Selfish Giving
APRIL 25, 2012
I write a lot about the important role emotion plays in cause marketing. If you don’t lead with emotion, you’re toast. I also talk a lot about mobile technology, which will be a key driver of cause marketing in the years ahead. But here’s the rub: emotion and smartphones may not be a good mix. That’s my conclusion after reading a post by Mediapost’s Steve Smith on research by A.K.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
APRIL 15, 2012
Date: Wednesday, June 6, 2012. Time: 1pm-2:30 EDT. Cost: Free. How to Register: Sign up! Presented By: Heather Mansfield. The Social Web has dramatically changed how nonprofits communicate with supporters, donors, and volunteers. In fact, most nonprofits in the United States now regularly use social media in their communications and development campaigns, but few nonprofit social media practioners have been properly trained how to best utilize sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Link
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Fundraising Coach
APRIL 22, 2012
Lots of us will be thinking about how to be more “green” since today is Earth Day. But how can we make our nonprofits more green? As in taking in more dollars? Ask! You knew that was coming, didn’t you? Asking for money is where the magic happens! The 3 Best Times to Ask. There are 3 optimum times to ask for a major gift: Before you meant to ask.
The Agitator
APRIL 23, 2012
I’d like to say “Thank you” to all the readers who commented on my controversial No “Thank You” post of last week. I do so noting there’s no empirical evidence that thanking you will make you more likely to comment again! For suggesting that maybe “Thank you’s” to donors don’t matter, some of you concluded I’m the rudest of cads, brought up in a home that instilled no values of reciprocity, gratitude or mere good manners.
Get Fully Funded
APRIL 12, 2012
You know you need a fundraising plan, but if you’re like most, you don’t know where to start. . Although planning can seem overwhelming, it’s not really a difficult process, yet it makes all the difference in the world in the success you will enjoy in raising big money. You want that, right? Let me make it simple for you and share the 9 steps to creating a powerful fundraising plan.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
APRIL 9, 2012
If you are promoting a cause (or even a product), it needs to resonate with what people already seek. Remember: Don’t tell someone to value your cause. Show how it relates to their values. I just finished reviewing a very interesting study, Brands: The New Social Reformers , which provides some useful insights into those values. The research by Onesixtyfourth focused on early technology adopters and news-engaged Millennials and Baby Boomers in the US and UK.
Selfish Giving
APRIL 20, 2012
Scott Pansky of Allison + Partners is one of the most knowledge guys I know on cause marketing. Not long ago I said he should write a book. The other day he sent me his bullet points for 5 Tips for Developing Cause Marketing Partnerships. Well, I guess it’s a start! Of course, Scott made some excellent points. To them, I’ve added posts I’ve written that elaborate on them.
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Fundraising Coach
APRIL 9, 2012
As the one-person development office at a rural hospital, my CEO kept asking me: “Why are we going back to the same people? When are you going to find new people?” He wasn’t impressed by all the statistical and logical answers about donor retention and most of the money coming from those who already love us. He glazed over like I was trying to trick him with smoke and mirrors.
The Agitator
APRIL 5, 2012
You’ll recall that yesterday I did a post on the NTEN conference. The purpose of the post was NOT to draw attention to the conference itself, but to the research released around it that might be helpful to FUNDRAISERS. A number of Tweets signaled that we’d hit a nerve, but for the life of me I can’t see that it’s a nerve that matters. What does interest me is that I now see why, so far, the use of social media is virtually worthless as a fundraising channel.
Getting Attention
APRIL 17, 2012
Congrats to the American Library Association for designing this 5-star message for National Library Week, brought to my attention by an NBC correspondent who saw it on his way to work and shared it on Facebook. Here are the three elements that generate an instant “aha:” 1) An 100 m.p.h metaphor : The message here links something most viewers are familiar with (and many probably just got off of)—Facebook— with something they’re far less familiar with (or just plain rusty on) and
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
APRIL 17, 2012
I devour books on writing much the way I imagine amateur chefs devour cookbooks. I get inspired, informed about the craft and smarter about the essential ingredients of a masterpiece. And I can’t put them down. I’ve recently become a zealous fan of Lisa Cron, who blogs on storytelling and is author of the upcoming book, Wired for Story: The Writer’s Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence.
Selfish Giving
APRIL 2, 2012
I have a lover affair with Twitter. But it has too end. So sorry, Twitter. I give you way too much time and attention. I have a business to build and can’t give you more time than you deserve. Of course, Twitter isn’t the real problem. It’s not where I hang out that’s the issue. It’s all the people I meet there with their yummy conversations, insights and links.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
APRIL 8, 2012
Date: To accomodate all schedules, this webinar will be presented twice – Tuesday, April 24 and Thursday, April 26. Time: 12-1:30pm Singapore/Kuala Lumpur. (10-11:30am New Delhi; 2-3:30 Sydney; 4-6:30pm Auckland). Cost: Free. How to Register: Sign up here to attend on Tuesday, April 24 or Sign up here to attend on Thursday, April 26. Presented By: Heather Mansfield.
Fundraising Coach
APRIL 2, 2012
I just received this question: When is there an appropriate time to ask someone on twitter to follow you? My quick answer is “never.” Asking people to follow you on Twitter makes you sound a bit whiny and desperate. Following is a personal thing. People follow others that seem to provide them value. Value can be measured in any number of subjective ways: insights, humor, comments.
The Agitator
APRIL 12, 2012
Tom’s post yesterday, Nonprofits and the Customer Experience not only warrants reading a second time, but I also feel compelled to pile on some more emphasis and detail because it goes right to the heart of retention and donor value. Tom writes: “In the commercial marketing arena, there’s heaps of chat about the ‘customer experience’ and how to improve it in the interest of retaining and up-selling customers.”.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
APRIL 25, 2012
Tomorrow, I start teaching a two-webinar series on nonprofit storytelling. This Thursday (4/26/12), I’ll explain how to tell good nonprofit stories, and next week (5/2/12) we’ll work through editing some real stories submitted by participants. Want to join us? Grab an All-Access Pass and you are in! Kathy Swayze is a great nonprofit storyteller — it’s the core of her consulting business at Impact Communications.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
APRIL 6, 2012
It’s the week of studies! First we had the eBenchmarks study , then the Convio benchmarks study , and now the Blackbaud social media benchmark study. It’s an opportunity to see how you stack up in all different ways online. The Blackbaud study shows despite limited budgets and staffing, nonprofits continue to find value in their growing social networks.
Selfish Giving
APRIL 26, 2012
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]. Don’t Miss an Episode! Subscribe to Cause Talk Radio in iTunes. In this episode of CauseTalk Radio , Megan and I talk to Chad Royal Pascoe , Vice President, National Strategic Alliances, March of Dimes about its new cause marketing platform Imbornto (I’m Born To). This is an interesting new endeavor as it reflects a growing trend among nonprofits to own a particular month or season and to bundle advertising and other promotions for maximum impact.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
APRIL 22, 2012
Soaring tablet use and an online commons increasingly battling information overload has fundamentally changed web design as we know it. Bigger pictures, less text, larger fonts, and easy-to-tap and click buttons and navigation are the new Web design aesthetic. That said, consistency in Web design is becoming more complicated with each passing day. Do you attempt to create one website that looks good on desktops and laptops, tablets, Internet TVs, and smartphones using responsive Web design – or
Getting Attention
APRIL 25, 2012
Guest bloggerRobert J. Rosenthal (@volmatchRobert) is VP of Communications & Marketing at VolunteerMatch, the Web’s largest network for volunteer engagement. Their new guide (free), 101 Volunteer Recruitment Secrets , showcases the insights of dozens of volunteer recruiters to share what works. If you know the fundamentals of your work but it still feels like you’re missing out on a secret to effective volunteer engagement, we understand.
The Agitator
APRIL 18, 2012
We have met the Wizard of Oz, and not only is he just another poor slob, he wears no clothes! Here is a ‘must read’ blog post by Chuck English at Marketing That Works … regarding Thank You’s. Chuck started out by posing what I know he expected would be a question with a very straightforward and conclusive answer: “Does saying thank you really make a difference?
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
APRIL 18, 2012
Last week, I wrote an article detailing 3 big reports recently released on nonprofit marketing and fundraising. There is a ton of information in these reports and it can be a little overwhelming trying to sort through it all. I thought it would be helpful to break those reports down based on certain topics. Today we are going to tackle social media.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
APRIL 24, 2012
By now you’ve heard the term “elevator pitch” a million times. It means compellingly telling your story and why it matters in the time it takes an elevator to travel to its destination. The reason this is such a worthwhile exercise is that it makes you home in on why someone should care about your cause, and it forces you to make that case succinctly.
Mission Minded
APRIL 23, 2012
We’ve noticed a trend lately in the calls we receive from nonprofits asking for help with the way they communicate about their work. While more and more nonprofit professionals are eager to embrace branding, more and more also seem unclear about the difference between establishing a brand and establishing a strategic plan. A strategic plan [.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
APRIL 5, 2012
The following is an excerpt from Chapter 6 of the recently released book Social Media for Social Good: A How-To Guide for Nonprofits. These basic LinkedIn Profile tips for nonprofit professionals serve as a foundation for when and if your nonprofit is ready to utilize LinkedIn Groups and Company Pages. That said, I do not cover personal LinkedIn Profiles in my upcoming webinar How Nonprofits Can Successfully Use Twitter and LinkedIn , but LinkedIn Groups and Company Pages are covered in det
Getting Attention
APRIL 12, 2012
Tip of the hat to Marketing Profs for framing content marketing—how your nonprofit can use content to build strong relationships with target audiences—in terms of this delightful cooking-themed info-doodle. I’ve “nonprofitized” these seven principles for you: 1. Use fresh ingredients. Fresh content retains its natural flavor. Avoid stale or processed content, your supporters will know it and hate it. 2.
The Agitator
APRIL 30, 2012
Grey Matter Research has put out some survey findings regarding why people don’t support nonprofits. Most of you have seen research like this, and overall the findings don’t contain any surprises. Nevertheless, one finding did stand out to me, even though I’ve seen it replicated numerous times … Four out of ten non-donors agreed with this statement: “Any gift I could afford to give to a non-profit organization really isn’t enough to make a difference.”.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
APRIL 23, 2012
I’m headed to Austin, Texas today to teach a workshop I’m calling “So What and Who Cares? Getting Your Communications Right in 2012″ for the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations. You answer the So What? question by making your messaging as relevant as possible to the people you are communicating with. But what does that mean?
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
APRIL 24, 2012
By now you’ve heard the term “elevator pitch” a million times. It means compellingly telling your story and why it matters in the time it takes an elevator to travel to its destination. The reason this is such a worthwhile exercise is that it makes you home in on why someone should care about your cause, and it forces you to make that case succinctly.
Care2
APRIL 3, 2012
I have been waiting to get my hands on the latest 2012 Social Networking Benchmark Report because it’s one of the only comprehensive surveys that provides a good overview of how nonprofits are utilizing social media to brand themselves online, connect with new supporters, and raise money. Between January 24, 2012 and February 21, 2012, over 3500 nonprofit practitioners representing a variety of verticals and operating budgets responded to an online survey about their use of online social n
Nonprofit Tech for Good
APRIL 15, 2012
Every morning I begin my day with browsing those that have followed @NonprofitOrgs from the previous morning before. I then follow in return those that are nonprofits, nonprofit staff, or nonprofit service providers and today I followed my 100,000th nonprofit: Furry Feet Rescue in Walnut Port, PA ( @FurryFeetRescue ). To commemorate reaching 100,000 (which took three years, 10 months, and 100,000 clicks of a mouse!
Getting Attention
APRIL 11, 2012
Last week I had the joy of participating in #12NTC (the 2012 NTEN—Nonprofit Technology Network—Conference), with so many incredible peers in the nonprofit sector. I learned a ton, from one-to-one conversations and from the formal sessions, and will be sharing those insights and guidance out with you over the weeks to come. Four storytelling superstars and I jointly presented Say It in Pixels: Visual Storytelling in the 21st Century (12NTCSIIP).
The Agitator
APRIL 29, 2012
Mark Phillips at Bluefrog has written an excellent post called Why donors don’t want to hear from you. I heartily commend it to you. He cites survey data that shows donors are quite sensitive to charities using inaccurate personal data in their communications. For example: 20% of respondents would stop giving to charities that used an obsolete or out of date name and address (up 5% on 2010); When it came to regular donors, most people (63%) who received a mailing with incorrect personal de
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
APRIL 27, 2012
Anjali Deshmukh. How do we as a nonprofit sector decide which nonprofits are doing a good job and which aren’t, and how do we communicate that to current and potential supporters? Watch dog groups often rely on spending and growth data for their analysis, but as Anjali Deshmukh asks, “If an organization could prove to you that they could eradicate homelessness, would you care as much about what they spent on salaries and staplers?
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
APRIL 16, 2012
I used the word “should” in the title of this post for a reason. These trends are shaking up our sector, but they’re not yet shaking up our marketing. And they should be. 1. The rise of mobile. More and more people have smartphones, and that means doing good is at their fingertips, all the time. If we don’t create opportunities to act easily via mobile, we are going to miss out on a lot.
Care2
APRIL 27, 2012
If your organization is struggling to tell your story, you are not alone. Chances are if you are like most organizations, you actually have access to the greatest stories from your donors, activists, and key stakeholders, but these stories just aren’t being captured by staff people or written down. I was doing some brainstorming with my colleagues over at Rad Campaign and some friends in the community about the types of questions nonprofits need to start asking themselves and to their memb
Nonprofit Tech for Good
APRIL 9, 2012
A recent study concluded that only about one-third of tweets are worth reading and with Twitter now generating 340 million tweets per day, that’s approximately 266 millions tweets that would have been better left untweeted. Finding your Twitter voice is a skill and it takes a concerted effort to first track what tweets your followers react to (or not) and then adjust your content and tweets accordingly.
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