May 7, 2026

PART 2 | Ben Webb on the Most Effective Approach to Nonprofit Marketing (International Justice Mission)

“Much of what I've encountered throughout my career is people building a campaign to keep the organization happy versus meeting a clear, objective goal.” –Ben Webb

(Did you miss Part 1? You can find it here.)

Which department is accountable for a nonprofit’s revenue?

If you said fundraising, you’d be with the majority. But according to Ben Webb, CMO of International Justice Mission (IJM), you’d only be partly right.

Ben believes that when we view marketing as a revenue partner, marketing becomes a powerful culture builder—capable of amassing valuable insights, building trust between teams, upholding organizational excellence, and transforming the hearts of donors.

And in this conversation, he shares the exact process they use to accomplish that at IJM.

After this special marketing-focused episode, you’ll walk away with a reframe on storytelling in nonprofit marketing, an understanding of how to combat the “nothing’s working” challenge of nonprofit marketing today, and why accountability to results is such an opportunity on nonprofit teams today.

Links

Key Takeaways

If nothing’s working, get back to the basics. When we get so caught up in the idea of innovation, we lose sight of the fundamentals. Even through all the shifts happening in the world around us, Ben is seeing major momentum by helping his team get back to the basics of marketing.
Stay objective and accountable. Personal preference isn’t the end-all of effectiveness. We loved Ben’s approach to campaign planning that valued results, and his insight on what nonprofit teams can learn when they’re honest about the results, above all else.
Your nonprofit is not “lesser than” for-profit brands. Like Ben said, we have a lot we can learn from for-profit brands. But what you have to offer is as valuable (and likely much more valuable) than the largest brands today. When you look at nonprofit giving as an exchange of identity and true transformation, that’s marketing that can help people grow a connection to your mission in a deeper way than any for-profit brand could.

Meet the Guest

Ben Webb is the Chief Marketing Officer at International Justice Mission (IJM), leading global marketing, communications, and brand strategy. Ben’s experience is vast, from music and ministry to startups and creative consultancy. He previously led global marketing at Compassion International, and has also studied leadership at the Kellogg School of Management. Ben is originally from Australia, and now lives with his wife and two kids in Colorado.