Top 5 Blog Posts Of 2020

2020, am I right?

Whew. It’s been a year for the history books. Between the pandemic, racial injustice, natural disasters, presidential election, and more—we’ve survived a lot in the last 12 months.

And as nonprofit and social enterprise leaders, this year has also been a strain. Many small businesses (and large ones) have closed their doors and many nonprofits have lost significant event revenue and donations.

Despite it all, though, there are some silver linings: GivingTuesday was a smash, people have learned more about their priorities, and masses have supported racial justice as well as small and local businesses. Those are all things to celebrate.

We’ve also learned a few things (I know I have). You can share in that some of that knowledge in the blog posts below. These posts are what Signify readers found most interesting and helpful this year, and I hope you find them valuable, too.

So, as you usher in the holiday season, the most magical time of the year, take this opportunity to educate yourself—and then let’s show 2020 the door!

1) 29 Sensational Nonprofit and Social Enterprise COVID-19 Success StORIES

You don’t have to look far to see the devastating effect that the coronavirus is having on small businesses and nonprofits. It’s very scary out there. But, in the midst of all the bad, there are nonprofits and social enterprises that have found success during COVID-19. They are proof that, no matter your mission, people are still buying and donating.

These scrappy, cause-focused organizations have exercised creativity despite the constraints. They are an example for all of us to follow as we pivot in the short-term in order to be around in the long-term.

The nonprofits and social impact companies highlighted in this post are just a few examples of what your future could look like. Theses mini case studies are meant to serve not as a blueprint, but as a jumping off point. I hope you see yourself in their stories.

Read the full post . . .

2) The Ultimate Guide to Social Impact Websites

Outside of your people, your website is your nonprofit or social enterprise’s greatest marketing asset. It’s also one of the most important tools you have to help you make a bigger social impact. In fact, it’s so important that we’re going to look at it from just about every angle.

From what you should do before you create or update your website, to writing and designing it, to how to promote it after going live, this is your ultimate guide to social impact websites.

It’s time to build and engage a larger audience, increase your sales or donations, and do more good. This is one tool to help you do just that.

Read the full post . . .

3) COVID-19 Resources for Nonprofits and Social Impact Companies

There’s no question about it: Our world has changed. As we grapple with the reality of COVID-19, we are all struggling to keep up—not just as individuals, but as nonprofit leaders and business owners.

Fear and anxiety are high. Supplies feel scarce. Distraction is in overdrive.

And yet, our world needs your work more than ever.

According to the Small Business Administration, 99% of businesses in the United States are small businesses, and this includes nonprofits. Of those, 88% have less than 20 employees. In fact, small businesses employ almost half of the private US workforce.

This means that nonprofits, social enterprises, and social impact companies are vital, not only to our lives, but our culture. So, during this challenging time, how can you succeed when on some days, the odds may feel stacked against you?

Read the full post . . .

4) Racial Justice Resources for Nonprofits and Social Enterprises

As a leader of a nonprofit or social enterprise, some form of justice is already at the heart of your work. You’re fighting for a cause because it’s worthy of your attention and your voice. It’s true, it’s right, it’s just.

So, if you aren’t already involved in the conversation regarding racial justice, now is the time to join in—no matter what issues you’re already working on. Racism is a virus, and each of us is susceptible.

You’ve, of course, seen overt and horrific examples played out on a national stage, but the real work—the hard work—begins in ourselves, our homes, and the places we work.

Even as a cause-focused organization, it’s possible that you may need some assistance in this area. We can all lose perspective when it comes to our own work, and even ourselves.

As an advocate for justice, inequality is your adversary. And it’s time to pick a fight.

Read the full post . . .

5) Why Your Social Impact Mission Isn't Enough

Have you ever read an entire nonprofit or social enterprise website, only to find yourself still wondering what they actually do?

Have you ever had a fantastic conversation with someone about their mission, only to find that their website lacked the same passion?

Have you ever seen an organization use different styles and tones across their social media, website, blog, and even when they speak in person?

If you’ve seen any of these issues in action, you’re witnessing a lack of clarity and consistency in the nonprofit or social enterprise’s brand message or brand voice.

With a strong brand message and brand voice, people will know what you do, why it matters, and how they can be a part of it. Without it, people could be left confused or even apathetic to the incredible work that you’re trying to do.

Read the full post . . .

Looking for more popular topics? Here are some of my readers’ all-time favorites:

12 Unique Launch Ideas You'll Want to Copy

What Do Successful Launches Have in Common? 

What You Need to Convince Potential Sponsors and Partners

10 Tools to Make Your Small Business Look More Professional (Most Are Free!)

5 Reasons Why Giving Back is Good For Business

PSST: Don't forget that you only have a few more days to enter to win a Communications Audit and Strategy Session, valued at $750! Resolve to have a stronger marketing strategy.

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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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Top 5 Blog Posts Of 2019

It’s been quite the year for nonprofits, social enterprises, and other social impact organizations! With every passing day, we see more people supporting causes, both personally and professionally. It’s an exciting time!

Likewise, this was a great year here on the blog and for Signify. There were some tremendous guests posts and contributors, and I’m grateful for all of the words of wisdom and shared advice. I learned a lot, and I know you did, too.

So, before we enter the next decade, let’s take a look back at this year’s five most popular posts. From nonprofit event marketing to utilizing influencers to empathy for social impact organizations to Squarespace tips to public speaking tools, there is a wealth of information below to help you succeed.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!

1) How to wow your supporters after your event

If your nonprofit has a big fundraising event on the calendar, and it probably does, this is one post you won’t want to miss! Event planning is extremely popular in the nonprofit sphere, but it also takes a lot of effort and time, am I right?

You absolutely want to make the experience top-notch for current and prospective donors. Please do that first. However, there’s a vital piece of event planning that often gets left out: the follow up. It’s not the most exciting thing to talk about, but I can’t stress it enough.

Having a solid follow-up plan is part of what makes an event strategic for your organization, and not just something you do every year.

It’s also what increases your return on investment (ROI), especially considering events may not be as profitable in the long-term as you might think.

You’ve put so much hard work into planning this event, and an excellent follow-up strategy makes it more effective. What you say and how you say it could mean additional donations, recurring donations, and higher attendance at the next event. That’s why this matters.

And it comes to you from my new friend Erin at Funraise, which a super sweet nonprofit fundraising software built by nonprofit people.

Read the full post . . .

2) Why Nonprofits Need Influencers To Grow (And How To Do It Right)

Have you heard the buzzword “influencer” and wondered what the heck it was? Or if it’s a familiar term, have you struggled with how to find one of these elusive creatures to work with your nonprofit organization? Well, never fear—this post is for you.

While influencers have always existed, the Internet Age has given them new meaning, as well as new ways to capitalize on their popularity. (Cue the Wicked soundtrack!) Social media brought with it a whole host of new job possibilities. I mean, 15 years ago, we all would’ve laughed someone out of the room who said people would pay to watch another person play video games. But, here we are…

So, if getting an influencer to spread the word about your cause is on your To Do List, Kayleigh Alexandra of Micro Startups is going to break it down for you. I’ve seen social impact organizations have great success with this tactic, so I’d encourage you to give it a try and see what happens!

Read the full post . . .

3) How to Use Empathy to Make a Social Impact

For a lot of us, when we think of selling, the word “empathy” doesn’t come to mind. In fact, for many in the cause-focused space, particularly nonprofits, selling (just like marketing) is a bit of a bad word. However, it shouldn’t be.

If you have something that someone else needs or wants, isn’t that a good thing? That’s where it all begins.

One of my spring interns, Rima Patel, will tell you how empathy intersects with the sales process, particularly the selling of products. I think this will not only be insightful, but good news for many of you.

You’re already leading a nonprofit, social enterprise, or other for-profit doing good, which means that empathy is at the core of what you do. This info takes it one step further, allowing you to see how empathy can be the glue that holds your triple bottom line together.

Read the full post . . .

4) Squarespace: The Pros and Cons

This post comes from my friend, Madison Beaulieu, who is a graphic designer and half of the dynamic duo, Mad + Dusty. She and her hubby created not only my logo and branding, but my website as well.

Madison and Dusty only design in Squarespace, and because I wanted to work with them, I went with SS as well. It’s been a great decision, and if re-branding or launching a new website is on your list, I’d urge you to take a look at this platform.

And to get you started on your research, I’ve asked Madison to review the pros and cons of Squarespace. No website platform is perfect, but there are a lot of features she and I both love about SS, and maybe you will, too.

Read the full post . . .

5) 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.

Read the full post . . .

Looking for more popular topics? Here are some of my readers’ all-time favorites:

12 Unique Launch Ideas You'll Want to Copy

What Do Successful Launches Have in Common? 

What You Need to Convince Potential Sponsors and Partners

10 Tools to Make Your Small Business Look More Professional (Most Are Free!)

5 Reasons Why Giving Back is Good For Business

PSST: Don't forget that you only have a few more days to enter to win a Communications Audit and Strategy Session, valued at $750! Resolve to have a stronger marketing strategy.

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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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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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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Pin This Post For Later:

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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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