Six Podcasts to Help Your Nonprofit or Social Enterprise Thrive

Are you looking for a change of pace in content? Whether you’re more of an auditory learner or just would like to listen instead of read for a bit, I’ve got you covered! I’m certainly a writer at my core, but I’ve also had the pleasure of being a guest on some really great podcasts hosted by some amazing creators and leaders over the years.

These episodes are full of inspiring conversations, expert advice, and are just fun to listen to—if I do say so myself. And now you have them all in one place! Podcasts are great to listen to on walks, long drives, while cranking out some work, or just in any spare time you can find. 

Listen in on six of my favorite conversations below to help your nonprofit or social enterprise thrive.

Tell Your Story With Content Marketing

GoodMakers is a weekly podcast from goodgigs founder Dale Wilkinson. It features  personal growth techniques, career and productivity tips, social enterprises, corporate social responsibility, and freelancing for good. 

In my episode, I talk about why content marketing is critical when building a social impact brand and how it benefits your mission. I also cover what you need to do first before you start creating content, how often you should be developing content, and share ideas on how to distribute and promote your content. 

This is a must-listen if you’re trying to figure out how to leverage your nonprofit or social enterprise’s unique story—because it deserves to be shared!

>>> Listen to the episode here. 

How to Leverage Your Influence to Make a Difference

Business with Purpose with Molly Stillman of StillBeingMolly.com interviews some of the world’s most generous entrepreneurs and inspires listeners to make an impact by supporting businesses with purpose.

I had an incredible conversation with Molly on her podcast about some really heavy-hitting but oh so important topics. We discuss issues like human trafficking, racism, religion, and faith, but we also talk about how the biggest inspirations can come from the little things in life. 

If you often find yourself wondering how to make a difference in the world, where to start, and what to do, this one's for you! 

>>> Tune in to the episode here. 

Improve Your Brand Identity 

Business Radio X is a dedicated group of people who help solopreneurs, professional organizations, and brands build communities around the people who matter the most to them. Atlanta Cares Radio spotlights the city’s best businesses and the people who lead them.

I was joined by two other guests and business leaders for this fantastic conversation. and I talk about how I started Signify and share the tips that helped me in the beginning, gush about my favorite organizations, and give my best advice for how to improve your brand identity and drive your mission to succeed. 

The episode also features Philip Coven, who specializes in in-town Atlanta commercial real estate, and my friend, Kitti Murray, founder of Refuge Coffee Co., a nonprofit that gives refugees opportunity and true refuge through coffee and community service.

>>> Give it a listen here. 

10 Steps to Upgrading Your Website

The Small Nonprofit Podcast by The Good Partnership gives you down-to-earth, practical, and actionable expert guidance on how to run a small nonprofit. And Cindy and her team are not only knowledgeable, but pretty fabulous! (She also has a new book out!)

This episode is a super important one because we talk all about websites: the common mistakes, how to fix them, and what you can do to drive more traffic (and therefore more support for your cause) to your nonprofit or social enterprise. 

Tune in to hear us debunk common website myths and offer practical tips you can implement to build your ideal website.

>>> Hear all about it here. 

Cause Marketing: Making a Big Impact as a Small Business

Start Marketing is a podcast hosted by marketing expert Katlynn Pyatt. Each week, Katlynn and her guests break down a popular marketing strategy and teach you how to put it into action with authentic and accessible advice. 

In my conversation with Katlynn, we talked in depth about how to utilize cause marketing to grow your business. We also discussed how to have a big social impact even as a small business, how to evaluate social marketing opportunities, and how to talk about the causes you support without sounding self-serving. There’s some great content in this one! 

>>> Learn while you listen and download it here. 

Copywriting and Marketing for Cause-Focused Organizations

The Hero Show, hosted by Richard Matthews, takes a peak behind the masks of modern day superheroes and helps tell their stories.

Philanthropy is a good marketing strategy, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg of this episode. We honed in on copywriting and how it’s an integral part of the relationship between entrepreneur and customer. For those of you who struggle with writing, this episode will provide you with some helpful tips. 

We also touch on recognizing and fixing your money issues, streamlining and simplifying workflow, defining your audience, and navigating the big world of cause-focused organizations as a small one. 

>>> This is a podcast you don’t want to miss. Listen to it here.

I loved my time on all of these shows and highly recommend subscribing to any (or all!) of these podcasts. I really enjoyed sharing my story, my best advice, and talking more about the topics I’m passionate about so that more nonprofits and social enterprises can succeed.

I’m confident that if you listen to any (or all) of these episodes you’ll take away something helpful for your nonprofit or social enterprise. Now, go tune in and get inspired! 

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I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.

Want To Do More Speaking? This Is A Must.

Even with all the newfangled technology at our disposal, public speaking is still one of the best ways to get the word out about your cause. It’s an oldie, but a goodie. Plus, with the aid of technology, you now have more options than ever to speak publicly. It could be on a stage, radio, television, podcast, or video interview.

I repeatedly hear from clients and friends how their donations and sales were boosted after a speaking gig. That reason alone makes it a high priority for a lot of social impact organizations. And, if that’s the case for you, I’d like to give you one tip for making every speaking opportunity easier for both you and your host.

What’s the tip? Create a media kit. And it’s so simple to do you’ll wonder why you didn’t create it earlier.

So, let’s discuss what a media kit is, what goes into it, where it lives, and some best practices.

What Is A Media Kit?

Think of a media kit like your organization in a nutshell. It’s the basics that anyone would need for getting an overview of your nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business. That’s what makes this such a great tool to have on hand. Yes, all of this info can be found on your website, but by building a media kit, you’re going to make it very easy for your host to find everything they need in one place. (And that’s why they’ll love you!)

It’ll also help you look more professional, and you know that’s one thing I love to help people with. By creating a media kit, you’re showing your host that you’re a pro who can be taken seriously. And, by the way, that will make you more appealing as a speaker.

What Goes Into a Media Kit?

Assuming that you’re speaking on behalf of your organization, here are a few essentials that you should include:

• Bio

• Short organization overview

• Headshot

• Logo

• Social media links

• Contact info

If you want to get a little more fancy, here are a few other things you can add:

• Bios of different lengths

• Photos and/or videos of your work

• Previous press mentions

• Speaker one sheet

• Statistics for your organization or your cause

• Annual report

• Awards

• Info for taking a tour, reviewing a product, or receiving a free copy of your book

• Think about things you regularly get asked by event hosts or podcasters and add it here for ease.

At some point in reading this, you may have wondered to yourself what the difference is between a media kit and press kit, so let me address that quickly. A media kit is the foundation. It has all those basic pieces we talked about. A press kit is generally used for launches and more timely information.

With a press kit, you’re going to give journalists and media outlets everything they need to write a story about you, possibly because it’s brand new and there’s not much info to be found online yet. So, a press kit might also include a press release, fact sheet, additional photos or videos, or story angles. Remember, anything included in a press kit is probably going to be more relevant for an upcoming timeframe, such as a launch.

Want an example? Here’s mine. I mostly use it for podcast interviews, so it’s fairly basic. No need to go overboard.

Where Should a Media Kit Live?

Back in ye, ol’ days of public relations, I created a lot of media and press kits when I worked at a boutique hospitality PR firm. And here’s the kicker—we mailed them! Yep, this was the early 2000s, and not everything was available online. I know, shocker. We were mailing paper packets with CDs. Then we got fancy and moved to USBs. But now, you can host everything on your website.

Where your media kit should live on your website depends on your goals. If speaking is a high priority for you, put it in a prominent place like your About page. You can add a blurb and link to an existing page or give it a tab in your website navigation. You may even need to add it in more than one place.

If speaking isn’t a high priority, and you just want to make your host’s job easier, then it can simply be a link sent via email. That’s the way my media kit is setup at the moment. I typically use it for podcast interviews, so you won’t find it in the navigation of my website. However, should things change, it’s a quick and easy fix.

Think about your goals and what makes sense when browsing through your website. Because you’re at a cause-focused organization, it may also make sense to add it to the ways people can support you.

Best Practices

As you can tell from what you’ve read so far, the goal of having a speaker media kit is to not only make your life easier, but your host’s life as well. It’s 2019, and no one wants to be emailed a bunch of attachments.

Plus, if you’re at a nonprofit or social enterprise that annually revises bios or head shots, then you only have one place to make updates. No wondering where the latest version is located.

Think about your media kit. Think about your goals. What should be included, and when should it be used? If it’s fairly basic, it can be used for many different situations.

But if you find yourself wanting to add a bunch of things, hold up a minute. You don’t want it to become a chore to look through. It should be a helpful tool that’s simple to navigate.

So, if your list has gotten a little out-of-control, then consider removing items or creating different kits for different purposes. For example, you may have one that’s tailored just for the book you wrote and another for the organization as a whole.

The beautiful thing about websites and media kits today is that they can be created and edited pretty quickly. In fact, you should be able to build a basic media kit in less than an hour. Finally, something you can add to, and take off, your To Do List in the same day!

Once you have your speaker media kit created, you’ll see how often it comes in handy, and then you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

Have one that you love? Include it in the comments, or tell me how having one has helped you.

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I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.

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Ask the Experts: Podcasting Trends and Strategies

Each month, I invite guest contributors to speak about timely, relevant, and sought-after topics that are important for cause-focused organizations like yours to be aware of as you grow. For November, I've invited my friend, Sarah Bragg of the Surviving Sarah podcast, to tell us all about the how, why, trends, and strategies of podcasting. I know a lot of you listen to podcasts, and maybe even wonder if you should start one. Here's what Sarah has to say.

Q. What are the latest trends in podcasting?

A. Five years ago, many of us couldn’t name a podcast, or maybe we didn’t even know what a podcast was. And now, 350 new podcasts start every day. There are currently over 250,000 unique podcasts on iTunes and 42 million Americans listen to a podcast each week. That last number represents 15% of the population and, for comparison sake, only 3% of the population goes to the movies each week.

As content consumers, we are hungry to find ways to consume content in a faster way, and podcasts resolve that tension for us. We no longer have to sit in front of a screen to read or even watch something. We can now consume content while exercising, running errands, folding laundry, or hiding in the closet from our kids.

As you can see from these stats, podcast consumption is a steady growth of opportunity to reach and influence your audience.

Q. What is the biggest mistake you see people making in regards to podcasting?

A. I think that one of the biggest mistakes I see people make in the podcast industry is jumping in without ever clarifying the "why." They fail to ask some important questions in the beginning. Is this just a hobby or will you treat it like a job (even if it doesn’t pay yet)? Either answer is fine, but it defines your approach. What is your purpose in starting the show? What do you want the audience to receive as a result of listening to the show? Many people fail to sit down and think through the nature of their show. Without clarifying those answers, some shows trail off after some time because even though hosting a show can be convenient, it is also time consuming.

Knowing the answers to those questions pushes me to create content in certain ways. It helps me think through why I do what I do; what kind of ads I’ll allow on the show; and encourages me when comparison wants to steal my joy.

 

Q. What is your best piece of advice to people thinking of starting a podcast?

A. One of my favorite podcasts is Off Camera with Sam Jones. Each week, Sam sits down with a different celebrity to hear their story of how they started and how they came to where they are now. And one of my favorite episodes is his interview with Will Ferrell. At some point in the interview Will said, “Forgetting to have fun is the first step towards disaster.” That was it for me. Podcasting is meant to be fun, encouraging, and entertaining. It’s an easy platform to literally speak into someone’s life. And yes, we need to clarify why we do it, but we also need to remember to have fun. I’ve been podcasting for two years now. I don’t get a full-time salary, but I still have fun each time I sit down to have a conversation around my table.

 

Q. What is one thing readers can take action on this week?

A. No matter which end of the spectrum you are on, decide this week to investigate some podcasts. As leaders, innovators, and people who care deeply for others, podcasts are great for you personally. There are many shows out there that can encourage you through their stories of starting social enterprises or nonprofits, or of working to make a difference in the world. Allow their stories to inspire what you do.

And podcasts can also be a piece of your marketing puzzle. Maybe you can speak into a certain niche, so starting a show might be beneficial. Or maybe advertising on certain show would help get your business in the ears of new listeners. Or maybe you could be a guest on a show in order to promote what you are doing. The possibilities are endless.

 

Q. Anything else we should keep in mind?

A. If you are thinking about starting a podcast, my friend Jacey Verdichio created an excellent resource to walk you through everything you need to know from clarifying your why to launching in iTunes.

Terrific information. Thanks, Sarah!

And if you're in need of a few more convincing stats on podcasts, check out this infographic. It's pretty compelling!

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Sarah Bragg launched a successful podcast, Surviving Sarah, in 2015 where she invites guests to join her around her kitchen table to talk about surviving life so that women will be inspired, informed, encouraged and entertained. 

In addition to that, she is an author, speaker and content director for Orange. She and her family reside in Marietta, GA.

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing, and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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