Nonprofit Marketing Guide

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Your reaction when your Executive Director says, “This looks TOO nice.” via GIPHY. Heard this one before? The theory is that donors will think you wasted their money if any of your communications look like they cost you cash money to produce them. This theory holds that all of that money should be going to programs and services. (This is the same theory that keeps your salary so low, your software so old and your desk chair so rickety, but that’s another post.).

Associations 239

Associations Communication Production Nonprofits 239

Ann Green

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Wow, September is already here. Can you believe how fast the summer went? If you’re doing a year-end appeal, it’s time to start getting ready for it. One of the most important components is your letter. You want to create a letter that captures your donors’ attention right away and convinces them to donate. Sounds simple, but it’s not. Here are some ways to ensure an A+ appeal letter.

Communication 218

Communication Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits 218

Nonprofit Tech for Good

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

Google research has revealed a 30% uptick in searches from August to September related to charitable giving. Your donors are currently in the process of deciding which organizations will be receiving their year-end donations. Thus, in time for the year-end fundraising season, below are 20 stats about fundraising and social media that every nonprofit needs to know.

Charitable Contribution 111

Charitable Contribution Fundraising Fundraising Technology 111

Fundraising Coach

SEPTEMBER 21, 2015

Today, I'm honored to introduce you to Vanessa Chase. Vanessa is a storytelling training powerhouse. Fundraising Coach blog readers may remember her from last year's Stewardship Tutoring Hour. I regularly share Vanessa's tips and blogs in my coaching with clients and I'll get to share the stage with her again in Seattle at Nonprofit Storytelling Conference.

Non-Profits 111

Non-Profits Fundraising Fundraising Homelessness 111

Speaker: Amanda Adams, Fractional CFO, CPA

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Amanda Adams, 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.

Finance

The Agitator

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

I love it when a nonprofit vigorously stands up for its friends and strikes back at its opponents. Not much room for wimpish go-along-to-get-along behavior in The Agitator’s world. And so it was with delight that I read the news release from The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) noting that attacks by its nemesis the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) against the fast-serve food chain Chipotle are backfiring.

Food 110

Food Nonprofits Nonprofit Management Retention 110

Mission Minded

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

In today’s digital world you may be wondering if printing and mailing an annual report to your supporters is appropriate. And if your budget is tight you may have already decided to save the print and postage costs by emailing a report instead, or simply posting it somewhere on your website. We’ve written previously on […].

Communication 91

Communication Nonprofits 91

Ann Green

SEPTEMBER 23, 2015

Did you know that approximately 70% of first-time donors don’t make a second gift? This has to stop. We can do better a better job of keeping our donors. Here’s how. Do something special for your current first-time donors. Before your next big appeal, make a point to send your first-time donors a short thank you email, postcard, or note card in which you shower them with appreciation and give a specific example of how their support is helping you make difference.

Retention 189

Retention Communication Fundraising Fundraising 189

iMarketSmart

SEPTEMBER 23, 2015

You may already know that MarketSmart helps nonprofits engage with their supporters in a way that keeps them highly involved and committed— so they give more. . But what you might not know is that the personal challenges I faced building this business have been tremendous. So today, I thought I’d share my story with you. . I tried to bury what follows because it was so painful.

Children 82

Children Technology Fundraising Fundraising 82

Fundraising Coach

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

I like reading obscure things: prefaces to books, notes on receipts, credits after movies. So it's no surprise that I read the marketing message on the new bag of East African coffee my wife bought for us to try. What I read on this coffee bag blew me away. Seriously. You can see it for yourself off to the side here. The first line seemed boring corporate speak: Our team at Westrock Coffee strongly believes it is critical to take an active role to improve the quality of life in the African commu

Agriculture 110

Agriculture Fundraising Fundraising Health 110

The Agitator

SEPTEMBER 27, 2015

Last week, in The U.K.’s New Fundraising Sheriff , I noted the failure of UK fundraisers and The Institute of Fundraising at self-regulation. That failure has now led to proposals for greater government intervention and the as-yet-unknown imposition of new rules that may prove difficult and even unwise. One thing is certain. This is no time for the sector and its trade association to acquiesce or silently lick its wounds while new rules are proposed and then imposed.

Associations 100

Associations Governance Fundraising Fundraising 100

Speaker: Radhika Samant and Todd Wuestenberg

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.

Retention

Mission Minded

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

In today’s digital world you may be wondering if printing and mailing an annual report to your supporters is appropriate. And if your budget is tight you may have already decided to save the print and postage costs by emailing a report instead, or simply posting it somewhere on your website. We’ve written previously on […].

Communication 77

Communication Nonprofits 77

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

When I talk to community-based nonprofits that serve local or regional areas about content marketing or thought leadership, I often hear excuses like, “We aren’t the experts. The national groups are. Why would anyone listen to us about this issue, when we just serve this little corner of the world?” While national groups may have easier access to national data or trends, it doesn’t mean that people trust them more, or what to hear from them rather than you.

Communication 226

Communication Leadership Nonprofits Marketing 226

Getting Attention

SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

Read Part 1 first. Metric mania! It’s all around us. Unfortunately, when we try to measure too many marketing measures, all we get is frustrated. Even for nonprofit communicators in large, well-staffed organizations, there’s rarely enough bandwidth to capture, analyze, share and use many marketing insights. But there is a better way…I urge you to take these three steps to identify five or fewer insights that will make the MOST DIFFERENCE in boosting marketing impact: 1) GOALS—

Marketing 77

Marketing Marketing Participation and motivation Communication 77

iMarketSmart

SEPTEMBER 11, 2015

I once heard a story about a legacy gift that was about to be “closed” until the organization’s CFO fumbled the ball in the end zone. Here’s how it goes: The fundraiser did a great job. She’d been meeting with this particular supporter for years. She knew all about her goals and desires. Indeed, they had a very real and special relationship.

Fundraising 76

Fundraising Fundraising Non-Profits Nonprofits 76

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Management

Fundraising Coach

SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

Used with permission of ken_mayer on Flickr I love that we live in a time of actual research of fundraising. We're finally moving beyond anecdotes to verified research by groups like the Centre for Sustainable Philanthropy. (In the interest of full disclosure: I am on the Advisory Panel for the think tank associated with the Centre.). The newest findings presented this month by the Centre for Sustainable Fundraising show a surprising way to increased planned gifts: tell people what others have n

Philanthropy 108

Philanthropy Associations Activism Fundraising 108

The Agitator

SEPTEMBER 21, 2015

Yep, we all know there’s a heap of money to be raised via email appeals. And our sector will send out billions of emails (I don’t think that’s an exaggeration) in the remaining months of this year to prove the point! So today, when I noticed a spiffy new infographic from Salsa Labs extolling email fundraising, I couldn’t resist browsing the factoids on offer … like 97% of emails are marked as junk or trash, the average person receives 76 emails a day, and yet email

Fundraising 89

Fundraising Fundraising Marketing Marketing 89

Care2

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

As I was writing today’s post on how to support the next generation of leaders based on great advice from The Emerging Leaders Playbook , co-authored by Beth Kanter, I can’t but help but reflect on the leadership, passion, and out of the box thinker that Jake Brewer was in the nonprofit and civic democracy space. Jake passed away yesterday and will be forever missed.

Leadership 76

Leadership Nonprofit Leadership Nonprofits 76

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

SEPTEMBER 10, 2015

Are you getting ready for Giving Tuesday ? A little lost on where to start? . The good news is, so many organizations want to help you succeed (and, let’s face it, use their product, too), that there’s no shortage of help for beginners. From case studies to campaign planners, webinars to checklists, there’s a lot of free help out there to get you started.

Production 222

Production Nonprofits Fundraising Fundraising 222

Speaker: Joe Sharpe and James Carlson

Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.

Foundations

Getting Attention

SEPTEMBER 8, 2015

I’ve rarely seen a bigger message fail than this one. There’s clearly been some controversy on this nearby street about front lawn etiquette. Typically, there are lawn lovers, who water and fertilize their way through summer. Then there are the folks (my family among them) who focus on garden beds instead, and others who just cut the grass.

Values 76

Values Marketing Marketing Nonprofits 76

iMarketSmart

SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

1. 3% of U.S. Households are responsible for 67% (2/3) of all household charity (This is according to the 2011 Bank of America Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy). 2. People earning $10 million or more each year gave the most non-cash donations totaling 1/3 of all non-cash donations (This is according to the 2011 IRS Statistics Income Bulletin). 3.

Advertising 71

Advertising Philanthropy Marketing Marketing 71

Fundraising Coach

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

Are you in Orlando, Salt Lake City, Austin, Seattle, or Kansas City? I'll be coming to each and would love to get together. Most of my work is private, with individuals and nonprofits. But I also love giving leadership and fundraising trainings at conferences. Here are some events I'll be presenting at: WALT DISNEY WORLD: 9/11-16 NCDC Annual Conference (September 12-15).

Nonprofit Leadership 106

Nonprofit Leadership Leadership Nonprofits Associations 106

The Agitator

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

A fundamental belief held by most of us is that the more we know about prospects or donors the better we’re able to fashion a strategy for building relationships and hopefully winning or upgrading the size of their commitment. The wealth screening industry is built on that belief. What many folks may not understand as clearly is that beyond measuring financial capacity or “wealth” many types of data provided by the wealth screeners and other data firms provide valuable insight into the likelihoo

Marketing 85

Marketing Marketing Fundraising Fundraising 85

Speaker: Tim Sarrantonio, Director of Corporate Brand

Is your organization ready to build a recurring giving program that not only sustains but also propels your mission forward? 🚀 In this new webinar with industry visionary Tim Sarrantonio, we’ll guide you through the critical steps to establishing and scaling a successful recurring giving program. Whether you’re starting fresh or enhancing an existing program, this session will provide the strategies you need to deepen donor relationships and secure long-term support!

Nonprofits

Care2

SEPTEMBER 25, 2015

It’s almost October, and it’s time to begin figuring out your end of year fundraising plan if you haven’t already. Prep now for #GivingTuesday! Giving Tuesday launches on December 1, and they’re already prepping with webinars and events to get you prepared to raise the most amount of money. While Black Friday has been dropping in sales year over year, #GivingTuesday has been raising more money each year.

Fundraising 75

Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits 75

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

“Sharing Your Progress” season is coming up fast. That’s when you talk about the highlights and victories of your year, and thank donors for helping you make it happen. We usually see these communications start in mid-November, peaking around Thanksgiving, and then leading into year-end appeals. To help you create some of these communications, including short annual reports, progress and thank-you videos, and dashboards, we are running a 6-week Nonprofit Marketing Accelerator

Children 216

Children Communication Foundations Marketing 216

Getting Attention

SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

You have a priceless, DOABLE opportunity to position your organization, programs, services, campaigns, and events in audiences’ hearts, minds, schedules, and wallets: Relevant messages ! Your tagline is the heart of your message platform. If crafted right, these eight words (or less) will complement your organization’s name to convey its unique impact or value with personality, passion, and commitment.

Values 73

Values Nonprofits 73

iMarketSmart

SEPTEMBER 21, 2015

Did you know that there’s a report about $1 million dollar+ giving developed by Coutts in association with the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy ? Coutts is one of the world’s oldest banks and wealth management firms located in Scotland. Anyway, their report is fascinating. Filled with lots of neat tidbits of data. But what I like best is the advice it provides.

Universities 70

Universities Philanthropy Associations Management 70

Speaker: Radhika Samant and Adri Glover

The world of work has fundamentally changed. The series of waves that the pandemic began have rippled through the Great Resignation, quiet quitting, the Great Regret, and other eloquent phrases that boil down to the same thing: people aren’t engaged at work or enabled to perform at their best. The truth is that engagement and enablement is more important than ever, but how we do it is the critical differentiator for many organizations.

Activism

Fundraising Coach

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

We've all heard that science proves stories are more powerful than statistics. Kendall Haven's book Story Proof: The Science Behind the Startling Power of Story goes into great detail about hundreds and hundreds of studies. We've seen storytelling seminars for nonprofits and read the blog posts extolling the virtues of stories for fundraising. But how do we actually tell powerful stories?

Fundraising 104

Fundraising Fundraising Universities Communication 104

The Agitator

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Jeff Brooks at Future Fundraising Now wrote an interesting post last week about second-guessing donors. He was warning fundraisers not to make up stories about donors … what he referred to as “wild guesses about their behaviors that wander far away from what donors really do” And he gave the example of worrying about how donors might react to a carrier with a big red URGENT stamped on the outside — would donors be more motivated to give, or dismiss the claim as silly gimm

Fundraising 84

Fundraising Fundraising Retention 84

NonProfit Hub

SEPTEMBER 8, 2015

Buried in the 74,608 pages of the United States Tax Codes are options. Separated by just a few lines, which route you go to classify your nonprofit will have a big difference on what type of actions are legal and how you manage your finances. In fact, there are 29 different types of 501(c) organizations including cemetery companies , Teachers’ Retirement Fund Associations and Black Lung Benefit Trusts.

Taxation 75

Taxation Finance Public and Nonprofit Management Charitable Contribution 75

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

Laurel Dykema. I always love getting an email from Laurel Dykema of Mission India. It means we are going to get another great guest blog post on being a nonprofit writer. Today Laurel shares what NOT to do as a nonprofit writer. ~Kristina. Guest Post by Laurel Dykema of Mission India. Don’t write all day every day. Spending every hour of every working day producing written content might seem like the best use of your time.

Construction 214

Construction Nonprofits 214

Speaker: Igli Laci, Strategic Finance Leader

In today’s competitive market, pricing is more than just a number — it’s the cornerstone of profitability. The right pricing strategy ensures that you capture the true value of your offering, paving the way for sustainable growth and long-term success. Join Igli Laci, Strategic Finance Leader, in this exclusive session where he will explore how a well-crafted pricing approach balances customer perception with business objectives, creating a powerful tool for securing both competitive advantage a

Finance