My name is Justin Raymond, and I just joined the Angel Oak Creative team as a digital marketing strategist.
I’ve always been passionate about marketing. Whether it was creating an ad for shoes back in high school or critiquing every commercial on TV. Marketing has always been a part of me, and I love it because I think it has the ability to make lives better. It’s all about bringing awareness to a solution that solves a problem and/or challenge. Think about your last purchase. Why did you buy it? Where did you hear about it? Whether you’re aware of it or not, my bet is marketing impacted your purchase decision somehow. That’s why I received a marketing degree from East Carolina University in 2011, and I’ve been using it ever since.
I’ve marketed to everyone from small businesses to government agencies over the course of my career. I’ve also volunteered with several nonprofits – which is where I discovered my passion and purpose. Volunteering inspired me to dedicate my life to helping nonprofits elevate their causes in one way or another. After I made that bold decision… God promptly revealed Angel Oak Creative to me.
Now I’m their digital marketing strategist, and my role is to help our nonprofit clients leverage digital channels to advance their missions for good and inspire and motivate communities to take action.
Here are three ways you can start inspiring your community today…
Always Wear Your Audience’s Shoes
Don’t waste your time on Instagram or Twitter if your audience isn’t there. I recommend sending out a survey to your constituents, donors and volunteers so you know where they spend their time online.
Make it Easy
Have you ever asked Siri to find the nearest restaurant? Have you asked Alexa to play music? Voice is here, and it’s here to stay. More and more, people are using their voice to complete common tasks everyday. They’re doing this because it’s easy and convenient. Amazon has even created “Alexa Donations” — meaning people can now ask Alexa to donate directly to the nonprofit organizations they love. You can learn more about that giving option here. Can your organization utilize this?
Be Personal
How often do you read an email and get the feeling that the sender isn’t really talking to you? Do your subscribers feel that way? Segmentation and personalization is critical when it comes to email. Leverage forms and surveys to get the information you need to make it feel like it’s a 1:1 conversation.
I hope these three tips were helpful, and I look forward to helping bring your nonprofit’s digital goals to life!
– Justin Raymond, Digital Marketing Strategist
