Does your nonprofit want to become more market driven? Being market driven is among the seven key principles that serve as the foundation of Steve Rothschild’s new book, “The Non Nonprofit: For-Profit Thinking For Nonprofit Success.”

In 1994, Rothschild founded Twin Cities RISE!, a Minneapolis, Minn. nonprofit focused on alleviating chronic poverty, after many years as an executive with General Mills.

Rothschild presents some questions to help your organization become more market driven:

• Who is your customer? Which group of customers establishes the market standard for your organization’s success? Which group’s behavior is critical to achieving your specific outcomes?
• Do you – or the people you work with – have an aversion to being market driven?
• How do you feel about taking the best practices from both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors to fulfill your mission?
• How can you tap into the knowledge and experience of your customers to help your organization succeed? Do you include them in an advisory group or on your board?
• Given the characteristics of your market, how can you best interact with your customers to accomplish your mission?
• What do your customers tell you about how their needs are changing? What do they tell you about their behavior rather than with their words?
• How should your strategy change in response to market information your customers give you about the changing marketplace?
• How should your organization’s culture reflect the culture of your customers?

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