Comments on: Just How Much Branding Can One Nonprofit Take?

By: Erin McMahon

Erin McMahon — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:53:25 +0000

I agree with leandra. Your work email is just that ~work~ email. It belongs to the org. I would certainly go about implementing the branded signature with a softer touch than just stating the above- the suggestions about building buy-in, training and allowing a single item (a line with a program or the like) that can be customized are great. But the bottom line is that you worked to create new branding for yourself and there is no reason not to utilize this in your email to unify this form of external communication.

If folks still refuse to change over the email signature after you’ve offered education around the branding etc., I’d have to wonder if it isn’t indicative of some other issue.

By: Branding and the email signature « message communications

Branding and the email signature « message communications — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:27:24 +0000

[...] November 11, 2008 Kivi Leroux Miller started an interesting discussion in a post on Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog. The post detailed a question from a communications professional at a nonprofit that has just [...]

By: Angeline

Angeline — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:25:15 +0000

We also rebranded recently, and e-mail signatures was also an issue. Our IT department was able to set Outlook to default to a formulaic e-mail signature for all staff. They still have the freedom to set alternate signatures in Outlook, but it would take an extra step to delete the default and apply a different signature to each e-mail, which so far no one has taken the effort to do (it’s been about 6 months).

Another argument we made for our signature was that it would be better for the recipients. Previously, some staff were inserting graphics, logos, or backgrounds that would increase the size of the e-mail. Our new standard e-mail is text-only.

By: BC

BC — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:16:36 +0000

Thanks for the topic. Our team refuses to use our new branded email address. I could skip the signatures happily if our team could move away from the generic “me at aol” “Suzy at yahoo” and “sammy at gmail” Lots of “good reasons” but no change after branded website was added over a yaer and a half ago. one response: “only my cousin uses that one!” I, too, am new and from a for profit background. Help, help, help!

By: Suzy

Suzy — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:03:31 +0000

Would you let each staff member use individualized letter head? Sounds like this is a bigger issue of buy-in as noted.

By: sarah durham

sarah durham — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 22:03:13 +0000

Half the challenge of branding a nonprofit effectively lays in outlining a process up front that builds buy-in. Unlike a for-profit, nonprofit staffers and board members often reject branding efforts if they haven’t been appropriately involved in the process, or, at least, had the importance of it adequately explained (usually done with training).
Instead of focusing on the small details first, I’d go back and lead the entire staff through a process that takes them on the branding journey and builds buy-in. Then the email sig won’t be such a big deal to implement, perhaps.

By: Conor Byrne

Conor Byrne — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 08:09:50 +0000

I agree with picking your battles. It sounds like this may be a bit brand mad…people can get too obsessed on the brand and brand guidelines etc…but take a step back and look at the bigger picture. A brand is supposed to stand for something and if this gets pushed it will just end up standing for something negative in the organisation…not a good start. Once they aren’t using the old brand, move on, look at the big picture and find a way to make people proud of the brand, when you do that you won’t be able to stop them using it.

By: leandra

leandra — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:11:38 +0000

What about having staff use the branded email signatures on all outgoing messages but inter-departmental emails can be a little more relaxed? Not sure how easy that would be to set up, but it seems like that would be a reasonable compromise.

I say folks can put whatever signature they want on their personal email accounts, when it’s work… you need to be a team player.