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:

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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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Black Friday and Cyber Monday Marketing Resources for Social Enterprises

Last month, we covered #GivingTuesday resources for nonprofits, so this month I thought we’d tackle Black Friday and Cyber Monday marketing resources for social enterprises. Not only that, I wanted to also make sure we gave a proper and well-deserved shoutout to Small Business Saturday.

Even through it’s been trending that way for many years, 2020 will certainly shift in favor of online shopping due to the pandemic.

As a social enterprise leader, you are already aware that consumers are on the hunt for more social impact products, but I think this year’s spotlight on the election as well as racial injustice has really fueled the desire for people to understand how they can make a bigger difference each and every day. Your socially conscious products are certainly a part of that, and by supporting you, people can feel good about where they spend their money.

We just have to make sure they can find you online (or in person)! So, here are some marketing resources that can not only boost your presence, but help your social enterprise increase sales this holiday season.

Feel like you’re too late to get into the game this year?

Some of the resources below may help provide you with some quick and easy ideas, but even if they don’t, you can still plan to at least push gift cards as an alternative!

Gift cards are an easy marketing message to communicate, contribute to your bottom line, and allow people to support your mission.

GENERAL MARKETING AND AWARENESS RESOURCES FOR SOCIAL ENTERPRISES

Besides the holiday season, there are plenty of things you can do year-round to spread the word about all the good that you’re doing.

• Apply to have your products listed on the DoneGood website, which features a large variety of social impact brands.

• Hive’s goal is to “Reimagine retail. For good.” and may remind you a little of Thrive Market—without the membership fees. You can also apply to partner with them.

• Interested in catering to the business crowd? Gifts for Good specifically targets corporates gifts, and is looking for partners.

• Find online directories like my friend LeeAnne’s Change the World By How You Shop or The Honest Consumer to get your company listed on ethical purchasing sites. Every link helps build your reputation and increase your awareness. It may take some leg work to find websites like this, but the more people that know about you, the better, right? This could also be a strategy you implement during your slower months when you have more time on your hands.

• Pitch yourself to podcasts like my friend Molly’s Business With Purpose podcast, which focuses on generous individuals and social impact companies. You can even catch yours truly on episode 96.

• GoodCarts was launched specifically to help social enterprises in the e-commerce space. And it’s easy and fast to get started!

• Though this post is technically talking about Black Friday/Cyber Monday, I’m including it here because what The Good suggests is terrific information for optimizing your website, but it’ll be really time-intensive. So, maybe put this on your 2021 to-do list.

• I’ve learned most of what I know about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) from Meg at Love at First Search, and I highly suggest checking out these two posts: 6 Tips to Get Your E-commerce Product Page to Show Up on Google and Want to Boost Search Traffic? Set Up Google My Business. By the way, I’m also an affiliate for Meg’s Attract and Activate SEO course. I’ve taken it myself, and she is a terrific (and patient) teacher!

• Your website is more important than ever, so to get it in the best shape possible, check out my Ultimate Guide to Social Impact Websites.

BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER MONDAY MARKETING RESOURCES

Now merged into one days-long holiday, Black Friday/Cyber Monday (or BFCM as it’s becoming known), is the Super Bowl of retail. Here’s how you can get a piece of the action.

• Contact BlackFriday.com and GottaDeal.com and get your deal listed.

• Shopify has a ton of resources for your Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday extravaganza, including 27-point checklist to keep you on task.

• It’s no surprise that Square has some advice for you, and I particularly like #2 that says to reward existing customers.

• Wondering what mistakes to avoid in your marketing and communications? AppSumo wants to tell you about five things they learned in 2019.

• Yotpo has outlined their trends for 2020’s Black Friday, and I particularly recommend reading their advice on advertising and making meaningful connections.

• Paypal put together an entire webinar that you can re-watch for Black Friday and Cyber Monday info. You’ve probably seen options similar to their “Pay in 4” selection pop up on websites already, and I think that trend will continue to grow.

• Mailchimp has their own list checklist for planning your promotions, and tells you how to use their services for maximum impact.

• Planoly gives some great suggestions on not only what you need to do to prep for BFCM, but also conveniently put them into a timeline for you!

• Check out #2 and #6 from eDesk on their social media specific recommendations for making the most of BFCM.

• There is some great technical advice in this post from Ai Trillion, including making your return policy clear and creating a welcome email sequence.

• Take a look at #6-8 on Sumo’s list of “Better Cyber Monday Emails” and see if one of these options could work for you. (It takes some list segmenting!)

• Feeling overwhelmed yet? Take a look at #2-4 in this post by New Relic to help put you at ease and keep you focused for a tight timeframe.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY MARKETING RESOURCES

Though it’s only been around since 2010, I love the support that Small Business Saturday has garnered, and applaud American Express for being one of its founders. This year, it’s more important than ever to support small businesses, and I hope people turn out in record number for you!

• The American Express website gives you the ability to add your small business to their directory and also download promotional resources.

• Vivial put together a list of 11 Small Business Saturday Promotions Made Easy, several of which take minimum time and effort. I especially like #2, the idea of partnering with others, and that can be as simple as sending an email to each other’s lists.

• Though this article from Entrepreneur is from 2017, before COVID-19 was part of our daily vocabulary, it has some pretty timeless advice. I’d like to point out #6, “Don’t compete with the Big Boxes.” Stick with what makes you spectacular, and that doesn’t always come down to the price.

• SmartBiz made a smart move by giving you guidance on how to follow-up with your customers after Small Business Saturday. “Thank you” goes a long way!

• Square wants to remind you to showcase where your products are sourced from, since that is increasingly important to consumers.

• Not that you forget we’re in the middle of a pandemic, but Marlin reminds you to offer contactless pickup and delivery to make your customers feel safe and remove any excuses of buying from you.

• There is some great info in this post by When I Work, but I really like the second category about how to make decisions easier for shoppers.

• Some of this advice from Local IQ is repeated above, but if you want more specific examples, take a look at these 40 Easy Small Business Saturday Marketing Ideas to Stand Out from the Crowd. I like the idea of bundling products for a discount.

By the way, did you notice that a lot of resources suggest partnering with a nonprofit to increase visibility and goodwill? High fives that you already have a built-in cause component!

EXAMPLES FROM OTHER BUSINESSES (AND TEMPLATES, TOO!)

Need some inspiration? Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

• Keap put together five case studies for Small Business Saturday as well as ideas for how to track what promotional efforts worked.

• I found numerous city, district, and Chamber of Commerce websites promoting their local brick-and-mortar businesses for Small Business Saturday, so if yours doesn’t have something like that, gather your fellow business and city leaders to create one for the future! This is a nice Detroit example.

• What’s better than examples? Free visuals and templates. Printful has you covered.

• Honeycomb Credit has a social media kit with templates that you can download for free.

• Mailerlite now only has examples for you, but tells you exactly what emails you should be sending for Black Friday.

• SendGrid has some additional email marketing examples for both Black Friday and Cyber Monday, including from favorites like Patagonia and REI.

• Do you use text messaging in your campaigns? Postscript has both data and SMS examples for you to view.

• Need to skip 2020 and focus on 2021? I hear ya. OptinMonster will give you a timeline and examples so that you can take it slow and prep for next year.

• Here are 18 creative ideas from Oberlo with examples that companies of all kinds can try now or later.

• Wondering about the best Black Friday email campaigns of all time? SmartrMail has put together their own list. Do you agree?
  

Anything to add? Include it in the comments so we can learn from each other!

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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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GivingTuesday: The Resources You Need to Succeed

Head’s up: GivingTuesday is just weeks away! Isn’t it funny how the holiday season happens at the same time each year, yet it always seems to sneak up on us?

Consider this your warning: It’s all going down on Tuesday, December 1st.

Around since 2012, GivingTuesday is a national day of philanthropy for nonprofits far and wide, large and small, and for every cause under the sun. It follows Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Shop for Good Sunday, and Cyber Monday.

Yep. People will shop . . . drop . . . and then give back. (Even in 2020!)

Every year, more and more nonprofits are joining the fun. Yes, it can be a little intimidating for first-timers, but it can also payoff big time (if it’s done right). In fact, in 2019, over $500 million dollars were raised!

If you’re still on the fence, need some advice, want a marketing toolkit, or need to see some examples, I’ve got you covered. Keep reading to make your #GivingTuesday dreams come true!

If you only choose to look at one website, be sure it’s the official Giving Tuesday website. There you’ll find out how to participate, a toolkit and other resources, statistics, and stories of impact.

GivingTuesday: Should You Participate or Not?

• Pursuant laid out a short list of the pros and cons of #GivingTuesday participation for your nonprofit.

• Nonprofit Expert gives you five reasons to participate, including the fact that it helps you build trust.

• Need a specific reason to say yes or no? CauseVox will give you four scenarios to consider.

• While they may be a little biased, GivingTuesday can help persuade you, and also remind you that each year’s campaign doesn’t have to be completely new and fresh.

• Funraise presents some pretty compelling reasons to jump in with both feet, especially during the chaos of 2020.

• Red Start Creative shares their perspective, and #1 alone is worth the read.

#GivingTuesday Best Practices and Advice

• Nonprofit Hub has a terrific article about prioritizing relationships over tactics when it comes to your nonprofit’s fundraising efforts.

• GivingTuesdaySpark will help you inspire young people ages 6-21 to take action for your cause.

• One Cause has seven best practices that you should pay attention to. I particularly like #2.

• “Thank Your Donors” is just one tip that The Modern Nonprofit gives you. It’s a simple one, but should never be overlooked!

• The Chronicle of Philanthropy has compiled all their best articles and advice for you. I recommend taking a look at 6 Things Data Tells Us About Giving Tuesday.

• Have you jumped on the video bandwagon yet? If not, Wild Apricot may just convince you to press record.

• Are you a little technologically challenged? Soapbox Engage will guide you through some of the finer points.

• Keela has three tips to help you make the most of your #GivingTuesday campaign, and you should definitely take a gander at #2.

Resources and Toolkits for #GivingTuesday Campaign Success

• My friends at Funraise have put together a super helpful GivingTuesday Toolkit, including a step-by-step calendar and pre-written emails and social media posts.

• CauseVox has outlined a simple campaign timeline, and it’s a great place to start for some general guidance.

• While not exciting to look at, what I like about the Smithsonian’s toolkit is that it has options for starter, experienced, and advanced campaigns, as well as examples.

• Download Qgiv’s Ultimate #GivingTuesday Guide for messaging templates, promotion templates, and even a post card for your donors.

• Blackbaud has their own toolkit for you, and includes some items you won’t see from others such as webinars and podcasts.

• Wordpress’ nonprofit resource, GiveWP, created a whole workbook that you can download. It’ll walk you through campaign ideas, public relations and corporate partner options, and email templates.

• Be sure to check out your own state’s #GivingTuesday resources. Here in Georgia, we have GAgives.

• Kindful has curated a very comprehensive list of resources, and you’ll find ideas, examples, communications and marketing advice, and virtual fundraising suggestions.

• Want someone to walk you through a GivingTuesday strategy? Give Lively has you covered with an on demand webinar.

• Classy has a full resource center for you with a planning checklist, email templates, a webinar series, example campaigns, and more.

• The Whole Whale is priming you with 31 ideas for the big day, and you probably haven’t thought of some of these!

Examples for Your GivingTuesday Campaign

• You know storytelling is important in fundraising, and GoFundMe gives you five examples to learn from.

• Snowball Fundraising will show you nine of their favorite campaigns, and a template for your donation page.

• Campaign Monitor gives you four email examples to scrutinize—one for each prominent email of your campaign.

• Neon One is giving you a peak behind the curtains with four of their clients, and highlights examples for nonprofits both large and small.

• Donorbox explains the fundraising process in 10 steps . . . and gives you an example to go with each one.

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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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Women: Steer Your Career and Get Where You Want to Go

Today’s post is from our friend, Gloria Martinez, of Women Led, which aims to celebrate women’s achievements in the workplace and is dedicated to increasing the number of women-led corporations, organizations, and small businesses by educating others about women-led achievements.

We’d all love to see more of that, wouldn’t we? If you’re a woman who wants to take a more intentional approach to your career, listen up! Gloria will provide you with practical tips to steer your career and get where you want to go.

Photo by Christina Morillo from Pexels

Do you remember when you were a kid and someone asked what you wanted to be when you grew up? Maybe you said something practical like a teacher or nurse, or maybe you said something outlandish like being a lion tamer. Whatever our dreams are, it’s all too common for women to lose sight of those goals somewhere along the way, or else struggle to make them happen.

This is an unfortunate reality of being a woman in the workplace, and it’s just as common in the nonprofit and social enterprise sectors. But when you know you’ll face barriers, you can either head for the hills and run . . . or find practical strategies to break them down!

Never Stop Learning

The folks at Signify know how important it is to outsource skills that are outside your realm of knowledge. That’s why so many nonprofits and socially driven companies hire them for their copywriting and marketing expertise. At the same time, it’s just as important to recognize when you may be lacking skills or knowledge that would help your career move forward.

Even as you have to fill several roles at once, it’s unreasonable to expect yourself to be an expert at everything. Instead, continue gaining skills that will serve you the most. If you find that you want to branch out into a new arena, you may need a degree to get where you want to be. Alternatively, if you simply want to advance the skills you already have, enrolling in an online university is a great option for busy women who are also working. And for a crash course in a specific topic, take a look at LinkedIn Learning and HubSpot Academy.

Lastly, always look for opportunities to continue growing your skills, including both hard and soft skills. Take any chance you get to attend seminars, take online master classes, and read current blogs and books that are relevant in your field.

Listen and Lead

Learning happens in everyday life too, but that doesn’t mean that learning opportunities will simply fall in your lap. If you don’t already have a mentor, seek out a person who has the skills and experience you want to acquire. This may be a leader you work with, or the perfect mentor could be someone outside of your organization.

We all need mentors, whether you’re already in a leadership position or that’s something you aspire to. That’s because the best leaders are those who are willing to admit that they don’t know everything—but are always open to learning. As the website Diversity Woman suggests, one of the best ways to gain more experience, and ultimately learn what you need to move forward, is to ask for more responsibility.

Own Your Ambition

Too many women in the workforce have internalized the idea that we’re supposed to be humble. Sure, we all have to acknowledge what we don’t know, or else we’d never grow. But being humble becomes a problem when it turns into self-doubt.

That’s why Business Insider tells us how important it is to own our ambition. Do you have big hopes and dreams? Great! Now own them and your ambition to achieve them. Just as we have to listen and learn to be good leaders, we also have to acknowledge our accomplishments, talents, and strengths.

Ask for What You Want

A similar issue is when women fail to prioritize their needs in the workplace. This is especially common in nonprofit and social impact sectors where we’re often so focused on the mission that we shy away from addressing our own needs. As one nonprofit leader tells Forbes, one way to avoid this mistake is to know what’s negotiable. Whether we’re talking about salary, schedule, or anything else you need to reach your goals and avoid burnout, don’t assume that negotiating is off limits.

Burnout is a very real risk to professional like you, and it has more causes than you may think. If you feel stuck in your career or overwhelmed by barriers, you may be headed for burnout. The good news is that you can always turn this situation around—you just need the know-how and the courage to make it happen!

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Gloria Martinez loves sharing her business expertise and hopes to inspire other women to start their own businesses and seek promotions in the workplace. Her brainchild, Women Led, is an avenue for her vision to help women advance in the workplace and celebrate their achievements. 

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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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