Pam Moore

JULY 9, 2018

Content marketing is becoming more challenging even for the most experienced marketers. Gone are the days of simply needing to know how to write textual content for a white paper, marketing collateral or direct mail flyer. Now businesses large and small must learn not just how to inspire and engage their audiences with content, they must also learn the technologies, mediums, social networks and how to orchestrate them all together to somehow rise above the noise.

Marketing 163

Marketing Marketing Foundations Technology 163

Ann Green

JULY 12, 2018

When your donors open your appeal letter or newsletter, do you bore them with a bunch of mind-numbing statistics, or do you share a story about how the Clark family moved out of a shelter and into a home of their own? Donors want to hear your stories. You may be reluctant to use stories because it’s more work for your organization, but don’t use that as an excuse.

Culture 157

Culture Health Fundraising Fundraising 157

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

JULY 12, 2018

If email engagement is the goal (see last week’s posts here and here on why that is) and snail mail keeps getting more expensive, it makes sense in both channels to more carefully manage who is on your mailing lists so you only send to people who may actually consume that content, right? That means that you need to decide when you will STOP emailing and snail mailing people and remove them from your active lists.

Marketing 124

Marketing Marketing Communication Activism 124

Selfish Giving

JULY 11, 2018

I love holidays because cause marketing campaigns tend to be clustered around them. Last week's holiday, Independence Day , was no exception. My favorite campaign last week? A hashtag campaign from Keep American Beautiful (KAB) and Fishbrain. The latter bills itself as the most popular mobile app for people who love fishing. They have four million users!

Food 100

Food Fundraising Fundraising Activism 100

Speaker: Jennifer Hill

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.

Technology

Pam Moore

JULY 11, 2018

How do you build a brand that is a sweet orange in an online social world of bitter apples? How do the brands that leave lasting imprints in your head do it? Why is that jingle you hear one time on the radio or TV in the morning stuck in your head all day? Why do you consistently buy one brand over another? Standing out in a crowd of noise, confusion, spammers and fake bots online is a challenge.

Values 139

Values Marketing Marketing Production 139

The Agitator

JULY 9, 2018

Nonprofits need to exist as long as their issue exists. Most deal with long-term problems. Thus, they need to exist in the long-term. That’s why we preach retention above almost all other things – the donors you have are the ones who will sustain you. As a fundraising professional, it’s your responsibility to think about –and act– in support of the long-term.

Retention 77

Retention Management Nonprofit Leadership Values 77

Mission Minded

JULY 11, 2018

Summer brings the quiet of an empty campus and the focus you need to get through your backlog of emails and articles. Not only is this a time for productivity, it’s also the perfect opportunity to learn something new to help you communicate even more effectively at your school. Why not join the Mission Minded […]. The post Learn Something New, Even Though School is Out appeared first on Mission Minded.

Production 64

Production Communication Marketing Marketing 64

iMarketSmart

JULY 11, 2018

In my last post, I tore up the concept of the disappearing donor. I proclaimed that donors are not disappearing. Rather, our sector’s fundraising practices are driving donors to avoid our communications because most nonprofits fail to understand and provide value. Instead, too many listen to vendors, suppliers, and so-called experts in the field who are driven by their own self-interests— leading the sector to march further downward on the declivity.

Values 45

Values Nonprofit Organizations Nonprofit Organizations Collaborations 45

The Agitator

JULY 10, 2018

When a siloed staff is channel-structured and channel-incentivized, the knives come out. Direct marketers who are measured against a net budget goal are loathe to give up “their donors” to major donor prospecting or try to drive them to events. In turn, Events folks want their walkers, bikers, gala goers, etc. to keep walking, biking, going to galas,with no “interference” from those who might try to turn them into institutional donors.

Management 49

Management Energy Children Marketing 49

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

JULY 10, 2018

You’ve probably heard that you need to make your supporters the hero of your story. It’s really at the heart of creating supporter-centered communications – talk about how awesome your supporters are for helping as opposed to how awesome you are. But every hero needs a villain, right? While you may not have a nemesis the likes of Thanos or Voldemort, you need to create something your supporters want to defeat in order to effectively communicate your mission and get your readers involved in

Homelessness 106

Homelessness Poverty Healthcare Culture 106

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.

Finance

EveryAction

JULY 12, 2018

We're just a few weeks away from one of the most highly anticipated nonprofit conferences of the year , and we're so excited to be headed down South to the Big Easy! Considering our team is obsessed with all that is NOLA, we thought we'd share some favorite local spots to eat, drink, party, and enjoy the sights while visiting for the Netroots Nation 2018 Conference.

Food 41

Food Governance Culture Marketing 41

iMarketSmart

JULY 9, 2018

Lots of folks think donors are disappearing. . While populations in the U.S. and other philanthropic countries are still increasing how can it be that donors are disappearing ? Blackbaud’s Vital Signs report found: “The number of households contributing dropped 7% from 2010 – 2015.” The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s article titled Where Are My Donors reported: “Since 2000, the percentage of households that donate has dropped in every age group.

Values 45

Values Philanthropy Leadership Communication 45

The Agitator

JULY 8, 2018

“Never, ever, think about something else when you should be thinking about the power of incentives.”. — Charlie Munger, investor, author, philanthropist and Warren Buffet’s irreverent partner at Berhshire Hathaway. In my post on the future of “full service” agencies I urged that we all give serious thought to re-directing the financial incentives to reward innovation, growth and value.

Energy 49

Energy Values Management Fundraising 49

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

JULY 13, 2018

Ruby Slipper. New Orleans, LA. Is this Friday the 13th is treating you kindly? Lucky you, I was able to find the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of marketing and fundraising. We’ve got lots on social media this week with some email KPIs thrown in for good measure. It’s time for Mixed Links…. If you are looking to up your Instagram game, here is The 2018 Instagram Hashtag Guide—How to Use Them and Get Results from Hootsuite.

Communication 104

Communication Nonprofits Marketing Marketing 104

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

EveryAction

JULY 9, 2018

For nonprofits doing political advocacy and social justice work, having solid data management practices can sometimes be an afterthought. After all, dedicated nonprofit staff are often stretched to their limits, working at capacity to advance their causes, and may simply not have time to sit down and evaluate the organization’s data flow. However, many nonprofits often overlook the fact that clean, useable data empowers staff to “work smarter, not harder” and can increase efficiency by automatin

Public and Nonprofit Management 40

Public and Nonprofit Management Nonprofits Management Activism 40

iMarketSmart

JULY 13, 2018

Why donors like CGAs. CGAs help them feel good because they get to make a gift to support a cause they believe in while also getting the benefit of a financial payout in return for as long as they live; They help donors get a reliable, fixed income until death (which may be particularly attractive for people who are concerned about outliving the amount they have saved); They help donors gain tax advantages : Get a tax credit now for making the charitable donation; Possibly lower their income tax

Law 40

Law Associations Marketing Marketing 40

The Agitator

JULY 12, 2018

A discussion of incentives in direct marketing wouldn’t be complete without talking about that Agitator bugaboo of communication volume. We’ve pointed out how volume has been poorly tested by those who advocate sending more and more … how organizations have found lower volume works better , and that donors hate it ( twice ). And… twice we emphasized that volume isn’t just the wrong answer; it’s the wrong question.

Retention 45

Retention Activism Communication Marketing 45

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

JULY 11, 2018

I am working on a new webinar on “simple rules” for communications teams. Simple rules help you break down and speed up complicated processes so that you can make better decisions more quickly and get better work done faster. You can see some examples here and here. I would love to hear about what’s too complicated at your organization right now related to communications.

Communication 103

Communication Nonprofits Culture 103

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Management

Lets Talk Nonprofit

JULY 12, 2018

Here's a great piece of grant writing advice that comes from a rather unexpected place: a test prep and study guide. One study guide for the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) exam says this: Avoid the "fact trap." Don't get distracted by a choice that is factually true. Your search is for the answer that answers the question. Stay focused and don't fall for an answer that is true but irrelevant.

Foundations 40

Foundations 40

Fundraising Report Card

JULY 11, 2018

Learn what database a small nonprofit should use, how to deal with data outliers, and how to get your team onboard with making data-driven decisions in this special Michael Jordan themed episode. Call (575) 815-4573 to leave a voicemail with your questions. Write in to tim@imarketsmart.com to email in your questions. Click here to listen … Continue reading "Advice for Small NonProfits, Data Outliers, and Getting Your Team Onboard (Season 2, Episode 3)".

Nonprofits 40

Nonprofits Fundraising Fundraising 40

The Agitator

JULY 11, 2018

A few weeks ago, Kevin Schulman here ignited a firestorm by suggesting a F2F model where the canvassing vendor does some or all the financing for this new donor acquisition. There were some well-thought-out concerns about the history of financing acquisition and about the viability in today’s marketing. Regardless of on which side of that debate you fall, I’d like to argue that the incentive structure for most F2F firms gives them incentives that are different from your nonprofit’s incentives.

Retention 45

Retention Finance Advertising Values 45

Fundraising Coach

JULY 9, 2018

Last week, I sent my Fundraising Kick subscribers a couple ideas on how to make the most of the different pace of the summer. Although Kicks are written for nonprofit CEO's, I thought this might be helpful to a larger group of people as well. Happy New (fiscal) Year, Kickers! For many nonprofits, July 1 is the new fiscal year. And with Canada Day being yesterday and the 4th of July being Wednesday, here in North America this is a week many take as a vacation.

Fundraising 68

Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits 68

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

EveryAction

JULY 12, 2018

Halcyon is a DC-based arts and culture organization that brings together diverse groups of changemakers in art and social enterprise and provides a safe haven for their bold ideas to take flight. Their incubator, arts fellowship, and public policy dialogue programs encourage socially engaged creatives to advance their talents and visions, transforming their inspiration into impact.

Public and Social Policy 40

Public and Social Policy Social Enterprise Social Enterprise Public Policy 40

Fundraising Report Card

JULY 10, 2018

The biggest barrier to entry that I have discovered over the past 4 years isn’t being unsure what to measure, or having access to information. No, it is a lack of organizational culture that supports this new way of thinking. The post 3 Steps to Build a Data-Driven Organizational Culture appeared first on Fundraising Report Card.

Culture 40

Culture Fundraising Fundraising 40

Fundraising Coach

JULY 9, 2018

Last week, I sent my Fundraising Kick subscribers a couple ideas on how to make the most of the different pace of the summer. Although Kicks are written for nonprofit CEO’s, I thought this might be helpful to a larger group of people as well. Happy New (fiscal) Year, Kickers! For many nonprofits, July 1 is the new fiscal year. And with Canada Day being yesterday and the 4th of July being Wednesday, here in North America this is a week many take as a vacation.

Fundraising 40

Fundraising Fundraising Nonprofits 40