Kivi's Non-Profit Communications Blog

John Haydon is presenting this Wednesday’s webinar called Twitter for Nonprofits: The Truth about Tweeting for Your Cause (July 21, 2010, 12 pm ET / 9 am PT – One hour earlier than our usual time). If you aren’t sure about the best way for your nonprofit to use Twitter, this webinar will clear that up for you.

I asked John to share some of his favorite Twitter tips, and he replied with 13 ways to get retweeted.

1. Be Relevant - A survey conducted by Dan Zarrella found that people share content because they thought it was relevant for someone they know. In other words, try and stay relevant to topics your followers want to hear about.

2. Write Pithy Headlines – On Twitter all we have is 140 characters. How would someone like Shel Silverstein tweet?

3. Include Links – Dan also found that retweets tend to have more links. 56.69% of retweets contain a link versus 18.96% of normal tweets.

4. Add Your Own Thoughts – One big limitation with Twitter’s retweets is that you can’t edit the tweet before retweeting. Tools like Seesmic and Tweetie give users a second option of “quoting” the tweet where you can edit it to your liking.

5. Break News – Be the first to share breaking news on a topic. Know beforehand what might be newsworthy before it trends by creating a Google or Tweetbeep alert.

6. Not About You – Dan also found that talking about the color of your underwear won’t get retweeted as much as talking about the color of Madonna’s underwear.

7. Nurture Community – People that create trust with their community tend to be retweeted more than those who lack any connection to their followers.

8. DM a Retweet Request – You can also send a private message asking for a retweet. This has to be used sparingly or you’ll quickly drain your social equity account. Also, make it easy and DM a link to the tweet you’d like retweeted.

9. Use Your iPhone – The Retweet app lists the top retweets. Retweeting the valuable posts sparingly will increase your exposure to new users.

10. Embed Retweets – Put a “ClickToTweet” link in your email newsletters and particular blog pages. Read How To Get More Email Subscribers With Embeded Retweets for more info.

11. Consider the Timing – Dan also found that 4:00PM is the when the most retweets happen. Especially on a Friday.

12. Say Please – Dan also found that saying please also increased the likelihood that someone would retweet your post.

13. Say Thank You – People like to be acknowledged when they retweet your post. Plus it’s just polite.

Want more ideas? Join us for the webinar, Twitter for Nonprofits: The Truth about Tweeting for Your Cause on Wednesday.

(These tips come from this original post by John.)

Get all of our live and recorded webinars for 90 days for just $145 with the All-Access Pass. Includes archive of the last three months too! Get the Details and Order Here.

You have to be genuine, generous, and grateful in social media to succeed, which means you have to be a real person. But if you go too far in putting yourself out there — what some people would call building your personal brand — you can overshadow the nonprofit cause that you are representing. Finding this right personal/professional mix is challenging, especially for small nonprofits.

I interviewed Geoff Livingston of Zoetica Media yesterday to get some additional perspective on this for you. During the conversation, we talked about how several nonprofits are handling this, including the National Wildlife Federation, the Humane Society of the United States, LiveStrong (Lance Armstrong Foundation), and Goodwill of Greater Washington DC, as well as some corporations.

Personal-Professional Mix in Social Media with Geoff Livingston from Kivi Leroux Miller on Vimeo.

Kivi Leroux Miller interviews Geoff Livingston about the personal – professional mix in social media, including the notion of personal branding. Cases discussed include National Wildlife Federation, Humane Society of the United States, LiveStrong, the Goodwill Fashionista and more.

What’s your experience with finding the right personal – professional mix? What do you see in the nonprofit sector that’s working, or not working?

Share your thoughts and stories in the comments.

Want a quick consult with Kivi Leroux Miller? All-Access Pass Holders to Nonprofit Marketing Guide can now reserve 30 minutes on Kivi’s calendar for only $75. Fast, affordable way to get answers and advice. Get the Details.

I’m mapping out the webinar schedule for the rest of 2010 and have left a few holes in the schedule for YOU to fill.

I try to survey you at least twice a year about what you want to learn about and I always commit to put the top three vote getters on the schedule sooner than later. This time is no different. I’ll try to get all three top vote getters on the schedule before mid-December.

Let me know what you think of these topics.

It should only take a minute or two to click through, letting me know your level of interest in the various subjects.

Right now, the top three vote getters are

• Rethinking Your Newsletter Strategy
• Online Tools to Learn More about Your Target Audience
• Graphic Design for Non-Designers

Does that sound right to you? Let me know by taking the survey.

I’ll give away 10 free a la carte webinar passes, so you’ll have the chance to enter that random drawing at the end of the survey. I’ll close the survey on July 23 and announce the winners then.

Thanks for helping me make Nonprofit Marketing Guide your favorite source for nonprofit communications and marketing training!

Get all of our live and recorded webinars for 90 days for just $145 with the All-Access Pass. Includes archive of the last three months too! Get the Details and Order Here.

If your online marketing program isn’t quite what it should be, these five webinars over the next three weeks can help!

July 14: Integrating Your Website, Email Newsletter, and Social Media Sites

July 20: 10 Ways to Engage Your Facebook Fans

July 21: Twitter for Nonprofits: The Truth about Tweeting for Your Cause (Featuring John Haydon)

July 28: Building Your Lists of Email Subscribers, Friends, and Followers

July 29: Writing for the Web, Email and Social Media

Each webinar is $35,or you can attend all of them with the All-Access Pass, which is $145 (the Pass includes all of our August and September webinars too). If you can’t make the webinars live, don’t worry, your registration includes the recordings too.

If you want more in-depth assistance and my personal review of your online marketing program, sign-up for the Online Marketing Spa, which includes all the webinars and much, much more for $299. That e-clinic starts tomorrow, so sign up today if you are interested.

Want a quick consult with Kivi Leroux Miller? All-Access Pass Holders to Nonprofit Marketing Guide can now reserve 30 minutes on Kivi’s calendar for only $75. Fast, affordable way to get answers and advice. Get the Details.

I can’t tell you how many times in the last year I’ve heard someone explaining to a newbie how to use an RSS reader for online/social media listening, only to quickly follow it with, “But I don’t really use mine anymore, because I subscribed to too many feeds and am overwhelmed.” Not exactly the greatest endorsement for RSS readers.

I confess I’m guilty of the exact same thing. I can’t remember the last time I opened Google Reader. I use a custom Alltop page to track the top 40 or so blogs I want to follow instead.

The big problem with that approach, however, is that I can’t follow the newer blogs  or those with smaller readerships that haven’t received blessed Alltop inclusion status yet. (Here’s their submission form – it does seem to help.)

If you are in the same boat, save this post so you can use it to keep up with these newer blogs (and if any of them are on Alltop, let me know which page so I can find them!). Here are a few I’m going to try to keep an eye on, and I’d love for you to add your new/smaller favorites to the list in the comments.

Throwing Light is by the dynamic duo of Andrew & Leah Hood. They do incredible visual storytelling for nonprofits. Definitely one to watch.

Bad Words Blog by Doug Gould is a “compilation of good intentions gone bad when good people use bad words to promote good causes.” Very interesting perspectives on the language we use in the nonprofit world.

moflow blog by Marlene Oliveira, an experienced freelance copywriter and certified yoga teacher in Toronto, Ontario. When she decided to put these two skills together in one business, the connection was clear: it’s all about more flow. She’s a writer who gets nonprofits and marketing, which makes her a great asset to our community.

Gracie’s Empty Brain by Grace Cheung, who is a Gen Y’er who’s sharing her experiences starting a career in marketing, with a special interest in nonprofits.

Write for the Cause by Courtney McSwain is brand-spanking new, but I hope she keeps it up, because I have a soft spot for writers who are trying to use their talents for good, given that’s how I got started in all of this.

Nonprofit Chas is by Chas Grundy, who is sharing his experiences as he helps take a small non-profit organization to the next level. He’s been at it a bit longer than most of the people on this list, but I just discovered the blog and Chas shares some great insights for small nonprofits.

Socialize Your Cause is a blog by the company of the same name, where founder David Wells shares tons of tips on using social media more effectively (and he also just posted an hour-long video of my talk at NCTech4Good. Sheesh, that was a long presentation . . . I’m sure David’s arm was cramping holding that camera!)

Marketing Analytics for Nonprofits by Vault Analytics shares ideas and tips on (you guessed it) measurement and analytics.

Low Hanging Fruit Communications by Maureen Carruthers covers lots of bigger-picture management topics like getting organized and working together, as well as more tactical social media advice.

Change 4 Your Dollar is a new fundraising blog by Laura Kaufman, who has lots of experience with foundations and Jewish philanthropy.

Social Change Diva by Ericka Hines covers leadership, adult learning, and presentation skills.

Finally, also check out KristinaLeroux.com, where my virtual assistant (and little sister) is now blogging about all kinds of cool tools to help you manage your online life and Internet marketing.

What other new nonprofit communications, marketing, or fundraising blogs are you following?

Get all of our live and recorded webinars for 90 days for just $145 with the All-Access Pass. Includes archive of the last three months too! Get the Details and Order Here.

I saw this nonprofit advocacy commercial last night by VoteVets.org, the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, and SEIU who are all lobbying for clean energy climate legislation.

While I recommend that nonprofits capitalize on opportunities to link their activities to what’s in the news, I don’t think this particular “cleaning wildlife covered by oil” metaphor works.  Watch the video, then let’s talk about it:

Here’s my problem with this metaphor. We all feel tremendous sympathy for birds and other wildlife caught in the oil spill. The real images that we are seeing daily from the Gulf Coast of birds gasping for air and struggling to move under the weight of the oil are heartbreaking. We feel so sorry for what’s happening to the innocent, defenseless wildlife. Every time we see that kind of imagery, we are basically now programmed to want to defend and protect the wildlife, and to hate the people responsible.

But we aren’t supposed to feel sympathy for Senator Burr and the others who are targeted with this same ad in other states. We aren’t supposed to view them as innocent and defenseless  - quite the contrary. We are supposed to be upset that they are taking money from Big Oil and not supporting the legislation. Though the ad doesn’t say it directly, it implies that we need to hold people like him responsible for allowing these disasters to happen, or at a minimum, for not supporting legislation to prevent them in the future. He’s anything but innocent.

So the images presented in the commercial don’t match up with what our natural emotional reactions to this kind of scene are. By switching up the emotions we are supposed to feel, the power of the metaphor is lost.

I understand the intent of the ad:  the volunteers are trying to cleanse the dirty senator of his oily campaign contributions, but they aren’t sure if they can save him and we are supposed to make the call to his office to help. But while the metaphor may be clever intellectually, I think it’s confusing emotionally, which is a problem in a 30-second commercial. Ads like these must have a very clear, focused emotional impact to be effective. You shouldn’t have to think too much about a commercial; you should just get it.

I’m doing a lot of thinking now about how nonprofits use metaphors, as I’m working on a new webinar on the topic for August. So it’s possible that I’m overthinking this one! But my honest first reaction was “Oh, poor person covered with oil. Uh-oh, wait, he’s a bad guy, I’m not supposed to care about him. It’s his own fault he’s covered in oil. We are supposed to feel sorry for him and try to save him? Huh?”

What do you think? Does this ad — and the metaphor in it — work?

Want a quick consult with Kivi Leroux Miller? All-Access Pass Holders to Nonprofit Marketing Guide can now reserve 30 minutes on Kivi’s calendar for only $75. Fast, affordable way to get answers and advice. Get the Details.

Nancy Schwartz is back on her annual quest for the best nonprofit taglines, and this year you can submit taglines from programs, campaigns, and events, not just for your organization as a whole.

A strong tagline does double-duty—working to extend your organization’s name and mission, while delivering a focused, memorable and repeatable message to your supporters. It’s one of your most basic, and effective, marketing tools. Through the awards program, Nancy is not only highlighting some of the most creative and compelling taglines in our sector, but is also sharing lots of great tips on how to improve your own taglines.

All entrants will receive a free copy of the fully-updated 2010 Nonprofit Tagline Report in late 2010. It’s the only complete guide to building your organizational, program, fundraising or special event brand in 8 words or less—filled with how-tos, don’t-dos and models. It’s worth entering your taglines (even if you don’t think they are that spectacular!) just so you get a free copy of the report.

Here are the winners of the 2008 and 2009 Nonprofit Tagline Awards (with the 2009 winners selected by more than 4,800 voters in the field). This could be you in 2010! Please take three minutes now to enter your nonprofit’s taglines today while it’s on your mind. The deadline to enter is July 28.

P. S. Follow the tagline award news on Twitter via the hashtag #taggies

Get all of our live and recorded webinars for 90 days for just $145 with the All-Access Pass. Includes archive of the last three months too! Get the Details and Order Here.

I was going to wait until Tuesday to tell you about our new e-clinic for July, but what the heck. If you are at work today, you deserve a little bonus! (For those of you outside the U.S., this Sunday is Independence Day, which means most of America is slacking off today and Monday.)

July 14 – July 30, I’m hosting an Online Marketing Spa for nonprofit communicators.

If your online marketing looks a little tired or you feel like it needs a boost of energy, this e-clinic is for you.

You will discover fresh new approaches and learn how to eliminate your online trouble spots. You’ll also gain a sense of balance and tranquility when you get confirmation about what you are doing right and get clear direction and support on what you should do differently. You’ll get the training and customized consultations you need to rejuvenate your online marketing program this summer.

A Balanced Mix of Training, Networking, and Personal Coaching

The Online Marketing Spa is a balanced mix of online training, networking and discussion, and personal coaching.

Here’s what’s included:

Five  Webinars. You’ll learn about making the pieces of your online marketing program work together; how to build your email and social media lists; how to write for the web, email, and social media; and how to best use Facebook and Twitter. Your spa tickets includes access to the live events and to the recordings.

Essential Checklists. Worth the price of admission alone, these one-page checklists on more than a dozen online marketing topics will help you quickly hone in on what’s most important. We’ll cover

• Website Home Pages
• Donate Now Pages
• Blogging
• Email Newsletters
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Video (including YouTube)
• Photography (including Flickr)
• Internet Radio and Podcasting
• Search Engine Optimization
• Building Your Email List, Friends, and Followers
• Integrating Your Website, Email Newsletter and Social Media Sites
• Writing for the Web, Email, and Social Media

You’ll never be confused again about where you need to start with your online marketing.

Ideas from Other Nonprofit Communicators. Other participants in the e-clinic will give one element of your online marketing program the Spa Treatment, sharing their reactions and ideas on what you are doing and how you could do it even better. This kind of feedback is priceless!

You’ll also be able to discuss each webinar on our Spa Discussion Boards with other participants, so you can share ideas, ask questions, and think creatively with other nonprofit communicators about ways to apply what you are learning.

A Personal Review of Your Program. I will  personally review up to three elements of your online marketing program and give you detailed comments and ideas in a screencast video that you can share with others on your staff. You’ll see what I’m seeing as I review your online marketing program, pointing out exactly what you are doing well and suggestions for ways to improve in the short-term and long-term.

Special Bonus. I will be recording interviews with online marketing experts in July to fill out the program. You’ll be the first to hear them!

You’ll leave the e-clinic with the knowledge and know-how to rejuvenate your online marketing program.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? Let me make it even better . . .

If you register now, I’ll knock $100 off the registration fee, so entry to the Online Marketing Spa is only $299 instead of $399. We only have space for 25 nonprofit communicators, so reserve yours now, before the rush next week!

Here’s a new question from Melinda Pearce at NCGives (read about our partnership here):

How do you connect online and offline communities? from Kivi Leroux Miller on Vimeo.

At the NC Tech4Good conference last week, we learned that North Carolina is second only to Texas for the total number of people living in rural communities, and 20% of rural North Carolinians have no access to broadband, even if they were willing to pay for it. And of course, even if broadband is available, many people can’t afford it and some simply don’t go online much.

That leaves statewide nonprofit organizations like NCGives, which wants to connect with all North Carolinians, in a bind. Online marketing is an easy, affordable way to connect with people across the state, but it also leaves many people out of the conversation.

What are some creative ways to integrate people who are offline into conversations that are happening largely online? Share your ideas here by leaving a comment.

Get all of our live and recorded webinars for 90 days for just $145 with the All-Access Pass. Includes archive of the last three months too! Get the Details and Order Here.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 29 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern (10:00 a.m. Pacific), I’m doing a free webinar in Network for Good’s Nonprofit 911 series. Our topic is “Survival Tips for Nonprofit Communicators.” Register now.

Here’s how Network for Good is describing the session:

You can take this job . . . and love it? Nonprofit marketing is exciting, important work. But it can also get on your last nerve.

To help you protect your own sanity and still do the very best job possible for your good cause, we’ve asked Kivi Leroux Miller, author of The Nonprofit Marketing Guide: High-Impact, Low-Cost Ways to Build Support for Your Good Cause, to share her best tips with you.

Her book is part real-world survival guide and part nitty-gritty how-to handbook for busy nonprofit marketers with small budgets and staffs, including executive directors who are asked to do it all.

Kivi will give you the low-down in the first 20 minutes of the call, then spend the rest of the time answering your questions.

Here’s a taste of what we’ll cover . . .

• Why it’s OK to roll your eyes when your board says they want to “get our name out there” – but just not in front of them. We’ll tell you what to say instead.
• How to get people who think marketing is slimy/a waste of time/fluff to think you walk on water!
• How to cut your communications to-do list in half in less than 10 minutes.
• How to write yourself a permission slip to stop doing the stuff that’s driving you crazy.

We’ll also be giving away copies of Kivi’s book to a few lucky call participants, so register now!

P.S. Here’s what’s coming next in the Nonprofit Marketing Guide Webinar Series . . .

June 30: Asking Your Supporters to Fundraise and Friendraise for You Online
July 7: Marketing to Four Generations: What’s the Same, What’s Different, and What You Should Do About It
July 14: Integrating Your Website, Email Newsletter, and Social Media Sites
July 20: 10 Ways to Engage Your Facebook Fans
July 21: Twitter for Nonprofits: The Truth about Tweeting for Your Cause

With your All-Access Pass you get all our webinars for the next three months for only $145. Otherwise they are $35 each.

Want a quick consult with Kivi Leroux Miller? All-Access Pass Holders to Nonprofit Marketing Guide can now reserve 30 minutes on Kivi’s calendar for only $75. Fast, affordable way to get answers and advice. Get the Details.

I’m working on my fall schedule and I’m wondering when I should next offer some webinars and e-clinics on marketing planning. Will you take this quick poll and let me know when you are most likely to write your 2011 nonprofit marketing plan? (Here is the link if you don’t see the poll live.)

I’ll also be offering a one-day in-person marketing planning workshop with Nancy Schwartz in October in New York City and Washington DC. We expect it to sell out quickly, so get your name on the Early Bird list if you think you might want to attend. Just send a message to earlybird@nancyandkivi.com with “Early Bird List” in the subject line. Almost 300 people are already on the list, so there’s a chance that the program could sell out before we even open registration publicly! Put your name on the Early Bird list.

P.S. Here’s what’s next on the webinar schedule . . .

June 23: Turning Your Whole Staff and Board into an Effective Marketing Team
June 30: Asking Your Supporters to Fundraise and Friendraise for You Online
July 7: Marketing to Four Generations: What’s the Same, What’s Different, and What You Should Do About It
July 14: Integrating Your Website, Email Newsletter, and Social Media Sites

Get all of our live and recorded webinars for 90 days for just $145 with the All-Access Pass. Includes archive of the last three months too! Get the Details and Order Here.

A minute ago, I introduced you to a new partnership with NCGives, where we will all hopefully learn a lot more about running a communications department of one for a small nonprofit, through the experiences of Melinda Pearce, NCGives’ communications director.

One of the challenges that Melinda is facing right now is how to use a board marketing or communications committee. She has board members and other volunteer leaders who are experienced with various facets of marketing and communications, but what should she be asking these people to do? What are some reasonable expectations?

I’ve seen nonprofit communications committees do everything from the purely strategic (creating a marketing strategy and simply monitoring implementation through quarterly reports) to the day-to-day tactical (writing and/or reviewing the e-newsletter).

Here are a few ideas that fall somewhere in the middle:

• Open doors by connecting staff with reporters, graphic designers, and other communications professionals in the committee member’s network.
• Be a sounding board for staff who do the work and make the decisions, by offering feedback and suggestions.
• Do research on target audiences, for example, to focus and improve marketing strategies.
• Gather intelligence on what competing organizations or “frenemies” are doing to help staff stay abreast of important trends or developments.
• Friendraise by speaking publicly and privately with others about the organization’s good work
• Launch special projects that staff are incapable of pursuing for whatever reason (e.g. not enough time), but that greatly benefit the organization

What does the communications committee of your board do? What would you like them to do (or not do)? Tell us in the comments.

Want a quick consult with Kivi Leroux Miller? All-Access Pass Holders to Nonprofit Marketing Guide can now reserve 30 minutes on Kivi’s calendar for only $75. Fast, affordable way to get answers and advice. Get the Details.

Today I’m introducing a new series of posts on this blog that over the next several months will take you behind-the-scenes and into the marketing and communications decision-making of a small nonprofit called NCGives. NCGives, with just three full-time staff, works statewide in North Carolina to redefine the way we think about philanthropy.

Philanthropy is not just something that wealthy individuals and foundations do — in fact, that’s really a small piece of a much bigger giving pie. Instead, NCGives urges us to think of philanthropy as something we can all do, and actively recognizes, celebrates, and encourages giving of all kinds, at all levels — what they call the “philanthropy of community.” NCGives focuses on women, young people, and communities of color and helps them see the potential in this approach to philanthropy, by for example, encouraging the formation and growth of giving circles.

Why focus on NCGives in this series? NCGives was founded as a project of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation five years ago, and is now in the process of being becoming an independent nonprofit. As they do that, they have many marketing decisions to make, both strategic and tactical, much like any other small nonprofit.

Over the next several months, I’ll be mentoring Melinda Pearce, NCGives’ communications director, and she and I will be sharing many of our discussions on this blog with you. We hope you will contribute to the conversation and learn from our experiences too.

Here is how Melinda describes this partnership in her own words:

“NCGives is a small-staffed, statewide nonprofit on a mission to help our communities get stronger through inclusive philanthropy. With five years under our belt (and a 3-year-old communications department), we’re moving from an “infant stage” to a “toddler stage,” and with that comes many opportunities to grow and change for the better. I’m excited to work with Kivi as we explore many of the marketing challenges that come with transitions like these, from tightening our overall messaging to refining the day-to-day operations of a one-woman communications department. But not only that . . . we want to draw back the curtain from the inner workings of this process, so that you too can benefit from NCGives’ real-life exploration. Here’s to stronger nonprofit marketing!”

Here are just a few of the topics we expect to cover:

• Translating foundation-speak into plain English
• Wordsmithing a mission statement
• Turning a list of programs into a clear, meaningful elevator pitch
• Developing a tagline
• Tweaking a logo design
• Helping supporters talk about the organization, e.g. give speeches when staff are unable to attend events

Let’s start the conversation now. Immediately after this post, I’ll add another asking for your perspective on the role of a board communications committee. It’s a challenge that Melinda is wrestling with right now.

Get all of our live and recorded webinars for 90 days for just $145 with the All-Access Pass. Includes archive of the last three months too! Get the Details and Order Here.

Writing a book can be a very lonely experience. It’s up to you and only you to put each word on the page. But at the same time, writing a book like The Nonprofit Marketing Guide is a group project, and I feel like I had scores of co-authors. You can’t read very many pages in it without coming across a great nonprofit story or some wonderful words of wisdom from people much smarter than I am.

In this slideshow, I thank many of the people who are featured in the book directly and indirectly. I showed this at the book party in DC on Friday and the response was so positive that I want to share it with you too.

There are still many more people to add, which I hope to do in the coming weeks. Thanks to everyone in the book, and thanks to everyone who’s purchased a copy already! (Here’s the Amazon link if you want your own.)

P.S. Here’s what’s coming up on the webinar schedule . . .

June 16: Bootstrapping a Marketing Plan for the Rest of 2010

June 23: Turning Your Whole Staff and Board into an Effective Marketing Team

June 30: Asking Your Supporters to Fundraise and Friendraise for You Online

Want a quick consult with Kivi Leroux Miller? All-Access Pass Holders to Nonprofit Marketing Guide can now reserve 30 minutes on Kivi’s calendar for only $75. Fast, affordable way to get answers and advice. Get the Details.

Nancy Schwartz and I have been talking about doing this for what seems like years now, and this October it’s finally happening. We are offering a joint one-day, in-person workshop on creating a marketing plan for your nonprofit. If you are a nonprofit communications or development staff member, hands-on board member, or executive director who does it all, this is the marketing planning workshop for you.

Give us a day and we’ll strip away the muddled messages and the impossible to-do lists that are pulling you in too many directions, and diminishing your marketing impact. You’ll leave with a focused, practical marketing plan that will work for your nonprofit – one that you are fully capable of implementing.

Interested?

The “Total Focus Marketing Plan Workshop” will take place in New York City on Thursday, October 7 and in Washington, DC  on Thursday, October 28. In New York, we have space for about 25 people, and in DC for less than 40.

We are still working out all the details like the full agenda and the registration fees, but we are confident that the workshops will sell out quickly. More than 200 readers of Nancy’s e-newsletter have already told us they are interested in attending!

If you are interested in attending too, please put your name on our Early Bird list. That way you’ll be the first to know when registration opens in a couple of weeks — and how to get a nice discount on the registration fee.

If you’d like to see us bring the training to your part of the country, let us know that too, and we’ll consider additional dates and locations. Send your email to earlybird@nancyandkivi.com.

P.S. Need a marketing plan in a hurry? Join us this Wednesday for our webinar on Bootstrapping a Marketing Plan for the Rest of 2010.

Get all of our live and recorded webinars for 90 days for just $145 with the All-Access Pass. Includes archive of the last three months too! Get the Details and Order Here.

A guest post by Claire Meyerhoff, our resident media expert and event producer extraordinaire

The “Goody Bag” is a nonprofit event staple, but once you’ve extracted and enjoyed the goodies, do you even notice the bag? Will you bring it home, especially when you you’re traveling by plane halfway across the country? Is that canvas bag, wicker basket or pretty shopping bag worth lugging through an airport?

Which brings us to the nifty paint can pictured here.  I just got back from the Sioux Falls YMCA Golf Classic in South Dakota, benefitting their after-school programs for middle schoolers. I’ll be writing more about it after Kivi and I recover from our Nonprofit Marketing Guide book party in Washington, D.C. tonight!

When I arrived at my hotel in Sioux Falls, I was presented with this paint can, and opened it right away — using the attached paint can opener (love it!).  Inside was a plethora of goodies including a CD by recording artist Steve Azar, who, lucky for us, would be performing at the event.  He’s a Delta Blues guy, hence the event theme, “Delta Blues.” Hence the Blue paint can, and if you have really good eyes you can see that the script on top says “Sioux Falls Premium Events Color Collection.” The whole thing is clever and classy, but most importantly, it makes a connection, which often goes missing in nonprofit marketing.

Got a theme? Work it…any way you can.  Even with a can:

• A gift bag is more than a gift bag.  It’s an opportunity to communicate with your donors, supporters and friends.

• As a “billboard”  for your event, it’s a place to showcase sponsors.  See that attached paint can key?  The presenting sponsor’s name,Starmark Cabinetry is prominently featured. And since Starmark is a company that helps you make your home more beautiful, well, there you go — the whole “home improvement” tie in — tied in with the theme, Delta Blues, which ties into the featured performer, Delta Blues star Steve Azar.

• The wonderful graphic designer who donates pro-bono hours can do more than brochures, programs and pamphlets.  Ask them about projects they’ve worked on recently and you might get a cool idea.

So when it comes time to put together those gift bags, ask yourself this question, “Is this gift bag travel worthy?”

The Sioux Falls YMCA Golf Classic’s “bag” certainly is, because when I was packing up my stuff, I just couldn’t leave it behind in my room at the Holiday Inn.  I carried it through security at the Sioux Falls airport, where the TSA lady wasn’t phased at all. She said, “I’ve seen a bunch of these already today.”

I put it under the seat in front of me on the small plane to Minneapolis, carried it through the Minneapolis airport, then put it under the seat in front of me on the bigger plane to Raleigh. A lot of people gave me curious looks. A Delta flight attendant thought it was “pretty neat.”

It certainly is.

Do you have a “pretty neat” gift bag or other event mainstay that “makes a connection?” Send us a photo and Claire just might feature it here on Nonprofit Marketing Guide.

Want a quick consult with Kivi Leroux Miller? All-Access Pass Holders to Nonprofit Marketing Guide can now reserve 30 minutes on Kivi’s calendar for only $75. Fast, affordable way to get answers and advice. Get the Details.

At Noon Eastern today (9:00 a.m. Pacific), I’ll be answering your questions live during a Chronicle of Philanthropy chat on “Smart Ways to Make a Small Marketing Budget Go Far.” It’s part of my Virtual Book Tour. You’ll be able to review the transcript even if you can’t make the chat live.

Watch later today for an interview that Katya Andresen did with me for The Nonprofit Marketing Blog (update: here it is). I’ll be showing up on Frogloop and SocialFish later this week too. And for those of you in the DC area, don’t forget the Happy Hour/Book Party near Dupont Circle on Friday from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. RSVP Here.

Stops on the Book Tour

Here are the other stops I’ve made in the last week:

Where to Begin with Nonprofit Marketing at Getting Attention (June 1)

Five Ways to Do More Marketing in Less Time at Have Fun – Do Good (June 3)

Knitting Together Your Website, Email, and Social Media Content on Beth’s Blog (June 3)

Top Three Challenges for Nonprofit Communicators on IMPACTMAX (June 7)

Book Reviews

And here are some reviews of the book I think you’ll enjoy:

Why Fundraising Writing Needs a Boost & What You Can Do About It (at The Non Prophet, by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County)

Welcome Help for the One-Person Marketing Department (at About.com)

Thanks to Josh Leo for being the first to review the book on Amazon! If you have a copy of the book already, please add your review to Amazon too!

Winners of the All-Access Passes

On Friday, we drew three names out of all of the people who forwarded their book receipts to us last week as winners of Quarterly All-Access Passes to our weekly webinar series. Congratulations to Theresa Harris of the World Organization for Human Rights USA, Jo-Ann Proudian at VascularCures, and Carolyn Paige of the Animal Protection Society of Durham!

Get all of our live and recorded webinars for 90 days for just $145 with the All-Access Pass. Includes archive of the last three months too! Get the Details and Order Here.