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Do You Skip Thanksgiving Too?
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 13, 2018
Back off, Old Man. It ain’t your time yet. How annoying is it that department stores skip over Thanksgiving and go right to Christmas?
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
Why You Should Implement an Automated Email Welcome Series for New Donors
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 22, 2018
Katelyn Baughan. If you haven’t set up some type of welcome series for new donors, you are missing out on a great chance to build a relationship.
So You Made an Audience Persona. Now What?
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 6, 2018
Beth Hallowell. Back in April, Beth Hallowell wrote a great guest post for us on How a Little Communications Research Can Yield Big Results. Today she is back to talk to you about supporter journeys and how to create an effective one. Kristina. Guest Post by Beth Hallowell.
Mixed Links for Nonprofit Communicators – November 9, 2018
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 9, 2018
Cosmos. Orange Beach, AL. I am currently in Gulf Shores, AL at a tennis tournament, but I will always bring you the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of marketing and fundraising.
Responsible for Graphic Design, but Have No Real Training? Join us Tomorrow!
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 5, 2018
If you have been tasked with creating graphics for your organization, but have little to no design training, then our next BRAND NEW webinar is for you! You can create powerful images that successfully engage donors, funders, media, volunteers and other supporters in-house.
BEYOND CUTE: Why Nonprofits Should Try Emoji In Their Digital Marketing
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 11, 2018
Emoji! These little symbols are exploding in number and placement in our digital lives. Wired called them “the first language born of the digital world.”.
Mixed Links for Nonprofit Communicators #GivingTuesday Edition – October 19, 2018
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 19, 2018
New Orleans, LA. Everyone ready for the weekend? Technology has been my enemy this week, but I won’t let that stop me from bringing you the best links!
12 Communications Strategies for Nonprofits
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 8, 2018
You set goals, like these twelve communications goals for nonprofits , including community engagement, raising awareness of issues, and fundraising. And every day you manage tactical communications channels like email, social media, print marketing, PR and more. But what’s in the middle? What connects that tactical work to the larger goals? The answer is Communications or Marketing Strategies. .
8 Tips for Proofreading from a Reformed Grammar Nerd
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 31, 2018
Let’s start with a cartoon in honor of Halloween: <SHUDDERS> Yesterday, I shared a few things that scare me and what I am doing about it. I also encouraged you to share what scares you too. Would “bad grammar” make your list? I didn’t include it on my list because I am actually trying to let go of the “grammar nerd” in me. At least when it comes to things like texting and commenting on social media.
Take the 2019 Nonprofit Communications Trends Survey Now
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 7, 2018
It’s our most popular download of the year: The Annual Nonprofit Communications Trends Report. Each year, more than 1,000 nonprofit communicators complete the annual Nonprofit Communications Trends Survey. and now it’s time to look ahead to 2019. The Nonprofit Communications Trends Report is the “go to” source for what’s REALLY happening in the world of nonprofit communications and fundraising.
Best Practices for Your Email Unsubscribe Page
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 6, 2018
It’s no fun when someone unsubscribes from your email list. But let’s face it. it’s actually much better for your sender reputation to have them unsubscribe than it is for them to never open another email or even worse, to hit the spam button.
Mixed Links for Nonprofit Communicators – October 12, 2018
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 12, 2018
Before we get into the finest links of the land, it’s my birthday this weekend and we are celebrating by inviting all of you to become All-Access Pass Holders AND save $200 while you’re at it.
Ask the Expert: Starting and Hosting a Podcast
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 10, 2018
Podcasts are growing and can be wonderful communications tools for nonprofits. Some causes are using podcasts to share advocacy information with members and supporters, others are repurposing educational and informational content to reach wider audiences.
How to Make Your Year-End Media Pitch
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 25, 2018
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Steve Baker. It keeps getting harder for nonprofits to get news coverage — particularly in local markets where media organizations are slashing their reporting staffs and shrinking their news holes.
On Tap This Month: Trends Survey, Graphic Design, and, Of Course, Thanksgiving
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 1, 2018
Here’s what’s happening at Nonprofit Marketing Guide this month: Online Training: November 6: Your Design Is Full of C.R.A.P.: Using the Four Principles of Graphic Design to Create Images that Engage Audiences and Make Your Organization Look Good.
Day in the Life of a Nonprofit Communicator – Brenda Bennett
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 29, 2018
Brenda Bennett. Welcome to the latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators! 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m – This series lets you describe your workday in your own words.
Mixed Links for Nonprofit Communicators – November 2, 2018
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 2, 2018
Best of Fridays to you, kind friends! I have searched high and low for the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of marketing and fundraising and have returned to you with tales of bad press, creepy personalization, and effective social media!
Defining Your Niche Is an Essential Part of Your Content Strategy
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 12, 2018
While you probably aren’t the only nonprofit working in your field, you could be the only one providing a certain kind of information on a specific topic to a specific type of participant or supporter. That’s your niche. Think about restaurants. Sure, there are a few places that serve cuisine from all over the world and do it well, but they are seriously outnumbered by the ones that specialize in Mexican, Chinese, surf-and-turf, or bar food, etc.
Mixed Links for Nonprofit Communicators – October 26, 2018
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 26, 2018
My porch. Auburn, AL. I hope everyone had a great week! Let’s end it with a bang by taking a look at the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of marketing and fundraising.
Day in the Life of a Nonprofit Communicator – Nick Houser
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 17, 2018
Nick Houser. Welcome to the latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators! This series lets you describe your workday in your own words. We’d love to feature YOU in this series!
6 Ways to Show More Personality in Your Content
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 17, 2018
A few months ago, we talked about How Your Nonprofit’s Personality Influences Content and broke down why we need to see your nonprofit’s personality in your communications. At the end of that post, we listed 50 positive personality traits and asked you to pick three to five that you wanted your supporters to associate with you. Once you decide your traits, use the following tips to add more personality to your communications: Write in the first and second person as much as possible.
Create a Communications Request Form to Make Life Easier
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
AUGUST 28, 2018
Carly Matthew. Last month Kivi did a webinar called “Simple Rules” for Communications Directors: How to Create Easy Routines, Speed Up Your Work, and Get More Done, Painlessly.
Let’s Get Wiser (and More Awesome) with Age
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 11, 2018
It’s my birthday Sunday! While I am the one turning the big double-four, I want you awesome, hard-working people to have the goodies. And by goodies, I mean EVERYTHING you need to be a smart, amazing nonprofit communications professional for the next year: Practical ideas that work? CHECK!
Set Goals for What Matters
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JANUARY 2, 2018
Goals are powerful, especially if you choose only a few. A laundry list is almost impossible to stay focused on. But if you choose two or three realistic, specific goals, and write them down, you are likely to achieve them. But first, make sure you set goals for what matters most.
Mixed Links for Nonprofit Communicators – September 7, 2018
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
Zambra. Asheville, NC. Good afternoon (or good morning or evening depending on where you are)! I have gathered the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of marketing and fundraising just for you.
What Should You Measure? Ask These 5 Questions First
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 18, 2018
I just finished up our two-part webinar series on how to measure the effectiveness of your communications work. (If If you missed it, All-Access Pass Holders get access to the recordings). Part of the challenge with answering the “what should we measure” and “what numbers should I pay attention to” questions for nonprofits is that it depends. It depends first and foremost on your goals.
Mixed Links for Nonprofit Communicators – September 14, 2018
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 14, 2018
Happy Friday! Once again, I have scoured the web, only occasionally being distracted by cute puppies and Buzzfeed quizzes, to bring you the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of marketing and fundraising.
Is Your Content Too Wordy? Consider These 6 Alternative Formats
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
MAY 24, 2018
Nonprofit leaders often complain about limited resources — and with good reason. After all, even the best-run nonprofits lack the money or the staff to accomplish everything they set out to do. But while money is tight, there’s one resource that is almost always in ample supply: words.
Mixed Links for Nonprofit Communicators – September 21, 2018
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 21, 2018
Venkman’s. Atlanta, GA. It’s almost the weekend! Let’s wind down with some of the finest articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of marketing and fundraising.
Day in the Life of a Nonprofit Communicator – Jenna Czaplewski
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
MARCH 19, 2018
Jenna Czaplewski. Welcome to our latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators! This series lets you describe your workday in your own words. We’d love to feature YOU in this series!
Are Nonprofits Using Common Email Engagement Tactics?
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 20, 2018
We just wrapped up our new webinar on managing a healthy email list and re-engaging the unengaged on your list. The unengaged would be people who haven’t opened an email in a certain amount of time, like 6 months or a year.
Curating Content Versus Stealing It
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 26, 2018
Curating content – or gathering resources published by others – is a great content marketing tool for nonprofits. It saves you from having to constantly create original content and positions your organization as a trusted source your followers can turn to for important information. It also subtly lets people know that you are so confident in your own work, and in your position within your field or community, that you have no problem highlighting the good work of others.
Expert Advice about Online Newsrooms, Part 1: Great Content
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 10, 2018
Throughout my years as a reporter with stressful deadlines, I’ve learned to appreciate companies with good online newsrooms on their websites.
What Question Would You Ask 1,000 Communications Directors?
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 9, 2018
In early November, we’ll open up the survey for the 2019 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report. We’ll repeat a lot of questions from previous surveys to expand our “trends over time” data. For example, we’ll be asking about. communication team salaries, sizes, and budgets. communications effectiveness. how communicators spend their time. communications frequency in different channels. What else do you want to know? We try to include several new questions each year.
Are You in Charge of Your Nonprofit’s Digital Transformation by Default?
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 23, 2018
If you aren’t following Marketoonist by Tom Fishburne, you are missing out. His recent cartoons on Digital Transformation are perfect for so many nonprofits. There’s the one about the virtual meeting on digital transformation where the tech doesn’t work and someone asks for a fax. And the one where the boss talks about how important digital transformation is. and then passes it off to the summer intern. Digital transformation isn’t just about communications.
When Brainstorming Gets You Nowhere
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JULY 24, 2018
Don’t you just love it when you spend a meeting coming up with ideas, and then NONE of them go anywhere? Brainstorming is seriously over-rated — when you do it wrong, which is most of the time! Beth Kanter shares her tips here on how to do brainstorming right.
How to Plan a Media Tour to Tell Your Nonprofit’s Story
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JULY 26, 2018
One way to earn better coverage is to get out of the office and meet reporters face to face. Flickr Creative Commons photo by Per Egevad. If you’re like most nonprofit communicators, your go-to move is to send a press release to the media whenever your organization announces something new.
Verbs Aren’t Hashbrowns. Don’t Smother Them
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 20, 2018
If you have never been to a Waffle House, the title of this blog post made absolutely zero sense to you. If you have been to a Waffle House, then you know they have yummy hashbrowns. And you also know they can be ordered in a variety of delicious ways: Scattered on the grill (in other words, plain).
How to Prep a Board Member to Be a Media Ambassador in 10 Minutes
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 7, 2018
“So many times the PR staff would schedule interviews with the big names in the agency but when they sat down with us they had no idea what they were talking about.” This was a major problem for live television or radio and resulted in producers calling on nonprofits with “subjects” they could trust.
Mixed Links for Nonprofit Communicators – October 5, 2018
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 5, 2018
It’s October – my favorite month! Let’s kick back with our favorite pumpkin spiced beverages and peruse the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of marketing and fundraising.
Hashtag Hijack: Nonprofits Take Advantage of the #PresidentialAlert
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 4, 2018
If you live in the United States, you probably received a notification yesterday from FEMA and President Trump. While the system is designed to warn us in case of a national emergency, considering the political climate of today the memes started QUICKLY.
I Have No Idea What You’re Talking About [Nonprofit Jargon]
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
FEBRUARY 14, 2018
Every workplace has it. Every fandom has it. Every group of like-minded people has it. I am speaking of the dreaded JARGON, of course!
Day in the Life of a Nonprofit Communicator – Celeste Kaufman
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 8, 2018
Celeste Kaufman. Welcome to the latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators! This series lets you describe your workday in your own words. We’d love to feature YOU in this series!
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