-profits need to promote themselves like any other big organization does.

A large charitable organization like the Red Cross looks a lot like a well-oiled business machine. Does this mean that they need to approach promotional products the same way any for-profit business would? Yes and no. Context is king in marketing; one idea doesn’t meet the needs for everyone equally, and this applies to a non-profit organization as much as it would for anyone else.

One difference would be the availability of funds to spend on marketing efforts at a non-profit. Thanks to things like profit, money to spend on the less solid things like marketing and branding is more available. Budgets at non-profits can end up very limited, especially because the reputation of a non-profit can be a huge factor in its success. Some non-profits see it as a priority to keep the amount of money they spend towards “administrative costs” as low as possible. Critical to their reputation, even. In the case of a charity, how likely are you to give if they seem to spend half of their donations on themselves?

The usual guidelines you’d pay heed to when using promotional items in a business setting still apply to non-profits. A trade show means keeping promotional items easy to carry but still attention-getting. No will want to carry something around all day if the promotional products they’ve been given are heavy junk, no matter how neat it is. Avoid the temptation to just toss money into purchasing any little trinket you can find, either. Giving out an easy to carry but completely useless promotional item is just going to be a waste of money. Money that may more difficult to come by in a non-profit environment!

Without the big financial safety net, you might be tempted to play it safe in a non-profit setting. Really though, less room to maneuver might mean letting those creative juices flow and utilizing promotional items that others might not consider. Charities can attract a younger and creative group of employees or volunteers, so it is important to tap into that creative resource. Take advantage of the fact that many people don’t look at non-profits as a business, which can mean more freedom. Picking a promotional item that might not be entirely professional could be a bigger benefit to a brand than a hindrance!

The non-profit sector doesn’t have as much interaction with the promotional industry as it should. It is important to not write off the non-profit sector as a source of potential clients, if you’re a promotional items seller. They’re out there and they need your help! If you are a non-profit, the promotional items out there could be a critical contribution to getting some awareness out there and some contributions rolling in. Our sectors can mutually benefit one another, and society as a whole.