This February 14, let’s re-boot Valentine’s Day for good. (Thanks to the video wizards at See3 for generously contributing this video to the movement!) Instead of forging V-Day connections with one person via chocolate, candlelight and a card, let’s forge G-Day connections with as many people as possible – including complete strangers – by saying YES on February 14th to every opportunity to be nice, help out, or delight with generosity. It might mean tipping 100%. Or telling a colleague how much you appreciate them and agreeing to that long-delayed…
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Most Topular Stories
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Please take this Valentine’s Day pledge
Katya's Non-Profit Marketing Blog8 Feb 2012 | 11:58 pm -
Advice to Komen Leadership: 8 Steps to Recovery
Getting Attention Blog8 Feb 2012 | 5:58 amLike many of you, I’m interested in seeing where Susan B. Komen for the Cure goes after last week’s controversy. I wish the best to them—they’ve done so much very good work over the years. I hope they are able to refocus, clarify their mission and act on it, then communicate well around it. These Facebook posts from yesterday are a good start with clear, honest communication and action (I’m sure Handel didn’t leave voluntarily). But it’ll take many more consistent actions that show—not tell—folks that they can trust Komen once again. Here are my… -
The 6th Annual DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards
Social media marketing hacks for nonprofits | Powered by JohnHaydon.Com8 Feb 2012 | 7:48 amSee3, in partnership with YouTube is excited to announce that the DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards is accepting submissions throughout February. This year, winners have the chance to win one of four $3,500 prize donations along with great products worth an additional $3,500 provided by Cisco, free registration to next year’s Nonprofit Technology Conference provided by NTEN, and a special prize to recognize fearless use of video provided the Case Foundation. The winning videos will be announced at this year’s Nonprofit Technology Conference hosted by NTEN and featured on YouTube’s… -
What Komen Should Do Next to Rebuild Trust
Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog7 Feb 2012 | 3:31 pmThe apology that Susan G. Komen for the Cure issued on Friday was the first step. The obligatory resignations are next. But if Komen is going to repair the damage done by its behavior last week, they have quite a few more steps in the process. “What should Komen do next?” That’s the question many of you have asked me, and it was certainly the top question asked of me in my role as nonprofit marketing pundit last week. Here’s what I think they need to do next: Diversify the staff and board The decision to defund Planned Parenthood ended up being extremely political… -
What does monitoring your brand on social media channels really mean?
Beth’s Blog8 Feb 2012 | 8:49 amSource: journalism.org via Lucy on Pinterest “Listening” or tracking what people are saying about your brand or issue has always been hailed at the first most important step in building your social media or network strategy. Listening is the process tracking brand mentions or related key words and transforming a “river of noise” into insights that allow you to make decisions. Listening can help your organization craft messages/content, keep your finger on how your network thinks about your issue or brand, help with curation of content, identify influencers…
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Katya's Non-Profit Marketing Blog
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Please take this Valentine’s Day pledge
8 Feb 2012 | 11:58 pmThis February 14, let’s re-boot Valentine’s Day for good. (Thanks to the video wizards at See3 for generously contributing this video to the movement!) Instead of forging V-Day connections with one person via chocolate, candlelight and a card, let’s forge G-Day connections with as many people as possible – including complete strangers – by saying YES on February 14th to every opportunity to be nice, help out, or delight with generosity. It might mean tipping 100%. Or telling a colleague how much you appreciate them and agreeing to that long-delayed… -
How to make a magnificent mini-impression
7 Feb 2012 | 11:35 pmPeople decide very quickly whether something appeals to them - usually in a matter of seconds. If you work in communications, marketing or fundraising, it’s wise to remember to focus on that mini-impression formed in the first few instants of engagement. You can be sure the Super Bowl advertisers knew that - heck, they were spending $116,667 a second to make a good impression. They didn’t always do a good job, but there is a lot to learn from their successes and failures. In the Harvard Business Review blog this week, Ron Ashkenas shares reflections on the three things… -
Two things it’s easy to forget with social media
6 Feb 2012 | 11:16 pmIn the reactive, fast-moving, turbulent world of social media, it’s easy to be swept up with a sense of false urgency. Yet two of the most valuable things you can do involve slowing down: 1. Pausing to think. Before you run off to spend time on a channel, you want to figure out WHO you’re trying to reach online, WHERE they are, and HOW to best communicate with them. A little intentionality now saves oodles of lost time later. 2 Stopping to listen. Really listen. It’s so tempting to fire off a response or jump into a conversation. But… -
Venn Heaven: How to map your champions online
5 Feb 2012 | 11:18 pmTom Webster of BrandSavant Blog had a fascinating post this past week on the overlap - or lack thereof - of 1) your base of supporters and 2) social media mavens. It’s important you understand how much overlap you have, so you know how to use social media effectively to build your brand. He drew a series of Venn Diagrams, which I am showing here: So which is ideal? The first looks good, because you have some overlap between supporters and social media champions. That overlapping area is a great start to a core of online enthusiasts - and it can grow as that group reaches out… -
Jobs at Network for Good
3 Feb 2012 | 11:49 amNetwork for Good, where I work, is hiring. Among the positions is a business development position for those interested in cultivating corporate cause partnerships. Next week, we’ll be posting an additional position in marketing. Check out our job listings here.
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Getting Attention Blog
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Advice to Komen Leadership: 8 Steps to Recovery
8 Feb 2012 | 5:58 amLike many of you, I’m interested in seeing where Susan B. Komen for the Cure goes after last week’s controversy. I wish the best to them—they’ve done so much very good work over the years. I hope they are able to refocus, clarify their mission and act on it, then communicate well around it. These Facebook posts from yesterday are a good start with clear, honest communication and action (I’m sure Handel didn’t leave voluntarily). But it’ll take many more consistent actions that show—not tell—folks that they can trust Komen once again. Here are my… -
E-News that Gets Attention & Generates Action—NYC Workshop, Feb. 16
6 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amInvest three hours to learn how to use e-newsletters to grow and engage your organization’s base of donors, volunteers, program participants and more. Email remains the core communications tool, and one that’s going to be around for the long run. But you have to use it right! Please join me for Breakthrough E-Newsletters: 5 Steps to Shaping E-Communications that Connect, Thursday, February 16, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM in New York City. You’ll learn everything you need to get a high-impact e-newsletter going for your nonprofit or program, or to dramatically strengthen the one you… -
Friday Futures – Nonprofit Marketing Jobs – February 3, 2012
3 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amPlease post your nonprofit marketing position here — FT or PT staff, consulting or internship opportunities. NEW OPPORTUNITIES 1) Associate Director, Partnerships Marketing & Communications The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (New York, NY) 2) Cause Marketing and Event Production Specialist, Wholesome Wave (Bridgeport, CT) 3) Communications Intern CNT Energy (Chicago, IL) 4) Communications Associate, Independence Care System (New York, NY) 5) Communications Coordinator, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (Bethesda, MD) 6) Communications Director Mountain Association for… -
[Feb.3 noon update: It Just Got Better] Komen’s Busted Nonprofit Brand
2 Feb 2012 | 5:52 pmRead the main story here The story of Komen for the Cure’s (Komen) defunding of Planned Parenthood (PP) continues to roll, and I wanted to update you before stepping back to see how things evolve. I’ll share my thoughts with you again in a few days, once I get some distance from the story. Update noon, Feb. 3, 2012 Komen just restored its funding to Planned Parenthood, according to CNN breaking news. The is the best decision Komen’s made in days. Who knows if there’s any way to clean up the mess it’s poor policies and communications have left behind? I think… -
[Special Edition] Komen Crumbles: Busted Nonprofit Brand (Again)
2 Feb 2012 | 10:20 amGreat news: Komen has restored its funding to Planned Parenthood. Follow-up Update here Susan G. Komen for the Cure (Komen) has struck out again. Komen has acted imperiously and (much worse) carelessly against the best interests of its core stakeholders—women who benefit from its support of breast cancer screening, treatment and research—to please its major donors and nurture its political connections. In jettisoning its mission to improve women’s health, Komen opened up the door for the ready-to-roll Planned Parenthood (PP) to step in and mobilize the network of supporters it’s…
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Social media marketing hacks for nonprofits | Powered by JohnHaydon.Com
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The 6th Annual DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards
8 Feb 2012 | 7:48 amSee3, in partnership with YouTube is excited to announce that the DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards is accepting submissions throughout February. This year, winners have the chance to win one of four $3,500 prize donations along with great products worth an additional $3,500 provided by Cisco, free registration to next year’s Nonprofit Technology Conference provided by NTEN, and a special prize to recognize fearless use of video provided the Case Foundation. The winning videos will be announced at this year’s Nonprofit Technology Conference hosted by NTEN and featured on YouTube’s… -
How to manage your Facebook Page content with PostPlanner (video)
6 Feb 2012 | 4:44 amPostPlanner is a Facebook Page content management tool that allows you to schedule posts to a various different Pages that you manage. It optimizes content specifically for Facebook in a few ways: Post photos and videos to your Facebook’s photo albums (wall) as if you posted directly to Facebook. Post long URLs Edit titles and excerpts of posted articles White label the app with your own icon and link it back to your website or Facebook Page In this video I discuss why Hootsuite and Seesmic may not be the best options for posting to your Facebook Page (by the way, I love these tools for… -
Nonprofit Bloggers Give Susan G. Komen Foundation A Huge Spanking
3 Feb 2012 | 6:20 amBy now you’ve probably read about the decision by the Susan G. Komen Foundation to cease giving grants to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screenings. This decision, obviously politically motivated, will mostly impact women in under-served communities. The same communities that probably sold the most buckets of cancer that raised $8 million for the foundation. Seriously. Komen gets a spanking One of the best things I love about the nonprofit community is watching my friends serve up a well-deserved spanking! Alison Fine helped open the way with a Causes campaign called… -
Heroes With A Heart Grant Rewards Nonprofit Volunteers!
1 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amIf you’re like most people, you get most of your inspiration from people who are quietly changing the world each and every day. They’re not on the front page of the newspaper, and they’re not mingling with the Gates and Buffets of the world. They’re everyday people like you and me who have shown extraordinary commitment to making this world better than when they found it. The CTK Foundation “Heroes with a Heart” Grant Award asks YOU to nominate a “Hero with a Heart,” and give them a chance to win $5,000 – a simple thanks for the hard work that… -
How to Add Stupidly Simple Polls to your WordPress Blog
31 Jan 2012 | 4:36 amOne way to increase engagement with blog readers is to remove barriers, like CAPTCHAS (hopefully you don’t have these), logging in to leave comments (Facebook, Twitter and recently Google have solved this problem) and actually having to use one’s brain by leaving a comment. Create simple polls with Quipol Another way to engage readers is to use a simple polling app like Quipol. Each Quipol displays one question with thumbs-up and thumbs-down options. Test it out for yourself:
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Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog
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What Komen Should Do Next to Rebuild Trust
7 Feb 2012 | 3:31 pmThe apology that Susan G. Komen for the Cure issued on Friday was the first step. The obligatory resignations are next. But if Komen is going to repair the damage done by its behavior last week, they have quite a few more steps in the process. “What should Komen do next?” That’s the question many of you have asked me, and it was certainly the top question asked of me in my role as nonprofit marketing pundit last week. Here’s what I think they need to do next: Diversify the staff and board The decision to defund Planned Parenthood ended up being extremely political… -
In Direct Mail, All Responses, Even Complaints, Are Good
6 Feb 2012 | 10:30 amTom Ahern Tom Ahern is my go-to guy for all things direct mail. Afraid your direct mail piece goes too far and will solicit a negative response? Tom explains why that may not be a bad thing. Plus he quotes one of my other favorite fundraising bloggers, Jeff Brooks. If you are interested in Tom critiquing your direct mail appeal, sign up for our Direct Mail for Small Nonprofits e-clinic in May. Like our Facebook page, and you’ll find a $50 off coupon code on our Freebies & Coupons tab for the e-clinic. ~Kivi Guest Post by Tom Ahern of Ahern Communications It had arrived. And I… -
Top 5 Words to Avoid to Achieve Messaging Awesomeness
3 Feb 2012 | 11:30 amErica Mills Last week on the main Nonprofit Marketing Guide site (you are reading the blog now), I published an article called, “Blah, Blah, Blah: What to Do When You Write Too Much.” In today’s guest post, Erica Mills of Claxon Marketing takes it to the next step by showing how specific words can actually debilitate your messaging. ~Kivi Guest Post by Erica Mills of Claxon Marketing We all crave an awesomely compelling way to talk and write about our organizations. But finding the right words is hard. It’s easy to convince yourself that your messaging is ‘good… -
Logo Trends: How Does Yours Stack Up?
2 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amJulia Reich For those of you interested in the ongoing Komen-Planned Parenthood story, I will continue to update yesterday’s post at the bottom of the original content. Today we are moving on with a new topic . . . Our resident design expert, Julia Reich, is back with the latest trends in logos. And if you are embarrassed with your organization’s current logo or think it’s just time for a change, be sure to join us February 8th for Julia’s webinar called, “Help! My Logo Sucks!” Julia will take a look at why some logos work and some don’t, and teach… -
The Accidental Rebranding of Komen for the Cure
1 Feb 2012 | 8:42 am(Updates to this post can be found at the bottom.) Yesterday afternoon, and continuing into today, I believe we are witnessing the accidental rebranding of what is surely one of America’s biggest and most well-known, and even well-loved, nonprofit brands. Komen for the Cure, it seems, is no longer a breast cancer charity, but a pro-life breast cancer charity. Let me stop right here and say this post is not about abortion per se, one way or the other, other than the fact that it is the single most divisive issue in American politics today. My personal beliefs are very clear and public.
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Beth’s Blog
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What does monitoring your brand on social media channels really mean?
8 Feb 2012 | 8:49 amSource: journalism.org via Lucy on Pinterest “Listening” or tracking what people are saying about your brand or issue has always been hailed at the first most important step in building your social media or network strategy. Listening is the process tracking brand mentions or related key words and transforming a “river of noise” into insights that allow you to make decisions. Listening can help your organization craft messages/content, keep your finger on how your network thinks about your issue or brand, help with curation of content, identify influencers… -
The Five Stages of A Social Media PR Disaster
7 Feb 2012 | 7:43 amSource: tomfishburne.com via Beth on Pinterest Update: Just as I hit the publish button on this post, I got news that Komen’s Karen Handel resigned. Perhaps the sixth stage is fire the staff person who was primarily responsible for the mess. Now that we’ve had a few days to let the dust settle from the Komen-Planned Parenthood firestorm, it is time to think about takeaways for other nonprofits. Deanna Zandt presents an analysis of what made this particular pr crisis different from others and the teachable moments that are useful other nonprofits. The bottom line is:… -
Taking Baby Steps to Social Media Maturity with Your Peers
6 Feb 2012 | 9:42 amFlickr Photo by Johnny Hall Note from Beth: This past year has been a deep exploration into how nonprofits can use measurement and reflection to improve their practices as a networked nonprofit and social media. As part of my work at the Packard Foundation, I designed and facilitated several peer learning groups and exchanges. It was a fantastic laboratory to explore the power of peer learning and the right mix. Also, as a trainer how you create a co-learning opportunity versus the “sage on the stage.” I’ve been reflecting, doing an after action review to… -
Heroes with A Heart Grant Recognizes Unsung Nonprofit Heroes
3 Feb 2012 | 8:56 amHeroes with A Heart Grant Recognizes Unsung Nonprofit Heros – Guest Post by John Haydon If you’re like most people, you get most of your inspiration from people who are quietly changing the world each and every day. They’re not on the front page of the newspaper, and they’re not mingling with the Gates and Buffets of the world. They’re everyday people like you and me who have shown extraordinary commitment to making this world better than when they found it. The CTK Foundation “Heroes with a Heart” Grant Award asks YOU to nominate a “Hero with a… -
Komen Kan Kiss My Mammagram, PinActivism, and Newsjacking for a Cause
1 Feb 2012 | 10:54 pmSource: thefastertimes.com via Noland on Pinterest On Tuesday, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, a leading breast cancer charity, pulled hundreds of thousands of dollars in breast cancer screening funds from Planned Parenthood. Each year millions of women are screened for breast cancer at Planned Parenthood, and Susan G. Komen’s funding pays for about 170,000 of those screenings. These services are particularly important for women from under-served communities. The AP reported that Komen for the Cure has decided to halt grants to Planned Parenthood and the decision was…
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NTEN
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How To Track Everyone Who's Anyone To You: Is A Single Database Right for Your Org?
8 Feb 2012 | 10:08 am[Editor's note: The following is an excerpt of an article in the December 2011 issue of NTEN:Change. Read the complete issue of NTEN's new quarterly journal for nonprofit leaders by subscribing to the journal for free!]By Laura Quinn, IdealwareSince most organizations don’t track just one type of constituent, the idea of a single database for all of them—donors, volunteers, clients, email subscribers, advocates and everyone else—is something of a holy grail. The ability to easily see how all your constituents interact with your organization, and with each other, makes for an attractive,… -
Keeping Them Coming Back for More: Your Communications Arcs
7 Feb 2012 | 3:59 pmKivi Leroux Miller President Nonprofit Marketing Guide.com Story arcs are what keep you coming back to your favorite TV shows: you care what happens next. What does this have to do with nonprofit marketing? Everything! If you have a favorite TV show, you are familiar with the concept of the story arc: what happens last week influences what happens this week, and that influences what happens next week. We can look back at the end of the season and summarize several different story arcs within one show. Smaller one-time events will happen in each episode, but a few larger story arcs continue… -
Social Networking IRL (In Real Life) at the NTC
6 Feb 2012 | 4:12 pm2012 NTC Feature It’s already February, and the 2012 Nonprofit Technology Conference is only two months away! One of the best parts of the conference is the opportunity to connect with other nonprofit technology professionals, so you can share your experiences and knowledge. We want to make sure you make the most of the social and networking events at the 2012 NTC, so this week we’re filling you in on the NTC Connect Track and other opportunities to connect with the NTC Community. NTC Connect Track To make it easier for you connect at the NTC, we’ve introduced a new event track… -
NTEN's Technology Leadership Academy Returns for 2012
3 Feb 2012 | 1:43 pmWe're excited to announce that the Technology Leadership Academy is returning in 2012. Even better, thanks to the generous support of Google and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, we're able to offer the Academy at no charge to qualifying organizations.The Academy gets at the very heart of what NTEN does. We believe that with improved tech leadership, nonprofits like yours will provide more and better programs, inspire more communities, and involve more volunteers to share their time.> Apply by February 24th! With improved tech leadership, our sector will be stronger, more… -
Member Round Up: We've got dancing babies!
3 Feb 2012 | 1:41 pmThis week, our members are releasing new fundraising tools, hosting workshops, and even awarding grants. While we’re encouraged by some statistics our members released regarding nonprofits and technology, we’re also thrilled that anyone could like us this much: Thank you so much for all your help in the NTEN Champions Fundraising Campaign, Corey Pudhorosky! Have more news to share? Drop us a line or include your links in the comments! Charity Dynamics released statistics that made everyone here at NTEN excited! A survey of their clients indicates that nonprofits are going to focus on…
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Have Fun • Do Good
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Growing Good Habits + a Happy Reminder Board (video)
8 Feb 2012 | 8:40 pmHappy Reminder Board (special appearance by Dora the Cat) from Britt Bravo on Vimeo. Whether I'm working with bloggers and creative entrepreneurs, or talking with a friend, everyone I know is trying to grow good habits. They want to write "morning pages," meditate, exercise, blog, cook dinner, make art, stretch, drink 8 glasses of water, eat healthier, and give thanks more often (sound familiar?). When I've asked people about what helps them keep good habits, they say: Enjoying the process Enjoying the result Having fun Having a role model, or mentor Keeping the habit with a buddy, or… -
12 Prompts for Generous Living & Blogging
1 Feb 2012 | 11:57 amInspired by my post, 20 Ways to be a Generous Blogger, I shared 12 Prompts for Generous Living and Blogging in this month's Juicy Blogging e-News.You don't need to be a blogger, to try the Generous Living prompts, so I thought I'd share them here too. If you'd like to receive the Juicy Blogging eNews in your in-box once a month, you can subscribe by clicking here. Have fun doing good! ************************** Wednesday, February 1 Live it: What are your generous living goals for the month? How do you want to give to yourself, your friends, your family, your local community, and the… -
Cook from The Vegan Table with VegCookbook Club in February
31 Jan 2012 | 12:16 pmAs some of you know, this year I started a new blog, VegCookbookClub.com, where each month myself and readers cook through one vegetarian, or vegan cookbook. We share tips, opinions and advice about recipes in the comments, on Twitter, on Instagram, and on our own blogs. We just finished cooking from Appetite for Reduction. In February, we're going to cook from The Vegan Table. To join in the fun, all you have to do is pick up a copy of The Vegan Table, cook from it, and share your experience on VegCookbookClub.com, on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #vegcookbookclub, or on… -
Martha Beck Interview: Finding Your Way in a Wild New World
25 Jan 2012 | 9:35 amWe’ve proliferated and thrived because we never stop playing, and the way to cope with the increasing complexity of the wild new world is to play more. --Martha Beck, Finding Your Way in a Wild New World Like many of you, I know Martha Beck fromher O Magazine column (it's the first thing I read), and her many self-help books (e.g. Finding Your Own North Star, The Joy Diet). She always delivers good advice with a healthy dose of humor. When I signed up for her mailing list in the fall of 2010, I received a PDF of the first chapter of her book-in-progress with the working title, The… -
Tea, Cupcakes and Creative Bloggers in Your Town
24 Jan 2012 | 10:05 amA couple weekends ago I facilitated a 3-hour Tea, Cupcakes and Creative Bloggers workshop at Teahouse Studio. It was so much fun, I want to teach it again soon. I'm planning on offering it at Teahouse again in the fall, but am also looking for other venues for this spring and summer. If you know of a place that might like to host a TCCB gathering/workshop in the Bay Area and beyond, let me know in the comments, or email me at britt AT brittbravo DOT com. Maybe I can combine visiting your town with a vacation! Cupcakes by Batter and Dough Here are some of the nice things that the ladies…
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Wild Apricot Blog (RSS 2.0)
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Volunteer Recruitment Resource
8 Feb 2012 | 6:33 amHere's a new volunteer recruitment resource that offers tips and secrets from volunteer managers. -
Setting Up Your Wild Apricot Website Webinar - Tomorrow
7 Feb 2012 | 6:33 amIf you are new to Wild Apricot and want some help setting up your website - sign up for our free webinar tomorrow - Wed. Feb. 8th. -
Inconvenient Truths About Committees
6 Feb 2012 | 6:56 amA new article in our Hub offers tips and strategies for effective committee development and management. -
New Research on Mobile Giving
3 Feb 2012 | 6:30 amHere's a look at key findings and takeaways from a new Pew research report on mobile giving. -
What's New in the Membership Knowledge Hub?
1 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amHere's an update of new resources that are now available in our Membership Knowledge Hub.
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FundraisingCoach.com
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Nonprofit fundraising & Groundhog Day’s Ned Ryerson
2 Feb 2012 | 5:57 amHappy Groundhog Day! It’s become my Groundhog Day tradition to repost my 2008 post: Fundraising Secret #11: Don’t Be A Ned. Enjoy! (And don’t be a Ned!) Fundraising Secret #11: Don’t be a Ned Click on the image to watch the clip. Does this sound like your fundraising efforts? Ned: Phil? Phil Connors? Phil Connors, I thought that was you! Phil: Hi, thanks for watching. [Starts to walk away] Ned: Hey now, don’t you tell me you don’t remember me ’cause I sure as heckfire remember you. Phil: Not a chance. Ned: Ned… Ryerson. “Needlenose… -
How do you take care of yourself? | Nonprofit Blog Carnival
31 Jan 2012 | 4:20 amI’m thrilled to be hosting the Nonprofit Blog Carnival for February! Since Valentines’ Day is this month, the Carnival topic is: As a fundraiser, how do you take care of yourself? I believe fundraising is the best profession in the world! But it can be incredibly stressful, grueling, and thankless. We often focus on letting donors know we love them, but how do you show yourself the love? Nonprofit blog readers If you’re a blog reader, sit tight. I’ll post a round up of the best of the blogs right here on FundraisingCoach.com at the end of February. Nonprofit bloggers… -
How to create a road map for your goals
30 Jan 2012 | 4:51 pmThe first month of the year is gone! Now is a great time to review your goals. (I have blogged about goal setting here.) As you review your goals, you may find your behind on some. Creating a road map will help jump start those goals. To create a goals road map follow this simple 5-step process: Write out your goal What is it you want to accomplish? Make sure the goal is worded so that it is: Specific Measurable Action oriented Results oriented Time sensitive Remember, a goal without a deadline is only a fantasy! List out what steps have to happen Take the time to list out everything that… -
Free nonprofit tools from 10 different experts!
25 Jan 2012 | 5:07 amI’m thrilled to be participating in the Nonprofit Goodies Giveaway! 10 of us have gotten together to offer: 5 free ebooks including the Wild Woman’s Guide to Fundraising and my own Ask Without Fear!, 2 free workbooks, 2 free trainings, and one free Donor Map. On the Nonprofit Goodies Giveaway site there are tools to help with your major gifts, annual fund, grant fundraising, storytelling and presentations. There’s even a training to help you with your benefit auctions. But hurry these goodies are only available until January 31! To get your year started with these great… -
Brief rant: YOU ARE NOT YOUR PERFECT DONOR!
18 Jan 2012 | 6:01 am[Warning: Rant in progress] In my book Ask Without Fear!, I encourage fundraisers to PYITS–put yourself in their shoes. Thinking like the donor or prospect can save you lots of embarrassment in the process of asking for money. But never forget: you are not your perfect donor Your major gift donor prospects are not on the same life trajectory as you. They have different life goals, work patterns, and values. This is good. This is why they are in a financial place for you to be talking to them. So listen to what they want. Based on my trainings around the world, 70-75% of the people…
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Amy Sample Ward’s Version of NPTech
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Heroes with a Heart: Nominate a Nonprofit Hero Today!
1 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amWe all know someone quietly changing the world each and every day. He or she is not on the front page of the newspaper, and not mingling with the Gates and Buffets of the world. Everyday people have shown extraordinary commitment to making this world better and actually get to work doing it. The CTK Foundation “Heroes with a Heart” Grant Award asks for your nominations of a “Hero with a Heart,” and gives them a chance to win $5,000 – a simple thanks for the hard work that they do. Grant Details Here’s an overview of awards the CTK Foundation will offer… -
New on SSIR: Data for Promotion, Engagement, and Reporting
25 Jan 2012 | 8:05 amMy latest contribution to the Stanford Social Innovation Review is now published. You can read the post and join the conversation on the SSIR Opinion blog, or read the full post below. —– Inevitably, January is filled with predictions and resolutions. We ponder the innovations and evolutions that may unfold in the technologies we use, and consider the issues we want to tackle in our work and communities. Me? I’m focused on data. This year will, I hope, be the year of data. I see more organizations looking for ways to be data-driven in decision making, communications,… -
Great reads from around the web on January 24th
24 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pmI come across so many great conversations, ideas, and resources all over the web every day. Here are some of the most interesting things I’ve found recently (as of January 24th). You can join the conversations in the comments, or click through to the original posts to find what others are saying. To follow more of the things I find online, you can follow @amysampleward on Twitter (which is just a blog and resource feed), or find me on Delicious (for all kinds of bookmarks). Eric Lanke: Stop Calling It Strategic Planning – "So I'm working my way through Humanize, and like… -
Philanthropy and Social Media: New Whitepaper from The Institute for Philanthropy
20 Jan 2012 | 7:03 amEarlier this week, I had the terrific opportunity to participate on a panel at the US launch event for “Philanthropy and Social Media”, a whitepaper from The Institute for Philanthropy and The Indigo Trust. Download the full white paper or share it using this link: http://bit.ly/oii1Vr Below are notes from my remarks. The internet is not new. The last few years, though, have been dramatically impacted by the real-time web. The real-time web is a paradigm based on pushing information to users as soon as it’s available, instead of requiring that they or their software check a… -
Philanthropy and Social Media
17 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pmDate: January 17, 2012, 6 pm EST Location: New York, NY Topic: Philanthropy and Social Media Description: To launch the whitepaper, Philanthropy and Social Media, presented by The Institute for Philanthropy and The Indigo Trust, this panel discussed the impact of social media on philanthropy and giving from various perspectives. In addition to myself, the panel included: Ben Scott (Policy Advisor for Innovation at the US Department of State), Mayur Patel (Vice President of Strategy and Assessment, Knight Foundation), Scott Oki (Entrepreneur, Venture Capitalist, and Co-Founder of…
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Frogloop
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Top 10 Most Generous Cities in the U.S.
8 Feb 2012 | 12:12 pmEver wonder how charitable your city is? You’re in luck because Convio recently released their report on the 273 most generous cities across the United States. Convio analyzed cities with total population of more than 100,000 based on per capita online giving and the total amount donated through the Convio platform. The average gift size remained steady in 2011 at about $65 with more than $435M donated to charities. The donors in the most generous cities increased their total online contributions by more than 11 percent over 2010, which is pretty impressive considering the tough… -
Upcoming Conference Roundup (February - March 2012)
6 Feb 2012 | 12:26 pmWith the new year in full swing, we're looking forward to all the great events that are coming up this year by refreshing our own 2012 Conferences calendar. Here you'll find a list of upcoming events that are sure to be buzzing with cause-minded folks. And wherever there's a cause to be championed, you'll find the Care2 Team -- this month delivering a trifecta of tips and tactics, with three of our Nonprofit Services directors presenting at three different conferences on three different topics over the next three weeks: -Eric Rardin will be talking about Cause Marketing & High Level… -
Webinar: eCampaign 2012 - Killer Tactics to Drive Elections with Online Fundraising And Social Media
5 Feb 2012 | 2:46 pmElectoral campaigns are important incubators of new techniques and tactics in online fundraising and organizing. From Barack Obama's campaign to the thousands of state and local races across the country, campaigners are relentlessly testing new approaches and refining proven tactics in online fundraising and social media to gain an edge over their rivals -- and in some cases to make history. Join us on February 16, 2012 at 2:00 PM ET for "eCampaign 2012 - Killer Tactics to Drive Elections Using Online Fundraising & Social Media" and hear from two experts who are… -
Lessons Learned When Your Community Revolts
2 Feb 2012 | 6:40 amThere are three pillars to building an online community and engaging on social media channels: 1. Honesty, transparency, and being upfront. 2. Listening and being responsive to members of the community no matter how lame or silly you find the questions or feedback. 3. Thanking your community for their support, feedback and guidance. If you don’t practice these principals every single day somewhere along the way your community is going to revolt. And it won’t be pretty. For example, yesterday, Planned Parenthood released a statement saying that the Susan G. Komen Foundation… -
Year-End Fundraising Up in 2011
30 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amIn January of last year I wrote up a quick summary on how some of our clients' end-of-year fundraising campaigns did vs. the prior year, and I thought it’d be nice to repeat the exercise to see how nonprofits fared in 2011. The results below come from aggregate data from 14 organizations we work with – a big thanks to them for letting us include their data in this post. These aren’t necessarily the same organizations we included in our write-up last year; this analysis compares two years of data for these 14 groups. So without further ado, here’s the scoop: A lot more…
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Step By Step Fundraising
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Candy Fundraisers Can Raise Lots of Money
8 Feb 2012 | 7:32 amDon’t ever question whether or not Candy Fundraisers Can Raise Lots of Money. They can, they do and they will continue to be a great fundraising product. We just came across an article in the... [This is a summary only, click on the title to read the entire article.] -
Fundraisers for Small Groups
7 Feb 2012 | 6:43 amLooking for Fundraisers for Small Groups? Let’s explore some options along with the pros and cons of each. 1. Lollipop Fundraising: Fundraising lollipops are great fundraising products for any... [This is a summary only, click on the title to read the entire article.] -
Lollipop Fundraising Companies
6 Feb 2012 | 2:52 pmLet’s talk about how to choose the best Lollipop Fundraising Companies. It is one of the easiest fundraising products to purchase so a quick discussion should tell you all that you need to... [This is a summary only, click on the title to read the entire article.] -
Record Fundraising for Salvation Army
2 Feb 2012 | 11:25 amHow has your fundraising season gone? Are donations up? Or down? Feedback we are hearing is that many nonprofits have seen declines in their donation base. But not The Salvation Army. The Salvation... [This is a summary only, click on the title to read the entire article.] -
The Need for School Fundraising
2 Feb 2012 | 9:33 amThere is obviously a need for school fundraising. There is no doubt about that. School budgets are being slashed more quickly than I ever remember. Some towns and school districts have really... [This is a summary only, click on the title to read the entire article.]
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MarketingProfs Daily Fix Blog
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How Social Media Is Changing the Agency/Client Relationship
8 Feb 2012 | 10:03 amThis week on the Marketing Smarts Podcast, we discuss the evolving relationship between agencies and clients in the era of social media. Our guest is Glenn Engler, CEO of Digital Influence Group, a full-service digital agency with “social media at the core” of everything they do. The jumping-off point for our interview was that “social at the core” position. I wanted to know what that meant, and Glenn explained that, in a nutshell, it doesn’t make sense for an agency to offer “social” as a capability to its clients (as in, “We can also do… -
5 Super Bowl XVLI Ads That Could Have Been Improved with a Mobile Call-to-Action
8 Feb 2012 | 6:49 amMarketers buy into the Super Bowl telecast because it is the one time of the year when consumers are actually tuning in to commercials instead of muting the volume or fast-forwarding on their DVR. Here’s an old school recipe for success: One part new product or service offering upgrade A tear-inducing script (Tears can be a result of hilarity or a message that pulls at the heartstrings.) One teaspoon of a timely message (Think Valentine’s Day and/or tax season.) A cute animal or hot celebrity A tease in the media What’s missing in this day of 24/7 social, mobile consumers? Mobile calls… -
The Questions I Would Ask If I Were Marketing Your Business
7 Feb 2012 | 6:53 amAdvice from Internet marketing pundits is becoming like rock and roll was to a previous generation—it sounds like just a bunch of noise. Every blog-as-media-outlet, thought-leader platform, and social technology company’s website screams top 10 ways to do this and how-to posts to do that. And marketing professionals are left trying to filter the wheat from the chaff. The challenge marketing and brand managers face today, however, is not the basic how-tos of social media. They need less of the top five and top sevens and top 10s, and more content that marries the tactical to-dos… -
How to Deliver Your Sales Pitch, So Folks Listen
6 Feb 2012 | 6:56 amA guest post by Sarika Periwal of karmaCRM. Talking is the best tool of a salesperson. The only way that you have face to face of convincing a person to buy a specific product or service is by convincing them that they need it. This includes highlighting the benefits that the product brings to their life to make it simpler. It also means that to be a successful salesperson you need to have impeccable communication skills. However, this is not an inherent skill but one that has to be developed through practice. Here are a few things that you should keep in mind when you next deliver your sales… -
Free Friday: Marketing Smarts Podcasts
3 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amOn this Free Friday, check out all the free Marketing Smarts podcasts organized neatly on one page for you. Hosted by MarketingProfs own Matt Grant, this weekly podcast features in-depth interviews with bright, engaging marketers. You’ll get insights and advice that will inspire you to pump up your marketing. Podcast topics include: Making the Most of a Mobile Moment (with Tim Hayden of 44Doors) Sally Hogshead and the $500 Cup of Coffee (with author Sally Hogshead) Have You Killed an Innovation Today? (with author and professor David Owen) Calculating the ROI of Social Media (with guest…
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Future Fundraising Now
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Find out how well you thank your donors
9 Feb 2012 | 5:09 amYou can probably do a better job of thanking your donors. One place to start would be by taking this cool quiz by Network for Good. And, as Katya's Nonprofit Marketing blog notes at Are you treating your donors right? The quiz: Always thank your donors. Thank them early. Thank them often. Thank them accurately. -
Lousy copywriter David Ogilvy with some hints you can use
8 Feb 2012 | 4:34 amAt Letters of Note, a blog that reproduces interesting letters written by interesting people, a letter on writing from advertising legend David Ogilvy: I am a lousy copywriter. Here are some excerpts: I spend a long time studying the precedents. I look at every advertisement which has appeared for competing products during the past 20 years. I am helpless without research material—and the more "motivational" the better. I write out a definition of the problem and a statement of the purpose which I wish the campaign to achieve. Then I go no further until the statement and its principles have… -
Tips for fundraising writers
7 Feb 2012 | 4:45 amHere's a great set of principles from the Googledigook blog: 17 things I have learnt about charity email copy. Here are some of them -- the ones that apply to fundraising writing in general, not just email: READ IT OUT LOUD -- if it doesn't sound like a real person speaking, start again. Cut, cut and cut again. If the meaning remains the same, you've almost certainly made it more elegant by cutting. You are allowed to begin sentences with 'And' or 'But.' There should always be some version of the Call-to-Action above the fold. Avoid sentences with multiple clauses and sub-clauses -- it's what… -
How to thank your donors right
6 Feb 2012 | 6:01 amWhile "manners" are often used as an excuse to be rude (as in You inferior person -- you're holding your knife wrong), normal, commonsense manners can really help you do a good job of thanking your donors. Clairification takes a look at polite thanking of donors at What Would Miss Manners Say? Thank You. Miss Manners would advise: Always address your friend by their given name. A thank you is not a form letter. Include a specific description of the gift your friend gave you. A thank you should be personal, and show the giver that you know them. Describe how you'll use the gift; let the giver… -
Captions: the under-used secret weapon in fundraising
3 Feb 2012 | 9:29 amHere's one of those easy ways to make your communications better, from Copyblogger: How to Instantly Transform Your Landing Page Images from Good to Great. The secret is this: Put captions on images. Without captions, readers draw their own conclusion Captions give you three ways to educate and create curiosity Captions are an effective handbrake Captions create mini-sales messages This is not only true for landing pages, but everywhere. An un-captioned is pretty much a waste of space.
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NP Communicator
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Practice makes perfect, and other interview tips
1 Feb 2012 | 8:01 amPhoto courtesy of Red Media Group, Flickr, Creative Commons When I work with nonprofit leaders who are preparing for media interviews, one of my first pieces of advice is, “Remember, you’re in control!” The media needs your help to tell the story, and you’re the expert on your organization’s issues. So, if that’s the case, why do we find ourselves floundering in media interviews, being dragged off topic with no sense of how to bring it back to our core messages? It’s because most of us just need a little practice. We need to sharpen our interview… -
Prostitution, undocumented youth, living with a disability: Reporting the issues that matter
23 Jan 2012 | 12:37 pmThe Local Reporting Initiative was launched in the Spring of 2011 to report stories about Chicago’s South and West Sides that aren’t often told. With support from The Chicago Community Trust, the Community Media Workshop has been overseeing the project, and we’ve been blown away by some of the stories produced under the Initiative. These are stories about real people, stories that deserve to be heard. Take Nina, the first woman to go through a new program to help women facing prostitution charges in Cook County. Or Aurora, an undocumented youth who works two jobs and… -
Workshop helps employment center step up work with local media
3 Jan 2012 | 7:49 amA 2011 story by Barrington Patch about CareerPlace At a time of record unemployment in Illinois and the country, organizations that can help people find employment and build their skills are more important then ever. Yet, CareerPlace, located in Barrington, found that more than 40% of people in their area didn’t know about their services and classes for unemployed individuals. “We struggled with finding the time to reach out to the local media,” said Monica Keane, executive director of CareerPlace. “I thought Professional Media Relations would be a good way to learn how to get… -
The top 11 Workshop blog posts of 2011
14 Dec 2011 | 11:15 amAt the end of the year, it’s fun and informative to see what drew you to our website. The Community Media Workshop produces three blogs–Newstips, NP Communicator and Chicago is the World–and in 2011, these were the top 11 most viewed blog posts on our site. Did you have a favorite Workshop blog post this year? Let us know if it made the top 11 or not. We want to continue providing content that’s helpful to you and your organization. The Top 11 1. NP Communicator: Be a nonprofit blogger! - By far, our most popular blog post this year. It’s a helpful post, and it just… -
Develop a media story for your organization and pitch reporters, face-to-face
29 Nov 2011 | 10:39 amRoiAnn Phillips of HealthConnect One RoiAnn Phillips decided to attend Professional Media Relations because she wanted a better grasp of media strategy and outreach as she took on more communications work at HealthConnect One. Her “ah-ha moment” came when instructors told the class how to tailor a pitch to pique reporters’ interest, but her big breakthrough came a couple of weeks later. During the five-part workshop, she was able to pitch her organization’s upcoming report analyzing breastfeeding rates in Illinois to WBEZ Reporter Chip Mitchell. That opportunity resulted in three…
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IMPACTMAX
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Augmented reality—Search moves from text to objects
7 Feb 2012 | 8:36 amHold onto your hats! I just read a Trendwatching report about the not-too-distant future when Search transcends Google and spreads to everyday objects. Instead of typing into a text search box to get information you want—just point your phone or pad at an object or scene and all kinds of information pops up. It’s called augmented reality, and it’s going to change everything. In part, because it’s so much more entertaining than text search. Some of this has already started with QR codes (also not so entertaining), but these new apps may quickly make QR codes obsolete. -
Free digital storytelling tools for nonprofits
19 Dec 2011 | 2:37 pmFlickr/mysza831 A little holiday gift for you! A couple of times a year, I dig into the web to find free tools that can help nonprofits tell their stories in ever more engaging ways. Each time I do that, the range of options kind of astounds me. This year is no exception, Not every nonprofit has the resources to hire videographers or even buy and use a video cam themselves. These online tools offer FREE ways to get dynamic content onto your website, blog, and social media without HAVING to use video. Many of these create mash-ups of just photos, text, graphics, and music. I’m amazed… -
Top mobile social media apps for nonprofits
10 Nov 2011 | 3:17 pmFlickr/Irish Typepad Reminder: If you don’t have a great website and email strategy, you probably shouldn’t be focusing on social media yet. Those have to be your first priorities. It’s predicted that by the end of 2014, mobile (smart phone and tablet) access to the web will have outstripped desktop access. Think about that in relation to your current website and social media strategy. It’s time to start thinking/acting mobile. Even if you’re aiming for older audiences, you can’t ignore mobile—tablets are becoming very popular. I just took a great… -
Blogs vs. Facebook for Nonprofits
22 Oct 2011 | 7:14 pm(My 100th post!) Over the past few months, I’ve helped a couple nonprofit clients who are ready to move into social media decide whether to go with a blog or Facebook. (I’ll talk about Twitter strategies in a future post. It’s kind of a different animal.) Most approach it as an either/or decision because of their limited staff resources. That’s a real concern. If you truly don’t have the staff time to blog at least once a week or make a Facebook update twice a week, you shouldn’t be considering either medium. If you do have adequate staff resources, go back… -
10 Time Management Tips for Nonprofit Communicators
6 Jul 2011 | 10:05 amIf there’s one thing I’ve learned as a consultant (and a former nonprofit communications director), it’s how incredibly busy nonprofit communicators are–-always. There don’t seem to be peaks and valleys, it’s all just climbing, climbing, climbing. Nonprofit communications professionals are pulled in 17 different directions at any given moment, and it can feel like you don’t have much control over your day. Pretty soon you find yourself working at home in the evening just to stay afloat. I encourage my clients who call me short-of-breath from work…
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Jamie Notter
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Start by Looking Inside
7 Feb 2012 | 6:37 amEdelman’s Annual “Trust Barometer” report is out. Maddie broke the news on SocialFishing, pointing out that trust in CEOs dropped precipitously (50% last year; 38% this year), where trust in the “regular employee” was up by a similar margin (34% last year to 50% this year). That’s big news, and it’s consistent with what she and I have been writing about. Obviously trust is an important issue to us–Trustworthy is one of the four human elements we write about in Humanize. There is a 32-page slide deck from Edelman that goes over the main points in… -
Public Discourse on Humanize
3 Feb 2012 | 5:58 amAt one level, getting a book published is a fairly scripted process. You write it, you publicize the heck out of it, you speak on it, and, if all goes well, a bunch of people buy it. Thousands of authors/publishers do this (in roughly the same way) every single year. Of course, when it’s YOUR book, it always somehow feels more unique, unpredictable, even magical. When Maddie and I wrote Humanize, we gave it our all. We wrote from our hearts. We put down on paper thoughts and ideas that tied together years of our personal and professional development, both separately and together. -
Shaking Up Patterns
31 Jan 2012 | 4:31 amThis weekend I taught a three-hour session on Systems to students in Georgetown’s Organization Development and Change Leadership Certificate program. I went through this program 11 years ago myself (though it didn’t have the “change leadership” moniker back then). I love teaching this class and digging into the idea that when we get together in groups, we tend to fall into familiar patterns and system dynamics. The people at the top always feel burdened by complexity and responsibility. The people in the middle always feel torn trying to meet everyone’s needs. -
Humanize and the Millennial Generation
24 Jan 2012 | 12:35 pmTwo weeks ago I wrote a post about an inherent paradox in the conversation about generational differences. The differences we see among generations are both true at the big picture level AND irrelevant at the individual level. Every generation possesses significant diversity and significant “sameness” at the same time. That post was the setup to this one, based on the original question that was posed in one of our Humanize twitter chats, which was “Is the Millennial generation better poised to accept the ideas in Humanize than previous generations.” My answer in the… -
Conflict and Decision Making
17 Jan 2012 | 8:31 amThere is an article in the Volunteer Leadership issue of Associations Now titled, “Balanced Conflict, Better Decisions.” The conclusions in the article concern me. I’m paraphrasing here, but the article says: “Cognitive” conflict is about contradictory perspectives, where “affective” conflict is personalized, emotional, and political. Association boards make better decisions by delegating cognitive conflict to task forces, but dealing with affective conflict at Board meetings. For-profit boards do this the other way around. In a “fair and…
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Low Hanging Fruit Communications
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Repost: The Baby Groundhog Guide to Organizational Decision Making
2 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amI wrote this post last summer, and while the groundhogs in question are no longer staying with us, the lessons about when to take advice and when to ignore it still stand. Happy Groundhog Day! If you work with people, eventually some of them are going to make suggestions. Most of the time, those suggestions will be made with the best of intentions. And yet, sometimes following said advice will be the best thing that ever happened to you or your organization, and sometimes it will lead to unmitigated disaster.* So how do you determine when to listen and adapt and when to smile and… -
Doing What is Ours to Do
27 Jan 2012 | 7:20 amImage via Wikipedia In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Nancy Schwartz asked the Nonprofit Blog Carnival community to spend time in January reflecting on our own dreams and how we intend to bring them to fruition. As is evidenced by my 11th hour submission, I found this assignment daunting. Who am I to declare the future direction of the not-for-profit sector? What difference does my work make in the grand scheme of the universe? How can I solve problems large agencies with million dollar budgets have yet to tackle? And then I realized–that’s the whole point. Unless those… -
“Waste” More Time on Social Media
19 Jan 2012 | 8:32 amIf you want to use social media to build your audience, attract new volunteers, sell your artwork, or change the world, there is one thing you can do to make your campaigns more dynamic, interesting and effective. Use social media personally. I don’t mean create a personal account from which you do work things. I mean use Facebook to reconnect with your college friends and “like” photos of your nieces and nephews. Use Pinterest* to design your dream home and look at photos of food and shoes. Use Twitter to meet new people who get excited about the same subjects about… -
3 Keys to Unlocking Your Best Ideas
13 Jan 2012 | 11:05 amDon’t forget–the LHF Greenhouse closes to new members on Sunday. If you need a place to grow some of the new ideas you are about to discover, join us inside! Over the last six months, first as part of the summer of small voices series, and more recently as I’ve been sharing the LHF Greenhouse invitation I’ve noticed a disturbing trend–a large number of you believe “you don’t have any ideas.” This worries me because we need people like you–and the ideas that come from your smart, kind, generous, and determined souls– to create… -
Getting Ready for the Artist’s Way: a sneak peek into the LHF Greenhouse
10 Jan 2012 | 7:09 amImage via Wikipedia I’m sure you’ve noticed I’m very excited about the LHF Greenhouse, and want to make sure everyone who can benefit from becoming a member has the information they need to make a decision about joining. So when my engineer boyfriend pointed out the invitation page does a great job of explaining what the greenhouse will feel like, but not such a great job outlining the “what exactly will we be doing” part, I was a little worried. I tried to write a post to fill in that information gap. I thought about making a list of the books we would read,…
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About.com Nonprofit Charitable Orgs
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New Books Bring Nonprofit Finance and Legal Issues Within Reach
8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 pmIf you're anything like me, a financial statement or a contract makes you feel like your spaceship just got sucked into a black hole. But as board members or nonprofit staff, we have to make an effort to understand what amounts to the corporate law and finance that undergird our organizations. That's why I was very happy to see two books land on my review pile in recent weeks. They are Good Counsel: Meeting the Legal needs of Nonprofits, by Lesley Rosenthal and The Board Member's Easier Than You Think Guide to Nonprofit Finances, by Any Robinson and Nancy Wasserman. These two books have taken… -
Nonprofits Urge Adopt or Sponsor a Pet for Valentine's Day
7 Feb 2012 | 5:00 pmI can't think of a better way to serve up a Valentine's Day scoop of love than to adopt or sponsor a pet. My long time favorite animal sanctuary, Best Friends, is sending a very cute email to its supporters suggesting sponsoring either Jack, "a pig with a plan," or Nito, a shy dog who loves the ladies. It's all in the name of creatively expressing your heart for Valentine's Day. Read Full PostNonprofits Urge Adopt or Sponsor a Pet for Valentine's Day originally appeared on About.com Nonprofit Charitable Orgs on Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at 01:00:23.Permalink | Comment | Email this -
Do You Know Who Your Nonprofit Is Sleeping With? Komen's Outing
5 Feb 2012 | 11:06 pmI've never seen a reversal as fast as the one Susan G. Komen for the Cure made last week. In a head-spinning set of moves, Komen, which was outed on Tuesday for cutting funding to Planned Parenthood, 1) thought they could get by with a canned video that said a new policy about grantees who were under "investigation" was behind their defunding, 2) changed its story to something about "pass-throughs" on Thursday, and 3) changed its mind and apologized to supporters and critics on Friday. Meanwhile Planned Parenthood raised several million dollars in three days and scored a Superbowl like PR… -
'Heroes with a Heart' Honors Those You Most Admire
1 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amNear me is a beautiful little ranch that has been converted into a therapeutic riding center for physically challenged children. Every day several volunteers -- most have been coming here for years -- show up to lead the horses and to protect the delighted kids who ride the horses and ponies. They all serve with gentle care, love, and commitment, and no fanfare at all. Those volunteers are my heroes. If you're like me, you are inspired by people who are quietly changing the world each and every day. They're not on the front page of the newspaper, and they're not mingling with the Gates and… -
Best Links: Shy Board Members, Google Search, B Corps
30 Jan 2012 | 5:00 pmNonprofit Blog Carnival Nancy Schwartz collected all our dreams for the nonprofit world in her January Nonprofit Blog Carnival. Who would have thought that we would dream so much and so creatively? Marc Pitman kicks off the February Nonprofit Blog Carnival with his Valentine's Day themed How do you take care of yourself? Marc asks, "We often focus on letting donors know we love them, but how do you show yourself the love?" Oh, did you forget to reward yourself? This will be an opportunity to pledge anew to do just that. Fundraising, Social Media, Business for Good Katya Andresen reminds us of…
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Pamela Grow's Grantwriting Blog
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Generosity Day: Did you take the pledge?
9 Feb 2012 | 3:38 amSurprise a stressed-out waitress with a humongous tip…cook a meal for your neighbor who’s just home from the hospital…send a “care” package to your best friend, who’s dealing with a homebound parent with dementia. Valentine’s Day has been officially rebooted as Generosity Day: a day of sharing love and caring to everyone. You’re generous, aren’t you? Say “yes!” Social Bookmarking -
101 Social Media Tactics for Nonprofits: A Field Guide
2 Feb 2012 | 6:09 pmIt goes without saying that before dipping a toe into the social media waters, nonprofit organizations need to come up with some sort of strategy. Where are your donors? How much time do you have to devote to social media? What will you be sharing on social media – and listening to? How will you be measuring your engagement? For the nonprofit interested in creating a truly donor-centric organization, engaging in social media is a win-win. Theory, though, doesn’t tell you what to do. Enter 101 Social Media Tactics for Nonprofits: A Field Guide, a new book from Melanie Mathos and… -
The 10 essentials of an ideal thank you letter
27 Jan 2012 | 4:37 amAre you creating partnerships with your donors? A sense of loyalty and commitment? Blackbaud’s recent Growing Philanthropy in the United States report revealed that nonprofits have made little headway into reducing donor attrition rates. According to recent data collected by the Association of Fundraising Professionals,”the pattern of retention for cash giving in the U.S.has worsened, with some organizations experiencing upwards of 70 percent attrition between the first and second gift.” Ouch. Your organization’s thank you letter is the important first step in creating loyal,… -
#smNPchat: Are you participating?
20 Jan 2012 | 10:08 amHow does the small, community-focused nonprofit organization “do-it-all?” After all, you’re not an international charity with a database of 300,000, a development staff of 20 and a team of direct mail consultants at your beck and call. Nope, chances are you’re an executive director or development director who is responsible for writing the grant proposals, maintaining the communications calendar, copywriting, database management, event planning, stewardship and more. #smNPchat on Twitter was created in 2010 with you in mind. On the first and third Friday of every month, Marc… -
Seven quintessential nonprofit resolutions for 2012…and beyond
13 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amCreate a solid plan. In the words of Yogi Berra: If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else. How much do you want to raise from grants? How much do you want to raise from individual donations – from direct mail, online, from your monthly giving program? It’s not enough to have a plan, you’ve also got to work it! Put your focus on the lifetime value of a donor – and educate your board as well. Use a scalpel and eliminate any trace of nonprofit jargon from your organization’s communication pieces. Thank your donors right the…
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AFP Blog: Recent News of Note
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How Stanford Raised $6-Billion in Hard Times - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas
8 Feb 2012 | 12:01 pmHow Stanford Raised $6-Billion in Hard Times - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Stanford’s announcement today that it has raised $6.2-billion in a campaign with a goal of $4.3-billion seems all the more remarkable given that the drive took place amid a severe recession.Martin Shell, Stanford’s vice president of development, -
How Stanford Raised $6-Billion in Hard Times - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas
8 Feb 2012 | 12:01 pmHow Stanford Raised $6-Billion in Hard Times - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Stanford’s announcement today that it has raised $6.2-billion in a campaign with a goal of $4.3-billion seems all the more remarkable given that the drive took place amid a severe recession.Martin Shell, Stanford’s vice president of development, -
Jewish Federations Support Protection of Charitable Giving Incentives
8 Feb 2012 | 7:59 amJewish Federations Support Protection of Charitable Giving Incentives: February 6, 2012 -- The Jewish Federations of North America appreciates the Obama Administration’s acknowledgement of the importance of retaining charitable giving incentives. As one of the most vocal leaders in the effort to oppose White House attempts to reduce the tax deductibility of charitable contributions, JFNA is -
Maxim Thorne: The Komen-Planned Parenthood Case -- A Philanthropic and Political Victory for Us All
8 Feb 2012 | 7:53 amMaxim Thorne: The Komen-Planned Parenthood Case -- A Philanthropic and Political Victory for Us All: I like the fact that Komen's strategies have been entrepreneurial and they pay to get the best talent, and thus get people to give more time, and more treasure. And I like the brand they created. Why then the outrage that hit the Komen Foundation because of its decision to defund Planned -
Man, 100, claims to be oldest marathon runner; �‘Turbaned Torpedo’ runs 10K in Hong Kong� - NY Daily News
8 Feb 2012 | 7:36 amMan, 100, claims to be oldest marathon runner; �‘Turbaned Torpedo’ runs 10K in Hong Kong� - NY Daily News: A 100-year-old British Indian man who claims to be the world's oldest marathoner was all smiles after completing a 10K run at the Hong Kong marathon on Sunday.Born in 1911 and affectionately nicknamed the "Turbaned Torpedo", Fauja Singh finished the race in just over one hour and 34 minutes,
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Connection Café
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Evernote for Nonprofits
9 Feb 2012 | 4:01 amAuthor: Corey Pudhorodsky (This post was collaboratively written with Jonathan Weldon ...using a shared folder in....Evernote!) In case you've never heard of Evernote this blog post is written from the perspective of a couple Inbox Zero & GTD geeks who are just as likely to be discussing the latest keyboard shortcut or productivity trick as we are where the next happy hour is. While we like to think of ourselves as early adopters, Evernote was recently named Company of the Year by Inc. Magazine and with more than 20 million users,… -
40 Twitter-iffic Event Day Ideas
7 Feb 2012 | 7:01 amAuthor: Robyn Mendez Turn your Captivated Audience of Event Participants into a Social Media Army Event day is an excellent opportunity for your organization to turn the captivated audience of event participants into a social media army for your event & your organization’s mission. In this post, I've pulled together some tips to get you started on your event's social media strategy plus 40 ideas to tweet about on the day of your event. Twitter's newsfeed style makes it the perfect cornerstone for your Event Day Social Media Strategy because you can post short, quick, and… -
Mobile Donation Forms
6 Feb 2012 | 12:48 pmAuthor: Lacey Kruger When I say, “mobile donation” you probably think about text-to-give. I assume that because when I Googled the term*, that’s what most of the articles were about. This post, however, is not about text-to-give. It’s about a mobile-friendly donation form, which I believe is a key component to any nonprofit mobile presence. In fact, I’ll even say that if you want to keep your mobile presence small and simple, you really only need a mobile homepage and a mobile donation form. Here are some great examples and things to keep in mind when you plan… -
Know Your Constituents
3 Feb 2012 | 8:58 amAuthor: Cheryl Black At my wedding rehearsal a couple years ago, the minister asked my groom-now-husband and I if we had any final adjustments to the ceremony. I had just one: “I don’t want to be announced as Mr. & Mrs. Ross Black. I want to be Ross and Cheryl Black.” I took Hubby’s last name but then and now I feel very strongly that I have my own name and prefer not to be “Mrs. Husband’s Name.” Everything, from our mortgage to our cutesy return address labels reads “Ross & Cheryl Black”; nothing says “Mr. & Mrs. -
CRM is the easy part
2 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amAuthor: Miriam Kagan Did you really just read that?? Is this woman crazy? While I do admit to being a little nuts at times (my mother would say all the time), on this point you gotta trust me. When it comes to becoming an organization focused on delighting constituents (i.e. constituent engagement), implementing and optimizing CRM (a constituent relationship management system), is the easy part if you work at an organization whose culture isn't constituent centric. And chances are that if you work at a nonprofit that's been around 10+ years, has 10+ employees, and 10+ constituents,…
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Case Foundation - Investing in People and Ideas that Can Change the World
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Philanthropy and the Super Bowl!
6 Feb 2012 | 7:53 amOne more sign that philanthropy is entering the mainstream of American popular culture is its intense involvement with this year’s Super Bowl. Football is far and away the most popular subject in our public media. Thirty million viewers weekly, 53 million for the Conference championships, 111 million for last year’s Super Bowl-the largest television audience in history for a single event, a record expected to be broken on Sunday. Of course it is a sport made for television; many short bursts of high-energy action, punctuated by many places for commercials, designed for and aimed at its… -
Nonprofit’s giving portal aims to drive more donations to charities
6 Feb 2012 | 7:49 amCatalogue for Philanthropy, an organization that connects local nonprofits with companies, has established a workplace giving portal which officials say they hope will help drive more corporate funding to charities. In the aftermath of the recession, charities have been scrambling for new revenue sources to make up for cuts in corporate, foundation and government giving. The new portal is designed to allow company employees to view the needs and volunteering opportunities of charities with operating budgets under $3 million. All the charities are screened by the Catalogue. Published Date… -
The value of friendship
6 Feb 2012 | 7:40 amMARK ZUCKERBERG, Facebook’s founder and chief executive, has talked for years about the notion of a “social graph” which connects people to their friends and all of the things they are interested in. By encouraging hundreds of millions of people to share their deeds and reveal their innermost thoughts, profane or profound, online, his company has in effect mapped a portion of this graph on its computers. According to the Onion, a satirical publication, the whole thing was the CIA’s idea; digging up this amount of information the old-fashioned way would have cost the spooks a fortune. -
What's New on CaseFoundation.org: January 30-February 3, 2012
3 Feb 2012 | 2:52 pmWant to get a quick view of what's new in Social Media, Active Citizenship, Good Giving, and Corporate Responsibility? Here are the highlights from what we've added to CaseFoundation.org this week: Social Media Susan G. Komen: What to Do When a Good Cause Goes Bad Inc., February 1, 2012 DoGooder Nonprofit Video Contest – Enter Today The Case Foundation, February 2, 2012 Startup America relocates to s.co URL and offers free .co domains to all members TheNextWeb, February 2, 2012 Active Citizenship Want to Speak at TED? Now You Can Audition Mashable, February 1, 2012 Corporate Responsibility… -
25 Companies That Practice Good Corporate Citizenship And Still Make Lots Of Money
3 Feb 2012 | 7:52 amIn the spectrum between rich, evil corporations and corporations scraping by while adhering to a perfect set of values, a new study has found that there is a set of 25 corporate giants that are managing to succeed while at least making a concerted effort at not destroying anything. And consumers are taking note. Published Date Feb032012 Source: Co.Exist Link to: http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679240/25-companies-that-practice-good-corporate-citizenship-and-still-make-lots-of-money Post Origin: Other
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FirstGiving Blog
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Fundraising Best Practice in Action: Raise your fundraising goal – FirstGiving’s CEO
9 Feb 2012 | 2:00 amAs an individual fundraiser, you want to do everything you can to maximize your impact. Raising your fundraising goal is a proven fundraising best practice that is sure to maximize your total donations. This ensures that you and your network are always “pushing” for that near sited goal. CEO Karsten Robbins’ Movember fundraising success Our very own CEO, Karsten Robbins knows first hand the power of raising his fundraising goals throughout his Movember campaign last November. With his humorous, yet serious fundraising effort, urging his network of friends, family, and colleagues to… -
February is Heart Health Awareness Month
8 Feb 2012 | 2:00 amDid you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States? That’s why the month of February is dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease. Educate yourself on the dangers and stay on track to better, healthier heart! The first step to preventing heart disease is understanding the most common types and the warning signs. Heart Attack - Pressure, a feeling of fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes - Pain extending beyond your chest to your shoulder, arm, back, or even to your teeth and jaw -… -
How to “check-in” to a nonprofit’s Facebook event
7 Feb 2012 | 2:00 amAs the unofficial sequel to yesterday’s post on Facebook events, we wish to highlight the steps and opportunities in having you, the nonprofit’s supporters, “check-in” to official Facebook events. Be it extra cause awareness during the live event, asking for post event donations for your fundraising page, or even to get some free stuff, “checking-in” in a fun way to engage with a nonprofit and the cause you care about so much. Why “check-in?” “Checking-in” notifies an individual’s social network of his/her physical location by publishing it to their online… -
How to create a Facebook event for your fundraiser
6 Feb 2012 | 2:00 amA Facebook event is an opportunity to invite your nonprofit’s Facebook Fans to either a physical event or an ongoing campaign. It’s a powerful way to pull individuals into a specific cause and engage your supporters. Creating your event If you have a Facebook Fan page for your organization, you can create an event by clicking on the events tab underneath your profile picture. You will be prompted to create a new event by filling out the event’s name, date, time, location, and details. Extra attention should be given to the “details” tab. Here is where your nonprofit should fill in… -
Ask for higher donations for the Boston Marathon
3 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amAs the Boston Marathon draws closer, we thought we’d make it a point to discuss the incredible fundraising opportunities an event like this has to offer. With this unofficial series, we will be shedding a little light on fundraising for this marathon up until the big day. When making fundraising goals, one has to understand the typical donation environment; what’s realistic, what’s not, and what to expect. Our previous study on the 2010 Boston Marathon shows that the average donations per fundraising page range between $25 – $75, and $100 – $150, while the average…
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Withism's from Lori
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A Check List for Sizzling Onsite Visits
7 Feb 2012 | 5:53 pmI work with many organizations that regularly hold informational tours at their offices or program sites. These sometimes have fun names like, "Art Rocks" or "More than Meets the Eye." They are sometimes called a Point of Entry™ event or an information session or they may be a hard hat tour for a capital campaign or a site visit for a pending grant proposal. Whatever they are called their intention is to knock the socks off of the guests and cause them to connect deeply with the mission and the organization. In my experience that happens so rarely that I decided to create this checklist… -
Ask and Acknowledge Fridays
3 Feb 2012 | 12:36 pmI had the pleasure of talking with an energetic young man named Jeff Hnilicka a week or so ago. He is the Executive Director of Kulture Klub Collaborative a partner organization housed in the lower level of YouthLink in Minneapolis. Jeff attended one of my December workshops and over a month later was still "lit up" about how much he'd learned and how he was already putting the tools to use. He made my day with his enthusiasm but what I really want to share with you is the cool program he created and is implementing. He’s a tiny staff of one but has the enthusiasm and passion of ten. -
Awesome example of using technology to keep supporters engaged
24 Jan 2012 | 9:36 amI’m pretty busy and I’m certain you are too. The tidal wave of information coming at me all day long can be overwhelming and paralyzing. So it has to be something pretty darn engaging and interesting to get me to pause and spend more than the cursory 4 seconds on it. This past week I received a virtual "annual report" from charity: water, my favorite environmental charity. It arrived at the end of my workday on Friday, January 20 and so I didn’t actually do anything with it until Saturday morning when I usually spend a little time going through my email inbox. The subject… -
What is the first thing you do when you sit down at the computer?
23 Jan 2012 | 5:33 pmWisdom and advice from Seth Godin Over the years I’ve worked with literally thousands of organizations and their staff. One of the most often heard comments from development staff is usually, "I don’t have time to get to the relationship building part of this work." I believe it is actually a choice that the important, deeper connecting calls and meetings are not being scheduled into the day. As their coach I ask development staff to commit to make one donor phone call or set one donor meeting each day BEFORE they get pulled into that deep dark black hole of admin tasks never to… -
Purposeful Planning: Four questions to assess annual fundraising success
17 Jan 2012 | 9:19 amTaking time to review the year can increase individual donations My final post on Reynold Levy’s book Yours For The Asking is about the importance of taking time to review your annual fundraising performance. This year I’ve provided a number of Purposeful Planning trainings and webinars to help organizations of all sizes create annual fund development plans. The simple framework I use is posted in the Resources section of my website. It’s an Excel document to help map out your annual plan and donor communication calendar. What may help is to be clear WHAT you are…
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Wild Woman Fundraising
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Collective Joy = How to Harness the Power of #Occupy for Your Nonprofit Cause
8 Feb 2012 | 3:57 amProtest Puppet from Paris: Image copyright 0olong from Flickr What Barbara Erhenreich AND the Occupy Movement are teaching me is that we need to take the collective expression of protest around the world and have a dance-off. Really? YEAH. What does your cause need next? Art! Music! Face-painting! Big puppets! Why? Why would you want to make people dance and sing around your very serious cause? Because there is power in collective joy. There is power in celebration. Resistance is not about drudgery and speeches. It’s about a spiral dance, a circle dance, facepainting, big puppets, and… -
You Deserve A Voice. Voting With Your Dollars is Not Enough
6 Feb 2012 | 3:36 amConsumed by Benjamin Barber Here’s a book that has been blowing my mind lately, and with EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON I just haven’t blogged about it yet. Until today. I’ve written before about what to buy to make sure slaves didn’t make your clothing, or make your food, here. http://www.wildwomanfundraising.com/fabulous-interactive-graph-decide-buy/ And I’ve also written about if you’re a good nonprofiteer or a good consumer. http://www.wildwomanfundraising.com/nonprofiteer-good-consumer/ Sure, I’m a member of a credit union and a coop. I moved my money. -
Abortion. A line in the sand.
2 Feb 2012 | 10:55 amLook what I found UPDATE: Feb 3, 2012-DUE TO EVERYONE ON THE INTERNET BEING ALL “OH NO YOU DIDN’T!” KOMEN’s HANDEL SAID THEY WOULD FUND EXISTING GRANTS. BUT NOT THAT THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO FUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD. A Huffpost commenter, Karmabug, said it best: “I’m sorry, but all I can read is, “We were deeply shaken by the outpouring of support, and most importantly money, to Planned Parenthood and not us. We have reversed our decision for now so you may continue to send money to us and not them. With this money we will continue to exploit women with… -
Do you have a favorite volunteer? Want to thank them, with MONEY?
1 Feb 2012 | 3:03 amThe Heroes with a Heart Grant Celebrates Unsung Non-Profit Heroes If you’re like most people, you get most of your inspiration from people who are quietly changing the world each and every day. They’re not on the front page of the newspaper, and they’re not mingling with the Gates and Buffets of the world. They’re everyday people like you and me who have shown extraordinary commitment to making this world better than when they found it. The CTK Foundation “Heroes with a Heart” Grant Award asks YOU to nominate a “Hero with a Heart,” and give them… -
Stephanie Strom’s take on Nonprofits
24 Jan 2012 | 3:27 amRemember last week when I was all “Save the Nonprofits!” Well, turns out I didn’t even know the whole story. We’re more screwed than I knew! Here’s more. Nonprofit Quarterly reports on the Michigan State Charitable deduction going away. Tony Martignetti just told me about Stephanie Strom, who is the reporter on Philanthropy for the New York Times. Hawaii tried to levy a 1% tax on nonprofits in 2010 and failed, but now California is trying to get more property taxes from nonprofits. And they are, in fact, succeeding. Do you work at a nonprofit hospital? The IRS…
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Seth's Blog
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Inaccurate labels and why we need them (and need to improve them)
9 Feb 2012 | 2:46 amIf I tell you, "I'm going to the baseball game," it seems as though you're likely to understand what I mean. Of course, you won't. When George Will goes to a baseball game, it's a religious experience. Me, I don't even like baseball. Or maybe it's my nephew's ball game (the playoffs), or maybe going to the game causes me to miss an important event, and on and on. We label the experience with just two words, and two words can't possibly capture the emotions and circumstance surrounding an event. The same thing is true with brands. If I tell you that a new business was funded by USV, that might… -
How do they know you're not a flake?
8 Feb 2012 | 2:43 amBefore your link gets clicked or your proposal gets read, a busy person is going to triage it to find out if it's even worth glancing at. Since everyone is now connected, the new permeability has created a deluge of noise, and just about everyone worth contacting is taking defensive measures. Do I know this person? Did someone I trust send them over? Where does she work? (Ideo? the FDA? The New York Times?) Has she won an award? Is she famous? Are there typos and is the design sloppy? Are they pestering me? Do I already follow this person online? Does music play when I visit the website? Will… -
Horizontal marketing isn't a new idea
7 Feb 2012 | 2:09 amBut it is the new reality for just about every organization. Vertical marketing means the marketer (the one with money) is in charge. Vertical marketing starts at the top and involves running ads, sending out direct mail and pushing hype through the media. Your money, your plans, your control. It might not work, but generally the worst outcome is that you will be ignored and need to spend more money. Horizonal marketing, on the other hand, means creating a remarkable product and story and setting it up to spread from person to person. It's out of your control, because all the interactions are… -
Who is your customer?
6 Feb 2012 | 2:26 amRule one: You can build a business on the foundation of great customer service. Rule two: The only way to do great customer service is to treat different customers differently. The question: Who is your customer? It's not obvious. Zappos is a classic customer service company, and their customer is the person who buys the shoes. Nike, on the other hand, doesn't care very much at all about the people who buy the shoes, or even the retailers. They care about the athletes (often famous) that wear the shoes, sometimes for money. They name buildings after these athletes, court them, erect… -
In search of a timid trapeze artist
5 Feb 2012 | 2:01 amGood luck with that, there aren't any. If you hesitate when leaping from rope to another, you're not going to last very long. And this is at the heart of what makes innovation work in organizations, why industries die, and how painful it is to try to maintain the status quo while also participating in a revolution. Gather up as much speed as you can, find a path and let go. You can't get to the next rope if you're still holding on to this one.
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MarketingProfs How-To Articles
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Four Keyword Research Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs
6 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amIf you are serious about the words "sales," "profit," and "conversions," you must master keyword research. Learn four common pitfalls marketers make when selecting keywords--and how to avoid them. Read the full article at MarketingProfs -
The Inside Scoop on Using Twitter Lists for Profit and Sanity
3 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amThe dirty secret of Twitter is that as helpful as it can be, it's also a time sink. Learn how properly using and cleaning up your Twitter lists can help you save time--and generate leads for your business. Read the full article at MarketingProfs -
10 Hot Tips (and a Promo Campaign Planner) for Seasonal Sale Success
2 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amCustomers today expect more deals and offers during holiday seasons, so it's important to create seasonal campaigns to increase revenues. Here are 10 tips--and a campaign planner--to help you achieve seasonal sale success. Read the full article at MarketingProfs -
Five Tips for Implementing a Successful QR Code Campaign
1 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amQR codes can be inexpensive to implement and can provide you a measureable return on investment--if you use them correctly. Learn five invaluable tips for implementing an effective QR code campaign. Read the full article at MarketingProfs -
Four Easy Tactics for Becoming a Must-Follow Account on Twitter
31 Jan 2012 | 7:00 amTwitter is a powerful channel that can help you connect with customers, promote products, and create brand awareness. Learn four tactics for making your Twitter account a social media heavyweight in your industry. Read the full article at MarketingProfs
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Brian Solis
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Meet the Mother of All Processes
8 Feb 2012 | 10:32 amGuest post by John M. Bernard, author of the new book, Business at the Speed of Now, and Chairman and Founder of Mass Ingenuity. Imagine going to work in one of Henry Ford’s factories a century ago, proud that management referred to you a “hand” or a “hammer” or maybe even a “wrench.” The labels reflected Ford’s emphasis on automation and management’s view of laborers as mere cogs in the machine. Screw this nut onto that bolt; weld this strap to that frame; do it over and over and over again until your brain froze with boredom. Of course, management needed workers to get the… -
2011 Was the Year of the Mobile Consumer, What’s in Store for 2012? Value.
7 Feb 2012 | 10:10 amChris Silva, my colleague at Altimeter Group, released a useful report today that I wanted to share with you here. Mobile is important and I believe you know this. However, when we consider mobile, we often think about the experience when and where it begins. But, we often miss the opportunity to lead a more meaningful journey as it may travel from small screen to larger screens across laptops, desktops and beyond. And along the way, we must now determine our role in this journey to provide information, shape decisions, and influence behavior. In Chris’ report, he reminds us that 2011… -
Season 2 Finale: How Yamaha invests in new customer experiences
3 Feb 2012 | 10:52 amThis is it…the Season Finale! And, what a way to end Season 2 of (R)evolution…. In this episode, Yamaha shares what is by far the most expansive view of disruptive technology’s impact on business infrastructure and culture on the show to date. What you’ll see is a genuine discussion with Jeff Hawley and Rick Williams of Yamaha explore how an already successful business is exploring new opportunities to better define the customer experience before, during and after transactions. It comes down to workflow. Nowadays, it either works for you or works against you. Here,… -
Smartphones, Tablets, PCs, The Devices People Use to Discover Information in Social Media (and when)
2 Feb 2012 | 3:13 pmMy friends over at bit.ly published an interesting graph that reveals the devices as well as the days/times that people use different devices and how and when they consume information. As you can imagine, it’s across the board, but as you can see, there are waves that every device follows, except the desktop. Desktops are of course the devices that we can assume people use during work hours. As such, they are most heavily used on weekdays before noon. Interestingly enough, phone traffic peaks at about the same times, but not to similar effects. What’s also telling is that tablets… -
What’s Love Got to Do with It? The 3P’s of Identity
2 Feb 2012 | 6:16 amGuest post by Allison Cerra, author of Identity Shift With the 2012 Presidential election looming, there’s no shortage of polls to help narrow the field of candidates. I find a recent one from Fox News to be particularly fascinating. Among other questions, Republican primary voters were asked which Republican presidential candidate is most likeable and which they would most trust with a nuclear weapon. While Newt Gingrich scored at the top of the heap in earning the trust vote, he scored only marginally well on the likeability scale. The topic was discussed on the network’s “Fox &…
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@ProBlogger
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How to Succinctly Report a Blog Issue to Tech Support
8 Feb 2012 | 6:07 amThis guest post is by Matthew Setter of Malt Blue. How often do you find it happening to you? You discover an issue with your site, or one of your community members emails you to tell you about it, and soon you start to see tweets about it too. Maybe it’s as simple as an error message that detracts from the professional appearance of your site. Perhaps the contact form doesn’t send messages to your contact email address. Or is it that the whole site just displays as a blank page, otherwise known as the white page of death? You’re not a programmer, a software engineer or a seasoned… -
Make Your Blog Load Faster than ProBlogger: Part 2
7 Feb 2012 | 12:05 pmThis guest post is by Devesh of WP Kube. A few months ago, I wrote a guest post here called How to Make Your Blog Load Faster than ProBlogger. Today, I’ll go into some more detailed advice to help you speed up your site even more. If you’re a blogger, you already know about the importance of blog loading speed, and the role it plays in search engine rank and marketing your blog. But if this is new territory for you, here are three quick reasons why you need to speed up your blog: Google includes website loading speed as an important metric in their ranking algorithm. If you want… -
How I Beat my Best Month Ever by Doing Something Good, Better [Case Study]
7 Feb 2012 | 6:04 amMid-December 2010: on my photography site, we launched a new campaign—our first ever 12 Days of Christmas promotion. The result was my biggest month of earnings ever up to that point. The idea was simple: offer discounts on 12 products over the 12 days leading up to Christmas. I used a mix of my own ebooks and products from other photography sites with affiliate commissions. The result was massive. Not only did we see some great revenue generated, it created some lovely buzz on the site. Due to the success of the 2010 campaign, in mid-December 2011 we launched our second 12 Days of… -
Six Steps to Make Sure Your Site Is Ready to Go Viral
6 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amThis guest post is by Nancy Sathre-Vogel of Family on Bikes. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Surely Google Analytics was confusing my site with another, way more popular site. There was no way my visitor numbers could be so high! And yet they were. One of my posts had taken off and was spreading like wildfire. Those viral post phenomena that happen to others were now happening to me. The first day, 17,000 visitors came to my website. The next day we topped out at 56,000. Readers were coming in droves. It was exciting. It was exhilarating. My site, viral! Wow! And then I took a… -
How to Handle Criticism: a Practical Guide
5 Feb 2012 | 12:03 pmImage by Stuart RichardsAs bloggers, each of us has to deal with criticism. Blogging is a very public activity—almost all of us has the goal of gaining readers to our blogs—and the more people you reach, the more likely it is that you’ll hear criticisms. “You’re wrong…” “How can you say that? You don’t know what you’re talking about.” “I couldn’t disagree more…” “This is the last time I read this blog!” These are just some of the criticisms bloggers regularly face—I’ve received versions of…
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Church of the Customer Blog
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Playbooks and visual explanations
6 Feb 2012 | 8:30 amBy the time the New York Giants and the New England Patriots took the field Sunday for their Super Bowl matchup, the players on both teams had read, re-read and rehearsed their respective game playbooks dozens, if not hundreds of times. They'd studied each play via multiple diagrams and photographs, stats and descriptions of assignments for every player on the field. A playbook is an apt metaphor for any business team that needs concise, how-to plans to deal with the complexity of systems, processes and moving variables, especially with social business. Whether it's for one of the world's… -
People trust people
1 Feb 2012 | 12:27 pm[Click on chart to see larger version.] The latest edition of the Edelman Trust Barometer study just came out showing CEO's in the dog house when it comes to being trusted. Who do people trust? Academic and tech experts, sure. But the biggest movers in the study are "a person just like me" and "regular employee." Look at your 2012 marketing plan. Are you providing ways for your customers to get together in-person and online to encourage word of mouth? Are you showcasing your best employees in social media, at conferences, and at private events with customers? Source: 2012 Edelman… -
FedEx's apology: expertly delivered
21 Dec 2011 | 8:29 pmWe've seen this before: 1) company makes an egregious service mistake and is outed by a customer via a YouTube video, 2) video goes viral, 3) mainstream media picks up the story and amplifies it, 4) PR nightmare begins. This week's culprit is FedEx. A California FedEx driver is caught on a security-camera video flinging a package containing a computer monitor over the fence of a gated Southern California house. At no time does the driver attempt to ring the bell for delivery. Just a toss over the fence, and he jumps back into his truck. In two days, the video has over three million views. … -
The simplest definition of word of mouth marketing
28 Nov 2011 | 12:38 pmNice video from WOMMA on the basics of word of mouth marketing. Tweet -
14 new statistics about word of mouth marketing
17 Oct 2011 | 11:45 amThe Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) has a neat infographic detailing the latest stats about word or mouth marketing, online and offline. Source: WOMMA Note: the WOMMA Summit is coming up November 16-18 in Las Vegas. It's a great conference to learn the latest WOM marketing techniques from leading brands and agencies. Tweet
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Mashable!
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Today’s Top Stories: Google’s Cloud Storage, iPad Rumors
9 Feb 2012 | 5:36 amWelcome to this morning’s edition of “First To Know,” a series in which we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the digital world. Today, we’re looking at three particularly interesting stories. Google to Launch Cloud Storage Service [REPORT] Google plans to launch a cloud storage service similar to Dropbox, according to a report by WSJ. Google’s service will be called Drive, and it will let users store and share photos, videos and other documents in Google’s cloud, say sources familiar with the matter. iPad 3 Might Come With Different Screen and Thicker Case A… -
Nest Calls Honeywell Lawsuit a ‘Patent-Attack Strategy’
9 Feb 2012 | 5:32 amAn unusual technology entered the patent lawsuit theater on Monday when Honeywell International announced it was suing Nest Labs: Thermostat tech. Now Nest says it plans to fight back. Honeywell, a diversified technology and manufacturing company, is suing the startup over alleged infringement of seven of its thermostat tech patents. In a statement to Mashable on Wednesday, Nest called the lawsuit a “patent-attack strategy to stifle competition” and said it will vigorously defend itself. “We have the resources, support and conviction to do so,” the statement reads. -
Google Chrome Update Brings Faster Browsing
9 Feb 2012 | 1:12 amThe new stable release of Google’s web browser Chrome brings several improvements, most importantly faster browsing and more protection from malicious downloads. From now on, when you start typing in Chrome’s address box (or omnibox, as Google calls it), as soon as Chrome autocompletes the URL you’re likely to visit, it will prerender the page, making your overall browsing experience faster. As far as security goes, Chrome now does checks on executable files you’ve downloaded from the net. It matches the executables against a whitelist – a list of programs known… -
‘Bachelor’ Contestant Courtney Gets Auto-Tuned [VIDEO]
8 Feb 2012 | 9:19 pmFans of The Bachelor are all too familiar with this season’s over-the-top contestant Courtney, who makes snide comments at the camera and likes to take off her bikini top. Now, a video has popped up on YouTube that has turned some of her signature phrases — from “Winning!” to “I do modeling” — into a catchy Auto-Tune clip. The contestants are vying for a rose from winemaker Ben, and Courtney has rubbed many of them the wrong way, and this video shows why. This is not the first time YouTube users have turned pop culture moments into Auto-Tuned videos. -
Facebook Talks About Social Games and Mobile Apps for 2012
8 Feb 2012 | 9:09 pmFacebook revealed its roadmap for social games and mobile apps for the rest of the year at the Inside Social Apps 2012 conference on Wednesday in San Francisco — and it’s good news for app developers. Want to create an app for Facebook’s Open Graph? The mobile space presents a huge opportunity to create cross-platform social games, said Carl Sjogreen, director of product management at Facebook, who spoke to a packed conference center filled with IT insiders about Facebook’s projections for the mobile social gaming and app space for this year. “You sort of had to…
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chrisbrogan.com
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Throw Away the Maps
6 Feb 2012 | 1:30 amPeople judge us by the path they’ve seen us walk before. They can’t anticipate our future steps. We, ourselves, look to how things have been, what seems to be the lay of the land, without realizing that the maps are not the territory. Want to succeed at work? Then don’t try to do your job. Instead, work towards something larger, more meaningful, and something that blends your convictions internally with your best ability to help others externally. Want to create something new? Then throw away the old, or maybe join two disparate old things together into something new. The… -
The Next Social Networks
5 Feb 2012 | 1:30 amThe rage in social networks right now is Pinterest, partly because it’s probably the first social network that has a much higher adoption rate by females than males, and partly because it’s an interesting concept: somewhere between visual social bookmarking and scrapbooking. What also might not be immediately obvious is that it’s just “easier” to interact there. In that way, Pinterest has something in common with Instagram, which is community around photos. What I’m interested in, though, is Gentlemint, which I keep calling “Pinterest for… -
Learn From Adele – Build Your Platform
3 Feb 2012 | 1:30 amJacq and I just watched Adele Live At The Royal Albert Hall (amazon affiliate link), and though every song was just wonderfully done, I found myself fascinated by what Adele was doing in between each song. Because even though most people would be interested in hearing her belt out her amazing repertoire of hits, what I took away from the performance was Adele’s real magical ability: the ability to resonate with her audience. What Adele Could Teach You About Impact I’m writing something about this right now for my upcoming book with Julien Smith, but I had to share some of the… -
Rob Gokee is a Musical Wizard
2 Feb 2012 | 8:05 amI had such a great experience working with award winning musical composer Rob Gokee. We did some musical work together, and the process was so amazing. Rob helped me create my theme song for Shhh! The Secret Show. So anyhow, he and I sat down to do an interview, and it’s a bit long, but it’s totally worth it. We talk about what collaboration feels like at a distance, what it takes to get music like this made for your own show, and a lot more. Rob’s a hero to me, and has been part of the community for a while. I was so fortunate to have worked with him. Can’t see the… -
Build Your Platform – Start
30 Jan 2012 | 1:30 amThe following is part ONE of a series called Build Your Platform. If you find it interesting, please consider subscribing for free to get the rest of the series. This post is long. You might want to bookmark it for later. The age of social media oversaturation is upon us. People are declaring Twitter bankruptcy to go along with their email bankruptcy. They cite not wanting to start on yet another social network as their reason for not getting more involved with Google+. And just as soon as you start getting into Pinterest, you hear about Path, but wait: there’s Gentlemint, which is…
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TechCrunch
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German Court Upholds Previous Ruling, Says The Reworked Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1N Can Be Sold
9 Feb 2012 | 5:36 amMark one up for Samsung. After months of legal and PR battles, the South Korean company is finally able to sell and market their iPad clone in Germany. Just don’t call it an iPad clone anymore. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1N (pictured left) is slightly different from the iPad — but that’s all that matters. Samsung released the Galaxy Tab 10.1N late last year. This version features a silver boarder around the screen’s black bezel. The speakers were also relocated in a stereo configuration and now flank the screen. The original GalTab 10.1 was a blatant iPad ripoff. This… -
Oracle Buys Talent Management Solutions Company Taleo For $1.9 Billion
9 Feb 2012 | 5:05 amOracle this morning announced that it is acquiring cloud-based talent management solutions provider Taleo for $46 per share or roughly $1.9 billion, net of Taleo’s cash and debt. Taleo’s solutions basically help organizations attract, motivate and retain human capital, and will service to boost Oracle’s Public Cloud offering. The transaction is expected to close in the Summer of 2012. Here’s how Oracle pitches the buy: Together, Oracle and Taleo expect to create a comprehensive cloud offering for organizations to manage their Human Resource operations and employee… -
Glam Media Cooks Up Newest Content Vertical With Foodie.com
9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amGlam Media, one of the largest publishing and advertising networks on the Web, is debuting its newest branded vertical—Foodie.com. As its name indicates, Glam’s newest vertical is aimed at covering all things food, and features a combination of content from food critics, bloggers, chefs, restaurateurs and other “food influentials.” For background, Glam’s various publishing verticals have a reach of 200 million unique monthly visitors globally, and is particularly popular amongst female audiences. Glam Media has more than 2,500 publishers organized across multiple… -
Clusterpoint Secures €1m From BaltCap To Scale Its Database For Clouds
9 Feb 2012 | 4:44 amBaltCap, a leading venture investor in startups in the Baltics region, has signed a €1 million investment in Clusterpoint, an enterprise software startup created by Latvian programmers and backed by seed investors in the UK and Baltics. Clusterpoint has built a database platform designed for cloud computing infrastructure which they claim is highly scalable. They are competing against open source solutions such as MongoDB. -
Live from Riga – TechCrunch Baltics meetup #TCBaltics
9 Feb 2012 | 3:37 amWe’re running the first ever TechCrunch Baltics meetup today with a mini-conference and pitch contest in the lovely city of Riga, Latvia. The Baltic nations of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are tiny countries, but punch above their weight in terms of their technical prowess. Estonia in particular was made famous as being the base from which Skype was developed, and now the rest of the region is coming alive with startups and accelerators. You can find the agenda here. Up to 8 selected Baltic startups will pitch to a jury and audience that includes many key investors in the region and…
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AFP Blog: Nonprofit Technology
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Pinterest for Associations: New Audience, New Addiction - Reid | Avectra
9 Feb 2012 | 5:41 amPinterest for Associations: New Audience, New Addiction - Reid | Avectra: Pinterest for Associations: New Audience, New AddictionWednesday, February 8, 2012 by Deirdre ReidAlthough it’s been around for two years, Pinterest has finally hit the big time. Everyone’s talking about it. It’s fun and, frankly, a bit addictive. -
9 Feb 2012 | 5:07 am
9 Feb 2012 | 5:07 amOnly About a Third of Tweets Are Worth Reading [STUDY]: The verdict? Respondents liked 36% of the tweets, disliked 25% and ranked their reaction to the remaining 39% as neutral. “A well-received tweet is not all that common,” Michael Bernstein, a doctoral student at MIT who worked on the project, wrote in a blog post. “A significant amount of content is considered not worth reading, for a variety of reasons.” -
‘DOONESBURY’ PULLED BECAUSE OF CHARITY: Trudeau responds to Chicago Tribune’s decision not to run DonorsChoose cartoon - Comic Riffs - The Washington Post
7 Feb 2012 | 8:52 am‘DOONESBURY’ PULLED BECAUSE OF CHARITY: Trudeau responds to Chicago Tribune’s decision not to run DonorsChoose cartoon - Comic Riffs - The Washington Post: Last Friday, the Chicago Tribune chose — for the second time since last September — not to run a “Doonesbury” strip. The reason this time, according to the Tribune: The comic “broke from its satirical mission” so it could ”deliver a direct fundraising appeal for a specific charity” — DonorsChoose.org. A note that ran in the paper explains: “The Tribune’s editorial practices do not allow individuals to promote… -
University Launches New Foundation Relations and Philanthropy Site
7 Feb 2012 | 6:03 amUniversity Launches New Foundation Relations and Philanthropy Site: University Launches New Foundation Relations and Philanthropy SiteFebruary 6, 2012 — The University of Virginia Office of Development and Public Affairs has launched a new website designed to support University faculty researchers and development administrators motivated to seek funding from independent philanthropic foundations and select corporations. -
MediaPost Publications Mobile & Social Media Revenue Accelerating At 30% 02/07/2012
7 Feb 2012 | 5:23 amMediaPost Publications Mobile & Social Media Revenue Accelerating At 30% 02/07/2012: According to new data from PQ Media, total U.S. mobile & social media revenue, including consumer and business access, content, advertising and marketing, increased 30.2% to $45.38 billion in 2011. Mobile & social media revenue rose at a compound annual growth rate of 28.7% from 2006-2011, and is expected to grow at an accelerating 30.8% annual rate in 2012.
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HubSpot's Inbound Internet Marketing Blog
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How to Score Your Leads So Sales Works the Hottest Prospects
8 Feb 2012 | 1:47 pmThe good news about inbound marketing is that it can help you attract high volumes of leads. The challenge then becomes, how do you separate the good, quality leads from the people who are just starting to look around? That’s where lead management, and specifically, lead scoring comes in. With lead scoring, you can attach values to each of your leads based on their professional information and the behavior they’ve exhibited on your website. For example, you would likely rank a vice president-level lead who has spent time on both your products and pricing page higher than an… -
A Marketer's Complete Guide to Launching Mobile Apps
8 Feb 2012 | 10:02 amAccording to former CEO of AppVee and AndroidApps Alex Ahlund, the average cost to develop a mobile app is $6,453 -- and the cost can skyrocket to as much as $150,000 depending on the complexity of the app. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, the money and resources you dedicate to conceptualizing and developing a truly great mobile app can all be put to waste if you don't orchestrate a proper mobile app launch. In fact, in December 2011, the 1 millionth mobile app was pushed to market. To give you an idea of just how quickly these mobile apps are being released, at the end of 2010, there… -
How to Attract the RIGHT Social Media Followers for Your Business
8 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amThe benefits of an extensive social reach are clear, but how do you attract the right followers for your company? As with most inbound marketing, relevancy can make or break the effectiveness of your strategy. So to ensure you have a social media following that helps you advance your marketing objectives, start by identifying a set of core topics that reflect the interests of people who typically become your customers. If you're a HubSpot customer, you can use the Keywords App and the Social Media Prospects App to help with this. For example, we at HubSpot would choose the… -
Why User-Generated Content Is More Important Than You Think
7 Feb 2012 | 11:33 amA certain group of consumers has been gaining attention from marketers recently, because of the strong role they play in the purchasing decision; these power purchasers are known as Generation Y. Whether they're part of the target audience to which you sell or not, this group is worth considering as part of your inbound marketing strategy because there's a strong likelihood they either will become part of your target audience in the future, or because they already influence your target audience now. Let's break down who these power purchasers are, some of the interesting demographics and… -
How to Create Marketing Offers That Don't Fall Flat
7 Feb 2012 | 6:16 amIn marketing, offers are the gateways to lead generation. Without them, site visitors have no way of getting converted into leads. They are also a critical tool for nurturing existing leads into a position that makes them more sales-ready. But gosh, isn't the word 'offer' so utterly vague and abstract? What the heck is a marketing offer, and what are the qualities of a good one? Because we see so many marketers get tripped up on this concept, let's discuss exactly what a marketing offer can be, highlight the characteristics of an effective offer, and explain how you can start using them the…
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The 99 Percent
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How To Jumpstart Your Creative Career in a Bad Economy
6 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pmWhen times are tough, it's not enough to play the waiting game. A shortlist of resources to help you take action and get your career into gear. -
Layering: Multitasking That Actually Works
4 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pmMultitasking isn't all bad. Find out what activities you can layer on top of each other to save time without cutting effectiveness. -
Marjane Satrapi: On Artistic Freedom, Fame & Finishing No Matter What
1 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pmSometimes being an artist is your only choice. We talk to Persepolis filmmaker and author Marjane Satrapi about the rewards of choosing the path of most resistance. -
Op-Ed: Accepting Less to Have More
31 Jan 2012 | 4:00 pm"Emails, chats, texts, games, pads, pods, and clouds have become a leash jerking us out of our quiet time." Designer James Victore on getting back on the right path. -
Need-To-Know: Generation Flux, Start-Up of You, Technology Heartbreak
29 Jan 2012 | 4:00 pmWho will thrive in the new economy? Why doesn't brainstorming really work? How come our devices make us feel so empty inside? Your monthly 99% need-to-know...
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gapingvoid
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My next book… and some personal thoughts on the future of the economy.
8 Feb 2012 | 12:23 pm[The paperback galley copies. It’ll actually be coming out in hardback and Kindle only etc.] I already broke the news on Twitter a while back, but yeah, gapingvoid Book Number Three comes out in April [Amazon pre-order link here]. Like I said earlier: Think of it a wee love letter to the blog. As everything and everybody gets swallowed up by Facebook, Google+ and other “Death Stars”, remember the importance of having one’s own piece of real estate to call one’s own… It’s also very, very short. I was in Brevity Mode at the time. And I made sure to put lots of new cartoons in… -
You chose money
7 Feb 2012 | 8:27 am -
Story of my life:
7 Feb 2012 | 8:15 am -
All good relationships
6 Feb 2012 | 8:27 am[Sent out recently in the gapingvoid newsletter. Sign up here etc..] -
For all you zen-hipster knuckleheads in the audience:
2 Feb 2012 | 11:05 am
