Business

Friday Buzz: Keep Your Nonprofit Communications Relevant

If your newsletter isn't on target with your readers, these tips might help. Also: Boost your nonprofit’s profile via email in three simple steps.

Your board may represent your members’ interests, but that doesn’t mean your board is the target audience for your newsletter. And that’s OK—board members shouldn’t necessarily be, but it might help if they know why that’s the case.

In her latest Nonprofit Marketing Guide post, Kivi Leroux Miller explains that board members can still make helpful communications decisions by working with front-line staff people to understand your nonprofit communications needs.

“Encourage conversations between staff and other board members about the kinds of people you are trying to reach with your communications,” she explains, “whether they are program participants, donors or volunteers, or other influential people the nonprofit needs on its side.”

One tip she emphasizes is that one size doesn’t fit all: Untargeted communications strategies that try to please everyone will fail every time. Miller recommends keeping specific groups in the forefront of your plans to better serve their needs and address their interests.

Tweet of the Day

To help take your association’s email marketing strategy up a notch, YourMembership.com’s Joey Baird gives three guidelines to make inbox campaigns “a little less daunting.” Take advantage of your association’s brand name, create a crafty subject line, and include intriguing calls to action.

Other Good Reads

Turn off autopilot: The same old planning process gets tedious after a while—just ask event planners. Velvet Chainsaw’s Jeff Hurt shares thoughts about why many meeting pros become disenchanted, as well as tips on how to get your head back in the game.

“The one constant we can count on today is change”: ICF International Vice President Rick Johnston says associations must stay on the ball when it comes to innovation by being open to new practices, services, products, and customers.

Give it to me straight: In a piece for Inc.com, Facebook’s Dan Levy suggests that managers regularly provide both negative and positive feedback to their team members to keep them on track.

(iStock/Thinkstock)

Alexis Williams

By Alexis Williams

Alexis Williams is a contributor to Associations Now. MORE

Got an article tip for us? Contact us and let us know!


Comments