Year-end is always a good time for me to think through and either confirm or change the way we do business here at Nonprofit Marketing Guide. This year, I’ve been reflecting on our Why (a la Simon Sinek).
I’m still working on it, but right now I’d describe my personal why for the work we do as this:
To give communications directors more confidence so that they can trailblaze for their organizations.
Trailblazing is about making a new track through wild country. It’s going somewhere for the first time and clearing a path for others to follow. It’s what I hear communications directors tell me they are doing at their nonprofits all the time.
You are . . .
- the first communications director at your organization
- writing the first real communications strategy your nonprofit has ever had
- developing an editorial calendar for the first time
- developing and documenting communications workflows and processes for the first time
- measuring the results of your communications work for the first time
Doing anything for the first time can be a little scary, and trailblazing isn’t for the faint of heart. You don’t know what’s on the other side of those trees, or even lurking underfoot a few feet away. You can second-guess yourself, thinking you should turn around, or maybe just stand really still and quiet, and hope that everything will be OK.
But that wouldn’t get your organization anywhere, would it?
I want to hear more about your firsts as a communications director at your nonprofit.
Please share your firsts, big or small, in the comments.
