I always love getting an email from Laurel Dykema of Mission India. It means we are going to get another great guest blog post on being a nonprofit writer. Today Laurel shares what NOT to do as a nonprofit writer. ~Kristina Guest Post by Laurel Dykema of Mission India Don’t write all day every day. Spending…
A few weeks ago, the question of the week at Nonprofit Marketing Guide was “Where do you get your best writing ideas?” Your answers went from cleaning to riding in the car to making something with your hands. Me? I steal. And it’s great! Let me teach you how. It’s called a swipe file, a…
At the start of each month, we send at least 10 writing prompts (usually more) to the subscribers of our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts E-Newsletter. These prompts help you come up with ideas for articles, stories, press releases, blog posts, Facebook updates, letters, and other content. We send them a month ahead so you’ll have time to think…
Even if you like to write like I do, it can still feel like it takes forever to produce something good. And let’s face it, time is not something you have a whole lot of. Below are five online writing tools we like and that were also recommended by friends. They’ll help you…
You labor long and hard to get your marketing content right. We all do. That’s why it’s so dismaying when I see errors like these in campaigns and updates from organizations like yours. It’s not from want of trying! But the English language is tricky, with many words sounding alike. Errors like these three most-frequently-seen…
For today’s Question of the Week, we’re talking inspiration – writing inspiration to be exact. Where do you get your best writing ideas? Share your sources of inspiration below! Facebook friend Andrea Baumann finds ideas skimming Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She says “It’s a great way to see what others are saying and commenting on.” Kerri Karvetski says,…
Fundraising expert Tom Ahern is cranking out some great stuff for us this year! We just finished the first session of 2015 of his Ahern Writing Academy for Fundraisers including a BRAND NEW e-clinic on making the most of your landing and donation pages on your website. Tom is legendary as a guidebook author, donor-centered copywriter, and…
When it comes to building relationships and trust with prospective donors and volunteers, service users or program participants and other vital audiences, the smallest details can make a huge impact, especially when they’re about your organization’s people. That’s why there’s so much potential for us to do SO much better with About Us web site…
Looking to repurpose your direct mail appeals into email? Kerri has some great advice for you! ~Kivi 1. Thou Shalt Make Email SHORTER Than Direct Mail. Direct mail appeals clock in at well over 1,000 words, sometimes double and triple that. If you do that in email, no one will like you. While I’ve seen super…
I coached Cassia Burke’s organization Children of the Nations a couple of years ago and I continue to be impressed with the way they have embraced near constant reporting and thanking of donors in creative ways. I’ve encouraged you to borrow borrow their ideas before and think you’ll like these ideas for keeping your donors informed as well. ~Kivi Guest…
We’ve talked before about how important your headlines are – whether it’s email subject lines, newsletter headlines, or blog post titles. You only have a few minutes to capture your reader’s attention before it’s drawn elsewhere. (Squirrel!) That means you should actually be spending more time on your headlines than you do the actual content…
I recently contributed to the 10-Minute Board Exercises Series by the Center for Nonprofit Stewardship. These exercises and worksheets are meant to be incorporated into your board meetings to get board members talking about important issues. My worksheet, Becoming Your Donor’s Favorite Cause, is about helping your board brainstorm ways to solidify your relationships with…
