The apology that Susan G. Komen for the Cure issued on Friday was the first step. The obligatory resignations are next. But if Komen is going to repair the damage done by its behavior last week, they have quite a few more steps in the process. “What should Komen do next?” That’s the question many…
Last week on the main Nonprofit Marketing Guide site (you are reading the blog now), I published an article called, “Blah, Blah, Blah: What to Do When You Write Too Much.” In today’s guest post, Erica Mills of Claxon Marketing takes it to the next step by showing how specific words can actually debilitate your…
(Updates to this post can be found at the bottom.) Yesterday afternoon, and continuing into today, I believe we are witnessing the accidental rebranding of what is surely one of America’s biggest and most well-known, and even well-loved, nonprofit brands. Komen for the Cure, it seems, is no longer a breast cancer charity, but a…
Hating statistics and other cold hard facts, and loving stories instead, is very popular in our field right now. I’m mostly on that bandwagon too. But what if you could use a good statistic to help tell your story? I saw this Austim Speaks PSA with Toni Braxton on TV recently, and it caught my…
Nancy Schwartz asked, “What are your dreams for nonprofits?” My dream for your nonprofit is that you decide what you are really all about — what makes you different — and that you be that organization, and forget the rest. Consider this excerpt from Peter Bregman’s book, 18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get…
Does your audience understand what you’re telling them? Melinda McKee shares her tips for making sure your message is understood by the people you are trying to reach in today’s guest post. ~Kivi Guest Post by Melinda McKee, Public Relations and Communications Director for NCGives Ever feel like your nonprofit’s communications are playing out like…
I have to admit that I am a little depressed thinking about the upcoming fall fundraising season. I’m expecting a lot of doom and gloom from nonprofits. I know it can work, but I’m really hoping that I will see more orgs taking Katya Andresen’s advice about how fundraising is really about giving people a…
Avoid sabotaging your nonprofit’s communications with wimpy, confusing asks. Here are five frequent problems with the way nonprofits ask for support, whether it’s donating money or time or some other valuable. 1. Assuming One Size Fits All. There is no such thing as the general public. Know your supporters, donors, participants or whoever you are talking to,…
I met Jubi Headley via my other website, Writing for Nonprofits. Jubi is direct, witty, and savvy — all qualities I admire in both writers and friends, so I’m happy to introduce him to you as both, and as today’s guest blogger. ~Kivi Guest Post by Jubi Headley, WriteNow Communications Whether you call them…
A few weeks ago, I asked you to describe your nonprofit’s personality in three words and I got some interesting responses. Several of you emailed me privately to say that you really didn’t think your nonprofit had much of a personality at all. If you are in that boat, here are 7 ways to show…
When I ask staff at nonprofits to describe their organization’s public personality, I often get blank stares, or something like “Ummm . . . we don’t have one, so I guess, well, how about ‘boring?’” I admit, it’s a tough question, especially if you’ve never considered that an organization could even have a personality in…
Why shouldn’t you ask your board members to “fundraise” or “friendraise”? Because as we discussed during today’s webinar on Making the Ask, people don’t know what the heck you are talking about. There are scores of different ways that board members can “fundraise” and “friendraise.” If you don’t make your requests much more clear and…
