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As you may know, I am in the middle of writing the full-length, printed book version of Nonprofit Marketing Guide, to be published in Spring 2010 by Jossey-Bass. As I was writing various chapters on both strategy and tactics, I realized that I was making choices about what to include and what to leave out based on my own set of assumptions about the world that nonprofit communicators are working in.
Powerful presentations are the backbone of most successful cause marketing pitches. Whether you’re talking to one person or a hundred, the ability to speak compellingly, sincerely and briefly can be a deciding factors in earning a company’s cause business. I have no doubt that speaking well has made a huge difference in my success. Representing a small, relatively unknown hospital in Boston requires not only better ideas than our competition, but also the eloquence to make them glow
This just in from the world of the weird and unbelievable - -. Development Director for a small nonprofit providing housing to families in need speaks to donor who has been supporting annual golf tournament for the past several years. Man wants to give extra money this year, but wants it ALL spent on the tournament , to promote his business, and openly admits this. “Don’t spend any of the money on ‘those’ people.
Recently, I’ve been asked how to use Twitter. I’ve already written on Twitter for Fundraising and Twitter for nonprofits. But these questions were much more “tactical,&# how-to type questions so I thought I’d share with you what I’ve been telling folks. The questions work into 3 basic categories: What do you use to tweet?
Your financial statements hold powerful insights—but are you truly paying attention? Many finance professionals focus on the income statement while overlooking key signals hidden in the balance sheet and cash flow statement. Understanding these numbers can unlock smarter decision-making, uncover risks, and drive long-term success. Join David Worrell, accomplished CFO, finance expert, and author, for an engaging, nontraditional take on reading financial statements.
Back in July, Mark Dolliver wrote this terrifically insightful article in Adweek regarding marketing to today’s age 65+ consumer. [Sorry, I'm just catching up to this, thanks to a mention by the Boomer Project.]. Dolliver refers to this group as the Silent Generation (born 1925-42), sandwiched between a group whose life-shaping — and well-told story — involves the Depression, and the Boomers, who have never lacked a voice in pop culture (and all matters!).
We love watching organizations take video into their own hands. The beauty of online video is that people are more interested in compelling content and stories than fancy camerawork. Pretty pictures can go a long way, but they’re not always necessary. For those organizations jumping into video on their own, we’ve provided 5 ways to save money and do it right. 1.
If you’ve already started incorporating social media into your communications strategy and have done any research on it at all, you’ve come across the advice to LISTEN FIRST. What you are less likely to have found in your research is a practical list of what you can actually do with all of this new-found knowledge and perspective that you gain from building your listening network.
If you’ve already started incorporating social media into your communications strategy and have done any research on it at all, you’ve come across the advice to LISTEN FIRST. What you are less likely to have found in your research is a practical list of what you can actually do with all of this new-found knowledge and perspective that you gain from building your listening network.
I really don’t unplug on vacation. I don’t like to disconnect from my gadgets or my work. I like to have my two sidearms, my iPhone and cause marketing, on at all times, thank you very much. So it’s not surprising that after spending time in Hyannis on Cape Cod last week I came home with a few cause marketing lessons–captured on my iPhone no less!
Thanks to my friend Sherry Truhler at Red Apple Auctions , I found out about a cool contest for nonprofits this morning. 3banana is sponsoring the contest. Basically, you try out their online product then ask people to comment on Twitter on why your cause should win. The contest is called Share to Win. Grand prize is $5,000! “Share to Win is a fun contest we put together to help health, environment and education-related non-profit causes who want to push the boundaries of the social inte
Have you heard about Twestival ? In one day last February, people all over the globe used Twitter to organize fundraising events that raised $250,000 for charity:water. Well it’s back! This time it’s Twestival Local. Hundreds of teams around the world will be raising money for hundreds of local charities. Even if you’re not one of these fortunate charities, I’d encourage you to get involved.
No, says e-marketer Loren McDonald. Here’s an abridged list of what Loren says the successful email marketer really needs to know [with my comments from the peanut gallery]: 1. Email strategy — know how to create an email marketing plan and program that maximize the channel’s capabilities. [Always happy to see strategy at the top of a list like this.]. 2.
Traditional budgeting and forecasting methods can no longer keep pace with today’s rapidly evolving business environment. Static budgets, rigid annual forecasts, and outdated financial models limit an organization’s ability to adapt to market shifts and economic uncertainty. To stay ahead, finance leaders must leverage a future-forward approach—one that leverages real-time data, predictive analytics, and continuous planning to drive smarter financial decisions.
If you’ve ever made an online video before, you know the level of work that goes into it. But creating a compelling video is just the beginning of the process. Getting your video seen—and by the right people—takes just as much work, if not more. Crossing your fingers that your video will “go viral&# is a bad idea for a number of reasons , not the least of which is that you learn absolutely nothing about what works and what doesn’t.
I read “ Trust Agents &# by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith this weekend. It’s about, as the subtitle says, “Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust.&#. I’m talking about these concepts in the book I’m writing on nonprofit marketing, so I wanted to see how what Chris and Julien advocate for the business community might translate to the nonprofit world.
Last week I was part of a group of Boston cause marketers David Hessekiel from Cause Marketing Forum pulled together to discuss the field. It was a lot of fun, and I think we all learned something from each other. In addition to my own organization, there were reps from The Jimmy Fund , Oxfam , Pine Street Inn , Children’s Hospital , Project Bread and The Home for Little Wanderers.
Video is the rage these days. It’s fairly easy to produce and distribute (through YouTube). With a Flip camera or an iPhone you can capture video quickly and have it available on your website or blog in no time. Think about the implications! We’ve known a picture is worth a thousand words. So, what is a video worth? As you ponder that, check out this great (and short) video about Suzanne Falter-Barnes who recently lost her Twitter account.
Speaker: Tim Sarrantonio, Director of Corporate Brand
Do you really know your donors? Not just what they give, but who they are? 👥 In this interactive session, we’ll break down how nonprofits can use behavioral indicators (affinity, recency, frequency, and monetary value) to build prospecting segments that go beyond wealth screening and actually align with donor identity. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to move beyond basic demographics and cultivate supporters based on how they already engage with you!
As fundraisers, we know we are most effective at our job when we’re talking to prospects one-on-one. Isn’t it amazing how seldom we do it? I’ve been doing this for years but I’m still amazed at how easily we get caught up in writing case statements, designing fundraising letters, refining development strategies…all things we can do from our desk.
Writer and occasional fundraising consultant Ken Burnett has been struggling lately with Twitter. In this blog post , reproduced below with permission, he vents his frustrations and offers a solution. I thought you might enjoy his tribulations. Or as Ken asks: Is it time for Twitter Elite? Or is Twitter suicide the only option? I took some persuading to even try Twitter.
This year, YouTube has really increased its offerings, giving the producer more control and opening possibilities for more interactive video. If you want to get the most out of your YouTube videos, look into the following tools and functionality. 1. Insight. You wouldn’t judge your website’s performance by traffic alone, so why judge your video just by views?
Print newsletters have been the default communications tactic for nonprofits forever. Even though I now believe the default should be an e-newsletter, and we are seeing more and more nonprofits drop their print newsletters in favor of email , print still remains an important tactic for many organizations. If you decide that sending a print newsletter or other print communications really is the best approach for your audience and for your organization, consider these five steps to reduce your c
Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.
Dog-days-of-summer reminder ==> Effective communications has shifted radically from the megaphone model. These few weeks, when the work world is far quieter than normal, is a great time to begin shifting your org's communications model (if you haven't already). Do it now, so your org isn't left behind. Here are three strategies to ensure your organization works this all-voices-have-equal-weight conversation to its advantage.
Last Thursday, I had the privilege of speaking at the Tennessee Valley Fundraising Institute in Chattanooga. It was a great event with over 100 fundraising professionals in attendance. I’m always on the lookout for interesting things at these sorts of events and saw something I wanted to share with you. At lunch, each round had a beautiful single sunflower in a vase as a centerpiece with this card: What a great way to decorate the table and promote a local nonprofit at the same time!
Today I had the privilege of presenting to communications, marketing and development staff of Children’s National Medical Center. While I was preparing for my talk last week, I visited their website. And I was blown away. I’m always being asked, what is an example of a great nonprofit website? Theirs is certainly one of them. Check out their give page here.
Earlier this week we featured a somewhat grumpy "take" on Twitter from Ken Burnett of SOFII. Ken diplomatically pointed out to me that one Laurie Pringle, senior manager of philanthropy at ALS Canada, has commented on his original article, presenting a passionately contrary point of view. He graciously urged me to give her equal time. Laurie, a fervent believer in Twitter, says: "Sometimes you find the most precious gems amidst a pile of rubble.
Employee recognition has often been deemed a "feel-good" initiative, tied closely to rewards. While we understand its importance, we tend to associate recognition with intangible outcomes like engagement and sentiment, rather than direct impacts on retention and high performance. In today’s workplace, the true ROI of recognition lies in its ability to regenerate tangible, business-driven results.
I used to be quite the curmudgeon about online video back in the day—ask anyone I worked with in the late nineties at AppNet’s Nonprofit practices or later in the early 2000s as the head of the Internet group at Easter Seals. My reasons were simple. the technology just wasn’t ready yet. Too much could potentially go wrong, and I’m very careful (some might say paranoid!
I’m devoting a chapter in the upcoming “Nonprofit Marketing Guide&# book (available Spring 2010) to time. One of my 10 realities of nonprofit marketing is that it takes more time than money to do it well. This particular chapter is only about half-written, so please help me finish it! What are some of your favorite ways to save time, manage your time, or otherwise work more efficiently on nonprofit marketing?
I'll be back September 1st to launch voting for the 2009 Getting Attention Nonprofit Tagline Awards, and share more nonprofit marketing guidance with you! Looking forward to seeing you then! All the best, Nancy. Tags: Nonprofit Communications.
This just in from the world of the weird and unbelievable – -. Development Director for a small nonprofit providing housing to families in need speaks to donor who has been supporting annual golf tournament for the past several years. Man wants to give extra money this year, but wants it ALL spent on the tournament , to promote his business, and openly admits this. “Don’t spend any of the money on ‘those’ people.
Managing HR tasks like payroll, compliance, and employee data can overwhelm small businesses. That’s where a Human Capital Management (HCM) solution comes in. Our eBook, Why Every Small Business Needs an HCM Solution: A Comprehensive Guide , shows how an HCM system automates tedious processes, ensuring your business stays compliant and efficient. You’ll learn how to simplify payroll, eliminate costly errors, and empower your employees with self-service tools.
I like ANYTHING about social media that puts the emphasis on listening. Because that’s often the web’s greatest value to nonprofit marketers - a way to listen to our community, a way to learn what they want and need, and a way to deepen our level of engagement by using that knowledge to build relationships. It’s not about your mouth, it’s about your ears.
To a communications or fundraising professional, "what is relevant" to my target audience or prospect is — or should be — the threshold question. Relevance to the receiver — not you the sender — is what determines whether your message or appeal has the remotest chance of penetrating the media clutter, as well as all the conscious and unconscious "screens" that the receiver has installed to manage their limited attention span.
We're no strangers to the world of video contests. Last year, our DoGooderTV Nonprofit Video Awards received over 400 videos from all types of organizations and causes. This week, we've helped launch a video contest around one specific issue: driving smarter. The online video contest is a new feature of the Drive Smarter Challenge fuel-efficiency campaign sponsored by the Alliance to Save Energy and 16 other diverse non-profit, governmental, trade association and for-profit partners.
Jason Dick at A Small Change is the host of this month’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival , a monthly roundup of goodness from the nonprofit blogosphere, where this month’s topic is A Day in the Life of a Nonprofit Fundraiser. Check it out and add to the discussion by leaving a comment about what your days look like. Thanks for hosting, Jason! Next month the Carnival travels to Getting Attention with Nancy Schwartz.
Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System
Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.
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