Transforming Nonprofit Marketing Strategies to Drive Growth with Julia Steele from Success Academy

“Research is key. There’s no hack for deeply understanding your customer’s decision set.”

In this episode of Growth Talks, Julia Steele joins Krystina Rubino to share her journey from journalism to nonprofit marketing and her passion for creating impactful stories that move people to take action. Julia discusses the challenges and rewards of marketing in the education and nonprofit sectors, emphasizing the importance of cultural competency, customer research, and advocacy in driving growth.

Julia also explores how Success Academy works to inspire families and drive enrollment, all while staying true to their mission of providing exceptional education for children of all backgrounds.

🗝️ Key Takeaways:

• Research and qualitative insights are irreplaceable for understanding customer decisions—get to know your audience deeply. 
• Marketing must adapt to diverse audiences and meet them where they are, so stay flexible.
• Advocacy and storytelling go hand in hand. Clear, mission-driven communication fuels awareness and impact.
• Branding isn’t just for profit. A strong, authentic message resonates in both nonprofit and for-profit sectors.
• Calls-to-action are critical, so be intentional in your messaging to ensure the audience understands what you’re offering. Highlight your value. 

⏰ Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Julia Steele’s career

02:12 From journalism to marketing

06:30 Balancing branded content and storytelling

11:45 Navigating the complexities of nonprofit and education marketing

16:20 Success Academy’s dual mission: advocacy and access

21:35 Cultural competence in marketing for NYC’s diverse families

28:10 The power of customer research in driving marketing decisions

35:00 Julia’s favorite growth non-hack: research

🔗 Mentioned in this episode:

• Success Academy Charter Schools: https://www.successacademies.org/
• Ed Institute at The Robertson Center: https://saedincubator.org/

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