Earlier this month I commented in my newsletter and wrote a blog post about how nonprofits should not be afraid of the “what ifs” out there, prompted by a recent Virginia ruling that liking a Facebook page did not count as protected free speech. The newsletter article and blog post sparked some discussion about what…
That’s the subject line in the email I received two days ago from Charity: Water. How clear and direct is that? And take a look at what was inside: Here is the whole thing since this capture only grabbed the top. It reminds me about a gift from several months ago (year-end, for no…
Last month, I highlighted some benchmarks in both social media and email marketing that were released in recent reports so that you could see how your nonprofit stacked up. Today, we are going to look at online fundraising. Using the 2012 Online Marketing Nonprofit Benchmark Index Study by Convio and the 2012 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study published by M+R and…
I get this question a fair amount, and it came up in the Direct Mail for Small Nonprofits E-Clinic this week: Once we find the voice and style that works for us, how much do we need to get creative every month? By that I mean, as long as we have the high energy and…
Annual reports – when they are done right – can be a great marketing tool showcasing your nonprofit. I cover nonprofit annual reports quite a bit, and thought I would share how this nonprofit went about creating both a print and online version of their annual report. This step by step description will give you…
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…
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 —…
Kerri Karvetski is a wonderful nonprofit copywriter and online strategist (and she also teaches the webinars in our Social Media Starter Kit series). I recently interviewed Kerri for some tips on how to put together a good online fundraising campaign. Kerri’s Campaign Tips: Develop a Story Arc with Multiple Emails Set Public Goals with Your…
On Wednesday, I shared how nonprofits are using social media according to reports released over the last few weeks. Today, we are going to take a look at email marketing and fundraising using data from these reports: Sage Nonprofit Solutions Email Marketing Report 2012 (Sage) 2012 Online Marketing Nonprofit Benchmark Index Study (Convio) 2012 eNonprofit Benchmarks…
I love to hear about others’ experiences at conferences I am unable to attend – especially when they gain as much knowledge as Kim McCleary, president & CEO of the CFIDS Association of America, did from this month’s AFP conference in Vancouver. (And yes, Kim is the brilliant person who used the Ryan Gosling meme, as you…
Each time we hold our Direct Mail for Small Nonprofits E-clinic, Tom Ahern and I have to help the participants overcome their pre-conceived ideas of what makes a great direct mail appeal letter. And one of the biggest challenges is trying to convince our participants (and their team) that they do NOT have to keep their…
Tomorrow, Betsy Baker of Your Grant Authority will present a webinar for our All-Access Pass Holders on how to find grant money specifically for your nonprofit’s marketing and communications programs. Didn’t think you could find grants for anything other than your programs or services? Betsy busts that myth and shares how you can get the…
