David Kinnaman President | Barna Group published this short article on branding……

“Whereas in business, the key driver in the flywheel is the link between financial success and capital resources, I’d like to suggest that a key link in the social sectors is brand reputation – built upon tangible results and emotional state of heart – so that potential supporters believe not only in your mission, but in your capacity to deliver on that mission.”

Several years ago, our research pointed out the steep decline of a well-known non-profit brand. The leadership of that organization had a choice to take stock of the challenges and either recalibrate their efforts or ignore the warning signs.

What would you do? No organization should allow public opinion to determine its vision. Yet your identity – your brand – is a matter of stewardship. Perhaps your organization has enjoyed favorable positioning for decades or just for a few short years. Either way, your organization’s brand is part of your resource engine.

A non-profit’s brand amounts to “influence equity,” the ability to shape the future, to inform minds, to fill venues, to raise funds, to create and distribute resources, and ultimately to connect people to Jesus Christ. A solid brand offers the capacity to fulfill a vision.

Although every organization has a natural life cycle – and the economy is pushing many organizations into uncharted territory, accelerating the rise and fall of many enterprises – it would be irresponsible not to manage your “influence equity” effectively. Your organization’s brand is like finances, time or human resources: a gift from God to be stewarded carefully and strategically.

http://www.barna.org/blog/archives/55