Selfish Giving
NOVEMBER 22, 2011
Whatever challenges, misfortunes and problems you faced this year, I bet you still have something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving. Maybe it’s just the fact that you’re alive! I know I’m thankful for a lot of things. After all the important stuff, I’m thankful for good businesses and nonprofits that execute great cause marketing promotions that make me proud to call myself a cause marketer.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
NOVEMBER 17, 2011
Many of us will purchase hundreds of dollars in holiday gifts over the next six weeks, and with some conscious consumerism those dollars could also help some of your favorite nonprofits continue their work in 2012. Now in it’s third year (View the 2009 Edition and 2010 Edition ), the 11 holiday gift programs listed below benefit nonprofits and thus help make the world a better place: 1. 10,000 Villages Online Store: One of the world’s largest fair trade organizations and a foundin
The Agitator
NOVEMBER 3, 2011
Send this to your CEO and every member of your board. Right now! Frankly, I’m exhausted from preparing this, but I really hope you’ll invest the time to read the whole post. Believe me, it’s worth it if you care about the future of your organization. Here’s why. Blackbaud has just delivered a “must read” report on Growing Philanthropy in the U.S. Read and heed.
Fundraising Coach
NOVEMBER 8, 2011
Last night, I was asked for some tips to help my fellow board members with a fundraising dinner on Thursday. Fundraising events so often devolve into board members huddling together in tight groups of people they all ready know. But money is raised when board members act as ambassadors and hosts. Here’s what I wrote. Tips on Working the Room. Remind yourself why you’re there.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
NOVEMBER 17, 2011
Network for Good turns ten tomorrow and in honor of our anniversary, I wanted to thank you and all the wonderful people and organizations who’ve been a part of harnessing technology for social good. We appreciate you! I also wanted to share how online donors have evolved over the past decade. More people than ever are giving with technology - and key signs that online donations have gone mainstream are the prevalence of disaster relief gifts and the dropping average donations.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 10, 2011
Kerry Barnes and Frances. Think because your organization caters to seniors, you don’t need social media? Think again! Kerry Barnes explains how her organization used Facebook to create buzz about their community as well as keep family members informed. Added bonus: computer use has increased among their residents. ~Kivi. Guest Post by Kerry A.
Selfish Giving
NOVEMBER 2, 2011
I’m fascinated by the whole food truck phenomenon. We have a number of food trucks here in Boston and I just finished watching The Great Food Truck Race on The Food Network. I’m also heading out to Los Angeles today for the Blogworld Expo and am hoping to sample some of their great food trucks! I’m impressed by how food trucks market themselves and are such big users of social media.
Nonprofit Leadership Zone brings together the best content for advertising professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
The Agitator
NOVEMBER 1, 2011
At the end of April I reported on a new forecasting service, The Atlas of Giving. I called it an important innovation because fundraisers have largely sought guidance through the rear view mirror of past performance, as opposed to steering through the windshield of the present and future. After all, ‘til the Atlas of Giving came along, all we had to rely on were ‘old’ services like Giving USA and the various Blackbaud Charitable Indexes.
Fundraising Coach
NOVEMBER 17, 2011
On Tuesday, 501 Mission Place hosted our monthly “Office Hours” on Google Hangouts. We had a blast! I hosted it using the “Hangout with extras” so I was able to give the hangout a title (not creatively called “501 Mission Place November Office Hours”). And we were able to play with Sketchpad and Notes right in the hangout.
Get Fully Funded
NOVEMBER 16, 2011
You’ve likely heard the saying that you get one chance to make a first impression. The first sentence of your Thank-You letter is your first impression with your donor in acknowledging their gift. Get it right and they’ll read on. Mess it up, and they’re done reading. How do you mess up the first line of a Thank-You letter? Make it boring and predictable.
Mission Minded
NOVEMBER 17, 2011
You don’t have to blog. Just as much as you don’t have to Tweet, Facebook, or set up a profile on LinkedIn. But it’s likely that you have, because in this age of information, with instant virtual connections to friends, family, coworkers, and interest groups, blogging is one of the cheapest, most accessible methods of [.].
Selfish Giving
NOVEMBER 29, 2011
I love when students put their education to good use. Maggie Keenan , a branding and cause marketing consultant in Savannah, Georgia, is a graduate of my Six Figure Cause Marketing course , which shows nonprofits and businesses how to develop and execute an effective and lucrative cause marketing program. Maggie gets an A+ for her latest effort: a regional cause marketing program to support the Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless, Inc.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
NOVEMBER 28, 2011
Originally published in the November 2011 issue of Fundraising Success Magazine where I have written a quarterly column throughout 2011. In June 2007, I presented my first social media training to a small group of nonprofits in Lowell, MA. At the time, nonprofits were primarily only using Myspace and YouTube. Though Facebook had gone public nine months previous, Facebook Groups were only just beginning to be used as community-building tools by nonprofits and Facebook Pages didn’t exist yet
The Agitator
NOVEMBER 13, 2011
I’m truly not old enough to remember when physicians abandoned the use of leeches. But, I am old enough to recall the origins of asking amounts. The year was 1970. Computers – big mainframes, not PC’s and The Cloud – had just begun to edge out the heavy, old metal Addressograph plates and the traditional shoeboxes filled with 3×5 index cards posing as donor records.
Fundraising Coach
NOVEMBER 21, 2011
Since Thanksgiving is in November here in the USA, I always spend most of this month thinking about gratitude, gratefulness, and thankfulness. I wanted to post some really off-the-wall creative way to say thanks. Something that would wow you and get you to retweet this. But then I attended a donor appreciation event last Monday that a hospital client was throwing for its donors.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 28, 2011
I looked over lots of nonprofit “thank you” language last week, since Thanksgiving is a natural time for nonprofits to openly share their gratitude with supporters. But the best thank yous are much more than simply those two words, as powerful as they may be. A really good, powerful nonprofit thank you does a bit more. Here’s a formula for you: Powerful Nonprofit Thank You = Greeting Card + Progress Report + Invitation.
Mission Minded
NOVEMBER 8, 2011
When you sit down with your best donor prospect, chances are that you’re armed with a well-written and nicely designed case statement or case for support. But while a printed piece is essential, it may no longer be enough. Electronic presentations of your case for support are no longer a “nice to have.” [.].
Selfish Giving
NOVEMBER 21, 2011
Over the past few months I’ve delivered and listened to a lot of speeches, especially at Blogworld Expo last month. I heard some good ones and some not so good ones. Sadly, a lot of these mediocre speeches could have been good, even great – they had the right “bones” (e.g. good speaker, engaging topic) – but they lacked what makes a speech interesting, compelling and memorable.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
NOVEMBER 28, 2011
Date: Wednesday, January 25. Time: 1-1:45pm EST. Cost: Free. Register: Here ! The content and tone of this mini-webinar is specifically tailored for executive staff in the nonprofit sector, particularly those that are skeptical of the value of social and mobile media. The idea for this webinar arose from presenting more than 100 social and mobile media trainings and webinars in 2011 to thousands of nonprofit staff and still hearing that the number one frustration voiced by nonprofit social
The Agitator
NOVEMBER 20, 2011
Please read this opinion piece — Calling All Boomers: Don’t Start More Nonprofits — by Mark Rosenman, recently published in the Chronicle of Philanthropy. If you’re traveling over the Thanksgiving weekend, take it with you and ponder it. Mark is responding to a study claiming that 12 million Boomers want to start their own nonprofit or socially oriented business over the next decade.
Fundraising Coach
NOVEMBER 29, 2011
December 1 is almost here. And many inexperienced fundraisers are getting ready to throw in the towel. It only seems natural: In December their donors’ schedules are full of holiday parties. In December, many of their donors will go to additional church services. In December, snow can make travel difficult for events or appointments. In December, donors will want to spend time with their kids who are on break from school or college.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 11, 2011
Most nonprofits understand the potential power of social media to connect with both old and new supporters, advocates, and clients. But have you considered how social media like blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube can be used to increase your organization’s accountability to and transparency with those same people? Social media can help you improve your accountability in seven ways. 1.
Getting Attention
NOVEMBER 2, 2011
Free E-Guide. When I recently asked nonprofit experts in a range of fields and functions—from public health to fundraising to advocacy—to share the one book that has most influenced their professional lives, I had no idea what I’d learn. Here’s what they told me: Get your free copy now. I was thrilled to hear so many passionate stories about books that have made a huge difference in the lives of 129 nonprofit leaders, and wanted to put them together for you in an easy-to-digest format: The
Selfish Giving
NOVEMBER 16, 2011
This is a guest post from Bob Jones of Give.mobi. For an overview of their service check out my post There She Blows! Cause Marketing, Mobile Gifts Surface with Give.mobi. You’ve probably heard about the successful partnership between Chili’s Grill & Bar and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This longstanding cause marketing pact has raised tens of millions of dollars with its Create-A-Pepper to Fight Childhood Cancer campaign.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
NOVEMBER 21, 2011
I joined Google+ a few months ago as an individual, but it hasn’t been until the recent launch of Google+ Pages that I began investing time in the exploring the Google+ community and tool set. Google+ is a bit more complicated than Facebook or Twitter, but already a significant source of traffic to this blog, and like most communities that get a lot of initial buzz, the growth rate of new followers is exponentially much faster during the early adoption phase.
The Agitator
NOVEMBER 6, 2011
comScore has just published a study on how consumers are coping with the continuing recession and the impact this is having on brand loyalty. Their conclusion is signaled in the title: The Effects of the Recession on Brand Loyalty and ‘Buy Down’ Behavior: 2011 Update. (registration required to download study). What they find is that since 2008 consumers have steadily been trending down on the the following shopping option: “I buy the brand I want most” The percentage indi
Fundraising Coach
NOVEMBER 14, 2011
I’m honored to introduce you to Darren Rowse , uber-blogger. I’ve learned alot from Darren over the years and finally got to meet him last week at BlogWorld Expo in Los Angeles. This post seemed perfectly suited to help your nonprofit retool your blog so Darren’s graciously let me republish this it here. You can find him on Twitter @problogger. by Darren Rowse.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 21, 2011
Beth Ann Spiegel. In this guest post, Beth Ann Spiegel shares a great example of what can happen when you really listen to your supporters and get to know your target audiences better. ~Kivi. Guest Post by Beth Ann Spiegel, Fund Development and Communications Associate of The Arc of Atlantic County. As nonprofit marketers, we can all probably relate to the situation Alice finds herself in during the first two chapters of Alice in Wonderland.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
NOVEMBER 2, 2011
Photo courtesy of Big Stock Photo. My colleague Kate just alerted me to some new research from Taiwan showing gratitude (spurred by generosity) can spread far and wide in social networks. The paper, which appeared in the tantalizingly named Journal of Happiness Studies , discusses how we feel gratitude when someone helps us - and when we see someone being generous to someone else.
Selfish Giving
NOVEMBER 14, 2011
I’m always looking for the latest information on cause marketing, sponsorship and corporate partnerships. Fortunately, there are a bunch of new resources that are making my job a lot easier. Cause Marketing Forum has three new resources and a webinar TOMORROW you should sign up for. A daily newsletter that looks at new cause marketing campaigns.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
NOVEMBER 14, 2011
Mobile Wallets are going to dramatically transform how consumers purchase goods and services. Many predict the end of cash and physical credit cards for both point-of-sale and online transactions within the next five years. Not one to shy or fear new technology, I’ll be one of the first to ditch cash completely and transfer my credit cards to a mobile wallet service on my iPhone when it becomes available.
The Agitator
NOVEMBER 10, 2011
The Chronicle of Philanthropy just ran this item on a video project of Polar Bears International. Working with Explore.org, this org has set up live webstreaming that shows polar bear activities at the edge of Hudson Bay in Canada. The bears are increasingly stressed physically because the freeze over they need to migrate to seal hunting grounds is occurring later and later, and the ice is then melting earlier.
Fundraising Coach
NOVEMBER 16, 2011
I don’t normally share my messages to the Fundraising Kick folks here on my blog…but I am today. Here’s what I sent them this week. Two weeks ago, I got an email that got me thinking “why couldn’t nonprofits do that?”. Here is the entire text of the email: Dear Marc Pitman, One year ago, you ordered the following product from Zappos.com: Levi’s® Mens 560™ Comfort Fit – Light Stonewash – 38/29.
Care2
NOVEMBER 29, 2011
The 2011 Nonprofit Social Network Benchmark Report provides some incredible data on how 11K+ nonprofits are using social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others. The study also answers the biggest question on everyone's mind. Are nonprofits raising any money on social networks? Big Picture Data. Facebook is the most popular commercial social network for nonprofits.
Fundraiser Ideas
NOVEMBER 28, 2011
While the ubiquitous pink ribbon is perhaps the best-known and most successful symbol of the fight against breast cancer, a number of other breast cancer fundraising ideas can help local and national organizations raise awareness and increase financial support for the search for a cure. Breast cancer claims approximately 40,000 lives each year. By creating innovative and successful breast cancer fundraising ideas for your organization, you can help prevent these deaths and provide much-needed fu
Selfish Giving
NOVEMBER 28, 2011
Join Hubspot and me for a FREE webinar on how to recruit more sponsors and corporate partners with inbound marketing this Thursday, December 1st at 1pm EST. On this blog and in Cause Marketing for Dummies I talk a lot about how blogging , social media and SEO can help nonprofits land more sponsors and corporate partners. I call it good old-fashioned marketing.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
NOVEMBER 7, 2011
Now that Google+ is open to everyone, all nonprofit staff can start experimenting and familiarizing themselves with Google+ before the brand pages, also known as Google+ Business Profiles , are launched later this month. Your first step is to create a Google Account and then set up your personal Google Profile (which also becomes your Google+ Profile).
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