How to Measure the Impact of Your Nonprofit Marketing
Ever since super-smart statistician Nate Silver brought presidential campaign data to the headlines in 2012, we’ve become a metrics-obsessed nation. That’s changed the life of most marketers I know,...
View ArticleHow to Collect and Use Testimonials for Your Nonprofit
Are you searching for more effective ways to build interest and action for your nonprofit? There’s no better way than letting your supporters and partners do the talking with testimonials.You’ve seen...
View Article4 Tips to Help You Get More from Your Email List
If you’re using email marketing for your nonprofit, hopefully you’re taking steps to grow your email list. But did you also know that it’s also important to monitor your contacts, so that you can keep...
View ArticleAbout Us: Your Key to Conversion
What do you want to know when considering a first-time donation to a nonprofit or deciding between a few organizations to volunteer your time? What makes you feel confident in your choice?For most of...
View ArticleBe Prepared: 5 Steps to Managing a PR Crisis
Expect the best, prepare for the worst. Sounds a little gloomy, but it’s actually a great strategy. If your nonprofit has a communications plan in hand when a PR crisis hits, you’ll be glad you...
View ArticleNavigate Any PR Crisis: 5 Pitfalls for Nonprofits to Avoid
In the early 1980s, Johnson & Johnson faced a massive organizational crisis when someone laced Extra-Strength Tylenol caplets with cyanide and returned the bottles to store shelves. When the...
View ArticleThe 5-Way Win of Strong Nonprofit Branding
If you think brands are just for big-ticket organizations like the Red Cross, United Way and The Humane Society of the United States; or you're open to the idea, but don't really get what branding...
View Article4 Reasons to Create Great Nonprofit Content
When we talk about "content," we're talking about fundraising materials, blog posts, videos, social media updates, even your annual report. Compelling stories and interesting images are key...
View ArticleStyle Guide Your Way to Recognition, Repeats, and Actions: Part One
Read Part TwoKeeping everyone on the same page is tough, especially when it comes to content and conversations. Think about it: You’re asking your fundraising colleagues and other organizational...
View ArticleCreate a Style Guide That’s Useful and Used (Part Two)
Read Part One Use this Start-to-Finish Checklist to Build a Useful Guide Identify your Consistency Czar—the person on your team in charge of creating and managing the style guide. Your czar should be...
View Article3 Fun Ideas for Making Your Nonprofit Brand Shine
Too often, a nonprofit - or a company - starts to have problems and decides what will fix the mess is “rebranding.” They fantasize that with a new logo, a new tagline, a new “brand promise,” all will...
View ArticleReframe Your Benefit to Donors with 4 Questions
One of the risks for nonprofits face when asking for things from supporters (especially when you ask for money) is that the old bargain -- the bargain of the 20th century – was essentially, “I have a...
View ArticleThree Holiday Fundraising Clichés to Avoid
Year-end fundraising season is here and I’m seeing a steady stream of fundraising appeals arrive in the mail and in my inbox. As sure as I can count on receiving Aunt Nancy’s 3-page (front and back)...
View ArticleOnline Fundraising Campaign in a Box
In addition to your ongoing fundraising, advocacy and communication activities, there are times throughout the year when you need to lead your members through a series of actions. Whether it’s...
View ArticleHow to Make Your Mission More Compelling
Many nonprofits have trouble making their missions relatable and exciting to potential supporters. I often get questions like this one from Deirdre:"As an organization with a mission that is a bit more...
View ArticleThree Reasons Why Your Nonprofit Message is Failing
If your organization's messaging isn’t getting through or your nonprofitmarketing campaign isn’t making a difference, it is probably due to one (or all) of these three reasons.1. Falsely assuming that...
View ArticleFour Tactics for Amazing Nonprofit Stories
Founded by Katya Andresen and Mark Rovner, Characters Magazine is on a mission to showcase amazing stories of and by those seeking to make the world a better place. Each month the magazine will feature...
View ArticleWeb Writing for Nonprofits: 4 Dos and Don’ts
Writing effective content for your nonprofit website, blog or email newsletter requires a different strategy than writing for print. With so much tempting stuff on the Internet, you have just a few...
View ArticleHow to Create a Nonprofit Editorial Calendar
Creating an editorial calendar is an effective way to keep your organization’s newsletter, website, blog, and social media content fresh and current. Should you go with paper or something more high...
View ArticleLaying a Good Foundation: Quick Wins for Nonprofit Marketing
Laying a great foundation for the expansion of your nonprofit's marketing and donation efforts can help you find success now while planning long-term goals. Below is a list of priorities to help you...
View Article5 Tips for Getting Started with Nonprofit Video
With a good story as the foundation for your video, your organization can use YouTube to spread your message and raise money online. Here are some tips for nonprofits venturing into the world of online...
View ArticleBuild Your Online Presence with Pro Bono
We know it’s hard to tackle the never ending list of tasks associated with building an online presence. Lucky for nonprofits, pro bono professionals are ready to help boost your online image via...
View ArticleThe Top 4 Tips for Nonprofit Video Projects
As a filmmaker with more than 30 years of professional experience, I have witnessed the ability of film to get to the heart of a message, faster, and more powerfully than any other medium. That is why...
View Article4 Steps to Making an Infographic for Your Nonprofit
Want to add visual content with a data-focused approach to your existing nonprofit outreach? With all the noise out there-trillions of messages coming at you each day via ads, emails, texts, and...
View Article3 Reasons Why Your Nonprofit Needs Content Marketing
Nonprofit communication is changing-and not just because of social media. Thanks to content marketing, instead of simply keeping donors up to date, nonprofit communicators and fundraisers are directly...
View ArticleHow to Grow Your Nonprofit Voice
Now that you know the three reasons why your nonprofit needs content marketing, how do you get started? Just like with more traditional nonprofit communications, you need to define your voice for your...
View ArticleThe 4 Rs: Be Real, Relevant, Realistic, and Rewarding in Your Content Marketing
As you start using content marketing to capture the hearts of your nonprofit supporters, remember to stay true to your organization with the four Rs: Be real, relevant, realistic, and, most...
View ArticleWhat to Expect from a Nonprofit Press Release
Many nonprofits and small businesses want to know exactly what they can expect from a press release before they sacrifice a dime of their precious marketing budget. Press releases are not the holy...
View Article5 Ways to Use Stories to Increase Donations
There are infinite ways to tell your nonprofit stories, but do you know which ones will lead to more donations? Check out these great tips shared in our free webinar, How to Use Content to Boost Your...
View ArticleFacebook Ads – Are They Right For Your Nonprofit?
Much has been written recently about the changes in Facebook’s algorithm and its pay-to-play philosophy. Many nonprofits who spent years or months building up an engaged online community on the biggest...
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