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How To Organize For Miracles
The Agitator
MAY 21, 2017
“Craver, it’s perfectly fine to believe in miracles, but let me tell you, it sure helps to organize for them.”
Organization Related Topics 
How ‘Sustainable’ Is Your Organization?
The Agitator
MARCH 12, 2017
Once upon a time, the question of the ‘sustainability’ of a nonprofit — the ability to deliver services over a long period — was largely limited to foundations and mega-donors concerned that their funds were being put to long and lasting use.
Distressing Disconnect—INSIDE Your Organization! (Part One)
Getting Attention
MARCH 31, 2015
As a consultant who’s been the fly on the wall in so many organizations, I’ve come to see such radical internal disconnects to be the norm. And that’s a norm that sabotages communications and fundraising impact for every organization blighted by disconnects. But in most organizations, the existence of the gap and what the conflicts are—must-knows for organizational success fundraising and beyond—remain hidden, and dangerous. Surprising, distressing but all too true!
What does an LGBTQ nonprofit organization do?
Wild Woman Fundraising
MARCH 9, 2011
Since I didn’t know a lot about various LGBTQ organizations, I pointed him to the now sadly defunct Planet Out (which now redirects to Gay.com ), where I thought he might be able to find more people in the community. An FtoM organization is not a choir.
Is your organization really that special?
iMarketSmart
OCTOBER 19, 2015
For example, if you search for environmental organizations on Wikipedia , you’ll find the following list: Why should anyone make a major gift or plan a legacy gift for your organization? The post Is your organization really that special? Sorry. It isn’t.
Your Organization’s Superhero
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
JULY 24, 2012
One of the questions Tom Ahern always asks during our Direct Mail for Small Nonprofits E-Clinic is, “Are you treating your donors like your organization’s superhero?” Tom says this about appeal letters, “Your appeal is not about how wonderful your organization is.
How to Organize Your Nonprofit’s Photos
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
MARCH 10, 2011
How do you organize your photos so you can actually find what you need? So you know photos are important and you have found staff and volunteers to help document the great things that happen at your organization. It can be overwhelming to know how to organize all those photos.
Organizations Helping in Haiti
Cause Related Marketing
JANUARY 13, 2010
Dear Friends:By now we've all heard of or seen pictures from the deadly earthquake in the beleaguered country of Haiti.Here's a list of charities operating in Haiti or heading there now with relief. I urge you to support one or more of them.The list comes from MSNBC. I'll add one more; a small charity that's been in Haiti for more than 10 years and was founded by the friend of a friend.
Is Your Organization Really Donor-Centric?
The Agitator
FEBRUARY 7, 2016
There’s a quick test to determine whether a fundraising organization is truly donor-centered or not. Sadly, most groups fail the test … miserably. The test is simple: who in the fundraising/communications department has the most power?
Major Gift Fundraising For Smaller Organizations
The Agitator
NOVEMBER 9, 2015
Lots of time and money is spent on identifying success factors in major gift fundraising for large organizations. Very little on factors that make a big difference for smaller organizations. Surveying 662 completed questionnaires from organizations that generate income under $10 million, and coupling that with. Until now. Amy Eisenstein, author of Major Gift Fundraising for Small Shops , has just released a study done in conjunction with Prof.
Simple Segmentation For Smaller Organizations
The Agitator
APRIL 30, 2014
Sadly, only a fraction of that time is generally spent assessing who among the organization’s donors should receive the offer and why. Fundraisers spend a lot of time developing the offer – writing (and rewriting, and rewriting, and rewriting) an appeal letter nine times, holding four meetings to decide on whether programs are accurately described, debating whether that cuddly polar bear premium is more compelling than a furry dolphin.
Your Organization’s Story: In One Minute
Mission Minded
APRIL 26, 2016
Most of us know how frustrating it is to miss an opportunity to hook someone on our organization. If you’ve ever felt like you haven’t communicated clearly about the organization you love when you had the chance, this post is for you. Being prepared to make a strong connection with would-be supporters means having powerful […]. Blog Nonprofit Branding Nonprofit Communications Nonprofit Messaging elevator pitch Mad Libs Minute Message Model
Your Organization’s Story: In Two Minutes
Mission Minded
MAY 16, 2016
As part of our series on the Minute Message Model, we recently shared an easy way to write your organization’s One Minute Message. That’s our term for the pitch you should use any time you are introducing your organization in person, print, or digital communications. If things go well, your One Minute Message will be […]. Blog Nonprofit Branding Nonprofit Communications Nonprofit Messaging Minute Message Model
What are your nonprofit organization’s assets?
Get Fully Funded
FEBRUARY 15, 2010
What are your organization’s assets? Incredible organization name recognition (like Habitat for Humanity). Well-known local, regional, or national celebrity who supports your organization. What are your nonprofit organization’s assets? Step one in the Simple Success Fundraising Plan is to identify your assets. They are things that you have going for you that you can leverage in your plan. Here are some examples of nonprofit organizational assets: .
Do Your Organization’s Values and Brand Intersect?
Mission Minded
FEBRUARY 27, 2017
The post Do Your Organization’s Values and Brand Intersect? Does your brand reflect your values? To be effective, it must. Though brand can be a confounding subject, in its simplest definition, brand is just another word for reputation. Your logo is not your brand. Your mission statement is not your brand, and neither is your name. Your brand is the set of ideas people […]. appeared first on Mission Minded.
Is Peer Fundraising Right for Your Organization?
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
MARCH 13, 2015
How do you know if your organization is ready to launch a peer-to-peer campaign? The power of peer giving is hard to ignore.
How to Raise Money With Facebook – One Organization’s Success Story
J Campbell Social Marketing
MARCH 11, 2016
Baldrick’s Foundation contacted me to highlight some of the great strides the organization has taken in the area of social media fundraising. They want to be able to measure, conclusively and in revenue terms, how much that post meant financially to the organizations.
Your Organization’s Story: In Five Minutes
Mission Minded
JUNE 1, 2016
With your One Minute Message and your Two Minute Messages developed, you’re well prepared to give an arresting introduction and explain why your organization is needed. Used effectively, these messages give you a greater chance at keeping your listener interested. Now it’s time to paint a picture of the impact of your work. What happens […].
Strengthen your organization with a sacred story
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
SEPTEMBER 19, 2013
Storytelling champion Andy Goodman reminds us that stories can also work within our organizations to inspire and build stronger teams. Simply put, these are the stories that tell the story of how and why your organization was founded. Andy says: If you work for an organization, you should be able to answer the question, “Where did this organization come from? We often talk about the way stories bring your mission to life for supporters and inspire donors to give.
Should your donors be given a chance to “tip” your organization?
iMarketSmart
JULY 18, 2016
Next to the tipping options, why not include links to content about your organization’s management philosophy, its impact and 990? The post Should your donors be given a chance to “tip” your organization? Are you confused by that headline?
How to break the most vicious cycle that hamstrings your organization’s growth
iMarketSmart
MARCH 21, 2016
Unrealistic expectations: Donors tend to reward organizations with the “leanest” profiles. The post How to break the most vicious cycle that hamstrings your organization’s growth appeared first on MarketSmart | .
Can Your Organization Pass the Donor-Centered Test?
Ann Green
FEBRUARY 15, 2017
I recently received a newsletter from an organization that focused mainly on themselves, then their clients, and then barely mentioned their donors. There’s no question this organization does good work, but their newsletter failed the donor-centered test. Can your organization pass the donor-centered test? Are your fundraising appeals focused too much on your organization – rambling on about how great you are? and not On behalf of X organization.
What Does Your Organization Do? Draw It Out
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
NOVEMBER 27, 2012
Jessica Pullano, who is currently participating in my Mentoring Program , shares how her organization created one to help explain what they do. Jessica Pullano. Illustrated videos are very popular right now with everyone from big corporations to small nonprofits.
6 ways to make your organization value marketing
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
SEPTEMBER 10, 2012
When people tell me their organization doesn’t value marketing, they typically say something like this: “I tell my boss why marketing is important and why he should care about it. What’s interesting about this approach is that it’s basically a sermon on why the organization should value marketing. Don’t position your agenda as a marketing campaign; frame it as your initiative to support your organization’s goals, in your colleagues’ language.
5 Ways to Get Your Major Donors to Refer You and Your Organization to Others
iMarketSmart
MARCH 27, 2015
The post 5 Ways to Get Your Major Donors to Refer You and Your Organization to Others appeared first on MarketSmart. Constantly ask them to refer you. Have a referral mindset and remember, if you don’t ask… you won’t get. Remind them to refer you.
Cause Marketing for Healthcare Organizations
Selfish Giving
MARCH 15, 2011
NEAHP – Cause Marketing for Health Care Organizations. 8 Reasons Healthcare Organizations Should Do Cause Marketing. Cause Marketing for Hospitals cause marketing healthcare organizations hospitals
What are your nonprofit organization’s assets
Get Fully Funded
OCTOBER 1, 2012
As an organization, you have assets that you can leverage in your fundraising plan that can make your case for support stronger. Incredible organization name recognition (like Habitat for Humanity). Well-known local, regional, or national celebrity who supports your organization.
The Devil You Know: Your Greatest Challenge Lives Inside Your Organization
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
FEBRUARY 19, 2015
Surprising, distressing, but all too true! According to findings released in the 2015 Nonprofit Communications Report , one of your greatest challenges to fundraising effectiveness is the difference in priorities and perspectives held by you (a fundraiser) and your key colleagues—your executive director and communications colleagues
Using Facebook Targeting to Boost Performance on Organic and Promoted Posts
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
AUGUST 11, 2015
Now page mangers can take advantage of those same targeting tools on organic content. Enabling page mangers to target organic posts gives them a say in the targeting process. Organic Post Interest Targeting. Drew Bernard.
10 Twitter Tips for Nonprofit Organizations
Fundraising 123
MARCH 18, 2009
" Simple and powerful, Twitter is a must for nonprofit organizations. It’s better to create a personal Twitter profile in order to only follow those select few you are interested in reading, but if you are going out on Twitter behind your organization’s logo a.k.a. Use “Favorites” to organize the chaos and feature your most important Tweets! The favorites option on Twitter is a simple, excellent tool to help you organize the chaos.
Getting Our Big Picture Organized for 2016
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
OCTOBER 7, 2015
Get everyone on the same page in your organization by doing your Big Picture Communications Timeline for 2016 before the end of the year. Kristina and I spent most of Saturday working on our Big Picture Communications Timeline for 2016.
An Argument Against Asking Donors to Provide Proof That They Left Your Organization in Their Estate Plan
iMarketSmart
APRIL 1, 2014
You did your job well and 5 (…or 50… or 500) people said that they left your organization in their estate plan. Continually prove to the donor that he or she made the right choice because the organization and its leadership has a solid plan for the future.
Acquisition: Prospecting Hope For Small Organizations
The Agitator
NOVEMBER 11, 2012
Sadly, when it comes to direct mail acquisition the deck is stacked against small organizations; especially those with a regional or local mission focus. Traditionally, there just aren’t that many donor names available for exchange or rental from other organizations in that geographic area.
Is your organization bright, bold and visually salient?
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
FEBRUARY 12, 2012
When you’re promoting your cause in a crowded, noisy space like on a bulletin board, at an event or side-by-side with other organizations online, try to visually stand out. Dan Ariely of Predictably Irrational fame had an interesting recent post on Tropicana’s marketing debacle.
3 Steps to a Powerful, All-Organization Team of Messengers
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
NOVEMBER 12, 2014
I recently completed an all-new message platform for the largest human services organization in Massachusetts. The platform included a tagline, positioning statement, talking points or key messages at organization and program level, and elevator conversation.
Is Your Organization Too Humble To Compete?
Mission Minded
OCTOBER 1, 2012
While there may be other organizations that do similar things, you’d better be clear about [.]. Part of having a strong brand includes making a promise to the world that no one else is making. When our nonprofit clients seek support for strengthening their brand, we help them explore what is truly unique about their work. Nonprofit Branding Nonprofit communications Nonprofit Messaging
You can meet me at the Center for Nonprofit Organizations in February, March and April 2011!
Wild Woman Fundraising
JANUARY 5, 2011
I will be teaching four workshops in February, March and April at the Center for Nonprofit Organizations at 5930 Middle Fiskville Road in Austin! Want to come out and learn? Click on the links below to register. How to Find and Cultivate Donors.
Some people find me abrasive. Here’s why.
iMarketSmart
MAY 24, 2017
If not, please get out of the way because this sector must change for the good of donors everywhere, for the good of the beneficiaries of your donors’ gifts, for the good of the staff at your organization, and for the good of millions of organizations around the world. Recently I was told, “Greg, you are one strong cup of coffee.” ” I like that. Here’s why I am the way I am: 1. I believe life is very, very short.
Is Your Organization Donor-Centered? Find Out by Taking This Quiz
Ann Green
JANUARY 29, 2016
Are your fundraising appeals focused too much on your organization – rambling on about how great you are? Your organization may be great, but let your donors figure that out. Do your appeals make people feel good about donating to your organization?
4 Reasons why you should build a narrative organization
Nonprofit Marketing Blog
APRIL 27, 2011
The Stanford Social Innovation Review has done a nice job showing why the value of narrative in your organization extends well beyond telling stories in your nonprofit marketing materials.
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