Smart Marketing for Small Nonprofits: Recent Episodes
Cindy May
How do I market my nonprofits mission with heart not hype? Increase donations without increasing my marketing budget? Regularly attract and retain new donors? These are just some of the big questions that Nonprofit Marketing expert Cindy May from CindyMayMarketing.com answers on the enlightening Smart Marketing for Small Nonprofits podcast. Providing marketing tips, tools, resources and ideas that will help you generate greater awareness and fundraising support for your cause, each episode is designed to help you take immediate action on the most important marketing strategies that will help you move your mission forward. Don’t have the time, money or marketing expertise to confidently market your mission? Want to learn how to use email marketing to retain donors? Interested in learning how to use Facebook ads to exceed your fundraising campaign goals? Discover why small nonprofits turn to Cindy May to implement the best nonprofit marketing strategies that really get results, help accelerate their growth and create the impact they most want in this world.
Keeping your email subscribers engaged is always a challenge for nonprofits. Your supporters are dealing with inboxes that are not only full; they’re bursting. It’s estimated that over time, you’ll lose 1-in-4 subscribers to churn. These aren’t people who unsubscribe; they just ignore your emails. Before cutting them loose and eliminating them from your email list, however, try one more campaign to win them back: a re-engagement campaign.
Email campaigns continue to be one of the most cost effective methods of getting support for your nonprofit. In fact, on average they show a return on investment of $42, far outstripping social media and direct mail. In this podcast, we talk about what makes email marketing campaigns so successful, how to leverage them for all your content needs and tips on maximizing their success for your nonprofit.
One of the reasons I’ve always highlighted what I call "Women on a Mission" is to inspire you with the stories of nonprofit leaders who are tackling the big issues fearlessly. Today I want to update you about the work of Debbie DiCarlo, who is not only working to make sure that no-one has to face cancer alone, she's also working hard to make sure that her organization is reaching everyone who needs it by focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Nonprofits spend a lot of time thinking about how to attract new supporters. Worried about donor churn or dwindling ranks or volunteers, they are on the lookout for new people who share their passion and are willing to commit their time, talent and treasure for a cause.
One of the best methods to pave the way for these new supporters is to first get them to subscribe to your nonprofit’s emails. Here’s five ways to grow your email list and nurture new subscribers today so they can become tomorrow’s donors, volunteers and advocates.
Is time your enemy or your asset? It’s all about how you choose to use it. Today’s episode asks a hard question: Are you spending your time wisely? Listen to suggestions on how to re-evaluate what you spend your time on, the duties you might want to delegate to others, and strategies to use so that you are managing your day (instead of having your day manage you).
When there’s an opportunity to make our nonprofit emails more exciting, more likely to be opened and more clickable, we should take full advantage of it. And the thing that is accomplishing all of the above (and making our emails messages way more memorable) is video. It’s what people want and they’ll reward you when you include a video link in your campaigns with better open and conversion rates. Plus, creating a video is now easier than ever. In this episode, Cindy takes a deep dive into the why and how of incorporating more video into your e-communications.
How do you stay motivated? What makes you able to be the superhero of your nonprofit? What enables you to combat the negative self-talk and turn “we can’t” into “we must.” In this podcast, Cindy explores ways for nonprofit leaders to reset their mindset and stay inspired in 2022.
Every year we hear that email for nonprofits is dead. Old fashioned, not working, can’t do the job. And then every year we get the numbers and - surprise! - email is still one of the best ways to connect with your audiences. That doesn’t mean that email is easy - changes to spam algorithms, operating systems and more can be a challenge. In this podcast, we talk about the latest changes and detail nine ways to improve the chances that your nonprofit’s emails will not only be opened but drive your supporters to action.
For the new year, I’d like to tell you a story. It’s got high points and low valleys, a few plot twists, and - fortunately - a happy ending. Hopefully, it will inspire you, because it’s all about why nonprofits like yours are so important to me and the entire team at Cindy May Marketing.
Data can be dull. That’s why I counsel my nonprofit clients to steer clear of numbers when discussing their mission; stories of impact are just so much more engaging. But one set of numbers nonprofits should be concerned with is their marketing numbers. From the reach of your Facebook posts to the number of people who clicked on the call to action in your latest e-newsletter, those numbers will help you become more effective in your outreach - and that will get you more of the support you need. Make 2022 your data-driven year for marketing
GivingTuesday is just around the corner. In this podcast, Cindy talks about how to maximize your fundraising success with emails before, during and after the event, and 21 of her favorite #GivingTuesday subject lines for 2021.
Get to know your donors! Reaching out through surveys, tours, coffee get-togethers, phone calls and more will increase the likelihood that they’ll give again, plus they will give you new insights and appreciation about your organization.
GivingTuesday is just around the corner. In this podcast, Cindy talks about how to maximize your fundraising success with emails before, during and after the event, and 21 of her favorite #GivingTuesday subject lines for 2021.
Here’s a resolution for 2022 that you can start working on now. Identify the fellow nonprofits and corporations that would be good allies for your nonprofit and start building those partnerships. Too many of the problems that nonprofits are trying to solve are too complex to rest on one organization’s shoulders. Partnerships can help broaden your reach, have more impact, and - if the marketing is done strategically and smart - make everyone feel appreciated for the good work they are doing.
If you are looking to connect with a younger audience, there’s no better place to go than Instagram. More than 60% of Instagram’s 1.3 billion users are between the ages of 18 and 34 and if you are looking to be discovered on the app, there’s no better tool than Instagram reels. But what do you need to do to make these “micro-content” videos? Podcast guest Breece May dives into how to create Instagram reels and why it’s important for your nonprofit.
Want to get recharged and renew your excitement about how you market your mission? This episode is about how to address those times when marketing feels more like a grind. Do you need to change up your message? Or do you need to create some processes that will make marketing easier? Learn how to get your marketing mojo back in this podcast.
Today it’s all about the tips that make your email communications more successful. Things that will keep you from winding up in the spam folder; ways to make your subject lines more compelling and best practices to make your email campaigns easier to build and more likely to get results.
This is a busy time of year for nonprofits, but don’t let a big to-do list from now to the end of the year prevent you from doing a little planning - and a little dreaming. Before ringing in the New Year, give yourself a chance to imagine what 2022 could be for your organization. What new things are on the horizon? What changes do you want to implement? And how will you generate the support you need to grow your mission?
Nonprofits are eager to share the stories of the people, groups and causes they help and it’s easy to understand why - these are some of the most compelling ways to illustrate their impact. But those aren’t the only stories you should tell. Sharing your organization’s story is also important to building feelings of trust that engender support for your cause. Learn how here.
There’s a lot of strong, negative feelings about marketing for nonprofits out there. It ranges from thinking of it as a “necessary evil” to viewing all marketing as, for lack of a better word, “icky” - sleazy, inauthentic or chock-full of hype. But marketing isn't a dirty word. It’s not a punishment. It’s just a tool and - when you embrace the best aspects of it - it might very well be the most important job you are doing for your organization.
GivingTuesday is now the biggest day in philanthropy. Last year it broke records with $2.47 billion donated (in US alone!) and 35 million people taking part. But its sheer size sometimes makes small and medium-size nonprofits wonder if #GivingTuesday is worth the work. How can you be heard if you aren’t a huge organization? This episode explores the benefits and some strategic tips to make #GivingTuesday work for your nonprofit, regardless of its size.
Often, nonprofit leaders play down the importance of marketing to a nonprofit’s success. Relying on the myth that every dime should go strictly to program costs, they ignore the role that an effective marketing and communications strategy have in making sure nonprofit’s get the support they need and reach the clients they want to serve. In this episode, Cindy dives into what not marketing costs your nonprofit.
Coming up with good content is only half the story when you are trying to create an email that generates awareness, engagement and support. You also need to make sure that your email is designed to be impactful and easy-to-read. Cindy shares 4 simple tips that will help.
Are you ever tempted to skip posting or emailing on a day that is fraught with significance? Maybe it’s a holiday or the anniversary of a tragic event or something that would drag you into a current controversy. There certainly is a temptation to skip marketing on certain difficult days, but if you’re too cautious, you might rob your nonprofit of a chance to engage with your supporters on a deeper and more meaningful level.
No one doubts that sharing clients stories is a powerful way to illustrate the good work your nonprofit does. So why do some organizations avoid it? One big reason is concerns that capturing those stories and writing them is a long, involved process. It doesn’t have to be.
Broadcasts. Automations. Targeted messaging. Are you using the right type of email for the message you need to get out? Learn more about the 4 distinct types of emails nonprofits can (and should) be using to build support and engagement.
Each nonprofit has at least three distinct ways in which they communicate with the public. Each type of communication deepens your relationship with the outside world, and all of them are essential to your organization. Which is why you need to be transparent and consistent in each and every level. This episode covers each of these levels of communication and how to approach them to make sure you are maximizing their communication power.
If you are seeing the open and click-through rates drop for your nonprofit’s emails, it might be time to identify subscribers who haven’t engaged recently and win them over with a re-engagement campaign. Here’s how.
Call to Action buttons only take up a tiny piece of real estate on your email communications or website, but they can be key to getting your audiences to donate, volunteer, or otherwise support your cause. Here’s how to make yours better.
Just like a little black dress or flattering jeans, the power of great content is that - with some tweaks - it can be repurposed for all occasions and platforms. In this bonus podcast, Cindy discusses the power of leveraging quality content and why it’s not only smart marketing but also an excellent use of your nonprofit’s resources.
Engagement is the marketing version of the Holy Grail for nonprofits. It’s goal: to get people to notice you, interact with you and, ultimately, support you. But with more than 1.5 million nonprofits in the U.S. alone, there’s a lot of competition out there. How can you stand out from the crowd? In this episode, I cover tips that can make your content and design more compelling and more likely to get engagement.
Even if they have no problem hiring certain types of outside experts, many nonprofits resist getting help with their marketing efforts. But having some help with communications can result in nonprofits getting more support so they can thrive. Cindy goes over the most common reason nonprofit leaders say “no” to marketing help and the many reasons the right answer might be “yes” - including the fact that it might ultimately be more cost-effective than doing it in-house.
Events manager Danielle Snelson says that 2020 gave nonprofits permission to hold their events virtually. The question is, now that the pandemic is receding and in-person gatherings are more common, should we keep it virtual in 2021? The answer will depend on what your organization's goals are. In this podcast, Cindy and Danielle talk about when virtual and hybrid in-person/online events will further the goals of your organization and how to do it effectively.
2020 was a bear of a year, but here’s the silver lining: Confronted by fear, uncertainty, loss and lockdowns, we didn’t hide in a bunker until it was all over. We found new ways to connect and gave what we could to support others, and did it in record numbers. Cindy takes a deep dive into the 2020 M+R Benchmark report.
Joe McLeod has been helping companies and nonprofits weather PR crises for more than 15 years. He talks with Cindy about how to prepare a crisis communications plan and how to handle PR concerns so that they don’t damage your nonprofit’s reputation or impact negatively on your mission.
Kathy Widenhouse, a highly experienced nonprofit content writer, talks with Cindy about how to master the art of persuasive communication, whether it’s a fundraising appeal, e-newsletter or blog post. The tips and tactics she shares will make your own writing process easier and far more effective.
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, how much is a video - even a short one - worth? 10,000 words? 100,000? A million? Video is the ultimate storytelling device, says Burr Purnell, this month’s Marketer on a Mission and using it gives nonprofits an easy, fast, and affordable way to amplify their message to the world.
When you think about retaining donors, trade in ROI for ROR or “return on relationship.” That’s the advice of Cindy’s guest, Jarrett Ransom of The Rayvan Group. An expert on nonprofit marketing and a self-described “Nonprofit Nerd,” Jarrett shares the five building blocks of donor relationships in this special Marketer on a Mission podcast.
Many things have changed in the last year, but not the importance of marketing to support donor retention efforts. In this episode, Cindy explores the statistics to keep in mind as you develop your retention strategy and a four-step process to make sure first-time donors continue to support your organization after their initial gift.
Ever worry about getting stuck in a rut in your marketing efforts? It’s a new year, which makes it a great time to experiment and try some new digital strategies for promoting your nonprofit. This episode has suggestions on ways you might want to stretch those marketing muscles, but it also includes the one thing that is tried and true no matter what marketing strategies you employ.
As we begin our journey into 2021, have you thought about what success for your nonprofit would look like this year? We are in the middle of the Great Reset, which makes it the perfect time to create your marketing plan. It doesn’t have to be a beast; in fact it can be both an inspirational and useful document, a roadmap to a successful year for your nonprofit.
We all know that 2020 was rough and that despite awesome news about vaccines this month, it’s going to take a lot of work to get back on track in 2021. But that shouldn’t sap you of the optimism that a new year typically brings. In today’s episode, we explore why (realistic) optimism is essential for the strategic marketing of your nonprofit and how to keep hope and resilience front and center as we greet 2021.
Your nonprofit’s marketing budget is important; it’s the connective tissue between your organization and the many audiences you are trying to reach: clients, donors, volunteers and the public at large. But the reality is that after the double whammy of COVID-19 and the resulting economic downturn, the money just might not be there in 2021. This episode focuses on low- and no-cost marketing strategies that can allow you to continue to make an impact no matter the size of your budget.
If you could take your nonprofit back to our pre-COVID “normal” world, would you? Or did you discover things about yourself and your organization in 2020 that you want to shape your nonprofit’s future. In this episode, Cindy reviews the top marketing lessons nonprofits learned in 2020 and how they can be used to improve marketing in 2021 and beyond.
Some words are just better than others when it comes to compelling copy, and in the world of marketing and fundraising, there are a handful of words that can inspire people to give to your cause. In this episode, we talk about seven words and phrases that are proven to have an impact getting support for your nonprofit.
Today we talk with Anne Stefanyk of Kanopi Studios, a website designer and developer. Anne shares her top 10 tips on how to maintain your website so you maximize its ability to raise awareness of your nonprofit, win support for your cause and turn your audiences’ intentions into action.
Yes it’s an international event and yes, there’s only three weeks left, but with a little time and effort, there’s still time to have an effective #GivingTuesday campaign. It doesn’t have to be a stand-alone event; instead, why not make #GivingTuesday the launch of your whole end-of-year campaign.
In spite of the chaos and confusion caused by 2020, this year has provided you with a unique opportunity as you are making your end-of-year ask. It’s a chance to share the challenges of running a nonprofit during a year marked by a pandemic and unrest with your supporters, and then boldly ask your supporters to share your optimism for the future.
Call it the case of the disappearing donor. Someone who you can see is responding to your message and even getting to your donation platform, only to leave without a trace. And the clues lead you right up to the culprit - your donation page.
Amazon knows how to make it personal for consumers. So does Netflix and Patagonia. How can nonprofits bridge the gap with their donors just like for-profit businesses? In our latest “Marketer on a Mission” interview, Gabe Cooper of Virtuous Software explains the power of CRM programs and how they streamline communications for small nonprofits while helping them forge better relationships with their supporters.
Fall arrived a short time back and I think after such a difficult spring and summer, we were all ready for it. It always feels like a season of renewal and hope, something we all really need in 2020. That makes it a perfect time to shift gears in our marketing outreach and lean into optimism as we work towards a transition from urgent to optimistic.
While we understand the idea of planning for an event or campaign, we often aren’t that great about mapping out what we need from our marketing creative teams, and that can cause wasted time and effort not to mention frustration for everyone involved. But this can be avoided with the “creative brief.”
When measuring how your marketing is doing, you can drown in all the data. Take Google Analytics - there are literally hundreds of metrics to choose from to see how your website is doing. But not all numbers are equal, and in this episode I give you the top Google Analytics numbers to follow and how they will help you improve your website and your digital marketing results!
There is something big that holds many marketers back from being the absolute best they can be and making the biggest impact they can for the nonprofits they serve. In today’s world when so many nonprofits are in need of support - maybe now more than ever - it’s crucial that we get anything that’s holding you back out of the way. In this episode I’m going to give you three steps you can take to eliminate this big marketing barrier once and for all.
Lately, it’s been hard enough for us to keep our current donors engaged, much less put together campaigns to attract new supporters to our cause. But winning over new donors is vital to the health of your nonprofit. The key is to have a strategy that is as inexpensive as it is effective. That’s where the strategic new donor marketing funnel comes in.
Most of us have become pretty comfortable with being on camera as a good chunk of our professional - and personal - lives have moved online. So now seems a perfect time to take advantage of this new-found familiarity with live streaming on Facebook for your nonprofit. This episode covers some strategic approaches to what you should do before, during and after your Facebook Live to maximize its impact for your organization.
I’ve seen it too many times - a well designed campaign for fundraising, an event or volunteer recruitment that has super emails and good social media posts, but then drives people to a landing page that doesn’t finish the job. Learn how to take interest and turn it into conversions with a strong (but simple) landing page.
Ever feel like your social media posts are becoming mechanical and automatic? Sometimes shaking up your approach will help you recapture your mojo when it comes to crafting compelling posts on whatever platforms you are using. Today’s podcasts had 10 tips to help you jazz up your social media presence and keep it fresh for yourself - and your readers.
Google AdGrants are more popular than ever for nonprofits, as we work to find new digital ways to expand awareness and drive donations for our organizations. Google AdGrant expert Steven Aguiar, founder of Good Goes Further, discussed the application process and the work you need to engage in once you win your grant. It takes persistence and it takes management, and Steven shares his best practices to maximize the benefit of your Google AdGrant.
In a typical year, I’d suggest that you hold a mid-year review of your marketing goals and strategies just to check in on how you are doing and make sure you are on track. This year that review is absolutely imperative as so many events have probably disrupted your best laid plans of January. It’s time to take a breath, review what you had planned, see how far you’ve come despite all the craziness of 2020 and then adjust so you can make the most of the rest of the year.
According to the World Advertising Research Center, in five years, 75% of all people will access the Internet through their smartphones by 2025. Which is why it’s imperative that all your digital resources - website, e-communications, text and social media - are mobile-friendly. And that means more than just making sure the platform you are using is responsive. Text, images, form fields - it all matters when you are measuring a space in pixels instead of inches.
As you work to shore up your nonprofit’s financial position, it might be time to look at your lapsed donors and see if you can re-engage them with your organization. Today we talk about a re-engagement strategy that speaks to this time: invite them to participate in a “micro” monthly giving program, which would allow them to support a cause they have a history with without breaking their budgets.
Many nonprofits are trying to speak to this moment and align ourselves and our organizations with the nationwide protests for diversity, equity and inclusion. In short, we are trying to figure out how to be an ally to the Black community, but aren’t quite sure if we should or how to go about it. Fortunately, there are some wise people out there who have thought about it. Today I share their insights and some personal observations from the past few weeks.
It's been a heartbreaking time. But amid the turmoil, there have been stories of people coming together - to fight for justice, to help others, to try to show we are better than the news of the past two weeks. Right now your nonprofit serves two roles: the first is its stated mission and the second is to serve as a place where supporters can take a stand and show what they believe in and value. Which means it’s a powerful time to consider launching a peer-to-peer campaign to advance your cause.
It’s time to get back to nonprofit marketing basics and that means building engagement. The phrase might be overused, but it’s hard to overestimate how important it is. And there are so many digital options to use as you try to attract new supporters and draw your audiences closer to your cause. Today’s podcast talks about strategies you can implement right now to educate, inform and inspire people to help you move your mission forward.
A lack of confidence in your nonprofit’s future can be as damaging to your organization as the very, very real challenges posed by both coronavirus and the economic fallout that followed the disease. Here are 5 thing you need to make sure you don’t underestimate and have confidence in as we go through this rocky period of recovery.
It might be tempting to think that now is not the time to reach out to the media for coverage of your nonprofit, but nothing could be further from the truth. But COVID-19 does mean that you need to adjust your approach to meet the times. Cindy discusses how in this episode.
From personalization to automation to segmentation, email communications have evolved tremendously in the past few years. Today Liz Willits of Aweber goes through the strategies that your nonprofit can employ to make sure that your email communications reach their intended audiences and inspire your audiences to click and convert.
Amid all the Covid-19 craziness, M+R released its Benchmark Report on digital marketing for nonprofits. This episode is about the main takeaways from the 2020 report and how it points the way both for us in the coronavirus era and in the future, as we work to emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever.
GivingTuesdayNow is right around the corner and your nonprofit should be there. This day of global giving and unity is the financial and feel-good event we have all been needing during the coronavirus pandemic.
Lately, I’ve been hearing from many nonprofits looking for alternative ways to fundraise during this time of social distancing. So after some research and brainstorming with the team, we are proud to present this top 10 list of virtual fundraising options that we think you could use now (out of necessity) or in the future (because they are pretty cool).
For the past few weeks, I’ve focused on how you need to pivot your communication strategy with your existing email subscribers, but there’s another piece of this puzzle: attracting new supporters to your cause. Today we go over one of my favorite low-cost strategies to get new subscribers, who ultimately may become supporters of your organization.
Your nonprofit needs to be emailing more often during this time of uncertainty, not less. Email is every nonprofit’s biggest asset right now and open rates are increasing during this time of stay-at-home and social distancing. And even if you aren’t on the front lines dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, you have stories to tell and inspiration to share - not to mention support to ask for.
I like to look at nonprofit testimonials as the seasoning to your marketing messaging. It’s rare that they can make a full meal, but they add flavor because their third-party validation gives more power to your stories of how you are making the world a better place. Today we go into who you should get testimonials from, what they should say and how to use these powerful quotes once you get them.
There is one big hit that many nonprofits are facing right now - the cancellation or postponement of events that they were counting on to raise needed support to continue their missions. From Spring Galas, to fundraising walks and runs, notices of postponements and cancellations keep pouring in. Nonprofits are being forced to make what might feel like untenable decisions. But the good news is that there is a Plan B - a way to fill the fundraising gap digitally.
Your nonprofit is needed more than ever right now, whether you are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response or your work has been limited by the coronavirus. Now is not the time to shy away from marketing and even fundraising. You’ve got to show up in these uncertain times with clarity, confidence and sensitivity because waiting is not an option. Here’s how.
Never stop communicating. In times like these, marketing is a tool you should be reaching for to keep the lines of communication open with your supporters. It’s a time to clarify what your organization is doing, how it’s responding to the crisis at hand and what is needed to keep moving forward. But it’s also a time to reach out and find out how they are doing as we navigate in these unprecedented times. But it does require shifting gears.
Regardless of your nonprofit’s size, you are an excellent candidate to win large corporate support for your cause. It’s a matter of finding the right businesses to approach, doing your research and ensuring that you structure the partnership in such a way that both you and the corporate sponsor get a measurable result from the partnership.
Every small nonprofit has a superpower - being small. Your size gives you amazing flexibility and speed, cutting down on red tape as you work to make the world a better place. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges. In today’s podcast, Cindy talks about why you should “embrace the small,” and solutions to the top three marketing problems she hears about from smaller nonprofits.
Whether you are just starting out on Instagram or have made it a big part of your social media outreach, Cindy has some strategies to make the most of your posts on one of the fastest growing platforms in the U.S.
What exactly is content - and how can you make sure that your nonprofit’s content is effective in educating, informing or inspiring your audience. Here’s a simple 3-part formula that ensures you are creating captivating content that gets results.
Cindy interviews author and serial entrepreneur Laura Gisborne, who is showing women leaders how to honor themselves and their talents and make more of an impact in their work. Although much of her consulting involves women in the private sector, the advice she shares is equally applicable in the nonprofit world.
While most nonprofits are looking ahead to spring functions and fundraising fun, it’s worth taking a look at some EOY giving statistics - and three things that will make the difference for your nonprofit in 2020.
Why does giving feel so good? Today we explore what psychologists think is the answer to that question - and how nonprofit marketers can tap into and honor those altruistic impulses that scientists believe are hard-wired into our psyches.
Don’t fear the metrics. Measuring the performance of your website, emails and social media posts doesn’t have to be an exercise in futility. The trick is to know which metrics matter - and what you can do if your nonprofit isn’t measuring up. This episode looks at the metrics your nonprofit should review for website, email and social media performance and strategies to boost those numbers.
On this day celebrating his birth, Cindy’s talking about Dr. Martin Luther King’s powerful speech at the March on Washington - what is now known as the “I Have a Dream Speech” - and how it can inspire nonprofit marketers as they tell the stories of their organizations.
Convincing you that monthly giving programs are worth doing isn’t hard - report after report shows the ROI is great, it provides predictable funding, and it’s a powerful donor retention tool. But you have to do it right. In this episode, Cindy walks you through the why - and how - to launch or revamp a recurring donation program.
One way to make it more likely that your emails are seen (and opened) this year is to employ personalization. Personalization makes your emails feel more like one-to-one conversations instead of a generic, mass communication. But it’s more than just adding your recipient’s name to your greeting or subject line. Explore the power of personalization in this week’s podcast.
It's the end of the year rush - New Year's plans, last minute scramble for year-end donations, plus planning for a brand new decade. Take a little break with Cindy's short podcast that's all about her hopes for you and your nonprofit in 2020 (with some practical tips to make the New Year even better, of course).
In the midst of your end-of-year fundraising efforts, take a break (and a deep breath!) and join Cindy as she talks about what a successful marketing plan looks like for next year. She’ll have a 5+1 guide for planning and maintaining a 2020 plan to reach more people more effectively. Get caught up in the promise and excitement of the New Year here.
Cindy has a wide-ranging conversation with the amazing Martha Mertz, who founded ATHENA International as a way of recognizing women leaders who not only excel in their careers, but contribute to the community and mentor or serve as a role model for other women.
Although not as popular as they once were, annual reports are a great opportunity to tell your story in a way that makes it super easy to understand your mission and generate new support for your cause. But you can update the traditional end-of-year recap by relying more on digital solutions like interactive website-based reports and video. Not only will it freshen up your annual report, it will make it easier to leverage it to numerous communication channels.
Today, the podcast dives into 2020 social media trends - the stats and facts you need to know, where you might need to shift your emphasis and what things you can let go of in the coming year. Turn social media into one of the brightest, best and most versatile tools in your marketing toolkit for 2020! Plus we’ll talk about some recent changes in Facebook and Instagram that you should be aware of right now.
What you can do to successfully start a new major donor society or club and generate interest for others to join at higher giving levels.
Like many other things in life, fundraising tends to follow the 80/20 rule. The top 20% of your donors are probably contributing close to 80% of all your fundraising. (In fact, there are some well-respected fundraisers who will argue it’s more like 90/10.) And not only are your major donors writing the largest checks, they are also some of the most consistent supporters of your organization. Today’s podcast focuses on the specific marketing efforts your organization can do to keep these special donors engaged.
How to use alternative descriptions or ‘alt tags’ on website images to increase your websites search engine rankings.
There’s no denying that Google is most everyone’s guide when it comes to finding what they want and need online. And when people are thinking about a particular cause - like the one your nonprofit focuses on - you want your website to be one of the first pages that comes up when they do a Google search. But to do that you have to optimize your website for search engines, i.e., practice good SEO.
There’s no denying that Google is most everyone’s guide when it comes to finding what they want and need online. And when people are thinking about a particular cause - like the one your nonprofit focuses on - you want your website to be one of the first pages that comes up when they do a Google search. But to do that you have to optimize your website for search engines, i.e., practice good SEO.
Marketing to get attendees to your event requires a different type of communication strategy than your regular outreach for fundraising. While your mission is still front and center, there is a big difference because you’re selling an experience as much as a cause.
Today’s podcast dives into how and where to promote your gala, sporting event or other occasion to generate buzz - and ticket sales.
In the nonprofit world, content is king. It's what emotionally connects your cause to your audience, helping you retain current supporters - and find new ones. In today's episode, Cindy covers three key aspects of your nonprofit's content: how to audit what you have to make sure it is current and fresh; how to create new content (even if you feel there are no new ways to tell your story); and how to leverage that content throughout all your platforms to make sure you reach your target audiences and continue the process of building trust and credibility.
This week’s episode includes a rundown of the latest changes Facebook has made to the process of running ads, including changes you need to be made aware of and follow in order to run “social issue” ads that many nonprofits will bump up against sooner or later.
Giving Tuesday could very well be a donation driving force for your organization. And you don’t have to have a big team, big budget or huge marketing plan of action to make it happen. Tune in for a bundle of Giving Tuesday ideas, motivation and inspiration.
Email is the workhorse of your nonprofit marketing communications - dependable, powerful, and versatile. But you have to know how to use it effectively. Part of that is avoiding the mistakes that can cost your time, money and frustration. Today’s episode is about Cindy’s Top 10 (or should we say “Bottom 10”) email mistakes you don’t want your nonprofit to make.