Community service has always been a priority for me. I’m a firm believer in the idea that helping others is the best way to improve quality of life for ourselves and everyone else in the world. With one foot in the non-profit realm, and the other planted squarely in business, I’ve noticed that for-profit organizations could learn a few important lessons from the best practices of non-profits.

As an active board member for both the YMCA of Austin’s Program Services branch and the Texas 4000, I’ve culled the following five lessons that any business can employ to increase their bottom line.

Customers are like donors. Give them a seat at the table.

In the non-profit world it’s natural to heap praise and gratitude on donors. We cannot exist without them. They are our lifeline and we must prioritize their voices. The same applies to customers.  We should meet with them regularly, communicate as openly about product enhancements as we do about product failures and remind them that, through it all, they made the right choice. In so doing we maximize every opportunity to build the brand.

Gratitude comes naturally in the non-profit world. We have the kneejerk perception, albeit often false, that people are simply giving away their money for nothing in return. But in business, just because we hand over a product doesn’t mean the transaction is complete. Customers have also purchased a promise. We still have a relationship to cultivate.

Donors expect to be rewarded with an intangible sense value to the ecosystem in which they live. Customers should receive the same. Meet with them when they’re angry. Share their sentiments with the board. Reach out to them with emails and newsletters. And above all, give extended thanks.

A little healthy one-upmanship goes a long way.

Donors want to know how other donors are committing resources. From universities to medical research to children, it’s important to create venues for networking and collaboration. Non-profits can create valuable fundraising momentum when peer donors are aware of each other’s respective contributions.

In the same vein, it’s essential businesses understand not only who their competition is but how the competition is investing in their product pipelines. For example, a technology company should keep an eye on the supporting solutions their competitors are buying, with an eye toward similar or preemptive investments and acquisitions.

All boards lose sight

By nature, boards are a test of the democratic process. An organization’s direction is always at the mercy of the success or failure of the quorum. Non-profits and businesses must use equal vigilance in protecting the group from the special interests of a particular individual. In the non-profit world, one large donor might have differing ideas for how he or she would like funds allocated, and non-profits have a difficult balance in keeping this particular donor happy without forsaking the organization’s original goal.  Similarly, it’s easy for businesses to lose sight of core values when a large sum of money is on the table, whether it’s a dubious investment or revenue from a tangential initiative. Boards of all ages and endowments should strive for excellence and the reduction of politics.

Build excitement from within.

Non-profits are great at identifying a group in need, finding out how to serve them and getting a program off the ground. Pure passion that fuels this activity and the energy permeates all levels of the organization until it inevitably reaches donors as well. If a donor is passionate about where they give, they’re likely willing to evangelize the organization to their peers.

Businesses can instill the same infectious support among customers by starting from within. It is essential for a corporate culture to instill passion from the board on down the line. We must always talk about how our product makes life better, and every employee should model this philosophy for anyone who shows interest. It’s only a matter of time before the excitement reaches customers as well.

No risk, no glory.

While non-profits can share information about fundraising trends and best practices, businesses cannot share as freely among the competition. Therefore at times they end up operating in what feels like a vacuum. I couldn’t very well go over to a competitor and ask to see their product pipeline. Doing something new therefore often requires a leap of faith much larger than many company heads are willing to take. However, risk-taking is a hallmark of exceptional leadership.

When employees see a leader willing to try anything to succeed, they automatically feel empowered to bring their best game to the table. And when those ideas get off the ground, the commitment to succeed is contagious.

Overall, it all boils down to integrity. This is an ideal that organizations on both sides of the revenue model must uphold. Whether we’re trying to dominate a market or eradicate a disease, simple principles like gratitude and credit-where-credit-is-due pay off in spades in the long run.

Megan Lueders’ marketing philosophy is pretty simple – integrate your brand mission into all facets of the organization, from product deployment to the sales team, on to the partner community and even into the operational groups that make the company tick.  When everyone drives with the same belief in mind, the customer experience will be beyond great; it will be exceptional.  The second philosophy is to cultivate a team of marketers who have an integrated approach into everything they do, who recognize trends and adapt quickly to them and who learn from one another every day. 

Megan and her team dedicate themselves to understanding what our customers really want to know about our video conferencing solutions and industry.  She then leads the development of honest content and programs to show customers how to derive the most value from their investments in video communication.