Nonprofit Marketing Guide
JULY 17, 2012
I’m friends with many nonprofit program and research directors who confide in me about their various scuffles with communications or fundraising staff in their organizations. Nothing strange there. But what I do find a little surprising is how often I will meet a program or policy director, or even an executive director, for the first time, and upon learning what I do for a living, they will say, “Ugh.
Selfish Giving
JULY 11, 2012
Sloane Bennett sent me this news on the latest campaign from beauty brand Elizabeth Arden that combines cause marketing with Pinterest. I was struck by how easy it is to execute a cause marketing promotion on Pinterest – and that Elizabeth Arden was a darn good teacher. This is how it works: Step 1: Recruit a Company Partner. Yeah, this is the hard part for most nonprofits, but not for Look Good Feel Better , which teaches beauty techniques to cancer patients that have appearance-related s
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
JULY 30, 2012
Large nonprofits usually have the expertise and resources necessary to launch and maintain successful online communications and fundraising campaigns. They’ve been able to hire some of the most well-trained and experienced staff, consultants, and designers that work in the nonprofit sector. Small to medium-sized nonprofits with small to medium-sized marketing and communications budgets may not have the resources that many of the larger nonprofits do, but that doesn’t mean your online
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
JULY 23, 2012
I recently posted on five nonprofit marketing mistakes, and my friends over at Branded Out Loud added some more (check out their post here. ). My favorite was this: Chasing the latest and greatest, before mastering the tried and true. The older I get, the more I believe there are immutable, tried and true basics that underlie just about everything in marketing.
Speaker: Lee Andrews, Founder at LJA New Media & Tony Karrer, Founder and CTO at Aggregage
This session will walk you through how one CEO used generative AI, workflow automation, and sales personalization to transform an entire security company—then built the Zero to Strategy framework that other mid-market leaders are now using to unlock 3.5x ROI. As a business executive, you’ll learn how to assess AI opportunities in your business, drive adoption across teams, and overcome internal resource constraints—without hiring a single data scientist.
The Agitator
JULY 25, 2012
The Direct Marketing Association notes in its recently released 2012 Response Rate Report that direct mail response rates have dropped nearly 25% over the past nine years. Even so, direct mail pulls a better overall response than digital channels. The report also says that: Cost per order or lead for acquisition campaigns were roughly equivalent for direct mail ($51.40), post card ($54.10), email ($55.24), and paid search ($52.58).
Fundraising Coach
JULY 20, 2012
Yesterday HootSuite [affilate link] announced support for Google+ Pages! Back in November, I blogged about Google+ being open for nonprofits. But one of the hardest things for nonprofits has been the fact that they have to remember to go to the Google+ site rather than using their social media tools like HootSuite. Suddenly, Google+ is more relevant for nonprofits.
Nonprofit Leadership Zone brings together the best content for advertising professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Selfish Giving
JULY 9, 2012
Every nonprofit wants to recruit new corporate partners, but your best bet to raise more money is to find new ways to work with your existing partners. It just might lead to a new partner. Here’s how to turn an existing partner into a better partner. Be insanely helpful. Don’t take a one and done approach with partners. Share new ideas with them, even ones that aren’t relevant to your partnership but may be useful to their business.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
JULY 9, 2012
My last full-time, Monday-through-Friday job was as an outreach director for a small international development organization in San Francisco. Working within the confines of an almost non-existent online communications budget, my primary responsibilities were to maintain our website and publish a twice-monthly e-newsletter, quarterly print newsletter, and numerous print fundraising appeals through out the year.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
JULY 5, 2012
How do relatively young nonprofits like Charity: Water catch fire and thrive? What can we learn from them? James Read has a great article in the Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration (SOFII) that offers five answers. Here are his principles with my own commentary. What I like is they aren’t so secret at all. What’s magic about this every common-sense approaches is the way these nonprofits apply them, every day, in every way. 1.
The Agitator
JULY 8, 2012
Here in North America we can now get back to business. Canada Day is done. Independence Day is history for another year. What is significant is that July marks the halfway point to success or failure (yeah, I know everyone has a different fiscal year, but let’s get real). You gonna make it or break it?! My guess, given what we’ve been seeing from surveys, from the Blackbaud reports, blog posts from those we trust, and just pure economics is that finishing this year stronger than last is gonna be
Speaker: Gareth Webb & Phil Selley, Founding Partners at Intouch Business
For many nonprofit organizations and NGOs, managing grants and monitoring projects with spreadsheets and manual processes feels familiar—but is it holding your organization back? As funding requirements become more complex and stakeholder expectations for transparency grow, relying on outdated methods can lead to inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and compliance risks.
Getting Attention
JULY 26, 2012
The best infographic ever. Absorb it, print out a full-size copy , and share with colleagues as a gentle reminder. Thanks to Wilf for creating under the dazzling influence of Chip and Dan Heath!
Nonprofit Marketing Guide
JULY 26, 2012
Is the classic nonprofit newsletter still relevant? If yes, why? If not, why not? What changes have you made, or what changes are you seeing or recommending, in nonprofit newsletters — in print and online? Those and any other questions or issues related to producing nonprofit newsletters in 2012 and beyond are the focus of the upcoming Nonprofit Blog Carnival , which I’m hosting in August.
Selfish Giving
JULY 5, 2012
Just because the Fourth of July is over doesn’t mean you’ve seen your last cookout this week. Folks will be grilling, chilling and drinking right through the weekend. That’s why my third pick of the week for cause marketing that celebrates Independence Day is a Massachusetts company called 50 Back , which brews a beer called T he Brew of the Brave.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
JULY 11, 2012
To follow up on Monday’s post about why nonprofits should consider hiring a social media manger , below is an excerpt from Social Media for Social Good: A How-To Guide for Nonprofits that helps further explore the time commitment necessary to create and sustain a comprehensive social media stategy for your nonprofit. The estimates below allow for the time required to research and create content for your social media campaigns, the actual time spent engaging and participating in your nonpro
Speaker: David Worrell, CFO, Author & Speaker
Your financial statements hold powerful insights—but are you truly paying attention? Many finance professionals focus on the income statement while overlooking key signals hidden in the balance sheet and cash flow statement. Understanding these numbers can unlock smarter decision-making, uncover risks, and drive long-term success. Join David Worrell, accomplished CFO, finance expert, and author, for an engaging, nontraditional take on reading financial statements.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
JULY 16, 2012
As you know, I’m fan of Lisa Cron, who blogs on storytelling and whose book, Wired for Story: The Writer’s Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence is now out. (I posted on it here when I received a review copy.). Since it’s now out, I wanted to share a few more tips from the book that pertain to our work.
The Agitator
JULY 26, 2012
For all you one-armed paperhangers toiling away in (especially) smaller nonprofits, once again, Scott Adams hits a nerve. We might add another frame, with the caption … “Oh, and while you’re at it, could you also redesign our website and bring in a few bequests?” Tom.
Fundraiser Ideas
JULY 4, 2012
Fundraising is a very important function for clubs. However, your fundraisers don’t have to be complex to be successful. In fact, sometimes simple is better! Following are 10 simple fundraising ideas for clubs. Flower Bulb Fundraiser – Lots of people love flowers! A flower bulb fundraiser involves taking orders for flower bulbs from your family, friends, and neighbors for their gardens.
Nonprofit Marketing Guide
JULY 19, 2012
Evergreen Content - Why You Need It and Where It Goes. Evergreen content is information that stays fresh from season to season, much like an evergreen tree. You may not need to change it all, or to only make minor tweaks from time to time. Evergreen content often takes these forms: How to articles or tutorials. Top ten or “best of” lists. Core principals, ideas or values.
Speaker: Dave Sackett
Traditional budgeting and forecasting methods can no longer keep pace with today’s rapidly evolving business environment. Static budgets, rigid annual forecasts, and outdated financial models limit an organization’s ability to adapt to market shifts and economic uncertainty. To stay ahead, finance leaders must leverage a future-forward approach—one that leverages real-time data, predictive analytics, and continuous planning to drive smarter financial decisions.
Selfish Giving
JULY 16, 2012
Donation boxes – also called coin canisters – are one of the simplest and cheapest ways to raise money from businesses. The action happens at the register after customers buy something and they drop a few coins, or a buck or two, into a donation box.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
JULY 23, 2012
Contrary to its title, the last four chapters of Social Media for Social Good: A How-To Guide for Nonprofits are dedicated to mobile technology and mobile fundraising. I am firm believer that social media will be the foundation of the Mobile Web and the book was written to help prepare nonprofits for the coming shift from desktop and social to social and mobile.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
JULY 26, 2012
Last week, I blogged about how buying green products can make people feel they are off the hook for further good. In fact, their purchase might even give them a license for bad behavior. Today comes more interesting news for environmentalists—sent to me via Mark Rovner - saying that guilt doesn’t inspire people to go green. Image from National Geographic.
The Agitator
JULY 29, 2012
The mantra on advertising’s Madison Avenue these days is ‘simple’ This NY Times article headlines the point: Paring Down Marketing Messages to a Few Simple Basics. Columnist Stuart Elliott says marketers are reacting to three trends: “how busy life today seems, the growing complexity of technology and the increasingly complicated economic picture.
Speaker: Tim Sarrantonio, Director of Corporate Brand
Do you really know your donors? Not just what they give, but who they are? 👥 In this interactive session, we’ll break down how nonprofits can use behavioral indicators (affinity, recency, frequency, and monetary value) to build prospecting segments that go beyond wealth screening and actually align with donor identity. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to move beyond basic demographics and cultivate supporters based on how they already engage with you!
Care2
JULY 10, 2012
If you're nonprofit wants to ramp up its social media posting strategy, check out this One-Page Social Media Posting Guide by Topnonprofits.com , which offers tips on content strategy, the best times to post social media updates, and understanding your audiences. The guide was created for organizations that don't have full time social media staff or have limited resources.
Nonprofit Marketing Guide
JULY 31, 2012
You should all know by now that I love the shorter and more visual nonprofit annual reports as opposed to skimming through 20+ pages of boring financials. I recently received an email from Katie Bryan, communications director at Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement on how their annual report has changed over the years based on the training she’s taken with us a Nonprofit Marketing Guide, along with a few of her thoughts on the changes.
Selfish Giving
JULY 3, 2012
The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays so I’m combining it with my other favorite thing: cause marketing. For the next four days I’m profiling four different cause marketing programs to celebrate Independence Day. My first pick is Starbucks’ Indivisible campaign. Indivisible isn’t a new program or specifically focused on Independence Day.
Nonprofit Tech for Good
JULY 16, 2012
Watch Video. Via BBC News Magazine : . The internet was once considered a great equaliser, a platform that could bring strangers together, even across racial boundaries. But internet users of the same race have recently begun clustering on certain social media websites. Micro-blogging website Twitter has seen an upsurge in traffic from Hispanic and African-American audiences.
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.
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
JULY 9, 2012
During a morning run, I saw this sign outside a church in my Washington DC neighborhood. I had to snap a photo. This is great advice for life, yes, but also for marketing. Your first order of business is ALWAYS to show you care - and to make others care. The emotional connection MUST precede detailed information about your organization or issue. Connection before education.
The Agitator
JULY 10, 2012
My third, and final, recommendation on actions to take at this mid-point in the year is simply this: stop thinking. I’m not suggesting you cease using your considerable cerebral powers, but rather when it comes improving your bottom line results I do want to recommend a new type of thinking. And that means you need to stop thinking the conventional way most direct response fundraisers think.
Care2
JULY 16, 2012
There are a ton of smart people writing about nonprofit technology and communications to help nonprofit communicators keep up on the latest online trends and developments. When you need to take a really deep dive into critical topics, but don’t want to rely on your own trial and error it helps to look beyond blogs and social media. Thankfully, you can take advantage of great in-depth research and findings published in nonprofit reports.
Nonprofit Marketing Guide
JULY 10, 2012
If you don’t know Mark Horvath , you should. Mark’s done an incredible thing: he’s empowered the people who are often the most powerless in our communities — the homeless — via social media to tell their own stories, in their own voices. He founded InvisiblePeople.tv and every time I hear someone at a nonprofit make excuses about why they can’t do this or that thing, I think of Mark.
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.
Expert insights. Personalized for you.
271 
Let's personalize your content