Selfish Giving

DECEMBER 17, 2009

Boston’s #1 hip hop station, Jam’n 94.5 , and everyone’s favorite hip retailer, Target , which has a store less than a mile from the hospital, teamed up to reward some very needy kids with a great Christmas and a happy New Year. The partnership was a simple but generous arrangement. Target invited the morning show team from Jam’n 94.5 to the store for the whole day to collect items for BMC’s Pieces of Home Backpack Project.

Marketing 207

Marketing Marketing Medical Retail 207

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

DECEMBER 9, 2009

Photo by Orin Zebest on Flickr. I just donated $20 each to 10 national charities via the Capital One No Hassle Giving site, using my credit card miles. Want to guess how many thank-you notes I’ll get? I’m not talking about the automated emails that Network for Good , the payment processor, sends. I received those immediately. I’m talking about real thank-you notes from the charities.

Communication 157

Communication Nonprofits 157

Nonprofit Tech for Good

DECEMBER 13, 2009

Scheduled to occur sometime between late 2009 and early 2010, some major changes are coming to Facebook Fan Pages. My first instinct is that the changes below are going to significantly impact nonprofits, and in some cases, not in a good way. I think those nonprofits with national and international brand recognition, lots of fans, and technical resources will benefit and the changes will hardly affect them.

Advertising 107

Advertising Nonprofits Management Nonprofit Organizations 107

Fundraising Coach

DECEMBER 8, 2009

I was talking to a friend last week about her fundraising efforts. She was having second thoughts about a mailing that was going to business leaders she knew and respected. I’d rarely heard her confidence this shaken. As we started discussing the letter, I asked her if the letter needed re-writing. Maybe her hesitation was an indication that this wasn’t the right letter to be sending.

Fundraising 87

Fundraising Fundraising Associations 87

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

DECEMBER 13, 2009

Regular readers know I urge "restraint" with respect to social media fundraising … in the sense that I believe there are higher priorities if your goal is to raise money today. But I received a message recently from Mandy O’Neill at Charity Dynamics , an interactive marketing agency, describing some of their success with fundraising — some $10 million in less than a year — via their Facebook application.

Nonprofit Management 74

Nonprofit Management Management Activism Fundraising 74

Get Fully Funded

DECEMBER 29, 2009

I’ve received a couple of email solicitations this week from nonprofits who are trying to urge me to make a last-minute gift. And they’re very good. Here’s what I like about them: They’re short and to the point. . They don’t drone on about how much the organization needs my help. They tell a story about someone they serve.

Communication 65

Communication Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits 65

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

DECEMBER 7, 2009

Thanks to the 199 nonprofits who completed our most recent survey about what you’d like to see on the Nonprofit Marketing Guide webinar schedule for 2010. I promised to book the three most popular training topics on the list by the end of March, so here you go: Integrating Your Website, E-Newsletter, and Social Media Sites. This webinar has been scheduled for Wednesday, January 27 and registration is open now.

Associations 130

Associations Marketing Marketing Communication 130

Nonprofit Tech for Good

DECEMBER 8, 2009

Nonprofits that have been using Facebook for a year or more consistently comment “OK… Facebook is great, but how can we take our Facebook Page strategy to the next level?&# Below are six advanced Facebook Page strategies in response to that question: 1) Create Customized Tabs. Advanced strategies requires advanced tech skills. If you know html and have a good graphic designer, then you can use the Static FBML App to create and completely customize Tabs on Facebook Pages.

Nonprofit Organizations 85

Nonprofit Organizations Nonprofit Organizations Universities Ethics 85

Fundraising Coach

DECEMBER 21, 2009

Chase embarked on the largest social media contest to date with the announcement of its Chase Community Giving initiative. The contest was supposed to crowd source their philanthropy, allowing Facebook users to vote on which charities would receive their $5 million. But as Beth Kanter writes, they changed the rules mid-course. When a few charities they didn’t like made it into the top 100, they added new rules to exclude them.

Values 71

Values Universities Philanthropy Fundraising 71

The Agitator

DECEMBER 6, 2009

Based on research conducted for them by Forrester Research, Convio estimates that online giving to nonprofits in the US will top $4 billion this holiday season (Nov 1-Dec 31 — up from $3.1 billion in 2008). The Convio study is full of other tidbits on how donors are using internet-based tools and resources to assist their giving. Some items that caught my attention (all figures are US) … More than 63% of online consumers (111 million people) plan to use the Internet to donate to char

Nonprofit Management 72

Nonprofit Management Production Management Marketing 72

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

Care2

DECEMBER 7, 2009

Driving into work today I heard a radio spot sponsored by American Express. It featured the Smart Cookies , five women who got together to get their finances under control. Andrea was struggling with debt; Angela was addicted to her credit card; Katie let shopping sprees and bills get the best of her; Robin was trying to make the most of a low-paying job; Sandra was afraid to manage her own money.

Charitable Organizations 70

Charitable Organizations Finance Nonprofits Education 70

Selfish Giving

DECEMBER 2, 2009

This week kicks-off the 6th year that Rhode Island-based Ocean State Job Lots will sell cause marketing pinups to benefit cancer care at my hospital. You can read all about how a delivery of 40,000 pounds of frozen chicken in 2003 turned into one of the most successful corporate partnerships in our history here. It’s quite a story! For all the different types of point-of-sale programs my cause marketing team executes this one is perhaps the simplest.

Retail 196

Retail Food Marketing Marketing 196

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

DECEMBER 29, 2009

I’ve been searching for a new way to give those of you who are interested in my take on your work — in other words, you want some advice, a quick review of something you are working on, or a brainstorming partner — a quick and affordable way to get it. I’ve also heard from many of you who regularly attend my webinars that you’d like to be able to take the next step and talk with me about how to use what you’ve learned in your specific situations.

Communication 117

Communication Marketing Marketing Nonprofits 117

Nonprofit Tech for Good

DECEMBER 30, 2009

During 2009 I created and promoted 34 TwtPolls to help better understand the needs of nonprofits. The TwtPoll results are often surprising and can be very useful for nonprofits as they forge ahead with their 2010 communications strategies. Below are the 11 TwtPoll results that I think are the most telling: 1) Is your nonprofit planning on utilizing mobile technology in 2010 (live Tweeting, group texting, iPhone Apps, launching a mobile site)?

Communication 76

Communication Nonprofits Technology Nonprofit Organizations 76

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Management

Fundraising Coach

DECEMBER 27, 2009

Wondering how to increase your fundraising effectiveness in 2010? Here’s an idea: increasing your personal giving …to other organizations (not your own). Go check out Jeff Brook’s blog post “Fundraisers who don’t give don’t get it.&# In it, he refers to a post by Seth Godin who says: … if you work for a non-profit and you don’t give money to charity, what exactly are you doing in this job?

Non-Profits 68

Non-Profits Fundraising Fundraising Homelessness 68

The Agitator

DECEMBER 27, 2009

Here’s a thoughtful essay from fundraiser Ken Burnett on the "death" of direct mail. Actually, Ken emphasizes (and The Agitator agrees) that what really matters is the message and how well it’s crafted … whatever the medium used to deliver it. Here’s an excerpt: "At its heart direct mail fundraising is not about direct mail.

Energy 70

Energy Food Technology Communication 70

Care2

DECEMBER 28, 2009

As nonprofits scramble to meet their year-end fundraising goals, this is also a great time of year to reflect on what online fundraising and advocacy strategies worked well in 2009. But what's coming up in 2010? Frogloop asked some of the best nonprofit experts what should organizations focus on in 2010 to be successful in fundraising, online advocacy, online marketing, and social media?

Charitable Organizations 68

Charitable Organizations Foundations Nonprofits Collaborations 68

Selfish Giving

DECEMBER 8, 2009

The big news yesterday was that Foursquare had sold its New York leaderboard to Pepsi. And all for a good cause. For every point added through December 13th, CampInteractive , which empowers inner-city youth with technology skills and mentoring, gets four cents. This could mean up to $10,000 for CampInteractive. It’s hopefully the beginning of a long line of cause marketing initiatives using Foursquare , something I’ve written about before.

Marketing 100

Marketing Marketing Production Technology 100

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

Get Fully Funded

DECEMBER 1, 2009

If you are running a direct mail campaign and sending appeals to your current donors, you are likely sending several fundraising letters throughout the year asking for money. But did you know that you should also send a few mailings that don’t contain an Ask for a gift? A mailing without an Ask, or a non-Ask mailing, is an important part of your overall direct mail campaign.

Fundraising 61

Fundraising Fundraising Communication Nonprofits 61

Nonprofit Tech for Good

DECEMBER 2, 2009

As I spent the Thanksgiving weekend pondering gratitude, MySpace made the top of my list of things to be grateful for. When I first started myspace.com/nonprofitorganizations almost 4 years ago I had no idea that it would evolve to become as large as it has, or that the brand/community/concept would spread to Facebook , then YouTube , and now Twitter.

Nonprofits 76

Nonprofits Children Activism Energy 76

Fundraising Coach

DECEMBER 8, 2009

Many of you have heard me extol the virtues of SOFII in the past. SOFII stands for. “The S howcase. o f. F undraising. I nnovation and. I nspiration.&#. And what a showcase it is! For the low cost of free , you can view articles from the greatest fundraisers from around the globe. These men and women challenge your thinking, inspire your activities, and help teach best practices.

Foundations 60

Foundations Activism Fundraising Fundraising 60

The Agitator

DECEMBER 21, 2009

I hope you’re not giving your online fundraising team time off next week.*. As Stephanie Strom reported recently in the NYT, citing data from Convio, a phenomenal spike in online giving occurs at year-end … literally December 31st. Here’s what she says … "New data from Convio, a software company, shows that charitable donors that use Convio’s online giving systems made 13.2 times more gifts last Dec. 31 than the daily average for the rest of 2008, and that the c

Retail 69

Retail Marketing Marketing Fundraising 69

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

DECEMBER 26, 2009

The Rise of Politicians Using Social Media. Are politicians finally understanding the value of being social via social networks? Chris McCroskey, founder of TweetCongress says that in 2009, the number of Members of Congress using Twitter has gone from two dozen to more than 160. However, about 90% of them still view Twitter as a one-way communication tool rather than having conversations with constituents, said McCroskey.

Nonprofits 56

Nonprofits Values Technology Communication 56

Sea Change Strategies

DECEMBER 14, 2009

Generosity. Fear. Facts. Dignity. Meaning. Compassion. Knowledge. Each of these words, and more than 60 others, inspires a short essay in What Matters Now , a PDF ebook conceived by Seth Godin and edited by Ishita Gupta. Godin invited 70 innovative minds—authors, entrepreneurs, bloggers, speakers, editors, CEOs—to share a glimpse of what they are thinking about and working on for the upcoming year.

Advertising 49

Advertising Marketing Marketing Communication 49

Get Fully Funded

DECEMBER 15, 2009

I love days that I get to work in my office. It gives me some quiet time to think and plan. But today, my solitude ihas been interrupted. Sadie is a rather large kitty and has decided that she wants to sit in my lap. This is one of our older cats and she’s a big girl (16 pounds!). Not only is she in my lap, but she’s purring to beat the band and insists on keeping her paw on top of my arm, making it difficult to type.

Management 56

Management Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits 56

Nonprofit Tech for Good

DECEMBER 9, 2009

Many nonprofits still struggle with how to measure Social Media ROI and are not so clear on what exactly the benefits are of utilizing social media. An obvious benefit is about take front and center stage in a few days when Google launches their Real Time Search to the public. If your nonprofit is not utilizing social media, then the only content that will show up is what others are saying about your organization.

Nonprofit Organizations 75

Nonprofit Organizations Nonprofit Organizations Nonprofits 75

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

Nonprofit Marketing Blog

DECEMBER 31, 2009

A great answer from Mint.com: budget planner – Mint.

86

86

The Agitator

DECEMBER 14, 2009

Marketing maven Seth Godin wrote The First Transaction , an interesting post about the need for cultivation to precede any ask for money. It’s a short post, so I’m reproducing most of it here … "Digital transactions are essentially free for you to provide. I can give you permission to teach me something. I can watch a video. I can engage in a conversation.

Non-Profits 68

Non-Profits Nonprofit Management Education Education 68

Care2

DECEMBER 13, 2009

Be honest, does your nonprofit create online advocacy and fundraising campaigns that are reactive or proactive? Chances are most of them are reactive, which can leave many small online teams scrambling to react to news, legislation or changes in bills. Now answer this, how much time is your organization spending on reaching out to Millennials (people who were born between 1981 and 2000)?

Race and Ethnicity 56

Race and Ethnicity Marketing Marketing Fundraising 56

Getting Attention

DECEMBER 28, 2009

I hope you have the opportunity to take a few days off over this holiday season to spend time with friends and family, with your mind cleared of work ideas and to-dos. That kind of downtime is vital, at least for me, for recharging my energy, creativity and perspective. Grab it if you can! Regardless of how 2009 played out for you, and your nonprofit communications work, the coming new year brings with it new opportunities, challenges and adventures.

Energy 40

Energy Communication Nonprofits 40

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