Nonprofits: YES, infographics can help you get attention!
Nonprofits are always the perennial underdog when it comes to marketing and graphic design. They depend on the altruism of donors and they also aren’t able to command media attention like for-profit companies. Every time Richard Branson or Tim Cook do something, the media is waiting with mouths hanging open to record their every move. Small to medium size nonprofits? Not so much.
Large nonprofits seem to be doing fine with communications and pr departments that are constantly on the prowl for publicity. But since their smaller siblings don’t have the money to attract communications professionals, most maximize every ounce of light they can shine on their cause…and sometimes that isn’t much.
There are plenty of ways to attract attention but I believe small and medium size nonprofits are ignoring an area that can help them: infographics.
“An information graphic (infographic) is a visual representation of a data set or instructive material. An infographic takes a large amount of information in text or numerical form and then condenses it into a combination of images and text, allowing viewers to quickly grasp the essential insights the data contains. Infographics are not a product of the Web, but the Internet has helped popularize their use as a content medium.”–Technopedia
Boy, this definition sounds so technical. But this betrays its possibilities. , Forty plus years ago, information graphics were boring pie and graph charts created with foam board, colored paper and markers. (Annual reports often had good infographics but only shareholders saw them.) As computers were introduced, the graphics upgraded…but not by much. The only difference is that it was easier and faster to create ugly. Many of them still did not incorporate images. Why? Because, many of the professionals creating these charts and graphs were not designers. If they did add images, it was usually horrible clip art. I cannot get mad at these professionals. They simply did what they had to do.
As a junior at the University of the Arts in the late 1980s, I was introduced to information graphics during a weeklong workshop by Richard Saul Wurman. He wrote a book in 1997 called Information Architects and is considered the father of this design field. (He is also the creator of TED talks.) Information graphics includes maps, infrastructure systems (subways, bus routes, etc), information hierarchies, statistical information, tables, graphs, etc. Edward Tufte followed in 2001 with his book, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. (One of my professors, Ken Hiebert wrote a book in 1992, Graphic Design Processes, that details many of the elements that go into infographics.)
Here are the three reasons why small and medium size nonprofits should use infographics more:
1. Visual Thinking
Infographics simplify a complex problem with interlocking parts pointing to a cohesive whole. (Read about Gestalt Psychology.) Visual thinking is using that emotional and creative part of the brain to organize information. According to David Hyerle, 80-90% of what we receive into our brain comes through the eyes. If the brain is capable of processing 36,000 images per minute, what does this say about memory? This idea should be a no-brainer since we use metaphors in everyday language. (Connecting text/words to an object/image helps the listener ‘see’ without physically seeing.) Today, presenters are always told to have visuals. When visuals are not present, either the speaker is steeped in storytelling using metaphors and/or is very animated to demonstrate what he/she is talking about. The best speakers are preachers and…comedians for this very reason.
Nonprofits need to recognize the power of telling their story by creating infographics that can be embedded in short and long term memory.
2. Marketing with a Cause
Because of the internet, sharing ideas, thoughts and images are easier than ever. Before social media, chatrooms were created around segmented ideas: age, ethnicity, geography, causes, religion or all of the above. But there were still NO images. This prepped those using the internet for the social media revolution. As it became easier to scan photos and reduce their resolution, the ability to share images sped up, i.e. social media. Now, we can share text and multiple images in different ways on various social media platforms. This also includes video. Promoting your cause can grab the attention of people, other nonprofits and even businesses. (Cause marketing could be within your reach!)
Marketing with a cause enables interested parties to forward your infographic within their network thus expanding your mission to new eyes. And this can be done for…free!
3. Virality
Although I have heard marketers try to distill virality down to a formula, I still think it is largely a mystery. Many have written about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge but let’s be honest, virality was not the intent. ALS benefitted by accident and was smart enough to ride the wave. Sometimes, the planets just align, some nonprofits recognize it and take advantage of the moment. Once an infographic goes viral, this means it is being shared at warp speed. It begins to take on a life of its own reaching new audiences. Even if an infographic does not go viral, if designed well, it can still attract significant attention. I am suggesting that the possibility of virality is there. Check out Customer Magnetism’s 2013 winners of top ten most viral infographics.
The possibility of virality means creating a well designed infographic that speaks to the audience. Their actions will raise the nonprofit’s image into the stratosphere. (Beware, if it goes viral and you cannot deliver on your mission, it will hurt you.)
All of the big nonprofits are using infographics in their website and social media marketing. Why should they get all the attention? Click the banner below to see an infographic I designed for a nonprofit’s capital campaign.
Leave your comments. What do you think?
