231. Defining Your Nonprofit's Brand Purpose + How to Bring It to Life - Rob Feakins
Listen to this episode
Overview
Meet Rob. After surviving cancer, this writer and former chief creative officer pivoted to something that felt more meaningful and purposeful. He's an award-winning filmmaker and storyteller skilled at creating viral films and mini-docs that drive engagement and emotionally connect followers to charities. Tune in as we chat about ethical storytelling and bringing your brand purpose to life through content.
💡Learn:
How to bring your brand purpose to life through content
Creating shareable, viral and impactful stories
How to emotionally connect donors to your mission & make them advocates, not just donors
What Rob learned as a cancer survivor / hospice volunteer & how that influences his filmmaking
Today’s Guest
Rob Feakins, Founder, For All Humankind
“There’s studies that show you retain anywhere from 85-90% of a message while watching a video, versus only 10-20% when reading that text. So just when you absorb information, it’s a better communication device.”
Episode Transcript
Download Full Episode Transcript Here
Episode highlights
Rob’s story and journey to where he is today (2:20)
Creating your brand purpose (8:00)
Where a nonprofit could start building and perpetuating this brand promise through all of their offerings (20:00)
Viral content + leveraging social media to expand your mission outside of your four walls (25:00)
The business and artistic reason to invest in film (28:00)
Ethical storytelling (33:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Rob’s life (41:00)
Rob’s One Good Thing: Be in service to someone so you can find perspective, gratitude and generosity. (46:00)
powerful quotes
“We’re not just advertising people, we are advocates. We owe it to our community and cities to be advocates.” -Rob
“Advocacy is a word that struck me early on.” -Rob
“Our agency brought Citi Bike to New York City. We also did the first PSA to hit the YouTube top 10 leaderboard.” -Rob
“Having those lived experiences and the connection point to missions changes you in a way.” -Becky
“People want to buy into a brand.” -Rob
“Regardless of what you do, you need a purpose and a mission, and you need to live it.” -Rob
“What is that one sentence? Once you have that brand purpose and statement, you have to activate it.” -Rob
“A brand purpose and brand statement is nothing if you don’t activate it.” -Rob
“I became a Nike user because they created an app that helped me find the athlete in me. They had training at my local Nike stores, and then I started to buy their gear. They got me by living out their mission statement.” -Rob
“If you don’t activate your brand, then why have a purpose? You have to activate through your product and your services.” -Rob
“Your brand purpose should be very human.” -Rob
“I sometimes think nonprofits don't consider themselves a commercial business. And I think they have to realize they're in serious competition.” -Rob
“Find a unique selling proposition that differentiates yourself from the competition.” -Rob
“Do you have a mission statement?” -Rob
“Followers are as important as donors. How are you going to inspire followers that may become donors in the future?” -Rob
“Embracing culture and embracing hope can help.” -Rob
“Sometimes the things we don’t understand are the things that we resist. Let go and let yourself go into this. If you are listening very well and you have a solid fan, you will find your rabid fans.” -Becky
“There's studies that show you retain anywhere from 85-90% of a message while watching a video, versus only 10-20% when reading that text. So just when you absorb information, it's a better communication device.” -Rob
“We've all had struggles, we've all had tough lives. Some a lot tougher than mine, that's for sure. But people need to be validated.” -Rob
“Be in service to someone so you can find perspective, gratitude and generosity.” -Rob
Creating A Brand Purpose
Get all the stakeholders in a room
Go into the brand attic. What were some of the historical components of your organization?
What are the 5 best days of work last year? What happened during those days?
What are some reasons you didn’t want to come to work last year?
Make the room write a 3 paragraph brand statement about why you exist.
Boil your 3 paragraphs down to a brand purpose of one sentence
Translating These Ideas to the Nonprofit Sector
Find a unique selling proposition that differentiates you from the competition
Do you have a mission statement?
Develop people into advocates.
Create a content calendar.
Expand your company beyond your 4 walls to all the people on social media today.
Connect with Rob and for all humankind
Website / Instagram / LinkedIn
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Are you a fan of the We Are For Good Podcast? Please consider rating and reviewing our show! This helps us serve more do-gooders — just like you — grow their own impact uprising.
First time doing reviewing a podcast? Don’t sweat - it’s super easy! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate the show with stars, and then click “Write a Review.” We’d love to hear what you loved most about this episode!
While you’re there, if you haven’t done so already, would you consider subscribing to the podcast? We curate inspiring conversations weekly to help you do more for your mission (and the occasional surprise minisode too!) and if you’re not subscribed, you could totally out. Subscribe now!
Join the Good Community!
The We are for good community
This is a safe place for deeper conversations. While we love this podcast, it is a very one-sided dialogue. It is great for starting conversations, but not continuing them. You can find friends, colleagues, and others to champion alongside. We believe community is everything and we wanted to create a place where people could learn and thrive and grow together (and also have a whole lot of fun).
Episode Sponsored by
Julie Confer, Becky Endicott, Jonathan McCoy & Rob Feakins
