Unlocking Your Nonprofit Potential

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Ep 20: The Power of Gratitude Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

Today, we're taking a moment to slow down and talk about an everyday habit that will change your life. It will make you feel happier and healthier. It will help you reduce stress and feel good in your everyday life, which in turn will help you be a better, more confident person for yourself and those around you.

So what is this amazing habit that will help improve your life in such a way?

Gratitude. Giving thanks every day in the form of a daily gratitude practice will change your life!

There's even scientific research that says gratitude can improve your psychological well-being. It can make people happier, improve their relationships, and potentially even counteract depression. Research even shows that gratitude may even have PHYSICAL health benefits too – like better sleep, fewer aches and pains and even better heart health.

So wait, the act of being GRATEFUL can help your mind and body to feel their best?

Yes!

Just over a year ago, I started a daily gratitude practice… and it has changed my life!

I committed to taking the Last 90 Days challenge as part of Rachel and Dave Hollis' Last 90 Days challenge – Rachel Hollis is a motivational speaker and author, and Dave is her husband and business partner. The Last 90 Days challenge is a commitment to spend the last 90 days of the year (October 1 through December 31) eating well, exercising, and cultivating good habits by making an "end of the year" resolution, instead of just having a "New Year's resolution."

Part of the challenge is that you commit to writing down 10 things that you are grateful for every day. Not like "a job" or "a house" or "my family" or big things like that… Obviously, those are wonderful things to be grateful for, but that's not the point… It's about looking around in your DAY, every day, and finding the little things that you are grateful for.

For example, I was really grateful this morning that I cut open the PERFECT avocado to put on my toast. My dog was really cute and snuggly and excited to see me when I got out of bed. I had a really great time doing yoga today. I had 10 extra minutes so I got to sit on the couch snuggled up in a blanket and drink coffee. It's clean sheet day. I had an amazing walk with my dog in the sunshine.

You get the idea. It's all about looking around in your day to day life and recognizing 10 little things you are grateful for.

By recognizing and then actually WRITING these things down, you start to realize, "Oh my gosh, my life IS SO FULL OF BLESSINGS. I have even MORE to be grateful for than I thought!"

So, I kept going with it – and I still keep doing it every day!

Even on days in the past year where things have been difficult, or challenging, or some days I just don't feel like being grateful, because I have made this practice part of my day, I still sit down, write down my 10 things, and as soon as I see those 10 things I'm grateful for on a piece of paper in front of me, I think, "Oh, you know what, I don't have it as bad as I thought I did." Or "Gee, you know what? Even when things are really challenging, I still have so much to be grateful for."

Practicing being grateful has helped me appreciate things I used to overlook. For example, this morning, my husband went outside and started my car for me - it's super cold, it snowed last night, and the windshield was frozen and covered in snow. Recognizing his kind actions makes me stop my morning madness of trying to get work done and think, "WOW, he really loves me to do that for me!"

The power of gratitude can enrich your relationships – when you start to recognize all the things the person you are in a relationship with does for you. It can make you a better leader at work when you recognize the value in the little things the people you work with are doing. It can make you a better friend, a better sibling, a better child to your parents. Gratitude can positively affect every single relationship you have in your life!

Four things to help you start a daily gratitude practice – and stick to it:

Get a journal or a notebook and a pen. Get a style that you WANT to write in, and a pen you like to write with. If you actually like the physical act of writing down your 10 things you're grateful for every day, you're more likely to keep doing it. Make sure you have something that you LIKE so you will WANT to write in it every day.
Stick to the same time every day. For me, I like to make my list in the morning while I drink my coffee. I usually have a handful of things by that time that I'm already thankful for that day, but sometimes I also look back at the day before and reflect on anything that happened then, too. You might find that you like making your gratitude list in the evening so you can look back at your whole 12 hour day at once. Maybe you want to reset your mind and your mood during your lunch break. The point is, if you carve out 10 minutes or so to devote to your gratitude list at the same time every day, it becomes part of your routine. If it's part of your routine – if it's a habit that you have in your everyday life, you're going to stick to it, just like brushing your teeth or drinking coffee.
If you're busy, do it anyway! If you're traveling, or crazy busy, or you're having a day where you DO NOT have 10 minutes to spare… Be grateful anyway. Find a way to think of 10 things you're grateful for. That might mean you wake up 10 minutes early or jot it down before bed or find a couple minutes and make a list in your head. Find 100 seconds to yourself – that's 10 seconds to think of each thing you're thankful for.
Make it extra meaningful. If you want to take your daily gratitude practice deeper, consider adding a few minutes of reading, or prayer to it. For me, all of my gratitude is centered on giving thanks to God, so prayer and my daily practice of giving thanks to God go hand-and-hand.
And after you get your habit of gratitude going…and you have extra minutes, you can write down things that you've accomplished…It might be as simple as, "I got out of bed without hitting snooze this morning." Or "I listened to my friend when they needed support." Celebrate your wins every day!

SO, there you have it. A daily gratitude practice can change your life, it can better your relationships, it can improve your mental health, and make you a happier, more confident person.

Commit to taking a little bit of time out of your day to recognize your blessings and before you know it, you'll have an entire year's worth of evidence in your hands.

Links I mentioned in this episode:

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/20

Ep 19: Why Your Facebook Ads Get Rejected Oct 28, 2019

Show notes

Rejection hurts. I don't care who you are, or where you're from or what you do, getting rejected by anything or anyone has a little – or sometimes a lot - of sting to it.

And if you're like a lot of people out there, you already have a love-hate relationship with Facebook. So, when it's Facebook that's doing the rejecting, after you've put a whole lot of time and effort into creating an ad or that perfect post that you're going to boost… and you've finally worked up the courage to give Facebook your credit card information… you hit the BOOST POST button, and then… Facebook says "YOUR AD HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED," you feel like one of those cartoon characters whose face turns beet red and then their whole head turns into a steam whistle until it explodes.

I know. I've been there. I've experienced the same frustration and rage that comes along with that situation - when you're ready to commit and take your marketing to the next level, and then rejection just deflates you like a popped balloon.

Through years of experience, trial, research, and many a chat with a Facebook customer service representative, I've found a few tricks that will help you steer clear of Facebook ad rejection.

In this episode, I'm sharing with you the things you can do – and the things you can't do – that will help your Facebook ad get approved.

For today's episode, I want you to think about Facebook as a foreign country. In this foreign country, at any time and for any reason, they can make up new rules to enforce, decide their own standards, how you should conduct yourself when you're in their country, in other words, what's appropriate for their country.

You thought you knew the lay of the land in this country, but the rules are ever changing and sometimes hard to understand, especially for Facebook ads or boosting posts for your nonprofit organization.

The good news is that MOST of the things that Facebook won't allow in ads or boosted posts are pretty common sense, and probably NOT something related to your nonprofit. There are, however, a few exceptions to the rules that you should know about because they MIGHT actually relate to your nonprofit. Here are a few types of ads that Facebook generally prohibits:

Smoking, but anti-smoking campaigns are acceptable. You can't use a picture of someone smoking though, but you can use the universal sign for NO SMOKING – the cigarette with a big red circle and a line through it…probably you'd be in the clear with that one.

Illegal drugs, pharmaceuticals or even products related to those things. Facebook will allow you to advertise about rehab programs and support groups for drug addiction. So, your picture might be of a person talking to a counselor and your text clearly spelling out that the ad is for a rehab or support group.

And a Laundry List of more topics…you can read the official policies from Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/policies/ads

If your nonprofit organization deals with anything on the long "prohibited list," you have to figure out how to make your ads fit their guidelines.

You might feel like Facebook has something against you if you're dealing with a hot-button issue, or something politically charged, but I'm telling you, you have to find a way to RISE ABOVE and play by their rules. Facebook is not personally victimizing you. This isn't personal. This is Facebook's land, and we have to play by their rules.

When creating a Facebook ad or a post you want to boost, there are "little things" that can get that ad rejected for what seems like no reason at all. Here are some of the most common mistakes:

Using too much text IN your image. If you have a picture of a girl on a beach and add an entire list of the events for the year on the picture – that's too much text in an image. Keep your message on your image short and sweet.
Targeting personal attributes. Basically, you can't say "YOU" or an equivalent word, in your ad or post.
- Facebook says you can't refer to any user's "race, ethnic origin, religion, beliefs, age, sexual orientation or practices, gender identity, disability, medical condition (including physical or mental health), financial status, membership in a trade union, criminal record, or name."

You can say, "Pregnant?" but you can't say "Are you pregnant?" You can say, "Manage depression" but you can't say "Manage YOUR depression." You can say, "Meet Christian students" but you CAN'T say "Meet other Christian students."

See what I mean? You can't even HINT that you are targeting someone's… well… anything!

So next time you get a little flag from Facebook telling you that your ad or your post doesn't meet community standards, take a look and see if your message is saying anything that could come across as targeting any kind of personal attribute.

Poor writing or grammar. 72 exclamation points doesn't get Facebook's stamp of approval. Neither does misspelling, incorrect punctuation, or all caps.
Relevancy. All the parts of your ad need to be related to each other, and to the audience you're targeting.
You need more time. Facebook advises that ads or boosted posts perform better if they run for at least 4 days. Don't wait until the day before your event to boost a post, because they might let it run at all.
Your landing page might need help. Facebook policy includes the right to deny an ad if the landing page, or the website you're linking to is spammy, or it has those same 72 exclamation points, is a dead end, is defective, or has anything sketchy about it.
- If you have tried EVERYTHING under the sun to adhere to ALL of Facebook's policies about ads, and you're still getting denied, go over the landing page you're linking to with a fine-tooth comb – that might be the problem.

About that special authorization process… If Facebook has given you notice that you need to get special authorization to run ads, you have to do it. Why? Facebook is ensuring the authenticity of political ads or anything that has to do with political issues or issues of national importance. And when I say ANYTHING related to political issues, I mean ANYTHING. Even if it's a local election in your county –

Believe me, I asked.

You might be able to get away without going through this authorization process for a while, but there will come a day that Facebook will say, "No more ads for you" until you do it."

What does this special authorization process entail?

Well, the good news is - it's less invasive than a trip to the dermatologist, but it is kind of a hassle. The whole process involves:

Uploading a picture of your ID to Facebook,
Verifying your phone number,
Then they send you a letter by SNAIL MAIL with a numeric code
You enter that number into the Facebook page they give you

The process takes about a week or so, and once you've completed it, the authorization is good for ALL the accounts you manage. Once you've got the green light, you're good across the board for Facebook.

I just want to encourage you – YOU CAN NAVIGATE THIS. Just follow the prompts from Facebook, use the tips I mentioned in this episode, and above all, don't take it personally if Facebook rejects your ad. If you want "play," these are the rules of the game that everybody has to play by.

Be brave! This isn't rocket science. It's Facebook. YOU CAN CONQUER FACEBOOK! And when you do, I promise, you are going to feel SO ACCOMPLISHED! You can do this!

Think of something scary you have done in the past – have you ever taken a big trip by yourself? Have you ever run a race? Gone on a big hike? Had a child? Adopted a dog? Bought a house? Moved to a new place? Quit your job? Figuring out how to use Facebook PALES IN COMPARISON to all the other amazing things you've already done!

Look at all you've accomplished in your life already, and then look at Facebook. YOU CAN DO THIS! You've already done so much more.

Links I mentioned in this episode:

https://www.facebook.com/policies/ads

Free Guide: How to make really good Facebook and Instagram posts If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/19

Ep 18: Need Ideas for Posts? Here They Are. Oct 21, 2019

Show notes

In today's episode, we're talking about something that's going to save you a lot of time and energy and make your life a lot easier!

We're talking about reworking and recycling just a few ideas to help you plan out NEW social media posts for weeks - or even months if you feel like reaching for the stars.

First, let's just say it - there might be times when you feel like you've said the same message over and over again, right? You feel like you don't have anything new to say and you constantly want to "freshen things up" and find a "new way" to say things, because you're completely saturated with the message.

Here's the thing though – your audience, the people who are outside of your nonprofit organization, the people in your community that you aim to reach and serve – they aren't so close to your message.

You feel like you and your message are roommates and you get tired of each other.

But your audience is not living with you and your message. Your audience doesn't even live on the same STREET as you and your message. Your audience might be SO FAR removed from you and your message, they might not even be living in the same ZIP CODE.

So remember, just because YOU might be tired of your message because you see it all the time, doesn't mean your audience feels that way about your message.

Years ago, I was a freelance writer and I used to cover big horse shows for equestrian magazines. I remember there was one show that was a month long in Oklahoma City. I wrote stories about the results of the horse show and at night, IN MY SLEEP, I would just keep repeating the horses' show names over and over again in my dreams. I'd be in this hazy dreamy sleep saying their hilarious registered show names like "Photons All Around" and "Rooooooo Star" … I felt SO TIRED of talking about these same horses all the time.

BUT to the people who were on the OUTSIDE, the audience, they weren't being constantly saturated and exposed to every little thing that happened every second of the day. They'd only catch bits and pieces of what was happening at the horse show - just a small percentage of the coverage that I was supplying about those horses.

It's the same principle in radio…When I was a full-time on-air personality at a radio station, I'd get SO TIRED of saying the radio station name ALL THE TIME, but again, the average listener is only tuning in a FEW MINUTES of the day.

So, it was important to keep repeating that station name over and over again so that listener hears it maybe once – the audience is only hearing it a fraction of the time you're saying it.

So yes, here's your validation. It's OK to be tired of the message you are trying to get out to people!

Now, what can we do to use this to your advantage?

Well, we're going to make it EASIER for you to get that message out to people by helping you take less effort to relay your message. You can spend LESS time thinking about it if you can streamline the whole process of getting your message out to people.

How do we do that? Well first, you have to know what your message IS.

Back in Episode 4 we talked about branding...if you haven't listened to that episode yet, do it asap! There's a downloadable questionnaire that will help you develop your brand AND you'll discover 5 topics that will be the cornerstone of your marketing strategy.

After you have your brand and your message identified, you're going to use those 5 topics and write them down on a calendar. Remember – you only need to be posting on Facebook and Instagram 2 to 3 times per week.

So, you can write in your planner one of these topics for each day you need a post. You only need one topic for a post. So if you come up with 5 topics and spread them out over two weeks, then you have two and a half weeks of posting totally planned out!

Here's an example…

Pretend your nonprofit organization is a community center. What would be the 5 things you want people to know about your community center?

You have event space that people can rent for a variety of different things like conferences, weddings, concerts, business conventions.
You have affordable prices for renting your facilities
You have lots of amenities that make it easy for people to host events like a chef's kitchen, lighting options, a PA, a business center
You offer a space that's in a desirable location
You host events and fundraisers of your own

There are your 5 topics to post about!

You can illustrate these 5 ideas by sharing pictures of the different spaces, testimonials from people who have had events there, highlighting different attractions that are near your community center in that desirable area, and of course, promoting your own events that you host.

Now, if you take all of those ideas and use one of them each time you need a post, you have 2 and a half weeks of posts planned out right there!

Now, what happens when you get to the end of those 2 and a half weeks?

You start the cycle over again. Remember, your audience is not spending as much time thinking or being saturated with these ideas as you are. You want to keep repeating your message to them over and over, so it becomes ingrained in their minds!

As an added bonus to doing this, you'll find it's easier to post consistently because you can always pull from one of these 5 ideas to use for a new post!

OK so how do we take these ideas and rework or recycle them into something that isn't just a blatant copy of the original post?

Here's how!

Change the picture. If you're using the formula that works best – a picture, a caption and a call to action, change the picture first.
Change up the caption. All you need to do is tweak those 1, 2 or 3 sentences of text that go with your picture. You don't have to re-invent the wheel, just re-write a little bit. Ask a question and then answer it or use a different word that you think your audience would respond to. You're just changing a couple words, not the idea.
You can leave your call to action the same if you're still driving people to your website or giving them a phone number to call if it still applies to your message.

Use this strategy to plan out your next two months of posts. Write them in your planner, rework and repeat on those 5 ideas and then schedule them!

You are going to feel like THE MOST productive person IN THE WORLD!

Here is an extra tip if you have a board to report to or donors and supporters who ask questions about marketing for your nonprofit…

Write down those 2 and a half weeks of post ideas on a calendar for the month and pass it out to people in your meeting. That calendar will showcase your plan and your strategy.
Explain the 5 principle ideas you want people in your community to know about your organization.
Describe the active, consistent presence on social media.

Having an answer for your board before they ask builds confidence for your board and donors or supporters that you are

A) Someone who knows what they're doing

B) Someone who is organized and has a plan

and are

C) A confident person who has something of value to share

If you tell someone about this plan that you have in place, it will grow their confidence IN YOU. And it will grow your confidence in yourself!

If you REALLY want to go the extra mile, you can provide your board with your actual statistics and analytics from your Facebook and Instagram posts. If you have positive numbers to share, you can really wow them by telling them how many people have seen your posts or taken action from your posts.

We talked all about statistics and analytics on Facebook and Instagram posts in Episode 12. You can listen to it at NonprofitPotential.com/12.

Here's a story for you…I used to have a standup meeting every week at a radio station where I worked, and we'd have to go around the room to report on what we'd accomplished that week. It felt like a plea not to get voted off the island sometimes.

If you have to go into that kind of meeting or situation of reporting to someone, take your plan for social media marketing and the positive numbers of the people you reached on Facebook and Instagram. Then, not only are you NOT getting voted off the island, you might even win employee of the month!

Remember, having a plan helps you understand and remember your strategy.

You don't have to re-invent the wheel – find a type of post that works best to reach the people you want to serve, and clearly explains what your organization is about, and then keep repeating it with a "fresh coat of paint."

Here's the question of the week…

Paige asked… Lauren, what is the website with the free, good quality photos you talked about in an old podcast?

Thanks for asking Paige, and thank you so much for listening! The website I mentioned that has free, good quality photos is called Unsplash.com. It has one of the BEST collections of free high-quality photos. It really is a great resource if you need a nice photo to use for your nonprofit… I'm glad Paige wrote in and asked about it so now you know about it too!

If you have a question for me – ask away! Send me a message on Facebook or Instagram or send me an email through NonprofitPotential.com and your question just might make it to the show!

Remember to download the free guide that breaks down into easy-to-understand steps how and what to do for REALLY GOOD Facebook and Instagram posts – and it's yours to keep forever.

Get access to that guide now and other great tools at NonprofitPotential.com

And remember - Keep going my friend! You got this!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Episode 4: NonprofitPotential.com/4

Episode 12: NonprofitPotential.com/12

Free Guide for Facebook and Instagram posts

Unsplash.com

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/18

Ep 17: The Secret to Getting Attention Oct 14, 2019

Show notes

Hi there! In today's very special episode, we're talking about the secret to getting attention from the people you want to reach online.

Know what the secret is? You have to give, give, give and then give some more to everyone you want to reach.

How do you do that? You use your online presence in a way that's helpful to your audience. You become a resource for people in your local area through your social media whether it's…

Facebook or Instagram
Emails
Blog posts

If you GIVE to your audience, they'll give you their attention in return. Because they are getting something out of it. They have something to gain from giving you their attention.

When they benefit from what you are telling them, you are creating the "know, like and trust" feeling in your audience.

This helps:

Form relationships with your audience
Build your credibility as someone to go to
People get to know what your organization is all about
Illustrate how you help in your community

So today, we're talking about how to keep everything simple and easy to understand. and I have some real-life examples you can use to serve your community through your organization's social media, emails and blog posts.

By the end of this episode, you are going to be fired up with ideas of how to give to your audience online and get their attention… and you'll be feeling like you can't wait to start.

Think about your social media like those free samples at Costco, or Sam's or the grocery store. Whether you actually WANT the sample or not, you usually at least slow down and take a peek at what they're offering. We like free samples because we get to try something without committing to it.

All of this applies to giving to your audience through your nonprofit organization's social media, emails and blog. By offering something that is a benefit to them, at the very least, they are going to slow down and survey what information you're handing out.

The main thing to remember before you offer anything is that above all, and most importantly, you have to stay true to your BRAND. If you only take ONE thing away from this episode, THIS IS IT. Stay true to your brand.

Remember back in episode 4, we talked about your nonprofit organization's BRAND? We talked about identifying 3-5 main things you want people to know about your organization. Those things need to be the focus when you talk about your nonprofit. Check it out at NonprofitPotential.com/4.

Social media, email, blog posts – it's not just about having a presence, it's about having a RELEVANT presence.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about…

Creating a post that says "Happy October" or "Thank goodness it's summer" doesn't have to do with a brand or a mission. The post is not serving anyone. It has no meaning or purpose.

Remember to ask yourself when you're creating content for your audience – WHO CARES? Is it just to get something on social media, or does it actually have a purpose?

Say it with me this time! Social media, email, blog posts – it's not just about having a presence, it's about having a RELEVANT presence.

Here's an example of giving to your audience using the month of October or fall, use that as a theme but not the point of your post.

I just got this great email in my inbox this morning from a pregnancy care center that had the Top 5 Things To Do when You're Pregnant this Fall… the email included some short and sweet ideas of pregnancy-friendly things to do in that nonprofit's local area, including attending the State Fair – AND, it gave a brief reminder for pregnant women to stay off the rides on the midway.

If you're a pregnant woman checking her email with a whole list of unread emails vying for your attention, this is one that is talking to her. She has something to gain from it, so she's more likely to read it.

Pro-tip: That email can be repurposed into a social media post. And it can be repurposed into a blog post. You can use all of that great content and squeeze a bunch of different things out of it! Just make sure that you are staying in your lane with one of the 3-5 main points of your brand.

OK, here are a few more examples from different types of nonprofit organizations to give you ideas for your nonprofit organization.

Let's say you're a dog rescue or a fostering program or an animal shelter – obviously you have a lot of adorable pictures of dogs to post and stories to share, but you can take your relationship with your audience to the next level by

offering tips to keep dogs active when the weather is bad outside with games and activities to do inside.
how to keep dogs safe and healthy in winter weather
signs your dog might have dental issues.

If you know about these things, or you have the ability to research these topics just a little, you can be your own expert! Use the knowledge you have to serve your audience.

If your nonprofit is a community garden, serve your audience by posting, emailing or blogging about…

your top 3 tips for taking care of roses in the fall
how to protect your plants from early season frost
or choose a really specific topic, make it a short piece with a little bit of really good information, and share it with your audience

Ask yourself, what are they going to get out of this? What is the point of this? And, most importantly, is this in line with my brand?

Always remember to use the formula that works…

On Facebook and Instagram, use:

picture
a caption and
a call to action

In an email or a blog post, it's almost the same…

a great subject line or blog title
a picture
a few paragraphs
and a call to action

Back in episode 13, I went really in depth about how to write a quality email newsletter and gave some specifics, if you want to listen to that go to NonprofitPotential.com/13

Here are a few tips for emails and blogs from that episode:

Emails only need to be about 200 words, give or take
Blog posts are good when you want to go in depth about something. Keep your blog post at 1,500 words or less – about a 7 minute read tops.

Think of your marketing as a big 3-tiered cake. At the base of the cake, you have your blog post – it's the biggest of all the tiers. Then the second tier is an email – it's a little smaller, more condensed. And at the top, you have your social media posts – it's the smallest part of the cake. Your blog is where you can go really in depth, your email is a slightly smaller version, and social media is the smallest version. It all has the same flavor, it's just in different sizes.

And – to keep going with the cake analogy, you don't have to have all three tiers. If you only have one tier right now, you're doing great. But working towards having all three tiers is an excellent goal to have.

The most important thing to remember is to GIVE, GIVE, GIVE.

Give information and let people know about your services – and keep repeating yourself with those 3 -5 things about your brand you want people to know about. If you keep doing this, you're going to see your relationships with donors and the people you serve grow.

A note of encouragement…

I know there are days where you might just feel like you're on the verge of quitting. You might feel like you just can't get traction, you're just spinning your wheels. You might feel like you keep trying and trying and nothing is happening. If any of this sounds like you – I'm here to tell you – DON'T QUIT. You cannot quit. The difference between YOU and people that fail is that you haven't quit.

You kept going, even though it was hard. Even though you didn't have overnight success. You didn't quit. You can't quit!

If you feel down – because we ALL HAVE DOWN DAYS. We all have days where we're on the verge of quitting! KEEP GOING. You've already come this far, and if you just hang in there, keep trying, keep using all the things you're learning, keep taking steps forward, one at a time, I promise, you will get to the top of that hill!

And if you get bucked off the horse – because everyone gets bucked off – getting back on is what matters.

I have some free tools and resources for you that will help you, motivate you, and guide you through your next steps… Check out NonprofitPotential.com and get in on it now. You can download things like the FREE GUIDE that breaks down into easy-to-understand steps how and what to do for REALLY GOOD Facebook and Instagram posts – and it's free and yours to keep forever.

Get access to that free guide now and other great tools at NonprofitPotential.com

Links mentioned in this episode:

Episode 4: NonprofitPotential.com/4

Episode 13: NonprofitPotential.com/13

FREE GUIDE - What Makes a Good Facebook or Instagram Post

Instagram.com/NonprofitPotential

Facebook.com/NonprofitPotential

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/17

Ep 16: How to Use Instagram Stories Oct 08, 2019

Show notes

In today's episode, we're talking about Instagram Stories. I'm going to give you the nuts and bolts of how to create an Instagram Story, with real life examples and step by step instructions!

Don't worry, you're not alone if you've never heard of Instagram Stories, much less posted one! They're a great way to engage with your audience and keep up your nonprofit organization's social media presence. And Instagram Stories are FUN! By the end of this episode, you're going to feel confident about creating your Instagram Stories!

Today, we're digging in deeper about Instagram. Back in Episode 8: Instagram 101, we talked about the basics of Instagram. But in this episode, you'll learn step by step how to use Instagram Stories to make your nonprofit organization's social media presence relevant and how you can reach more people in your local area.

So, first of all, what are Instagram Stories?

Instagram Stories are pictures or video posts that are available for 24 hours on your profile. Then, they disappear. The picture or video is shown as a short clip that lasts 15 seconds max.

You can have just one little piece to your story – one image, or one little video – or you can string together multiple pieces of a story and have them play through in order so it's like a little mini video lasting more than 15 seconds.

Where can you see these Stories? You have to be using the Instagram app on your phone to access them. When you log on to Instagram, the first thing you see is your Feed, and at the very top of the Feed – there are little orange and pink circular pictures of the people you follow. That's where Instagram Stories live.

If you tap one of those circles, you will see that person's Story. It will automatically play through the entire story and move on to the next person's story until you hit the little X to exit.

What's neat about Instagram Stories is, whatever is most recent shows up at the front of the line of Stories. If you add something to your story, you get to go to the front of the line, which is why it's important to update your stories!

What's FUN about Instagram Stories is that they are more casual, and you can use them to give a little fun peek into your nonprofit organization.

So now that you know WHAT a story is, let's talk about how to use it.

Use your phone to create a story – here are two ways you can do this…

Tap the little camera in the top left corner of your Instagram app. Your phone's camera will open – you can either take a picture or hold down the circle button at the bottom to take a video and – boom! You have a story!
You can import a picture from your phone by tapping the little picture icon on the bottom left. You can post the picture right from there.

If you want to fancy it up a little bit, try these tricks. They aren't necessary, but they are a fun way to experiment and make your story more lighthearted and off-the-cuff.

Try swiping left or right to add a filter – it'll change the lighting and mood of your picture or video.
You can add fun stickers – experiment with the options that come up when you tap the little square smiley face at the top right.
Try searching a word like "Clapping" or "confetti" or "alarm clock" or some other word in the search bar of the menu that pops up to add fun little animations or emojis to your story.
Adding a location helps people in your area to see your story – even if they're not following you.

Stories are also great for engaging with your followers and you can customize some things to engage with your audience

Tap that square, smiley face to add things like a countdown, a poll, a quiz.
You can add a message to your story by tapping the two little A's in the top right corner.
To move something around - a sticker, text, anything like that – just hold down on it with your finger and you can move it around the screen.
If you accidentally added an element that you don't like, just hold it down with your finger and drag it into the trash can that appears.

Again, there's a lot of room for experimentation – and the best part about it is that you can be creative and fun because it's not a long-term commitment – your Instagram story is going to vanish in 24 hours.

Don't like what you posted? Delete it by viewing your story (just tap on your own circle picture) and then while your story is playing, tap the three little dots in the bottom right corner. You can delete it from there.

The bottom line is, Instagram Stories are a fun and casual way to keep up your nonprofit's social media presence.

Here are some ideas for how to use those Stories you created!

Use the Instagram Story to introduce your team… Just open up the Stories camera like we talked about, start filming, and have one of your staff or volunteers say hi, what they do and what they like about working with your nonprofit organization. Keep it short – stories are meant to be brief and casual.
If video isn't jiving with one of your team members, just post a picture of them (with their permission of course!) and type in a little fun fact and introduction about them.

PRO-TIP for you – when you're taking pictures or video, use your phone VERTICALLY. Not horizontally. Instagram Stories play in vertical – up and down – mode only.

More ideas for using your Stories:

If you have an event, or something where it would be fun to take a look "behind the scenes" snap some photos or a video and add them to your story – add a little bit of text or a location to let people know what exactly is going on so they can understand what's happening!
If you want to better explain something about your organization – to give people a peek inside your nonprofit's facility, or what you can do for them – Instagram Stories are a GREAT place to do that!

IF YOU'RE READY FOR MORE INSTAGRAM…

A great feature about Instagram Stories is that you CAN SAVE them to your profile if you want to keep them longer than 24 hours. For example, if you gave a tour of your facility and it's something you want people to be able to see permanently…

You can HIGHLIGHT it:

Go to your nonprofit's Instagram profile
Tap the PLUS SIGN circle that says "HIGHLIGHT" underneath it. That will bring up an archive of your stories – past and present – yes, you'll see the ones that aren't even alive on Instagram anymore.
Then, select in order segments from your archive – remember, choose a theme – like a tour of your facility, or pictures and videos from a specific event, or staff introductions – and then tap NEXT…
Choose a cover photo, add a short title – it has to be REALLY SHORT – between 11 and 13 characters – and then tap ADD in the top right corner.

You've created your first Story Highlight!

This will appear just below your bio and above your image gallery on your nonprofit organization's Instagram profile. If you want to delete a highlight, just hold down on it with your finger and select Delete Highlight.

Really, I encourage you to experiment! Instagram Stories and Highlights are meant to be casual and the more you play around with it, the more fun it is, and the more confident you'll be come. And if you mess up, it's ok! If it's truly something you don't want on your Instagram profile, you can always delete it.

One last fast fact about Instagram Stories – if your nonprofit organization's Facebook is linked to your Instagram, your Instagram Story will show up on your Facebook Story too!

So, there you have it – the nuts and bolts of how to create an Instagram Story! I hope you feel more confident trying out this fun and helpful feature that will help you build relationships with your social media audience.

As always, remember WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS! Remember your mission! Remember that you are making a difference in your community.

Celebrate your wins, no matter how small they are, and keep taking little steps forward with your social media and they'll turn into bigger things!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Episode 8 - Instagram 101: NonprofitPotential.com/8

Free Guide: What Makes a Good Facebook and Instagram Post

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/16

Ep 15: How to Balance Social Media at Work Oct 01, 2019

Show notes

Ok raise your hand if you have ever opened Facebook or Instagram to do what was supposed to be just a quick little thing… and 20 or 30 minutes… or A WHOLE HOUR has gone by?

Time you had planned to use productively has VANISHED and you can't get it back! Your schedule is off now, and you have to start sacrificing important things you had planned to do. Now you feel stressed, you did have a plan.… at least until the moment you got sidetracked on social media and it all went down the drain.

Can you relate to any of this? If you can, you're not alone, so don't beat yourself up about time lost – just use it better going forward.

In today's episode, we're talking about how to balance social media at work. I'm going to share with you my best tips on how to take control, and make the most out of the time you spend on social media and avoid wasting time!

Here are four tips I listed to help you balance social media at work:

Plan your posts out ahead of time. Keep the topics of your posts on topic – your brand and who you are talking to.

Set a timer for 30 minutes to create a post and put it on Facebook and Instagram. This mindset will keep you from going down rabbit holes and it creates accountability.

Resist the temptation to look at your news feed. Not only is it a waste of time, it takes the wind out of your sails when you start comparing yourself to others!

Know when to quit. If you can't concentrate even when you're trying hard, don't try to force it. Come back to it later and it will probably be a lot easier to finish and a better product.

Everybody only gets 24 hours, and you get to choose how to spend it. So, take the stuff we talked about today and use that to help you balance your time on social media at work. Spend your 24 hours wisely!

Remember to check out the free tools we have on NonprofitPotential.com like the free guide that breaks down into easy-to-understand steps What Makes a Good Facebook and Instagram post Oh and when you're scrolling through social media later today, take a second and find Unlocking Your Nonprofit Potential on Facebook and Instagram – just search for Nonprofit Potential. I post tips and tricks and inspiration throughout the week there, so don't miss those! And be sure to like Nonprofit Potential on Facebook and Instagram. Thank you!Links Mentioned in This Episode:

Episode 4: NonprofitPotential.com/4

Episode 6: NonprofitPotential.com/6

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/15

Ep 14: How to Make an Impact with Your Posts Sep 23, 2019

Show notes

Have you ever heard that saying "Clear as mud?" You know, when you're trying to explain something to someone, and you realize you've taken something that was simple and overcomplicated it?

Sometimes that's what happens with Facebook and Instagram posts. You're afraid you might only have this one chance to tell them about your nonprofit organization, so you tell them everything! But in this crazy, busy, distracting world we live in, it's more important than ever to give people little bite sized pieces of information on Facebook and Instagram.

In today's episode, we're talking about how to create those little bite sized pieces of information. By keeping things crystal clear, your followers can understand what you're saying to them and have a good feeling about your nonprofit organization. Then as they get to know, like and trust you, they will keep coming back for more.

This is a skill, and if you practice it, you'll be amazed at the crowd you'll begin to attract with your Facebook and Instagram posts. You have to remember two things about your people on social media:

Your Facebook and Instagram audiences' attention span is short. You have SECONDS to make an impression on someone on social media, and if they don't understand what you're saying right off the bat, they'll just scroll on by to the next thing they see on Facebook and Instagram.
They don't know your nonprofit organization like you do. You might know every single detail about your nonprofit organization and how great your mission is. Seeing your organization's Facebook and Instagram post might be the first time someone has ever heard of you, so get straight to the point with a bite sized message.

Here are four easy, doable tips to help you create ULTRA CRYSTAL CLEAR messages:

Focus on ONE TOPIC per post.Knowing your brand helps you be clear when you talk about your nonprofit organization. In Episode 4, there is a fun quiz to help you figure out what the 3 – 5 most important things your nonprofit does. Once you identified those, then you can make those things into little bite sized pieces of information for posts.
Keep your posts simple. Try to give your audience a sip of water, not a drink from a firehose. You can do this by using the outline that WORKS! Every post should have a picture, a caption and a call to action. A picture can be an actual picture you have permission to use. A caption is 1-2 sentences with the main point of your post. A call to action is when you tell your audience to call your phone number, or visit your website and you include the link.
Pretend you're new in town. Don't assume your audience knows anything about you. Talk to them like this is the first time they're meeting you. Focus on keeping your posts simple and to one topic, and they will be able to learn about you a little at a time instead of just scrolling by because there is too much to read.
Give only the "Need to know" information. I know you might be tempted to share lots of information because you think it might help someone make up their mind, but if they don't even read your message because you've overloaded it with details, then what's the point?

So there you have it, four things you can do today to help your message be crystal clear. Focus on one topic per post, keep it simple, pretend like you're new in town and give only the "need to know" info.

If you apply these four things to everything in your nonprofit – your website, your emails, your events, all your different kinds of advertising, your social media, you will be amazed at how much of an impact you can have. Your words will have more impact because you removed all the clutter!

Over time, your messages will bring new people to your nonprofit. Keep showing up with clear messages and consistently.

And always keep in mind WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS! It's easy to get bogged down in the day to day stuff, but always remember your WHY. You are making a difference in the world. A big difference is the culmination of a lot of little steps.

So take that next little step today and make your message clear so your audience can understand you!

Remember to check out the free tools we have on NonprofitPotential.com like the FREE GUIDE that breaks down into easy-to-understand steps What makes a good Facebook and Instagram Post

I'd love to be friends and learn about what kind of nonprofit organization you work with so I can give you a shout out and use examples that apply to your situation – so keep in touch on Facebook and Instagram, just search for me under Nonprofit Potential.

Links mentioned in this episode:Episode 4: NonprofitPotential.com/4

Episode 7: NonprofitPotential.com/7

Canva.com

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/14

Ep 13: 5 Things You NEED to Know About Email Newsletters Sep 17, 2019

Show notes

Ok my friend, in today's episode, we're talking about 5 Things You NEED to Know About Email Newsletters! EMAIL newsletters grow your relationships with donors, supporters and the people your nonprofit organization serves in your community.

OK, you know, I LOVE a good metaphor… So, here's another one for you.

Imagine that your donors and supporters are like plants growing in a garden. These plants get watered regularly with Facebook and Instagram.

If you add in sending out consistent EMAIL – it's like giving these plants FERTILIZER! If you tend to these plants with water AND fertilizer – those babies are going to be in full bloom year-round!

Why? Because according to recent research, people prefer email for communicating with the brands they're connected with – yes that includes your nonprofit organization.

If your nonprofit has multiple audiences you are talking to (donors, supporters, people you serve), you can use separate email lists to nurture your relationships with each group.

Here are the 5 Things You NEED to Know About Email Newsletters:

Write a great subject line. Think about it – if you get an email with a weak or boring subject line, do you want to open that email? No… probably not! You might even just delete it without even opening it, especially if it's a business or an organization. So, try to make your subject line genuine, interesting and of course, in-line with what your email is about.
Use the right framework: A picture, a paragraph and a call to action. Why? Because it WORKS! The picture captures someone's attention right off the bat, the paragraph goes into more detail, and the call to action clearly lets that person know what they should do after they read the email.
Put the most important information first. Pretend like you only have ONE SENTENCE to tell someone what your email is about. Make that the first sentence of your email. Start strong and tell them right away what your email is about in that first sentence.
Keep it simple and short. Your emails should be a quick and easy read and about ONE TOPIC. Try to keep your emails to about 200 words, or about 20 lines - if it needs to be longer, or shorter, that's OK – but just remember, take out anything that your audience doesn't have to know about. If it's not going to help your audience take action, then leave it out.
Give them something. Give them a reason OPEN and read your email. Remember, they're asking 'Why does this matter to me?"

Earlier I mentioned having two email lists – one list for your donors and your supporters, and one for the people that you serve. Why two lists? Because you're going to give these two groups of people two different things.

You're going to give your donors and supporters the uplifting, positive feelings they get because they are helping the community or a cause. But again, keep it ONE TOPIC to an email.

For the people you serve, you're giving them resources in your emails - small, digestible pieces of information that can help them with like a class or a freebie.

Serve your audiences through email. It's all part of building that know, like and trust factor.

Try committing to sending out an email newsletter just once a month. If you LOVE writing emails and you thrive at it, you can work up to once a week, but again, the most important thing is that you are consistent. So, commit to a goal you can achieve.

And finally, always remember WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS! I know there is so much day to day stuff that can be overwhelming and distracting from your purpose and your mission, but always remember your WHY. What was it that first inspired you to get involved with your nonprofit organization? Take ownership of that! Keep that fire burning! You are making a difference in the world. A big difference is the culmination of a lot of little steps. So, take that next little step today, and get to work on your next email! You ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! What you're doing MATTERS.

Remember to check out the free tools we have on NonprofitPotential.com like the easy-to-understand guide for how to make REALLY GOOD Facebook and Instagram posts.

Get access to the free guide now at Nonprofit Potential.com

Episode 7: NonprofitPotential.com/7

Email me your "how do I…" questions about Facebook or Instagram – I'd love to answer you on the podcast. nonprofitpotential.com/contact

Let's be friends… Find me on social media and let me know what kind of nonprofit or business you're working with! Here's where to find me:

Facebook.com/NonprofitPotentialInstagram.com/NonprofitPotential

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/13

Ep 12: How Many People Have REALLY Seen Your Post? Sep 10, 2019

Show notes

Do you have a bookshelf? Have you read everything on it? Is there a book there that you've seen time and time again, but you've never read it because maybe you don't know what it's about, or maybe the title is a little intimidating?

Well, today, we're taking that book off the shelf… And we're diving into an area that might be a little out of your comfort zone – we're talking about Facebook and Instagram analytics – also known as, your social media stats!

This is definitely something you should care about and that you can use as an awesome tool to help you know what kind of things you should post about, what time of day, and what days to post. It can also help you understand how to better market the services your nonprofit organization offers and communicate better with your audience.

So, get ready, we're taking that unread book off the shelf and wading into the waters of this technology today. And I predict that you're going to feel A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE with your Facebook and Instagram stats!

SO – Let's start with Facebook …

Right underneath your nonprofit's Facebook posts there are numbers. Know that things look a little different if you're on your phone or if you're on a computer, but that's ok, you can find out the same stats. Here's how:

If you're looking at a post on your phone, it will say People Reached and if you're on a computer, it will also say Engagements.

"People Reached" is the number of people who saw your post. It means, your post came across the screens of that number of different people.

A couple of ways to up this number is by posting consistently and always remember to ask yourself, "What is my audience going to get out of this post?" That will keep you on track for posting good content!

TIP: Two things that are popular across Facebook and Instagram accounts are how-to types of posts and inspirational quotes. Check out Episode 2 for a deeper dive into this.

Now, you might be like "Well, hey that's all well and good, but what, is Facebook going to just KNOW if something is good or not and then make it show up on more people's screens?"

That, my friend, brings us to the next little stat you should pay attention to…

Engagements is the number underneath your nonprofit's post just to the right of People Reached on a computer. Engagements are any action someone takes on your post.

You'll see a whole new world of information by clicking on Engagements or People Reached – try checking it out – especially on a computer because it really gets into detail. It's like tracing your posts' steps across the internet!

You can see WHAT WORKS. You can see what your audience is interested in. You can see what action someone took when they saw your post – for example, comment, like, share, visit your link. This is important because the more Engagement, the more reach your post will have.

When you have a post that works – KEEP DOING THAT!

Let that post inspire you to create other posts that are similar.

One more thing about Facebook and then we are going to move on to Instagram…

Click on the INSIGHTS tab at the top of your nonprofit's page, scroll down on the Insights Page, you'll see your most recent posts. That's where you can actually SEE which ones have performed better than others.

INSTAGRAM

Look at Instagram on your phone – make sure you are signed into your nonprofit organization's account. AND if you need a refresher on that, there's a link for a quick tutorial at the bottom of these show notes.

Once you're logged onto your nonprofit's Instagram account…

- Go to your profile and click on one of your posts.

- Under the picture, you'll see it says VIEW INSIGHTS in little blue words, right under the picture. If you don't see it, double check to make sure you're logged into your nonprofit's Instagram account – not your personal account.

- Tap View Insights and a little window will pop up on the bottom of the screen, tap that and it will get bigger.

There, YOU CAN SEE ALL YOUR STATS for that post.

You'll see reach, which is the same thing as it is on Facebook

You'll also see Interactions... Interactions means when someone went to your profile to see more of your posts and find out more about you.

Insights on Instagram shows how many individual accounts you reached, what percentage weren't following you – that's a good number to know, because it will tell you if you're reaching NEW people.

You can also see Impressions and find out if your hashtags were effective.

If you want to practice with hashtags, check out Episode 8 – it's full of step-by-step, easy to understand instructions for Instagram.

Try exploring all these different stats on both Facebook and Instagram and use them to help you know what you're doing right. If you just take a little time to look at these numbers, regularly you'll feel more confident and you'll be able to know what's working and where you're doing the right thing!

Three things to REMEMBER:

Keep your posts short and sweet
Use good pictures
Make your content worthwhile to your audience

And hey, seriously… YOU CAN DO THIS! Keep your eye on the prize – you are using Facebook and Instagram, or the "new word of mouth" to reach the people you want to serve. Remember – you don't have to do everything and learn everything in one day! Baby steps still move you forward! Just take it all ONE STEP AT A TIME, and remember, I am HERE with you every step of the way. You got this!

Click here for a free tutorial on how to sign in to your nonprofit organization's Instagram account.

Links I mentioned in this episode:

Episode 2: NonprofitPotential.com/2

Episode 8: NonprofitPotential.com/8

Send me an email! I'd love to hear what questions you have! nonprofitpotential.com/contact

Let's be friends… Find me on social media and let me know what kind of nonprofit or business you're working with!

Facebook.com/NonprofitPotential Instagram.com/NonprofitPotential

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

Subscribe to the podcast so you won't miss an episode that will be chock full of handy tips and tricks that will help you in growing your nonprofit organization. Click here to subscribe in iTunes or get new episodes in your email!

If you're feeling extra generous today, please leave me a review – I'd love to hear from you, plus you'll be helping other nonprofits find this podcast, too! Just click here to review, select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and be sure to tell me what kind of nonprofit you work with! Thank you!

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/12

Ep 11: How to Wrap Up Your Event Sep 03, 2019

Show notes

In a special addition to last week's episode about the Three Step Plan for Event Marketing (Episode 10) this week, we're talking about what to do after your event and why it's important to keep up the marketing with Facebook, Instagram and emails even after the big day has come and gone.

If you're like me, your favorite part of the event is after it's over… The stress of all the planning and making sure everything happens the way it's supposed to is over. You want to sit back and smile at all the things that went right and make note of things that didn't go as you planned.

But if you want to finish strong and take advantage of the opportunity you have to grow your next event; you can't quit thinking about it just yet. You've got to bring it all full circle.

Posting on Facebook and Instagram after the party lets everyone remember how great it was and feel like they were part of something special. And everyone who WASN'T there sees what they missed out on. Create some of that FOMO – that fear of missing out – and make them want to attend your next event!

Posting about it on social media is also a great way to pour on the gratitude – something you can't do enough of. And in this day and age, Facebook and Instagram have that INSTANT GRATIFICATION factor – people want to re-live what they experienced ASAP – so posting pictures and thank yous on social media within a day or two is a great way to cement people's positive feelings about your event and make them want to be involved again next year.

Now, I think we can all agree that the day after an event are all about recovery. You're exhausted. You're worn out. You don't want to do anything. So that's why if you take these 3 steps before the big event, you can make your life a whoooole lot easier afterwards. If you do these three things to do before the event – if you don't, you'll wish you had!

Ask two volunteers to take pictures with their phones at the event – even if you have a professional photographer
Draft a thank you email to your attendees before the event. (don't send it until after the event) Leave space in the email to add one of those pictures your volunteers took from the event.
Pour on the thank yous to any and every one that helped you in anyway. Write a short thank you note, add a piece of chocolate and leave it on their desk.
Bonus! Don't forget to add all the names of the attendees to your database for next year.

If you have any questions, I'd love to hear them so we can answer them in an upcoming episode, and you'll be helping others who might have the same questions! I absolutely LOVE hearing from you. Get in touch by going to NonprofitPotential.com/contact and let me know what questions you have.

Remember to subscribe to the Unlocking Your Nonprofit Potential Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favorite podcast player… And you can also listen directly on website NonProfitPotential.com and sign up for email reminders there, too.

I want to know what kind of nonprofit you're working with! So, find me on Facebook and Instagram – and tell me what your nonprofit is so I can thank you for listening! Just search for NonprofitPotential on Facebook and Instagram.

And hey, I just want to remind you, especially if you're just starting out, YOU GOT THIS! You CAN DO THIS! And I'm going to be here to help you along the way with tangible, do-able, step-by-step tips to help your nonprofit reach more people in your area.

Links I mentioned in this episode:

Episode 10: NonprofitPotential.com/10

MailChimp: mailchimp.com

Constant Contact: constantcontact.com

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

If links are not visible in your podcast app, visit the Episode Webpage and Show Notes at https://nonprofitpotential.com/11.