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…
I spent the first two weeks of July on Ocracoke Island, part vacation and part book writing retreat. I always read a ton when I’m on vacation and this trip was no different. I love my job, so I always read a mix of nonfiction that is at least tangentially related to nonprofit marketing, along…
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…
Have you shared your nonprofit communications story with me yet? I’m writing the follow-up to my first book, The Nonprofit Marketing Guide: High-Impact, Low-Cost Ways to Build Support for Your Good Cause (Amazon) this year, and my goal is to include the nonprofit communications stories of 100 different nonprofits. I’m collecting stories via a series…
I love Tom Ahern to bits. He’s so smart and so practical, and he tells it like it is, all while still being a nice, supportive guy — which makes him a perfect partner for our Nonprofit Marketing Guide e-clinics on print fundraising for small nonprofits. Tom doesn’t hold back when he sees a nonprofit…
Derek Hurwitch, the senior director of marketing and communications for Jewish Family Service in Palm Beach County, is wrestling with a challenge common to many nonprofits: find some younger donors. Listen to how Derek proposes to take on this challenge by paying attention to what that target audience cares about most– you may be surprised…
Do you follow the 50-50 rule for content creation? (OK, it’s not a real rule, it’s just a starting point I made up.) The idea is that about half of what you share in your communications is original content that you created recently and that hasn’t been published anywhere else yet. The other half is…
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…
I try to blog everyday. Then, I also have to write articles for my weekly e-newsletter. Plus write another newsletter to my All-Access Pass Holders, not to mention updating Facebook and Twitter. I’m not going to lie – it’s tough sometimes to come up with ideas. I’ve been there, staring at the computer hoping inspiration…
Enjoy this week’s edition of Mixed Links! It’s time for the 2012 Nonprofit Tagline Awards (The Taggies) again! I will be judging the contest again this year and encourage you to submit your entry to Nancy Schwartz. It’s free and fast and all entrants will be invited to a free webinar (Aha! Messages: 4 Ways to Test Message Relevance) and…
Videos are a great way to engage and inspire your supporters and Lights. Camera. Help. is a nonprofit organization that encourages other nonprofits to use film and video to tell their stories. You may know them from their Lights. Camera. Help. Film Festival. They are currently conducting a survey of nonprofits about their use of video.…
Gail Perry is one of my favorite major donor fundraisers and board advisers and her last three blog posts have been full of fabulous advice on getting your board fired up. All of her advice applies to getting people excited to help in other ways too, like with marketing (you know, all that communication in…
