Anyone Can Be A Marketer, Can you?... Really?

As I am writing this, I am constructing another blog for the idea mentioned in the previous post; thus, unfortunately this post is not it. However, to give a quick idea, it is the 'nonprofit marketing agency for nonprofit organizations'. It sounds straightforward and clear, but is it?

Since I was pursuing my bachelor degree I decided to major in Pubic Relations, which I believe many PR skills are interchangeable with marketing (especially in promotion aspect). Many people told me that anyone can be a marketer or public relations practitioner. I agree! and you know what? Every one can be a doctor, a pilot, a scientist, an astronaut, you name it. The only impossibility here would be we cannot be non-human (genetically).

The big idea today is marketing is not for everyone, or you think it's for you, your personality may prevent you from being good at it. And here is the twist, the awesome thing about marketing is the field is so large that it can fit any personality you may have. If you are an introvert person, welcome to marketing analyst. You are a planner / thinker, well, marketing strategist seems to be for you. You enjoy dynamic working environment, then event marketer is sound for you. You get my point. So again, yes, anyone can be a marketer. Let's take an extreme example, leave a comment if you prefer a creative surgeon over the stick-to-the-point kind of surgeon.

Apart from theories, processes, and systems that a marketer needs to know (and yes, anyone who study them can do that). I believe that being a marketer is being a nosy explorer full with curiosities and the why not attitude (what picture popped in your head just now? I was thinking of a Beagle). We take (necessary) risks to see what works and what's not. Are you that type of person?

Credit: Micah Brian Riddle

If you are a marketer and you are not being a Beagle, be one. If you are already being a Beagle, keep going, be there, show up, anywhere your legs can take you.

"Shaping the Future of Business"

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Is Marketing Important For a Charity? If not, What is?

Is marketing important for a charity? When I was in class I learned that many organizations (particularly nonprofit organizations), marketing department is a prey for annual budget cuts - so no, it's not important...? Many do not have an in-house marketer at all. The mindset is like, anyone can do it or we cannot afford it; and everyone in the organization sort of contribute in a marketing campaign... How many messages would a public receive then?

Out sourcing sounds very tempting, but again, that would incurs big amount of dollar and it won't look good for our annual report. What next? What are the options? How can get public trust and create positive reputation without spending that much? Let's go on social media.

The Art Of Marketing, 2014

Social media in my opinion, are awesome tools... "tools". I said this to everyone, if you don't know how to utilize a tool, someone is going to get hurts. I talked to my old friend who is currently working on a social media campaign. After I listened to her, there is a pattern of social mediagaphoning. "Social mediagaphoning" (Adj.) - yes, I made it up - is the action of shouting information on the social world regardless of the listeners. Well, we got the information out but... who is listening? Is this what we want? How loud should we shout until someone notice?

My point today is, marketing is an investment. An investment contain risks, and risks can be minimized. Everyone can get into stock market, but how many make fortune out of it? Same thing. You required knowledge, experience, and guts to invest in marketing. Perhaps, risks were always the reason why small charities choose to avoid (similar to someone with small budget trying to buy a stock).

But! this is not our last hope. We can turn this around. I had this idea for 3 years now; unfortunately, my situation did not allow me to move on with the idea. I think it is time to share it to everyone; in case someone can start or share with me the viability of the idea. I will share this idea in my next post because I think you have enough today. Let's close the page and we will continue later.

"Shaping the Future of Business"

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Revival of What The Blog!: The NonProfit Marketers

It has been over a year I was apart from this blog. Now I assuming that everyone who was reading this has long forgotten this blog already. My apologies if I disappointed you, but disappointments come with learning, I learned a lot during the missing period and I would love to share with you still.

First, HAPPY 2016! well, that's done. Many nonprofit organizations I tried to talk to in Metro Vancouver were incredibly busy during the year ended period. It was very interesting that some organizations were providing me supports in a short interview. I thank you.

Financial Post published one of its findings over the 2015 from the top 25 charities in Canada regarding the amount of donations received. The leader this year goes to the World Vision Canada, followed by Salvation Army and Plan International Canada respectively.

Who are they?

World Vision Canada -
The organization is commit to develop a long lasting change for children, families, and community away from poverty and injustice. By providing supports to children around the world, the organization is able to create positive impacts in eight major areas including: health, food, water &hygiene, education, economic development, child protection, humanitarian assistance & emergency response, and Canadian program.

For more information about World Vision Canada please visit the official website

Salvation Army -
If you are in Canada during period prior to Christmas, then you cannot miss the Salvation Army people. They wear red vest written Salvation Army on the back and have a red poll attached with donation box, and of course, the bell. Those people together all over Canada raised over CAN$22 million over the Christmas period, thanks to all the supporters. I'll not go into deep about the organization due to certain reasons; if you would like to know about Salvation Army, do visit the official website

Plan International Canada
Another awesome charity that bring positive changes for children all over the world. The organization aims to create the world that children can meet full potential in societies. In 2015 Plan International Canada implemented over 4,000 projects in 52 countries, and that's over 85,000 communities OR 214+ million lives.
For more information about Plan Canada, do visit the official website

Today post I'd like to share a story from the World Vision. This is a story of Sonia, a 12 year-old girl living in Burundi, Africa. While education is unreachable for her, she needs to work hard AND long everyday hoping to fill a tiny potion of her stomach. Above all, she wishes "to have a pen and notepad and to go to school".

I never have an intention to move your emotion for Sonia. Everyone has different standard of living, where do we draw the line of "standard"? Yet, standard has never been a standard, has it?

"Shaping the Future of Business"

My A Day in The Life - 2015 New Year Eve Edition (just for fun)

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4 Criteria of Personal Core Competencies

Have you ever wonder how a person get paid so much for their career while you believe the job is not extraordinary? Well, I do sometimes. 

Recently I learned an corporate internal environment analysis in my master and came across the core competency criteria. It was nothing particularly new or unique, but at a closer look, I tried to apply to myself as a person. 

It WORKS! Let's see how...

What is Core Competency?

Following the concept by Coyne, Hall, and Clifford proposed that the core competency is "aggregates of capabilities, where synergy is created that has sustainable value and broad applicability." 

The 4 Criteria

A core competency must be:

• Valuable
• The set of capabilities should help the person in the process of finding opportunities and create value, or preventing threats from surrounding.
• Rare
• The capabilities are possessed by few people, or none.
• Costly to Imitate
• The capabilities should not be easily copied due to 3 main factors:
1. Experience- Rich or extraordinary personal experience
2. Causal ambiguity
   - Unique ways of doing things that no one can understand
3. Social complexity
   - Network and relationship of the person
• Non-substitutable
• The capabilities that is invisible to others; thus, make it difficult to substitute.

Core competencies are the reason behind the differences between individuals which create competitive advantage that makes others perceived you are an important person that cannot be substituted.

I hope after reading this article you can find your capabilities and create your own core competencies.

"Shaping the Future of Business"

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[Part 1] Micro-Econonprofit 101

[Continued: Issues OR Opportunities?]

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone has had a great time with love ones and safe journey. Once again, lots of great things were done over Christmas this year.

Previous post I touched on three major focuses I've found when I was volunteering, working, and studying about nonprofit organizations in BC, particularly Lower Mainland BC. In this post, I would like to expand on the first focus, "Lack of Financial Supports".

There are several ways a nonprofit organization can obtain financial income: donations, sponsors, grants, product or service fees, etc. Many organizations I am aware of, spend lots of time on seeking donations, sponsors, and grant writings; but not many seek to improve its services or products and focus on sustainable income from its own operation. It is true that many organizations are serving to the target with limited income; thus, charging the clients for sustainability would not be feasible, but that does not mean the organization cannot have additional services to generate funds, or even a social enterprise.

The question is probably how to create such thing as social enterprise or provide services that high income population can enjoy because of the perception toward nonprofit organizations' services (eg. private fitness facility versus YMCA).

As many nonprofit organizations will hate me for this, but it is true that we need to operate as if we are a business. This does not mean that we need to pursue maximization of shareholder's wealth. It means, we need to have a organizational (business) plan for both short and long term (click here if you are not sure what is business plan looks like).

Do we really need a organizational plan for a not-for-profit organization? I say yes, because business plan organizes all aspects within an organization and the detailed organizational plan would create a clear single path for staff to follow. Which will likely lead the organizations to the successful result.

Lastly, having products and services that allow organizational sustainability will generate constant cash flow rather than relying on single-time donation. Several organizations is now pursuing sustainability plan by using monthly sign-up which in my opinion, is not sustainable (even though the results proved otherwise).

Next I will discuss about the second topic, "Lack of skilled labors". Generally, it is one of the important reasons preventing nonprofit organizations to grow. Find out in my next post.

"Shaping the Future of Business"

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