Hi Reader, If you run a food pantry, you provide food. But that's only part of what you do. And not the part your donor really needs to know. You're also providing dignity to a family treated like a neighbor, not like a case number. You're providing peace of mind to a parent who can provide for their kids, despite falling on hard times. Clear messaging should always include your what and your why. Because you're also providing your donors with the real reason they should give. Sometimes we...
23 days agoย โขย 1 min read
Hi Reader, The first day of school gets all the attention. The photo. The new outfit. The excitement. The second day is just...school.This year, my daughter picked out two outfits before school even started. One for the first day, and one for the second.I applaud her efforts to keep the magic aliveโbecause in a lot of ways, the second day matters just as much as the first.Our organizations have first days too: the campaign launch, the gala, the giving day.But what happens on the second...
about 1 month agoย โขย 1 min read
Hi Reader, My brother recently wished my daughter a happy half birthday in our family chat. She doesn't have a phone, so she responded from mine: Thank you so much ๐๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฏโค๏ธ๐๐ฎ๐ช๐๐คช๐คข๐คจ๐ฅด๐๐ Then she sent a separate text โ just to clarify that she'd sent the first one.I told her she didn't need to do that. We were never at risk of anyone thinking that was me.My voice and my 9.5-year-old's voice are not the same.Your audience should know your organization's voice too. If you removed your logo from...
2 months agoย โขย 1 min read
Hi Reader, If you showed your organization's website to your grandmother, your neighbor, anyone who may know you run a nonprofit but not much more than that, would they get it? Would they be able to tell you in 1โ2 sentences what your organization does? Or more importantly, why it matters? If they can't, you have a clear messaging issue. And it's not your faultโit's hard to read the label from inside the jar. Here's what you can do about it. Rooting for you, Jordana PS: Try the grandmother...
3 months agoย โขย 1 min read
Hi Reader, You know that friend who only reaches out when they need something? No one likes that friend.But sometimes our organizations act like that friend when we don't communicate with our people between fundraising asks. In leading your nonprofit, you should be thinking about your next ask, but it's important to reach out to your supporters when you're not asking too. Otherwise, they'll start to think of you as the friend who only shows up when you need something. Here are four ways to...
3 months agoย โขย 1 min read
Hi Reader, "Hiring a consultant always ends up being a lot of work for us," one nonprofit executive director told me. Then she hired me. She wasn't wrong about the work, but she also understood that putting in the effort on a messaging guide now is an investment in a more effective and efficient future for your organization. The messaging guide process asks real things of your team: a detailed questionnaire, strategy calls, and honest reflection on who you are and where you're headed. It's...
4 months agoย โขย 1 min read
Hi Reader, In leading your nonprofit, have you ever thought, "we address a serious problem, so we need to sound serious?" So many leaders like you have told me they don't want to risk sounding too casual in their marketing or fundraising materials. And I get it. More often than not, we deal with serious topics that deserve to be treated seriously. But there's a difference between being serious and being sincere, and confusing the two can make your communications feel distant, even when your...
4 months agoย โขย 1 min read
Hi Reader, You've got a new website on the horizon. Or a campaign in progress. Or a board that keeps asking why the brochure isn't done yet. So you move forward, because that's what leaders like you do. But when materials come before messaging, you're putting the cart before the horse, and even the best executed materials fall flat. Here's how to get them back in order.Rooting for you, Jordana P.S. If you're gearing up for a new website, a campaign, or any major communications pushโand you're...
5 months agoย โขย 1 min read
Hi Reader, I sat on hold for 27 minutes trying to cancel a dermatologist appointment. While I waited, I heard about the hospital's cancer care. Their organ transplant department (one of the best in the state!) Their social media channels. Their e-newsletter. And they asked me to donate. On a loop. For 27 minutes. How much do you think I donated after that call? Your organization can do better. Here's how. Rooting for you, Jordana View Online Were you forwarded this email? Click here to...
5 months agoย โขย 1 min read