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...
about 1 month 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...
about 2 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...
2 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...
3 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...
3 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...
3 months agoย โขย 1 min read
Hi Reader, I recently made an appointment to get my six-year-old daughter's ears pierced. She was ready. I was as ready as I was going to be. Before we even walked through the door, the welcome email from Rowan completely won me over. I always say that "show me you know me" is the golden rule of communication. This is one of the best examples I've seen, and what it means for your organization's communications. Rooting for you, Jordana PS: "Show me you know me" means speaking to your...
4 months agoย โขย 1 min read
Reader, are you sure your ideal audience understands what your organization does? That they understand your mission and the impact they have on it by supporting you? It's really important that they doโbecause no one buys into a solution until they're clear on the problem. A recent run-in with my toilet and $185 reminded me just how important this is, and what it means for running your nonprofit. Rooting for your nonprofit and your plumbing, Jordana View Online Were you forwarded this email?...
4 months agoย โขย 1 min read
Reader, how can your people feel connected to your mission if they've never personally experienced the problem you solve?For those who celebrate Passover, this is exactly what we are tasked with, year after year: "In every generation, each person must see themselves as if they personally came out of Egypt," we read during the Passover Seder. Here's how we do it, and how you can apply it to your nonprofit's communications to connect the right people to your mission. Happy Passover to those who...
5 months agoย โขย 1 min read