There have been plenty of research done on what kind of communications and messaging appeals to donors and drives them to give. Most have concluded that quantifiable and personal impact statements where donors can see how their money helps others are the most effective strategy. The more concrete and personal the impact story is, the…
The holiday season is full of family, friends, and fun. We look back over the year and give thanks for our good fortune. Many of us also share our good fortune with those who need lifting up by donating to our favorite charities. It makes the holidays even sweeter to know that we’ve made lives…
How many times have we heard that in a meeting from our leaders? Or read it in an unsolicited email? And how many times have we finished the sentence to ourselves as, “…Imma gonna go ahead and do it anyway.” That’s the implication that sentence fragment makes. It doesn’t matter how the sentence is actually…
A recent editorial by Ruth McCambridge at Nonprofit Quarterly really resonated with me. In it she laments the standard practice of many nonprofit executives who use “othering” language when talking about their clients. She says this practice is “a regressive blast from the past, full of words and phrases that are coded shortcuts to narratives…
Did you know you could be whelmed? Not overwhelmed or underwhelmed, just whelmed? I had no idea. But Merriam-Webster tells us that contemporary writers use the word to indicate that middle stage between under and over. I guess it’s more of a convention than an actual rule. Why am I bringing this up? I was…
I just finished reading The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath. I found it very interesting and insightful. As a marketing professional, I understand how important a moment can be in driving awareness, perception and conversion in the relationship between a customer and a brand. I had not thought much about how profound that moment…
Of course they can! I think that doing good is always cool. But do most Americans think nonprofits are cool? Probably not. We are the bleeding hearts, the scavengers for cash, the reminders that the world is not perfect. I think most everyone know that nonprofits are necessary and useful in this world, but not…
A promise made must be a promise kept — Aristotle We make promises every day. We promise our kids they can have an extra 30 minutes of screen time if they get their homework done. We promise our boss we’ll have a report ready by Friday. We even promise ourselves a reward if we go…
It’s intern season! As those bright, shiny faces show up at your door ready to learn about your organization and hone their skills within, be prepared to address the push and pull of engaging interns in your organization. Interns can be an enormous help when budgets are tight and resources are scarce. They can also…
All marketing professionals tell stories in order to sell their products or services. It drives a deeper commitment to a brand by uniting consumers through shared experiences. Nonprofit marketers are no different. In fact, I feel it is even more crucial for nonprofits to be effective storytellers in order to stay viable. Our stories of…
