Unlocking Your Nonprofit Potential

Latest Episodes:

Ep 40: 8 Things You Can Do for Your Nonprofit in a Quarantine Mar 24, 2020

Show notes

Hello! We're still in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak of 2020…

I don't have to give you an update or a play by play of what that means – chances are, you know exactly what that means for your community. Across the world right now, there are a lot of things shut down, or canceled – and there are a lot of people staying home.

I don't know about you, but I'm always wishing I had more time. I'm always saying, "I would do this thing or that thing – if I had more time!" "I could get so much more done if I just had a little extra time!" And for a lot of us right now – that's what we're getting.

Time. More time. Time, we didn't plan on taking off from work, or time we didn't plan on spending working from home, or not working from home. Time, we didn't plan on spending teaching kids at home, or suddenly becoming office mates with your spouse.

This is a time of waiting. A time of rolling with the punches. A time of unknowns.

In this time of unknowns, there are a few things we do know:

We know that we can use this time as a gift – using it for things that can help us down the road.
We know that if we stay flexible and faithful, every day's headlines and guidelines will all be easier to digest.
We know that if we just focus on today and be grateful for all that we have right now, life will be a lot better for each of us.

So in line with what we know, let's talk about some things you can do for your nonprofit right now, today, at home, or in your empty office or wherever you are – some things that will help your nonprofit continue to grow, keep momentum, and ways to keep building your relationship with your donors and the people you serve in your community.

Train – If you are in complete isolation – hop on a conference call, or a video call – Skype or Zoom are great tools for this – and train your volunteers. You can use this time to enrich your volunteers' understanding of your organization, and really take their knowledge and caring to the next level. If you have a little bit of flexibility, you and a couple volunteers can train at your nonprofit's office. Take advantage of this quiet time to do it.

Investigate – Look for new grants to apply for, apply for familiar ones – you can always work on grant research to find who new grant makers might be for your nonprofit organization. Here are a few

Grant Search Resources:

Read, research and learn – listen to podcasts, read articles. About what? About anything that will make your nonprofit better. What is something you've wanted to improve on with your nonprofit? Is there a better way to serve people? A better, more effective way to do something in your organization? Look at other organizations similar to yours as a model – research them, take notes, even write them an email and ask questions!

Create – work on your blog and email newsletter – stock up, implement new ideas, make templates. You can even learn how to segment your email list into different categories – the people you serve, your donors, volunteers, potential donors.

Learn to use Canva.com to create graphics for your nonprofit – you can create social media posts, letterheads, programs, invitations – anything! If you already know how to use it, then practice using it more, or teach a volunteer how to.

Plan out your social media posts: Episode 5 of this podcast - What to Post and When and Episode 18 - Need Ideas for Posts?

Listen to more episodes of Nonprofit Potential – check out the website for episodes you haven't listened to for topics you want to learn more about.

Keep serving any way you can:

Is it business as usual?

Use Facebook, Instagram and all your social media like you normally do. Post twice a week but make especially sure that you're using a strong call to action. People like you to tell them exactly what they should do.

If you have had to close or are open limited hours, tell people.

Post all the details about your hours, opening and closing and keep posting like you normally do. Use a call to action to tell people where to find more details about what is helpful and then update the details.

Keep posting – it connects your audience to you. It's something familiar. Don't overload people with bits of news. Stay steady and consistent by serving them what they need.

What lies behind your posts is this: you're thinking about the people you serve. What would specifically benefit them?

Are they people with kids at home for a few weeks? Give them ideas for activities, games and crafts.

Are they elderly and in need of cheering up? Post helpful hints or ideas for people to use in this time, like writing letters, listening to music, read and do crossword puzzles. Sometimes people just need to be reminded of things to do when their regular schedule changes.

Send anyone a card, deliver a healthy snack, share a feel-good movie or CD.

The point is – think of the people you serve and if you were in their shoes, what would help you? Make them feel loved and remembered.

If you have any questions – I'm right here for you! Ask away! Send me a message on Facebook or Instagram or send me an email and I'll happily write you back with an answer!

Remember to subscribe to this podcast, leave a review and tell a friend!

Links I mentioned in this episode:

Canva.com

Episode 5 - What to Post and When

Episode 18 - Need Ideas for Posts? Here they are

Episode 36: 3 Things People Should Know About Your Nonprofit

Episode 34: Video Tutorial Part 1: Lighting, Angles & Sound

Episode 35: Video Tutorial Part 2: What to Say in Your Video

Episode 33: Unlock the Potential of Your Email List

More Podcast Episodes

Grant Research Links

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/40

Ep 39: How to Deal With a Crisis Mar 17, 2020

Show notes

How are you holding up with all this COVID-19 stuff going on? Are you feeling overwhelmed? Anxious? Scared? Somewhere in between?

How has coronavirus affected your nonprofit? Is it business as usual? Have you had to change the way your organization serves people? Have you shut down operations for the time being?

A pandemic is not something many of us spend a lot of time thinking about or preparing for, so these times of cancelations, closures, social distancing, and toilet paper shortages can be difficult to navigate.

That's what we're talking about in this candid and impromptu episode of Unlocking Your Nonprofit Potential – how to deal with a crisis.

Let's look at how we can handle things personally first, then ideas for how to cope with things on the nonprofit level.

Five ideas came to mind for a start on how to live through this crisis personally -

Rely on the old-fashioned Serenity Prayer. It goes like this: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." Trust God, use common sense and an abundance of caution.
Alleviate anxiety. You know how there are birds in a tree and one of them starts chirping, say, at a cat strolling beneath the tree? Then a couple more start chirping and in just a few minutes the whole tree of birds and more are making a racket of noise at the cat. That's what fear does – it spreads and sometimes it gets loud. We can eliminate anxiety by limiting our exposure to so much noise. Instead of "feeding" on fear, try increasing the amount of peace you take in by doing something positive, making a household "bucket list" of things you've been wanting to change, do puzzles with your kids or try a new recipe. Reduce things that bring you anxiety.
Remember that a lot can change in a week or even in a day and the we human beings are resilient.
God's got this – you know the saying about letting God take the steering wheel? That's good, but don't throw the steering wheel out the window. Use common sense and keep your faith in God too.
Count your blessings – yes, make that gratitude list! Start with making a list of 10 things you're grateful for. Turn your eyes away from your angst and put your mind on how many things we have to be grateful for.

When we're at peace inside, then we can function so much better in our nonprofit and how we help others.

Let's look at how to reach the people in your audience -

Is it business as usual where you are? You're still serving people? Then use Facebook, Instagram and all your social media as usual. Post twice a week but make especially sure that you're using a strong Call to Action. People like you to tell them exactly what they should do.

If you have had to close some or are open limited hours, tell people. Post all the details often. Use a Call to Action to tell people where to find more details about what is helpful and then update the details.

Keep posting – it connects your audience to you. It's something familiar. Don't overload people with bits of news. Stay steady and consistent by serving.

What lies behind your posts is this: you're thinking about the people you serve. What would specifically benefit them?

Are they people with kids at home for a few weeks? Give them ideas for activities, games and crafts.

Send anyone a card, deliver a healthy snack, share a feel-good movie or CD. The point is – think of the people you serve and if you were in their shoes, what would help you? Make them feel loved and remembered.

Above all, remember this is TEMPORARY and if we all help one another, we'll come through it well. Human beings ARE resilient. If you have any questions – I'm right here for you! Ask away! Send me a message on Facebook or Instagram or send me an email through NonprofitPotential.com and I'll happily write you back with an answer!

Remember to subscribe to this podcast so you never miss an episode on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, or get episodes delivered straight to your email by subscribing at NonprofitPotential.com.

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/39

Ep 38: Lauren Answers Your Questions! Mar 09, 2020

Show notes

In today's episode I'm answering your questions about Snapchat, birthday fundraisers on Facebook…and more!

If YOU have a question you'd like me to answer, send me an email– just click on contact, or you can always send me a message on Facebook or Instagram.

Here's the first question…

Question: I know people have different opinions about this, but how many hashtags do you recommend an organization typically use on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linked In for our posts?

Answer: Well, you're right - there are differences in opinion on the topic of hashtags! It varies depending on which platform you're using.

On Instagram, there is a 30-hashtag limit on a post. You'll have to experiment to find out what works for you. Try using 10 hashtags, 20, or 30 hashtags and then look at the insights for that post to see what your numbers tell you. Every audience is different.

Personally, I've seen using 30 hashtags gets me more engagement and more views on my Instagram posts.

TIP: Always use relevant hashtags to the topic to make it easier for your audience to find posts.

On Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn: you might use the "less is more" approach. Use 1 or 2 hashtags for those platforms.

Make them relevant to your post: For a post about Veterans Day, your hashtag could be #VeteransDay or if you're posting about a festival, your hashtag could be a twist on the name of the festival like #SpringfieldFallFest.

Using a hashtag specific to your organization or your brand? Be consistent and use the same hashtag repeatedly. That makes your hashtags effective.

Question: I have been asked to use certain sponsors' hashtags in addition to all our own when posting. To be clear, the sponsor hashtags aren't relevant to all posts, but I have been asked to use them.

We have five of our own hashtags we currently reference on all posts without even including sponsors (which can add six to ten more. I feel all the hashtags are overkill and may bog the post down.

I know you can use up to 30, some folks suggest just six at most, but Facebook says sometimes six is too much and it should not be more than two.

What say you?

Answer: Use as few of the sponsor hashtags as you can and put them at the very bottom of your post.

For Instagram, leave your multitude of hashtags as a comment below your post – it'll keep things looking clean. With your hashtags in the Instagram comment section when it posts to Facebook simultaneously all those hashtags don't show.

If you want to see how well your hashtags are working for your posts, check out Episode 12: How Many People Have REALLY Seen Your Post?

Question: Lauren, how can we get more people to have birthday fundraisers on Facebook for our nonprofit?

Answer: Birthday fundraisers on Facebook are a nice idea. Make sure you message the people setting up the fundraiser and get their address so you can send them a handwritten thank you note. Be grateful.

There are two reasons you don't want to depend on Birthday Fundraisers.

They don't build a relationship with donors. Relationship is the most important thing for fundraising. In a birthday fundraiser on your behalf, you only form a real relationship with the host of the birthday fundraiser, but not with the people who donate to the fundraiser. The key to WHY people donate and continue to donate is that they know, like and trust you. Relationships build the "know, like and trust factor."
No customer service: Facebook doesn't have a customer service hotline where you can just call and resolve an issue. Facebook has glitches. There are lots of stories out there about people not being able to receive their money from fundraisers. You wouldn't want your donors to give thinking their money is being put to good use, but it winds up in Facebook limbo instead, would you?

Here's what you can do instead of a Facebook fundraiser - focus time planning and preparing for your next real-life, non-Facebook fundraiser. Stay in touch with your donors via your email newsletter. Nurturing that relationship with your donors over time will pay off in the end – better and more sustainably than any Facebook birthday fundraiser.

Question: Lauren, I've seen pictures of you and your mom together on Instagram, both of your skin is amazing – what's the secret?? Don't say good genes.

Answer: Hahaha! Oh geez…I can't speak for my mom, but for me…

I just drink an utterly ridiculous amount of water. I live at high altitude where there are practically negative humidity levels year-round, and I'm pretty sure if I wasn't constantly hydrating, I might shrivel up and blow away like a dried leaf.

I also take a daily multivitamin – just a women's formula – and I try to get enough sleep and eat healthy.

I did just start using an oil and a moisturizer by a company called Pai – it's made for super sensitive skin, which I have – and I really like it so far.

But really, I think water and sleep are probably the two most important factors. Since my skin is so sensitive - I can't use a lot of products because almost everything causes a bad reaction, so I take care of my skin from "the inside out" and take a lifestyle-based approach.

From my mom: Thanks to whoever made that comment!

Yes! Drinking lots of water is important.

But another thing is that I've always washed my face at night. When I was young, I used a soap like Dove and as we had more money, I used higher priced face cleansers-drug store and more upscale products. I think the important thing is having a clean face when you go to bed because it's a great way to have a long time of rest for your face.

I live in the Deep South, so there's lots of humidity and that always helps.

When I was a kid, we went water skiing every weekend with no sunscreen – yikes – but here I am with the skin I have, so I do have to say genes has some to do with it.

The main thing is to take basic care of your face – keep it clean, moisturized, drink lots of water.

Question: Hi Lauren – I manage Facebook and Instagram accounts for our nonprofit. Do I need to be on more social media platforms than that? People always say Snapchat is where the young people are and that's who we're trying to reach, but I have no idea how to use it and honestly, I don't have time to do more than what I'm already doing with Facebook and Instagram. What do you think? Do I need to be on Snapchat or something else besides Facebook and Instagram?

Answer: We've all heard people say "all the young people are on Snapchat" – and they might be, but most of them are also on Instagram and yes, even Facebook.

Your nonprofit should have an active presence on Facebook and Instagram, and if you have time for other platforms, that's a bonus. It's hard managing a multitude of social media platforms, and if you want to do it well, you want to make sure you're not spreading yourself too thin.

Do what you can focus on and do that well. Remember, showing up for your audience consistently and meaningfully – being extra clear about what you have for them and want them to do is what matters most.

TIP: Find out where your people spend time on social media and put your mind at rest. This will help you figure out where your social media priorities should be…

On a little slip of paper, copy and paste the following question as many times as you can and cut it into strips. Repeat as often as necessary.

When the people you serve come through your door, give them a little survey. Here's the question:

"Which social media do you use the most?"

Then, collect survey responses for 6-8 weeks and tally the answers. You'll get a great picture of what social media they're using and where you need to be focusing your efforts.

Notice that the question isn't "Do you use Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat?" Make sure to leave the survey an open-ended question so they can answer what comes to their mind first. This is the question: "Which social media do you use the most?"

You can do this at events or when you speak – you get the idea. Do this and I promise, it will help you find out where your people spend the most time on social media.

If you have any questions – I'm right here for you! Ask away! Send me a message on Facebook or Instagram or send me an email and I'll happily write you back with an answer! Or or get episodes delivered straight to your email by subscribing at NonprofitPotential.com.

Remember to subscribe to this podcast, leave a review and tell a friend!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Episode 12: How Many People Have REALLY Seen Your Post?Episode 28: Raise More Money in 2020 With These Tips

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/38

Ep 37: Your Donors Want You to Hear This Mar 03, 2020

Show notes

Fundraising. Is that word thrilling to hear, or does it give you anxiety?

For some people fundraising is their favorite part of being involved with a nonprofit, and for other people, it's their number one cause of heartburn.

I don't have to tell you, fundraising is a huge part of running a nonprofit, and when it's going well, you feel on top of the world… When it's going not so great, you might feel like you're inching closer and closer to the edge of the cliff and hoping you're not going to fall off.

Fundraising can be a trigger for anxiety because it's never guaranteed.

The future of your mission is in the hands of your donors, and the image that your nonprofit gives your donors can make – or break your organization.

Your relationship with your donors is so important – and here's the great part – you have power over it! Not ALL the power, but you do have a lot of control – more than you think.

You have control of when you contact them, over the message you give them, and over what they know about your nonprofit. You are the gatekeeper of information about your organization so what you share with them is important.

What you put out on your nonprofit's social media, in your email newsletters, in your blog posts, in all your channels of communication is crucial in building your relationships with your supporters.

They aren't coming to work with you every day, they are on the sidelines. They only know what you put out there.

Even if you are posting something on social media that is meant for the people you serve, guess what – your donors still see it. They are watching. And do you know what they expect? They expect you to only post things, and email things, and blog about things that all relate directly to your mission.

If you are confusing them with things that don't make sense about your mission like pointless things about your plate of avocado toast on your nonprofit's Instagram page, or wishing everyone a happy National Play the Kazoo at Work Day on Facebook, you're making it hard for them to be inspired to give to your organization.

When your marketing message – and yes, a Facebook post counts as a piece of marketing material – doesn't talk about services you offer or your nonprofit mission, you're confusing your donors. As the marketing expert Donald Miller says, "If you confuse, you'll lose."

When a donor gives to your organization, they are asking and delegating to you what they wish they could do themselves, but don't have time to do. Because your donors are busy working at the job that allows them to give you money. They are entrusting you with the responsibility to help the cause that they care about.

You've shown your donors that your nonprofit organization has a specific mission and you are striving to make a difference in your community. And that mission is something your donor cares enough about to give you their hard-earned money. They are trusting you to get it done.

They want the problem that your nonprofit is working to solve to go away, or for you to make it better or improve the situation. Your donor believes your nonprofit can make a difference and since they don't have time and can't do it by themselves, they entrust the work to you.

Their financial gift enables you to make a difference on their behalf.

If you are posting about your avocado toast on your nonprofit's social media page, what kind of message is that sending to your donors? If you are posting about things that aren't in line with your mission, or that are distracting and confusing, what are you telling your donors?

If you're posting one day about how you serve the homeless, and the next day your post is wishing everyone a happy National Coffee Day, what kind of message is that sending to your donors? It's cheery, but what if it's the only post they saw from you that week? It's fluff. It has no purpose. It does not relate to your mission at all.

This is some tough love, but I'm telling you because I care about you and your nonprofit's success.

Being consistent in sharing your mission, your services, and showing up regularly are non-negotiable if you want to be successful with your marketing.

What your donors might assume from posts that are not consistent with your mission is that you don't know what you're doing. You are telling them that you don't have a plan and aren't sure of what to post. You are telling them that you're not taking this seriously.

You can't just show up on social media, you have to show up meaningfully, if you want results.

It's not just posting for the sake of posting, or emailing for the sake of emailing, or blogging for the sake of blogging. Your message has to be meaningful, and it has to be repeated.

Make your donors sure that they are doing the best thing with their money.

Make them sure what your nonprofit organization does. When your donors start doubting, and another nonprofit comes around asking for support with a clearer message, your donors will be tempted if they aren't sure about what you do. Don't make it hard for your donors to support you!

I know, you get tired of repeating yourself.

You feel like every email is the same, or every social media post is just a repeat of something you've already said.

I've been there. I totally know how you feel. But here's the thing – just because you've said it a hundred, or a thousand, or a few thousand times, doesn't mean everyone's HEARD it that many times.

And if they've heard your consistent, focused marketing message a thousand times, then you are doing it right, and that person is probably one of your donors or supporters.

If you own a television, I know you've seen the Humane Society commercials with the dogs, or the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital commercial with all the children. You might think it's the sadness and the emotion that those commercials show that are the reason why people give to those organizations – and yes that's part of it – but the REAL reason is because those two organizations keep showing up in the same way, with the same focused message – and have you noticed?

They each only have ONE COMMERCIAL EACH!

Do you know how much money St. Jude Children's Research Hospital raises every year with just ONE COMMERCIAL? Millions. Millions of dollars in contributions. Using the same commercial they have been using for years. Do you know why they are always at the top of the list of highest earning nonprofits? They are helping children, but also because they are good at talking about their mission – that's marketing. They have a laser focused message, and they keep repeating it over and over and over.

So the next time you think you've said what you have to say about your nonprofit too many times and you're tired of hearing the same ol' message and you've repeated yourself for the last time – think of those shivering dogs and those sick children in each of those organization's ONE COMMERCIAL - and repeat yourself again.

And here's the best part about repeating yourself in your marketing – it saves you time. You don't have to keep reinventing the wheel. Once you have a clear and easy to understand marketing message, you can literally keep repeating it over and over. This is going to make posting on social media so much easier, I promise.

Here are 3 things to do today to get focused on the message you want to give to your donors:

Set aside time to think about four things: who you serve, how you serve them, why you serve them and what is the goal you're working towards? Brainstorm and write down at least 12 ideas and words that come to mind as you think about those four things. Then cross off all but the strongest 3 or 4. Yes, make the list shorter and shorter - until there are only 3 or 4 words or phrases left that clearly - very clearly, so there's no doubt, describe your mission – what you do, what your goal is.
Look back. Look back at the past 3 months in your organization – what's been working and what hasn't? Think about this as it relates to your marketing and in your service to others and in your donor feedback. Use the things that have been working as ideas for content and what you are posting and talking about in your marketing.
Boil it down. Ask everyone – your volunteers, employees, anyone you've served - what your organization does. Write down all of their words and pick out the strongest ones. Then, think of an easier way to say it. Keep whittling away until it describes your mission, what you do, who you serve and how you do it. Boil it down until it's one or two short sentences. Make it easy to understand and be sure it tells exactly what your mission is and that it's easy to say.

Then use this as your main marketing message.

And say it over and over again. Take it apart and use one phrase for one social media post or email or blog post at a time. You are always using the same words – your mission statement, but you're breaking it down into little pieces for your donors to remember.

That's how they come to know, like and trust you. That's what keeps donors invested in your nonprofit organization.

They get to know you because you continue to give the same message on Facebook, Instagram, in emails and blog posts.

Then they start liking what you do because you've made them aware of your nonprofit by showing up consistently and having the same message about what you do – they don't have to guess.

And finally, they begin to trust you because you keep saying that you are on a mission and they know what that mission is – and of course you're doing a great job fulfilling that mission!

I want you to remember, keep your marketing message short, and keep using the same words over and over again. By using the same language, you are helping people remember.

If you have any questions – I'm right here for you! Ask away! Send me a message on Facebook or Instagram or send me an email through NonprofitPotential.com and I'll happily write you back with an answer!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Episode 4: What's Your Brand?
Episode 7: Who Is Your Ideal Customer Portrait?
Episode 14: How to Make an Impact with Your Posts
Episode 18: Need Ideas for Posts? Here They Are
Episode 36: 3 Things People Should Know About Your Nonprofit
Follow on Facebook
Follow on Instagram
Ask Lauren a question at lauren@nonprofitpotential.com

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/37

Ep 36: 3 Things People Should Know About Your Nonprofit Feb 25, 2020

Show notes

Let me ask you a question – do people know what your nonprofit does?

This might sound like a silly question – your first reaction might be, "Of course people know what we do!"

But do they really?

This is an all too common problem that nonprofits encounter. People might be aware that your organization exists, but what else do they know about you?

Do they know what your mission is, how you help people, and what services you actually provide?

Maybe they just know you have something to do with helping the homeless, or teenage girls, or are a charity of some kind. The real facts are foggy to them.

Meanwhile, day in and day out, you go to work and do all you can to keep things rolling along. But how often do you take a step back and ask yourself, "Are we clearly telling people who we are and what we do?"

Do your Facebook and Instagram posts, your emails, your blog – all your channels of communication to the outside world plainly tell people who your organization is and what you do?

What do you want people to know about your nonprofit? That's what we're talking about in this episode. I'm going to help you decide what are the most important things to share about your organization and how to get laser focused in your marketing so that people will never wonder again what your nonprofit does.

As an added bonus, in this episode, there is a quick but oh-so-helpful worksheet to guide you to the most important things you do. Download it here so you can work on it while you're reading through these show notes.

The problem we all have is that we're very close to our organizations.

You spend hours of your day thinking about it. You know all the ins and outs. You're familiar with everything your nonprofit does.

When you're so close to your organization, it's wonderful because you bring so much heart, knowledge and experience to the table, but it can be tricky to remember that to the outside world, your organization is a mystery.

There are two ways people learn about your nonprofit:

What you tell them
What they assume

If you don't tell people clearly about your nonprofit, they will make assumptions. If you don't tell them specific things, they will never know what's accurate. Your organization will just exist in a fog for the people you want to serve, donors and supporters.

What you tell them in your Facebook and Instagram posts, your email newsletter, your blog posts, your radio ads, your Google ads – in everything – needs to be so clear and so specific – "snackable facts" as I like to call it.

Giving a "snackable fact" is when you give someone one piece of information about your nonprofit.

Use one snackable fact for one Facebook and Instagram post. One snackable fact for an email to your donors. One snackable fact for a blog post. Use one piece of information, one fact, and make that the focus of your communication.

For example, let's say your nonprofit is a community center – a snackable fact would be that your community center has a great room with a dance floor. That's just one fact! It tells the audience clearly about one thing the community center has to offer.

If your audience has a need to rent a venue or an interest in attending community events, do you know what they're going to do next? Find out more. It's just like with crackers or pretzels or Cheez-its – you are never going to eat JUST ONE. If you like it, if it interests you, you're going back for more. It works the same way with your audience.

The community center has a great room with a dance floor.

What does the community center have? The community center has a great room with a dance floor.

I know it's tempting to give more detail than that – but that's what your website is for. That's what your phone number is for. If people want more information, you can tell them what to do to get more information with a call to action.

You might be tempted to think, why not tell them all the information about your facility up front? Why not post on Facebook in one big post that the community center has…

"A great room that is big enough to host a concert with a dance floor, plus we have meeting rooms, plus we offer classes about cooking on Tuesdays, fly-tying Fridays, memoir writing every other Sunday, sewing and early childhood development on alternate Mondays, plus we have a kitchen for catering events such as weddings and high school graduation parties, plus we just redid the taxidermy in our mezzanine, plus, plus, plus…"

What happens to the message? If your audience remembers any of it, what they did retain probably isn't going to be accurate.

It's like playing the game of telephone where you pass on a message from one person to another and then they pass it on to the next person and so on. The longer the message, the more distorted it gets.

Do you remember that first snackable fact I gave you a minute ago?

Yes! You do! The community center has a great room with a dance floor.

And how many times did I repeat it? A lot. I know.

It worked, didn't it?

You remembered that the community center has a great room with a dance floor.

At the pregnancy care center where my mom is the executive director, she says she gets questions like, "how long do the girls live there?" or "do they come here to deliver their babies?" Actually, the center provides free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, counseling and help getting a doctor. People know it has something to do with pregnancy, but to the outside world, it can be foggy. That's why being clear and specific in your posts, emails and ALL communication is important – AND so is repeating your message again and again.

There is so much noise vying for attention in a million different ways, people are going to have a hard time remembering everything about your nonprofit. That's why it's so important to give out those snackable facts – and repeat them over and over.

Here's an easy exercise you'll love:

Write down three things – three snackable facts that you want people to know about your organization.

Maybe it's the services you offer

that they're free, and

that you're open on the weekends.

Or you can highlight your biggest, most popular service as a stand-alone item.

For a pregnancy care center, an example would be:

You offer pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, and help getting a doctor.
All your services are free of charge and confidential.
Your trained counselors are here to provide resources for pregnancy.

Ok, now it's time to get out that worksheet. You can download the worksheet right here.

Let's work through this quick worksheet together.

There are four squares:

In the first square, make a list of three products or services that your organization offers. If you have more than three, awesome, but I want you to put a star next to the three most important or popular ones.

Then, in the second square, answer the question, what problem are you solving for the people you serve? You might have more than one answer for this, but it's important for you to answer this question because it will help you determine what are the most important things that you do.

In the third square, write two examples of calls to action that tell people what to do next.

If "call to action" sends chills down your spine and makes you cringe, understand that giving a call to action is NOT "SALESY" or slimy or bossy in any way.

You have to tell people where they can learn more, or where they can sign up, or where they can make an appointment. If you don't tell people what's the next step, how are they supposed to move forward if they are interested or need your service?

Your audience needs to know what to do next. Tell them.

In our example about the community center, people were given a snackable fact: The community center has a great room with a dance floor.

The follow up call to action would be this:

The community center has a great room with a dance floor. Reserve it now at communitycenter.org.

Finally, in the fourth square, after you've answered the questions in squares one, two and three, you'll write down three things you want people to know about your nonprofit.

You've gone through the entire thought process on the worksheet. You've identified what your nonprofit's biggest assets are, what problem you solve for people and how to tell them where they can learn more.

Now, it should be easier to think of three things you want people to know about your nonprofit.

For example, we can go back to those three things the pregnancy care center wanted people to know about its nonprofit organization:

It offers pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, and help getting a doctor.
All the services are free of charge and confidential.
Trained counselors are there to provide resources.

Once you've determined those three things that you want people to know about your nonprofit, repeat them over and over in your posts, emails, blogs - everything. You might feel like it's annoying, but I'll let you in on a little secret – by the time it starts to feel annoying to you, it's JUST STARTING to make a dent in your audience's minds.

If you're annoyed with hearing your own radio commercial, or you feel like you've posted the same thing on Facebook or Instagram over and over – you're doing it right.

You can freshen up the way the message comes across. You can change pictures, you can change the way you say things, but don't change the point.

Know clearly what you do; say clearly what you do, then the people you serve will learn and know what you do.

One last thing – I think this is a great idea, my mom does this at her nonprofit – write down one or two of the products or services your nonprofit offers – "your mission" and why you offer them - "your vision statement." Then, print it out on slips of paper, and hand them out to your team. Read and repeat this statement every single day. Make it a part of your morning ritual when everyone gets to work. This will help you and your team know clearly who your organization is and what you do. It all starts with you and your team knowing.

It's super important to fill this out today or tomorrow so people can learn what your nonprofit offers. Get clear on those snackable facts and what you want people to know about your nonprofit.

This is going to be SO helpful to you and make a huge difference for your organization, so download the worksheet today or tomorrow and fill it out while this is fresh in your mind. If you haven't downloaded the worksheet from this episode yet, grab it now

Links mentioned in this episode:

Worksheet: What do you want people to know about your nonprofit?
Follow on Facebook: Facebook.com/NonprofitPotential
Follow on Instagram: Instagram.com/NonprofitPotential
Ask Lauren a question at lauren@nonprofitpotential.com

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/36

Ep 35: Video Tutorial Part 2: What to Say in Your Video Feb 18, 2020

Show notes

Welcome to Part 2 of the video tutorial series!

If you're just getting on board now, I want to remind you about our last episode, Episode 34, where we went over all of the nuts and bolts of the technical part of recording a video for Facebook or Instagram. That was Part 1 of this series, and now that we've talked about things like lighting, angles and sound quality in video, we're going to build on that and discuss what to actually say in your video.

It's great to know how to hold your phone to record a video, and have awesome lighting, but it's all for nothing if you don't have anything meaningful to say. When you put some thought into your videos, you can build your audience and your relationship with them – not to mention, it'll make your time in front of the camera much more enjoyable!

In the last episode of Unlocking Your Nonprofit Potential, we talked about why we all need to get better at video – it's quickly becoming a vital way to get the message out about your nonprofit and your mission.

Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, as opposed to remembering only 10% when reading it in text, so you have an extremely powerful tool at your fingertips with video. You can introduce people to your organization, and your video can help them retain clearly who your nonprofit is and what you do.

It's so important to not just slap a video up on your nonprofit's Facebook or Instagram page – because you can leave the viewer with a bad impression and that's not the reaction you wanted.

When you put some thought into it, you can build your audience and your relationship with them and that's what we're talking about in this episode.

If you've been listening to this podcast for a while, you know every single type of Facebook or Instagram post, email, or blog post should only have one topic.

It's no different with video. Before you start recording a video for social media, take a few minutes to sit down and think about that one topic for your video. What is the point of your video? What is the one thing you want people to learn from watching?

Jotting down some notes ahead of time will help you stay focused in your video on one topic and it will help you remember the valuable things you want to say in your video, too. You won't ramble.

A little behind-the-scenes trick to help you stay on track with one topic is writing down two or three bullet points or keywords on a little post-it note. Stick the post-it on your phone so you can look at it without breaking eye contact with the camera too much. It's a handy little trick that keeps you looking natural, and on track with what you want to say – like a makeshift cue card!

Another thing you can do to warm up before you start recording or going live on Facebook and Instagram is to video chat with someone you are comfortable with – a friend or a family member.

This is a great trick to getting comfortable talking on camera and talking to your phone! Plus, talking to someone you like can release endorphins in the brain, making you feel good. This good mood will continue after your video call ends, making it a great time to record a video.

Click here for my cheat sheet about all the different types of video

Your personality is so important in a video! Yes, your video is about your nonprofit, but you are acting as the face of the organization when you go live or record a video. It's important for you to feel relaxed, confident and smile, so getting those positive endorphins going in your brain is going to help you.

The endorphins in your brain aren't the only bit of chemistry you need to keep in mind.

Studies show that great stories release oxytocin in our brains. Oxytocin is the chemical that leads to feeling bonded with someone or something. This means, when the person viewing your video watches you tell a story, they feel more bonded with you and your nonprofit.

It makes sense if you think about it. Your friends and family that you share stories with are the people you feel most closely bonded with, right? Parents read to their children and bond through that experience. About 65 percent of our daily conversations have to do with us telling stories.

If you're trying to think of what you're going to talk about in your video, try thinking about how you can tell a story.

If you have a professionally produced video telling the story of someone impacted by your nonprofit, that's wonderful, but not every organization has that available to them. So, think about how YOU can talk about your organization in the form of a story.

Here's an example to get you started:

Let's say your nonprofit is a healthcare clinic – you can share the facts about your organization's services in the form of a story. Take that deep breath, smile, hit record while you're still smiling, then:

Say hi, introduce yourself and create some context. I always like to say something like, "Hi, I'm Lauren Creagan, host of the Unlocking Your Nonprofit Potential podcast and I just want to share with you_________________" or something close to that. Say your name, your title and follow it up with an "AND." Let that "and" lead the viewer to why you're talking to them. Get to the point quickly though – you don't have to spill the beans on how long you've worked there or what beautiful weather you're having. Remember, they're thinking, "What's in this for me?"

Then, get into the story. Your "AND" could be "and I just wanted to share with you what it's like when a new patient comes into our office." As if you are telling a story, walk the viewer through step by step what happens next. By telling them about the experience, you're storytelling, which is great, and you're also making them feel comfortable and confident in your services because they can imagine what their experience will be like with your organization.

Keep it short. Until you're feeling VERY comfortable and you feel dialed into what you have to say, try to keep your videos less than a minute. If you feel good, go longer - but most of the time, you'll want to go no longer than about 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

Click here for my cheat sheet about all the different types of video

Bring it home with a call to action. No matter if you're telling a story or just sharing information in a straightforward way, always have a call to action with your video. Tell your viewer what to do next – you're not bossing them around, you're telling them where they can learn more! Direct them to make an appointment on your website. Sign up for a class. Tell them what to do and how to do it. It's OKAY to tell people how to take the next step after watching your video – it's not "salesy". It's just clearly sharing information for people who are interested. If you don't tell them how to take the next step, then who will?

One last thing – don't get distracted! Take care of all those little things that might happen…Put your phone on silent. Close the door to the room where you're recording. Put your pets in another part of the house. Things like that…limit interruptions.

The more times you have to start over, the more frustrated and defeated you'll begin to feel. So, prepare what you're going to say, practice, and shut out as much of the outside world as possible.

Bonus tips for you:

Storytelling: Another great way to use storytelling in video is to show your donors how they are making an impact. If you have a conference room table full of donations or things you were able to purchase with donated funds, or if you have new equipment that was purchased with fundraising dollars, tell a story about it. What does their donation do? How is it helping? How has it improved your services?

Tell your viewers about how people are being helped in your community, or what an improvement their donation or gift has made in the operation of your organization. By sharing this type of story, you are letting your donors know you are responsibly using their dollars, and as a byproduct, letting the people you serve know about your services.

Another way to leave a lasting impression using video is to show people the "personality" of your organization by letting viewers peek behind the scenes. Let the outside world see your volunteers weeding the flower beds outside your building, assembling care packages, or unloading a car. These types of short, informal videos can help build your nonprofit's identity and build trust with your viewers.

Just be sure you don't overdo it with this type of content – only dip into this pool every so often. Remember, your videos need to be focused on serving the viewer, not focused on yourself and your staff.

Let's talk about going live on Instagram and Facebook - LIVE, as in you don't get to edit what you say, what you look like – there is no blooper reel, it's LIVE. Everything you say and do goes out into the world.

If you are going to go live on Facebook or Instagram, I just want you to be a pro at recorded videos first. Once you can handle recorded videos without messing up, and you feel super comfortable, then try doing a short live broadcast. There are no "do-overs" live.

When I first started in radio, I had a recorded show that would air on my drive home from work. I would listen to that show on my commute and I realized what I needed to edit, and what my strengths were. Try doing that for yourself – watch your own videos and learn from them too.

Don't we wish we would be able to turn on the camera and have a wonderful natural presence and a great message? But it's not as easy as so many famous people and celebrities make it seem.

It's work. It takes practice. It's not going to be perfect right away, but the more you practice, the more comfortable you will become and the better you'll get. Don't get discouraged. Just think if you practice in front of the mirror every day for 60 seconds after you brush your teeth, you could become your best self on video before you know it!

It's perfectly OKAY to never go live and only post recorded videos if you're not comfortable with it. Recording a video takes the pressure off being live.

Give them advance notice. If you are passionate about going live and it's something you really want to do, I highly recommend letting people know that you'll be live days ahead of actually doing it.

If you want people to watch your live video, it's best to build excitement around it and build momentum before you go live. Let people know what day and time you'll be going live, why you're going live, and if you REALLY want people to show up for it, give something away while you're live.

Some great ideas for live content are hosting a question and answer session, where people can ask you questions and yes, you answer them live! You could also try giving a live tour of your facility – if you follow any realtors on Facebook or Instagram, you might have seen this a time or two already. And again, you can give things away during a live session - always a popular option with audiences.

Here's what I want you to remember above all – YOU CAN DO THIS! Start by taking one small step and now you have some tips to get you started!

Take a tiny baby step forward! Try creating a video. Wade into the water, and you'll find it's not as intimidating as you think. You will feel comfortable with a little practice. You can do it – and you need to do it. Video is quickly becoming the preferred method of how people are taking in information, especially on social media.

I would LOVE to see your videos! Tag me in a comment on your video post on Facebook or Instagram and I will go watch your video and I promise to be your absolute BIGGEST CHEERLEADER EVER!

If you have any questions – I'm right here for you! Ask away! Send me a message on Facebook or Instagram or send me an email and I'll happily write you back with an answer!

Do you know what would really make my day? If you left me a review on Apple podcasts or on Facebook, or tell a friend about this podcast. It really does make a difference and it helps more people find this resource.

Remember to subscribe to this podcast so you never miss an episode on iTunes or your favorite podcast app, or get episodes delivered straight to you by signing up for my weekly email.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Cheat Sheet for Live and Recorded Videos – What's the Difference?
Episode 34: Video Tutorial Part 1: Lighting, Angles & Sound
Follow on Facebook
Follow on Instagram
Ask Lauren a question at lauren@nonprofitpotential.com or at Nonprofitpotential.com

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/35

Ep 34: Video Tutorial Part 1: Lighting, Angles & Sound Feb 11, 2020

Show notes

Have you recorded a little video with your phone to post on Facebook or Instagram and thought, "NO WAY am I posting that on the internet!"

I know it happens to me ALL THE TIME.

Or are you afraid to even try to record and post a video on the internet?

Not only does an unflattering video take the wind out of your sails, it also eats up a bunch of time! When I record videos, I first spend time planning what I'm going to say, then it takes me a few tries to actually get all my words out right, and THEN, when I look at the final version, I realize, I hate the way I look in the video!

Can you relate?

Today we're going to go over the do's and don'ts of the technical aspects of shooting a video for social media.

Next week's episode will be all about content and what you should actually say in your Facebook and Instagram videos. That's right, a special two-part episode that's going to walk you step by step for shooting your next video or going live on social media, so you can avoid frustration and feel confident.

In part one of this series, I'm sharing a few tips and tricks on some of the technical things I've learned in the past year about lighting, angles, and all those things that can make or break a video. I'm going to help you avoid the stumbling blocks I've encountered, so you can get your beautiful self out there to talk to your audience through video and feel good about it!

If you follow me on Facebook and Instagram, you know that while I do love posting video, I am certainly no Steven Spielberg when it comes to camera work. And you don't have to be either!

I'm going to share with you what I HAVE learned and give you realistic, tangible advice that you can put into action right away, so you can deliver your content in a way that is entertaining and appealing to your audience.

Recent research shows that video is quickly becoming the most popular and effective way to get a message out on social media, so we all need to be working on our video skills.

Here are some quick facts about social media video:

- Social media posts featuring video have 48% more views. (HubSpot)

- Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, as opposed to 10% when reading it in text. (Insivia)

- Facebook has more than 8 billion video views per day. (TechCrunch)

- 72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service by way of video. (HubSpot)

So, you see why it's important to get on the social media video stage, right?

Let's start with three important things to remember BEFORE you get started filming or going live on Facebook and Instagram:

Pick ONE TOPIC and think about what you're going to say about it. Ask yourself, what's the point? What do you want your viewers to learn? Writing out what you want to say can help you retain the information in an organized fashion more easily. Insider tip: Write 3 bullet points on a post-it note and attach it to your phone near the lens so you can sneak a quick peek while you're recording if you need to.
Practice, practice, practice out loud. Try to speak aloud what you want to say in your video before you start recording. This will help you feel more confident when you do start recording, help you identify anything you should leave out, and your mouth and vocal cords will be warmed up as well. Insider tip: A great time to record is right after you've had a lively conversation with another person. It's even better if you've just talked about a topic related to your video.
Choose the right time. Try not to record when you are pressed for time. Knowing you have to get your video finished in only a few minutes can add stress to the situation and make it harder to succeed. You'll feel even more frustrated if it takes multiple tries, so try to record when you have time to spare.Insider tip: Are you a morning person? At your best in the afternoon or evening? Try to record when you feel at your best.

I just want to remind you, we'll talk more about what to say in your videos next week in part two of this series, so be sure you catch that episode next week!

Whether you're going live on Facebook or Instagram, or recording a video and uploading it later, the technical aspects of filming are pretty much the same.

Are you confused about the differences between IGTV and regular Facebook and Instagram videos? I made a great little cheat sheet for you that will explain everything. Also, if you want to learn how to upload an IGTV video, check out this tutorial video I posted.

You can be successful at video and feel comfortable doing it – I'll guide you every step of the way!

Now that you have a cheat sheet and a video to help you navigate all the different types of video, here's what you need to know about making it look good:

Angle is everything. This is an unfortunate lesson I learned the hard way. In fact, I think I already KNEW better than to have the camera pointed up my nose, but it wasn't until my uncle pointed it out at a family gathering that I realized the camera angle was something I couldn't be lazy about ever again. To get a great angle without severely fatiguing your arm and shoulder by holding your phone as far away from your face as possible, I recommend investing in a stand. You can get a great mobile phone stand online – they are relatively inexpensive. They make models that sit on your desk, if you want to be sitting in all of your videos, or they make them with more adjustable heights so you can stand in front of it. If you get a larger stand-up model, it'll be a bit more expensive. I put links to a couple of mobile phone stands at the end of these show notes. The ultimate goal is to get a straight-on shot of your face as if you were sitting or standing eye to eye with someone. I personally have a Neewer Ring Light Kit – we'll talk more about lighting in a minute – which cost about $90 from Amazon. It's a stand that holds my phone and it also has a large halo-looking light around it which I have to say, makes my face and skin look amazing even if I'm not wearing a stitch of makeup. I actually have the whole stand and light kit set up behind my desk so I can sit, but I also have the option to make it taller so I can stand in front of it too. I have found that a stand is one of the most important keys to success when recording video. It's amazing how much less distracted I am when I don't have to hold my phone. I'm also more comfortable physically, which makes my video less awkward. Another great thing about the Neewer Ring Light Kit, is that it has a remote control, so I can actually start recording or take a picture without having to reach up and touch my phone, which almost completely eliminates the need to edit my videos. I definitely recommend investing in a stand if you plan on recording videos regularly.
Lighting is also everything. Angle and lighting can be the difference between someone on social media watching your video, or completely ignoring it. Too many shadows can be unflattering and make your video seem unprofessional, or even creepy – and that's the last thing you want! For lighting, like I said, I have a ring light attached to my stand, but I'll tell you about a free light source that you already have access to that is AMAZING! The sun! Natural lighting is just about as flattering as a magical ring light. Find a window and have a seat. Try to face the window if possible to avoid shadows across your face. If it's so bright that you're squinting, try recording when the sun is not as intense, or experiment with sitting at a different angle. If you don't have access to a ring light or natural light, simply try to find a room with flattering – or at least an abundance – of lighting.
Pay attention to sound quality. If you're in a room that echoes badly, or your co-worker is microwaving popcorn, or you're in a crowded place, consider relocating to a quieter setting, or using a set of headphones with a microphone on them. Yes, it's totally OKAY to wear headphones to record a video in the social media world.
Edit if necessary. Most mobile phones allow you to edit and trim off the ends of your videos. You'll need to make these edits before you upload your videos to Facebook and Instagram. Cut out any awkward silence before you start talking or after you finish. Trim your video so that it begins right before you start speaking. I recommend taking a deep breath and smiling BEFORE you start recording, so your editing will be minimal. Unless you are already a whiz at editing videos, it will likely be faster for you to just start a video over if you mess up than to spend a bunch of time editing and splicing pieces together.
"What happens if I mess up?" It's not IF, it's WHEN it will happen!

Take a deep breath and shake it off. Here's a radio trick for you: If you can't get through a certain sentence or word, stop recording and read it until you can get through it without any bloopers – twice!Try not to get frustrated. How you are feeling will come through in the video, so try to just laugh at yourself and start over. To keep things lighthearted, listen to a song that makes you feel good, have a dance party or take a quick walk. Keep a glass of water nearby, too.

Here's what I want you to remember above all – YOU CAN DO THIS! And now you have five tips to get you started - Angle, Lighting, Sound, Editing & for Bloopers.

AND part two of this episode is coming up next week to help you feel even more confident. Sign up for my weekly email so you don't miss Part Two.I would LOVE to see your videos! Tag me in a comment on your video post on Facebook or Instagram and I'll watch your video. I promise to be your absolute BIGGEST CHEERLEADER EVER!

By the way, if you know someone in the nonprofit world who is struggling, or feeling stuck, tell them about this podcast! Send them an email about it and say, "Hey! I've been listening to this podcast and I've been getting a lot out of it – just thought I'd share!" Everyone needs a little encouragement and help sometimes.

If you have any questions – I'm right here for you! Ask away! Send me a message on Facebook or Instagram or send me an email through NonprofitPotential.com and I'll happily write you back with an answer!

Remember to subscribe to this podcast so you never miss an episode on iTunes or your favorite podcast app, or get episodes delivered straight to you by signing up for my weekly email. Follow Nonprofit Potential on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for special content released throughout the week, too.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Cheat Sheet for Live and Recorded Videos – What's the Difference?
Video tutorial for adding an IGTV video to Instagram
Desk stands to hold your phone while you shoot a video:
- GripTight GorillaPod Stand

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/34

Ep 33: Unlock the Potential of Your Email List Feb 04, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, we are talking about the power of email.

I know, you might think you need to put all of your eggs in the social media basket but let me tell you why you should give your email list – or lists – the attention they deserve.

Email is a quick and easy way to get your nonprofit's name right in front of your donors and supporters, or the people you want to serve. Even if they don't OPEN your email, they are still seeing your nonprofit's name. You are reminding them about your organization, and showing them that your nonprofit is alive and active.

Second, email is pretty dang easy! Think about it – all you need is a short paragraph or two with a picture or your nonprofit's logo and BAM! You've got an email that you can send right to a targeted audience.

Email is starting to sound better and better right?

Email should absolutely be part of your focus for your nonprofit's marketing plan.

Today, we're going in-depth about how to grow and use your email list to its full potential. And I'm sharing my favorite free email tools so you can send out great looking emails easily, plus, you'll get a few tips for ways to keep growing your list and actually get people to open your emails.

Five hours a day. FIVE. A recent survey found that in 2019, most consumers reported that they spent about five hours a day checking email.

If you're thinking that's just a certain crowd of an older generation, let's blow your mind with this – almost 1/3 of Millennials and Gen Z say they check their personal email accounts multiple times per hour. They are looking at their inbox while in bed in the morning and at night, at work, while eating, driving, in the bathroom, watching TV – basically, all the time. So if you thought social media is the only way to reach young people, think again. Email has an incredible presence in the lives of people of all generations.

That's all great news for marketing, right? But what if you don't have an email list or you have one but it's not very big?

Start building. Here's the simplest, most straightforward way to start building your email lists:

Gather email addresses at your events – no matter how big or small.

Get a clipboard and a spreadsheet where people can fill in their name and email address. That's it.
Asking for too much information will scare people off.
Have one of your volunteers be in charge of asking people if they'd like to keep in touch and hear about your nonprofit's upcoming events via email,
No volunteer? At least have the clipboard in an obvious, easily accessible place for people to sign up by themselves.

It sounds simple but gathering email addresses at your events can grow your email list overnight!

Another way to grow your list is to have an opt-in or sign up option on your website or your blog.

Use social media to encourage people to sign up on your website to receive email updates about the latest news and updates with your nonprofit.
Make sure to get the email addresses of the people you serve as they come in your door
Absolutely collect the email addresses of your donors, potential donors, supporters and volunteers.

There are lots of different ways to start gathering email addresses, but I'll tell you one way to get people to unsubscribe FAST – using phrases like "Sign up for our e-blasts!" No one wants to feel like they're being spammed.

Here are a few ways to keep growing your list and actually get people to open your emails:

Use great attention to detail. One of the most reported reasons people choose to unsubscribe from email lists is because the emails feel spammy or like the sender just doesn't care. Make sure your organization's name is spelled correctly and clearly and with proper grammar and capitalization. Same goes for your subject line, as well as the actual body of the email. Your attention to detail is one of the best ways to show the people on your email list that you care.
Use a great subject line. This might take a little experimentation to figure out what gets the attention of your audience. Be creative and keep it short. Take note of the subject lines you get in your inbox from thriving nonprofits or successful businesses – even national brands. Look at who's "doing it right" and be inspired to make their ideas your own.
Use more than one email list. Have one email list for your donors, and another for the people you serve. If you separate the two groups of people, you can better customize the type of email and its content for each audience. For example, you can let the people you serve know about an upcoming class. You can send your donors emails about a touching story that might help illustrate how important their support is to your organization. Keep in mind who your audience is – what's their age range, what's their income, education, do they understand what your organization does? What is their relationship with your nonprofit? Put yourself in their shoes – how are they going to feel when they read your email? What is in it for them? Check out Episode 7 of this podcast for a great exercise that can help you determine who your audience is.
Repurpose content. If you're thinking, what on earth am I going to write to my donors about? Or, how am I ever going to know what to say in an email to the people we serve? Relax – you already know the answer! Take your social media posts or your blog posts, and reshape them into an email. Make it readable, expand on the idea if necessary, and – use a great subject line. If you're worried that people are seeing your content twice, let me ask you this – how many times a day do you see the same pizza commercial on TV? Or hear the same radio ad? Repetition is how you build recognition with your audience.
Keep your goal in mind. What is the point of your email? Are you increasing awareness about your organization? Are you promoting a specific event or service? Are you asking your audience to do something or take action? Ask yourself, "What is my goal?" and let that guide you as you're writing your email.

If you want more tips on how to write a great email, or ideas on how it should look, listen to Episode 13 of Unlocking Your Nonprofit Potential.

One last thing to remember – keep that email short. Avoid wordy emails, write well, use proper grammar, and use just a paragraph or two with plenty of spacing between paragraphs so it's easily readable.

I want you to know that not everyone is going to open every single one of your emails. It's just not going to happen - but if they see your emails consistently every week, then when they see something that you sent that they're interested in, they'll open it!

Listen to this – the average open rate for most industries is about 21%. That means, if 21% of people are opening your emails, you are right on the money. If you have a higher rate, you are doing excellent, and if you have a lower rate – don't sweat it – just keep consistently sending out emails once a week, or every other week, and you'll get there.

You can view your open rate on email platforms like MailChimp. I like MailChimp – I think it's pretty user-friendly and intuitive – and free for as long as you have 2,000 subscribers or less. You can also have multiple lists using MailChimp. You can schedule emails to send out at a later time and see what time of day and what days have more successful open rates.

Let all your platforms feed into each other – communication from all angles leads to more people seeing your brand – your nonprofit. Then they become more and more familiar with it. They recognize your logo, your colors, your organization's name. And what does familiarity lead to? Trust. If people trust you because they've seen you across Facebook, Instagram and their email – consistently showing up with a uniform message, making an effort, and consistently staying focused on your mission, they will begin to trust you.

Building those "know, like, and trust" feelings with your audience is key, especially when it comes to fundraising but you can't do it overnight. You have to build those "know, like and trust" feelings over time, and email is a great way to do that.

If you keep consistently showing up and building those "know, like and trust" feelings, people will begin to support you. People will utilize your services. They will tell their friends about you. This is how you grow your nonprofit! By using every tool you have in your tool box to show up consistently and show everyone you are focused on your mission, and you're here to make a difference.

You are doing a great job. I just want you to know that! If you don't have your email game dialed in yet – just make a goal of sending out one email a month. Then, aim for once a week, or every other week if possible. Do the best that you can and keep going – be consistent!

Tell someone you know about this podcast! Send them an email about it and say, "Hey! I've been listening to this podcast and I've been getting a lot out of it – just thought I'd share!"

The more you share this podcast, the more you are helping people who have so much to give to the world, but might feel stuck in trying to figure it all out on their own. So help them out! Tell them about this podcast so you can help someone with a great mission get "unstuck" and move forward in helping make the world a better place with their nonprofit.

Remember to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app, or get episodes delivered straight to your email by subscribing at NonprofitPotential.com. That's NonprofitPotential.com. Follow Nonprofit Potential on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for special content released throughout the week, too.

Links mentioned in this episode:

MailChimp Email PlatformEpisode 13: 5 Things You NEED to Know About Email Newsletters Episode 4: What's Your Brand?Episode 7: Who Is Your Ideal Customer Portrait?Sign up for MY email list! Just go to my homepage at Nonprofitpotential.com and fill in your first name and email address, then click "Sign Up". Follow on Facebook

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If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/33

Ep 32: How to Get More Support Jan 28, 2020

Show notes

Hi there!

Isn't life a little easier when you have a little support? It's nice to have someone to do the dishes while you're cooking dinner. It's great when your neighbor can keep an eye on your house when you go out of town. And it's amazing when your friend brings you a coffee, right?

Having support not only lifts our spirits, but it helps us to feel more confident! When we know someone has our back, we feel good! When you put effort into relationships, both new and old, not only does it make you feel happier and more confident, it can actually benefit your nonprofit organization!

Today, we're talking about how to get more support for your nonprofit organization so that you feel more confident, better connected with your donors and supporters, and on top of all that – so that your nonprofit can grow with the help of a new network of people who will want to support you – but they just haven't met your organization yet!

We'll cover how to identify new relationships to build, how to use social media as a "virtual handshake" to break the ice and grow your relationships, and I've got tons of real-life examples I'm going to share about these types of supportive relationships that are going to make you feel like you've got a support system throughout your community.

So, when I say supportive relationships, what exactly do I mean? A supportive relationship means a relationship with a business, another organization, or a person or group of people that will be there for your nonprofit as a cheerleader, as a promoter, as a helping hand, and sometimes, even as a partner.

Let's talk about identifying new relationships to build…

Depending on what kind of nonprofit organization you have, there are different places you can start looking for support and to build relationships. In order to do that, you have to have a plan and a place to start. Here's how you can do that.

I want you to sit down for 5 or 10 minutes today, and I want you to get out a piece of paper and pen and start brainstorming. Make a list of organizations or businesses or people that can help you in some way, or that are relevant to your nonprofit.

Just write them down as fast they come to mind and DON'T judge whether they would or wouldn't help you. Just write them down as they come to mind – 20 of them, even if they seem ridiculously impossible.

If you are a faith-based nonprofit, you can immediately start making a list of the churches in your local area that you can build relationships with. Add other nonprofits or things that relate to your organization, too. Remember this is just brainstorming list – so get really bold and creative here.

Let's say your nonprofit organization is a pregnancy care center – ah yes, surprise, surprise, one of my favorite examples!

Not only can you make a list of churches in your area to start building relationships with, but you can also add to your list things like emergency rooms, hospitals, urgent care clinics – why? Because not only can they send you referrals, you are actually helping them by taking care of patients they don't want to see yet! When a woman goes into an ER for a pregnancy test – she not only spends in the neighborhood of $1,000 on a pregnancy test, she also takes up the time and space of other patients, the doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and all the other people that make a hospital function. They want her to get help, but the ER isn't the right place.

Your pregnancy care center is the right place for her to find out if she's pregnant. The ER doesn't know about you and neither does the young woman – but both of them could benefit from knowing you…see how you could easily start a relationship with the ER?

It can go beyond ER's, too. Make a handout that can briefly explain how your pregnancy resource center can help any OB/GYN office, or high school based clinic or college campus clinic – anywhere that deals with this type of situation and spell it out for each of them exactly how you can help lighten their load. Let them know exactly how you can be a resource for all of them. You won't use the same handout for OB/GYNs, school- based clinics or colleges – you'll vary it according to how you can help.

See how far and wide the scope of your organization can go? That's why I want you to make that list – write down any and all ideas, no matter how crazy.

You see in this example, the types of businesses and organizations that you should be targeting to forge relationships with aren't just about getting donations – it's about supporting each other. Helping each other be the best you can be. Helping each other make your community better.

Let's use another example – let's say your nonprofit is an animal shelter. On your list of relationships to build, you could add any local dog trainers that could come in and work with your volunteers so they can help your organization's dogs be better behaved and therefore more adoptable. And as for the dog trainer, they can benefit by you handing out their business card to everyone who adopts a dog. I always love the animal shelters that partner with photographers, so they have great photos taken of their adoptable animals to capture their full cuteness and attract potential adopters. And the takeaway for the photographer is they put their logo in the corner of the photo, or maybe you thank them publicly in a social media post, so it helps their business.

One more example – let's say your organization is a school. You have so many opportunities to get creative here – find local writers, artists, successful businesses and community members and have them come in and give presentations to classrooms. And then, as a benefit to that person or organization or business, you can thank them on your social media page, or include a link to their website in your email newsletter.

All of these relationships will only help grow your support system in your community. When you start partnering with people for one common goal, you will start to see more and more support. You'll gain more and more supporters and more donors. Your involvement with other organizations and people helps build your nonprofit's reputation and credibility – and that is what brings in consistent support.

Now, once you have that list written down – your list of 20 organizations or businesses or people that you've thought of, or that are relevant to your nonprofit – I want you to pick one or two of them, and make a plan for how you are going to help them. How could you be of service to them? What is their pain point, and how could your organization come to the rescue? Notice it's about how you can help them, give something to them, be of service. I know – it's hard. But I want you to just get the ideas going on this. Because once you do, you'll feel more confident in approaching them and starting your relationship.

So, let's talk about HOW to start new relationships and expand your community support.

The most basic thing you can do is to get on Facebook and Instagram and start liking posts and pages AS YOUR NONPROFIT. Now what does that mean, "as your nonprofit?" It means, don't like or follow the Facebook page for Sally's Clip n' Curl Salon as yourself – like it as your nonprofit's Facebook account. If you don't know how to do that, you can get step by step instructions on how to interact as your page right here: How to Interact as Your Nonprofit Facebook Page

To like a page as your nonprofit's page, get on a computer – not your phone – and go to any business or organization's page. Then, click the three little dots next to Like, Follow and Share. Click "Like As Your Page." Then select your nonprofit's page when the menu appears.

It's important to interact on Facebook and Instagram as your page because when you do, that business or organization will get a little notification that your nonprofit liked their post or that you followed their page. You get to raise a little bit of attention towards your nonprofit and build their awareness that you exist! As soon as you start interacting with them, you are starting to build your relationship.

Don't be afraid to leave comments as your page – even if it's on a business page that doesn't really directly relate to your organization but it's still in your local area. For example, leave a comment on a local car wash's Facebook post with a picture of a clean car they just washed – just something simple like, "Wow! That a car is spotless!" Why? Because you are getting your nonprofit's name out there. You are building your nonprofit's reputation. And – who knows, maybe someone will see your nonprofit's comment and then use your services. Or maybe one day you'll have a fundraiser and need silent auction items and look – you've already got a relationship with a great local car wash who would be happy to return the support to your organization with a gift certificate donation.

Just remember – interact as your page so you are building your nonprofit's reputation!

Another thing you can do – this works especially well on Instagram – is start interacting with other organizations' or business' followers. For example, if a great local church has followers on Instagram, start following them as your nonprofit's account. Try "liking" one or two of their pictures, if their account is public. Again, it's kind of like a "virtual handshake" – you're getting your nonprofit's name out there and when you start following them, or liking their photos, Instagram will give them a notification about it.

Don't spam anyone and like ALL their photos or anything like that – be genuine. It's a great way to help get your organization's name out there and expand your community support.

I know – it's kind of scary to start liking a stranger's photos or follow them – but remember, you're doing this all as your nonprofit's page! They don't even know it's you – so be brave! Experiment! You got this!

Remember to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app, or get episodes delivered straight to your email by subscribing at NonprofitPotential.com.

Follow Nonprofit Potential on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for special content released throughout the week, too.

Tell someone you know about this podcast! Send them an email about it and say, "Hey! I've been listening to this podcast and I've been getting a lot out of it – just thought I'd share!"

The more you share this podcast, the more you are helping people who have so much to give to the world but might feel stuck trying to figure it all out on their own. So, help them out! Tell them about this podcast so you can help someone with a great mission get "unstuck" and move forward to make the world a better place with their nonprofit.

REMEMBER – You have so much to share that is of value! What you have to say matters! Your opinions, your instincts, your insights – they all matter! God gave you a unique life and a unique personality – that means, nobody has the same exact insight as you do. Nobody else does what you do the way you do it. God made you totally special and one of a kind, and you bring an amazing point of view to the world – be brave and share it! You are amazing!

Alright my friend, until next time!

- Lauren

Links mentioned in this episode:

Cheat Sheet on How to Interact as Your Organization's Page - Not Your Personal Profile

Episode 6 - Handling Comments as your organization's page If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/32

Ep 31: How to Dress Up Your Instagram Story with Text and Stickers Jan 21, 2020

Show notes

I just have to warn you – in today's episode, we are talking about something that is super fun and can possibly become very addicting. I'm not joking – it's Instagram Stories.

In this episode, we are talking about how to dress up your Instagram Story with text and stickers. Yes, as if Instagram Stories weren't fun enough on their own, today, we are talking specifically how to make them even better.

We'll go over how to add a written message, how to add a sticker or one of those fun little animations – if you follow me on Instagram, you know I LOVE to dress up a Story with this kind of stuff. We'll also talk about how to get rid of things you DON'T want in your Story, and a few other tips and tricks that will help you make your Instagram Stories amazing, fun and the absolute best they can be.

If Instagram is kind of scary, and you're not really sure how to create stories or dress them up, I have LOTS of resources for you.

Do you need to get familiar with the basics? Listen to Episode 8. You can also listen to Episode 16 and Episode 21 to learn even more about Instagram. That's episodes 8, 16 and 21.

Instagram is an app that's meant to be used on your phone, so you might find it useful to open up your Instagram app on your phone.

Okay, let's jump in!

So, first of all – why dress up an Instagram Story with text and stickers? Instagram is about entertainment. Yes, you're using it to spread the word about your nonprofit organization and to build relationships with your donors and the people you serve, but wouldn't you rather hear a message that is compelling and entertaining?

Here are some reasons to use text and stickers in your story:

Dressing up your Instagram Story is an opportunity to make it entertaining. To make it pop. Stand out. Memorable.
Since a lot of people view Instagram Stories without sound, stickers or text could inspire them to listen or alert them that they need to turn their sound on to hear your message.
You can add a call to action. For example, if you're having a fundraiser, you can tell people they can donate using by adding the text "link in bio" or "link in profile" You can also add a couple sentences of text to help describe your fundraiser, or the name of your fundraiser.
There are hundreds of stickers you can use on Instagram Stories - like animated arrows, squiggly lines, sparkling stars… You can add these to guide the eyes of your Story viewers where you want them to look.
Engage with your followers with stickers! There are stickers you can use to ask your audience questions or to participate in a poll. You can also have a countdown to a specific event coming up.
If you have a compelling, entertaining story, you are more likely to get reactions from your audience. They can send you a quick emoji reaction to let you know how they feel, or they can send you a whole written message. It's a great opportunity to get feedback from your audience when you use Instagram Stories.

Okay so, now that you know the basics of why we should dress up an Instagram Story with text and stickers… Let's talk about how to put text and stickers into your story.

Open up your Instagram app on your phone and start creating a new Story – tap that little camera at the top left corner of your feed.

You'll see the camera open up and already, you've got options. You can add a picture you've saved on your phone or take a new picture or film a new video.

Let's use an example:

Let's pretend we have a picture of Pamela on our camera, our pretend receptionist at our pretend nonprofit. In the picture, Pamela is sitting at her desk and this is going to be a post encouraging people to make appointments at our organization this week.

So, we add this picture of Pamela at the front desk but as soon as it pops up on the screen where you can edit the Story, there is a big date across the picture – the date the picture was taken. Instagram automatically adds the date, so let's get rid of that date before moving on to the next step. To remove the date, simply tap and hold down on it with your finger and start sliding it to the bottom of the screen. A trash can will appear – simply drag the date into the trash can.

Next, we'll add some text. Tap the two A's (Aa) in the top right corner. Now you can start typing, or you can paste in text from a note in your phone, or that you've emailed to yourself.

To grab something you've already written, just open up your Notes app on your phone, or your email app, and for most smartphones, you just tap or hold down on the text you want to copy – a little button will show up that says COPY. Just tap COPY and go back to Instagram and paste it into the Story like this: just tap the two A's in the top right corner, and tap where you want to put the text, then select PASTE when it appears.

Don't worry – if you open up your email or your Notes app while the Instagram app is open, you won't lose the work you've done so far on your brand-new Story.

Since in our example, we want people to make appointments, type in "Appointments available this week!" Experiment with trying out the different fonts, highlighting text or justifying it right, left or center by using the tools at the top of the screen. You can also adjust the font size by using the little slider bar on the left.

When you're finished writing, tap "Done." Don't worry – you can go back and edit it by simply tapping on the text again once you've closed out of it.

To move things around on the screen, like text or anything else you add to a Story, just tap and hold down on it with your finger. Then you can slide it around wherever you want on the screen.

Next, we'll dress up our post with a sticker. Just to add a little pizazz to Pamela's desk.

Try this - tap on the little square smiley face at the top and a menu will pop up.

Try searching for something in the search bar at the top – we'll type in "sunshine" for our example.

Depending on what word you search for, you see a bunch of results. You scroll through different stickers and emojis – I like to scroll all the way down to what is called the GIF or the GIPHY section. These are my favorite things to add to Instagram Stories.

We'll pick out a little animated sun with a smiley face to add above Pamela's desk… and let's add some flowers – so we'll search for spring, or flowers. We'll select a couple flowers that we like and put them in front of Pamela's desk.

Okay, so next, we'll want to add something very important that I highly recommend adding to all your Instagram Stories – the location tag.

Tap that little square smiley face again, and this time, when that menu pops up, select the little icon that says "Location."

Then, type in the town or city that your nonprofit is in. By adding a location, your Story will be found more easily by people in your local area who are looking at posts near their location – even if they aren't following you. It's a pretty handy little tool to reach a brand-new audience!

Again, I just want to remind you – if you don't like something that you've added or you made a mistake, or you feel like you've added too many things – just tap and hold down on any of the text or stickers and drag it to the trash can that appears. You can also tap and hold down on any item to move it to a different area. You can change the size of the item by pinching it with two fingers into a bigger or smaller size. Play around with it and see what looks good!

You can add hashtags to your Instagram Story, so it can be seen by more people. We talked all about hashtags in Episode 8 if you need a refresher on what a hashtag is and how to use it. You can add hashtags in a couple of ways, but I suggest just typing them in with their own little line of text. The "Instagram rules" today say you can use up to 10 hashtags in an Instagram Story.

If I am using more than 1 or 2 hashtags, I usually opt to shrink them down – you can make text bigger or smaller by pinching them with two fingers. I shrink them down and hide them behind a sticker or highlighted text or sometimes I make them the same color as some other area of the Story.

The goal is to add things to your Story to make it entertaining and compelling and get people's attention – but it can be easy to overdo it. Don't add so many things that your audience's eyes don't know where to look. That's why I like to hide things like hashtags, so my audience isn't distracted by it. Hashtags still do their job even if you can't see them.

Okay, so far, we've added text, stickers, a location and hashtags. And we've saved the best for last – the little games for engagement!

So, you have a few options for these fun engagement games. You'll find them in the menu that pops up when you tap that little square smiley face. There's the slider poll – this looks like the white bar with an emoji sliding back and forth. If you tap that, you will be prompted to ask a question. For example, you could ask, "How much do you love Fridays?" Then your audience will slide the emoji left or right on the scale as their answer. The more they move the emoji to the right, the more they agree. Try to make your poll question relevant to what your post is about. It's meant to be a fun little game and it's easy to use – so experiment and see what happens!

You can allow people to give you open ended answers by going back to the square smiley menu and tapping the questions icon. This will bring up a box where you can type in a question and your viewers will respond by typing in an answer. That is always helpful for gathering feedback, or just for fun, too.

And finally, the last quiz game that is the most helpful for a nonprofit is actually depicted by a little white box that says "Poll." Here you can type in a short poll question and give people 2 answers to choose from. For example, you could ask, "How do you like to book appointments?" One answer could be "online" and the other answer could be "phone." Your viewers can vote based on the choices you've given them. It's just another fun little way to engage with them.

Now, if you are looking at all your options on the square smiley menu, I'm sure you've noticed there is an icon for donations.

Yes, you can raise money through donations in Instagram Stories – you have to be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the US, have approval from Facebook to use their charitable giving tools, and have an Instagram business account.

If you want to go through the trouble of setting up your nonprofit to accept donations through Instagram Stories, I'll put a link to instructions on how to do that in the show notes for this episode. I'm going to tell you though – most donations to your nonprofit are going to be earned over time and through relationships you build with your donors. And if you want to give them a place to donate online, direct them to your website by adding the text "link in profile" or "link in bio."

One last thing – if you accidentally post a Story you didn't mean to, just go to your nonprofit's profile, view your story by tapping on the profile picture, and then when your Story appears, tap the three little dots on the bottom right corner and hit DELETE.

There you have it! Experiment. Have fun!

Instagram Stories are a great way to stay in the forefront of your audience's mind and grow your relationships with them. It's also a great way to be discovered by new people. and a fun way to pull back the curtain and let people see your organization

This might be a little out of your comfort zone, but that is where the most growth takes place! You can do it! You are capable of far more than you think! I know you can get the hang of all this – and you'll have fun learning!

Remember to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favorite podcast app, or get episodes delivered straight to your email by subscribing at NonprofitPotential.com. Follow Nonprofit Potential on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for special content released throughout the week, too.

Until next time, my friend

Links Mentioned in This Episode

Episode 8 - Instagram 101

Episode 16 - How to Use Instagram Stories

Episode 21 - Your Questions Answered!

How to set up your nonprofit to receive donations through Instagram Stories: How can my nonprofit raise money on Instagram?

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/31