Tick-tock. You’ve just sat down across from a major donor, a community partner, a potential board member, or perhaps a talented recruit who wants to dedicate their career to making a difference. You have exactly twenty seconds to capture their heart before their brain switches off. In those twenty seconds, can you convince me why…
The Framework That Flips Your Messaging From Inside-Out to Customer-First Here’s an all-too-common scenario. A nonprofit leader sits down to write their website copy, grant proposal, or fundraising appeal. They start with what feels natural: “We are a leading organization dedicated to…” or “Our innovative program provides…” or “We’ve been serving the community since…” Three…
Many marketers struggle with the same problem: they’re so focused on what they want to say that they forget to think about what their customers actually need to hear. And then we wonder why our campaigns fall flat. Truth is, your customers won’t care about your story until you show them you care about theirs. That’s where the L.O.V.E….
In the mid-1990s, I decided it was time for me to volunteer for something. But what? Since I enjoyed engaging with youth, and mentoring felt appealing, I applied to be a Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County. After passing an FBI background check and a psychological assessment interview, I was…
What was I thinking??? When I launched my new brand, storytelling, and marketing advisory practice a couple of months ago, I chose to focus primarily on helping nonprofits. Why? Wouldn’t for-profits seem like a more lucrative focus? Perhaps. But stop for a moment. Imagine a world without nonprofits. Think of all the vital services that…
OK, first. Why brand? In a competitive market, brand is THE way you break through the clutter. And with over 13,000 nonprofits in San Diego County alone (where we’re based), there’s a lot of clutter. Brand goes beyond simply what you do and why you do it (which are both very important, by the way,…
Today I’d like to demystify the difference between BRANDING and BRAND. They are not the same thing. What many people think of BRAND — logo, tagline, key message statements, visual identity, personality, voice, and marketing communications — these are actually BRANDING. BRANDING is just a tiny subset of BRAND. Another way to look at it:…
Get More Conversions on Your Landing Pages. A representative of a nonprofit recently asked why lots of people were clicking over to their donate page but not actually donating. This is a common issue. How do we get our prospects to actually convert? I suggested that friction may be the problem. You’re trying to compel…
In this quick how-to article, you’ll learn how to: Why Your Organization Needs a Strong Brand: The question really is, why should a prospective customer choose your offering? Customers have a plethora of choices to get their needs met today. You’ve got to find a way to stand out. In a field of competitors offering…
I originally contributed the following article to the ABA’s Law Practice Today online publication back in March 2021. While it was written directly for law firms, I think it can benefit any business or nonprofit — just replace “law firm” with your organization and see where it takes you. I hope you find value in…