Expert insights. Personalized for you.
Last week, we talked about the importance of your From Line in getting your emails opened. It’s a big one that deserved its own post ! Let’s look at five other important factors in your increasing your open rates. Good Subject Lines. MORE
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. Laurice Grae-Hauck is a marketer passionate about social justice, art equity, and dismantling oppressive systems. MORE
You’re rushed in the morning and you leave your raincoat or umbrella, and it, of course, rains. You didn’t get gas yesterday because you just wanted to get home after a long day and now you have to unexpectedly drive across town to take your child to the doctor. MORE
Half of the battle with successful email marketing is getting your emails opened, period. The decision to open an email is made in a split second (actually less than that). MORE
Interested in getting monthly ideas for social media, blog posts, or newsletter articles earlier? Sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts. I send this email newsletter the first week of every month with prompts for the following month. MORE
You know you need great photography. But for whatever reason, you don’t have it in-house. Maybe you don’t have the skills or access to a professional. MORE
During the wee hours of the morning of April 8 th , I received a call from Tom Harrison, director of the award-winning North Carolina Black Bear Festival and Bear-ology Museum. Tom and I met a few months earlier at my G.R.E.A.T. media relations presentation for NC ShowFest. MORE
Should it be this word or that word ? Nonprofit communicators debate these kinds of things all the time. For example, earlier this month, I wrote a blog post called Improving Your Open Rate: The From Line. MORE
Town Branch Distillery. Lexington, KY. It’s finally my favorite month – October! Despite the weather still feeling like summer where I live, I have pushed through the heat to bring you the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of nonprofit marketing and fundraising. MORE
One day last month, I may or may not have been avoiding work and was down one of those Wikipedia rabbit holes I so often find myself. MORE
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Serra Boten. One of my clients recently celebrated a big victory. After months of talking about his desire to get an opinion piece published in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, he achieved his goal. MORE
What are your internal communications goals? Not sure? It’s time to figure it out and create some, just like you create goals for external communications. MORE
Technology is challenging the way people gather for meetings. That’s why online press conferences and media events are a growing trend in the busy news world. MORE
Guest Post By John Haydon Instagram Stories create an extra layer of visibility for your nonprofit – whenever you want that visibility. Like Snapchat and Messenger Stories , Instagram Stories last for 24 hours. And like Snapchat, stories are told in a series of pictures and videos. MORE
Guest Post By John Haydon If you’re like most nonprofits, Facebook is your top social network to engage supporters and increase awareness about your nonprofit. However, like most nonprofits, you’ve probably had your fair share of frustrations with Facebook. Dramatically declining reach is the biggie. MORE
News Writing is one of the seven writing styles that all nonprofit communicators should master. In the world of nonprofit comms superlatives, news writing wins for the “Writing Style Used Most Often When It Shouldn’t Be.” MORE
Successful social media strategies demand authenticity. But what does that actually look like when you are juggling a million different tasks, trying your best to stay strategic, and work in a boring office environment that’s not exactly photogenic? MORE
Asheville, NC. Hope your luck as been good all day today on this Friday the 13th. Nothing spooky about the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of nonprofit marketing and fundraising though! This week we talk about Instagram Stories, humor in fundraising and robots. MORE
It’s here ! The 2020 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report has both good news and bad news to share, compiled from the answers of 625 nonprofit communications professionals who took our annual survey in November 2019. It’s free to download. MORE
With the advent of social media, it seems like you constantly hear cries of “Email is dead!” ” That isn’t exactly true based on a recent survey of small to medium business by SharpSpring and Ascend2. MORE
What’s your hook? This question likely looms over you daily if your job is to pitch stories to the media or create content for your organization’s owned media channels. MORE
Whether they are signing up for an email newsletter or donating to your cause, it’s important to make new supporters feel all warm and fuzzy about getting involved with your organization. An email welcome series is a great way to start building relationships that can last. MORE
A couple of weeks ago, I shared some tips from other nonprofit communicators on how to communicate internally at your organization as well as other resources on getting people to meet deadlines and the best communications apps to use. MORE
The Little Duck Diner. Savannah, GA. We made it through the first full week of 2020! How’s everyone doing so far? Let’s wind it down with the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of nonprofit marketing and fundraising. It’s time for Mixed Links…. MORE
I don’t know about you, but sitting at my desk all day is really hard right now. Like near impossible. Here are a few ways to stay motivated during the sweet summertime months when all of that work still needs to get done. Give more time to strategic thinking and professional development. MORE
Nonprofit work is often a fight against something or someone bad in the world, and that’s coming through loud and clear in nonprofit messaging. Here are five nonprofits using the “fight” language front and center on their websites. American Kidney Fund. MORE
When we were helping Jen Newmeyer brainstorm the title for her new book, as soon as one of us said, “ The Insider’s Guide to Online Fundraising: Finding Success When Surrounded by Skeptics, ” we knew we had it. MORE
Last week Kivi shared some Conversion Copywriting Tips for Nonprofits including advice like “only include one call to action” and “emphasize the why and why now.” ” This week, we’ll dive into some more thoughts on making that ask. MORE
My favorite definition of a story comes from The Elements of Persuasion : “A story is a fact, wrapped in an emotion , that compels us to take an action that transforms our world.” Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman All of the five words I have in bold are essential to nonprofit storytelling success. MORE
While Instagram is definitely a visual platform and photos are best, you can still manage a successful Instagram strategy without photography. Just take a look at the ACLU’s feed and stories. MORE
You’ve been working so hard on content and trying to keep people engaged, but it’s inevitable: some of them will click that unsubscribe button (or perhaps the “manage preferences” link if you offer it). All is not lost. MORE
Short answer: YES! We get a lot of questions about how to organize stories and photos. What are communications directors using now? What do they love/hate about their current system (or lack thereof)? MORE
Wish you had these monthly ideas for social media, blog posts, or newsletter articles a few weeks ago? Sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts. I send this email newsletter the first week of every month with prompts for the following month. MORE
When I look at the top ways that people are joining our email list at Nonprofit Marketing Guide over the last 90 days, the winner is a quiz on our website. You’ll see it in a few different places. MORE
These writing ideas come from our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts email newsletter. You can use them for social media, blog posts, newsletter articles, and more. If you would like these ideas sent to your inbox a month in advance, sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts. MORE
When Cathy White shared with our Mentoring Program participants the collaborative process she went through to create her communications strategy, I knew other communications directors would be interested in hearing about it too. Cathy White. Guest Post by Cathy White. MORE
This week I’ve spent several days working over our marketing metrics here at Nonprofit Marketing Guide, especially related to email engagement. MORE
Litmus is out with a new update to its State of Email Engagement Report. Here are a few interesting findings from their research on more than 10 billion emails worldwide. Where People Open Email. MORE
These writing ideas come from our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts email newsletter. You can use them for social media, blog posts, newsletter articles, and more. If you would like these ideas sent to your inbox a month in advance, sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts. MORE
One of our nonprofit clients just landed a great opportunity to appear live on a cable network to talk about her organization’s mission. She’s a wonderful speaker – and she knows her subject matter better than anyone. But it’s been a long time since she’s been put in front of a camera. MORE
We know that nonprofits rely on email and meetings for internal communications — in fact, they over-rely on them! MORE
Last week we shared some our favorite fundraising asks , and today we are back with a few more classics that work. To recap the first six: The Match Sponsor/Adopt The Menu Fighting Evil The Single Story The Emergency. MORE
Ever been asked to create a marketing strategy or a communications plan for your nonprofit without any further guidance? You aren’t alone! Let’s sort it all out, so you can figure out what you really need to create. First, let’s address the definitions. MORE
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 2, 2019
With the advent of social media, it seems like you constantly hear cries of “Email is dead!” ” That isn’t exactly true based on a recent survey of small to medium business by SharpSpring and Ascend2.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JANUARY 16, 2020
When we were helping Jen Newmeyer brainstorm the title for her new book, as soon as one of us said, “ The Insider’s Guide to Online Fundraising: Finding Success When Surrounded by Skeptics, ” we knew we had it.
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Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 10, 2019
Last week, we talked about the importance of your From Line in getting your emails opened. It’s a big one that deserved its own post ! Let’s look at five other important factors in your increasing your open rates. Good Subject Lines.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 5, 2019
Half of the battle with successful email marketing is getting your emails opened, period. The decision to open an email is made in a split second (actually less than that).
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 26, 2019
One of our nonprofit clients just landed a great opportunity to appear live on a cable network to talk about her organization’s mission. She’s a wonderful speaker – and she knows her subject matter better than anyone. But it’s been a long time since she’s been put in front of a camera.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 26, 2019
I don’t know about you, but sitting at my desk all day is really hard right now. Like near impossible. Here are a few ways to stay motivated during the sweet summertime months when all of that work still needs to get done. Give more time to strategic thinking and professional development.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 19, 2019
This week I’ve spent several days working over our marketing metrics here at Nonprofit Marketing Guide, especially related to email engagement.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 17, 2019
Should it be this word or that word ? Nonprofit communicators debate these kinds of things all the time. For example, earlier this month, I wrote a blog post called Improving Your Open Rate: The From Line.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 3, 2019
You’ve been working so hard on content and trying to keep people engaged, but it’s inevitable: some of them will click that unsubscribe button (or perhaps the “manage preferences” link if you offer it). All is not lost.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JANUARY 14, 2020
It’s here ! The 2020 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report has both good news and bad news to share, compiled from the answers of 625 nonprofit communications professionals who took our annual survey in November 2019. It’s free to download.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 13, 2019
You know you need great photography. But for whatever reason, you don’t have it in-house. Maybe you don’t have the skills or access to a professional.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 4, 2019
Litmus is out with a new update to its State of Email Engagement Report. Here are a few interesting findings from their research on more than 10 billion emails worldwide. Where People Open Email.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
MAY 16, 2019
Successful social media strategies demand authenticity. But what does that actually look like when you are juggling a million different tasks, trying your best to stay strategic, and work in a boring office environment that’s not exactly photogenic?
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 24, 2019
Wish you had these monthly ideas for social media, blog posts, or newsletter articles a few weeks ago? Sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts. I send this email newsletter the first week of every month with prompts for the following month.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
AUGUST 28, 2019
Interested in getting monthly ideas for social media, blog posts, or newsletter articles earlier? Sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts. I send this email newsletter the first week of every month with prompts for the following month.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JULY 3, 2019
Whether they are signing up for an email newsletter or donating to your cause, it’s important to make new supporters feel all warm and fuzzy about getting involved with your organization. An email welcome series is a great way to start building relationships that can last.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 20, 2019
We know that nonprofits rely on email and meetings for internal communications — in fact, they over-rely on them!
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
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. Laurice Grae-Hauck is a marketer passionate about social justice, art equity, and dismantling oppressive systems.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
MAY 21, 2019
Ever been asked to create a marketing strategy or a communications plan for your nonprofit without any further guidance? You aren’t alone! Let’s sort it all out, so you can figure out what you really need to create. First, let’s address the definitions.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 12, 2019
During the wee hours of the morning of April 8 th , I received a call from Tom Harrison, director of the award-winning North Carolina Black Bear Festival and Bear-ology Museum. Tom and I met a few months earlier at my G.R.E.A.T. media relations presentation for NC ShowFest.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
MAY 23, 2019
What’s your hook? This question likely looms over you daily if your job is to pitch stories to the media or create content for your organization’s owned media channels.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 21, 2019
These writing ideas come from our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts email newsletter. You can use them for social media, blog posts, newsletter articles, and more. If you would like these ideas sent to your inbox a month in advance, sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 4, 2019
Town Branch Distillery. Lexington, KY. It’s finally my favorite month – October! Despite the weather still feeling like summer where I live, I have pushed through the heat to bring you the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of nonprofit marketing and fundraising.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 13, 2019
Asheville, NC. Hope your luck as been good all day today on this Friday the 13th. Nothing spooky about the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of nonprofit marketing and fundraising though! This week we talk about Instagram Stories, humor in fundraising and robots.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 12, 2019
Nonprofit work is often a fight against something or someone bad in the world, and that’s coming through loud and clear in nonprofit messaging. Here are five nonprofits using the “fight” language front and center on their websites. American Kidney Fund.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
APRIL 29, 2019
A couple of weeks ago, I shared some tips from other nonprofit communicators on how to communicate internally at your organization as well as other resources on getting people to meet deadlines and the best communications apps to use.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
MAY 15, 2019
While Instagram is definitely a visual platform and photos are best, you can still manage a successful Instagram strategy without photography. Just take a look at the ACLU’s feed and stories.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 4, 2019
My favorite definition of a story comes from The Elements of Persuasion : “A story is a fact, wrapped in an emotion , that compels us to take an action that transforms our world.” Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman All of the five words I have in bold are essential to nonprofit storytelling success.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 18, 2019
Short answer: YES! We get a lot of questions about how to organize stories and photos. What are communications directors using now? What do they love/hate about their current system (or lack thereof)?
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 21, 2019
These writing ideas come from our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts email newsletter. You can use them for social media, blog posts, newsletter articles, and more. If you would like these ideas sent to your inbox a month in advance, sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
APRIL 25, 2019
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Serra Boten. One of my clients recently celebrated a big victory. After months of talking about his desire to get an opinion piece published in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, he achieved his goal.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JULY 2, 2019
Technology is challenging the way people gather for meetings. That’s why online press conferences and media events are a growing trend in the busy news world.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
MARCH 12, 2019
Guest Post By John Haydon Instagram Stories create an extra layer of visibility for your nonprofit – whenever you want that visibility. Like Snapchat and Messenger Stories , Instagram Stories last for 24 hours. And like Snapchat, stories are told in a series of pictures and videos.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JANUARY 10, 2020
The Little Duck Diner. Savannah, GA. We made it through the first full week of 2020! How’s everyone doing so far? Let’s wind it down with the best articles, posts, tips, and more from around the world of nonprofit marketing and fundraising. It’s time for Mixed Links….
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
APRIL 17, 2019
Guest Post By John Haydon If you’re like most nonprofits, Facebook is your top social network to engage supporters and increase awareness about your nonprofit. However, like most nonprofits, you’ve probably had your fair share of frustrations with Facebook. Dramatically declining reach is the biggie.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
MAY 14, 2019
Last week Kivi shared some Conversion Copywriting Tips for Nonprofits including advice like “only include one call to action” and “emphasize the why and why now.” ” This week, we’ll dive into some more thoughts on making that ask.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
SEPTEMBER 25, 2019
When I look at the top ways that people are joining our email list at Nonprofit Marketing Guide over the last 90 days, the winner is a quiz on our website. You’ll see it in a few different places.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JANUARY 9, 2020
When Cathy White shared with our Mentoring Program participants the collaborative process she went through to create her communications strategy, I knew other communications directors would be interested in hearing about it too. Cathy White. Guest Post by Cathy White.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 14, 2019
You’re rushed in the morning and you leave your raincoat or umbrella, and it, of course, rains. You didn’t get gas yesterday because you just wanted to get home after a long day and now you have to unexpectedly drive across town to take your child to the doctor.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
APRIL 30, 2019
News Writing is one of the seven writing styles that all nonprofit communicators should master. In the world of nonprofit comms superlatives, news writing wins for the “Writing Style Used Most Often When It Shouldn’t Be.”
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JANUARY 8, 2020
One day last month, I may or may not have been avoiding work and was down one of those Wikipedia rabbit holes I so often find myself.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JUNE 18, 2019
What are your internal communications goals? Not sure? It’s time to figure it out and create some, just like you create goals for external communications.
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 6, 2019
Last week we shared some our favorite fundraising asks , and today we are back with a few more classics that work. To recap the first six: The Match Sponsor/Adopt The Menu Fighting Evil The Single Story The Emergency.
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