Nonprofit Archives - Transcend Ideas

Creating a Fundraising Game Plan For Your Non-Profit

Posted on April 19, 2024 - 11:26 am by Heather DeVine

Fundraising for nonprofits is exciting when the money is rolling in, but more often than not, it can feel like a tireless and thankless job. To aid the campaign process, we appreciate the content that Donorbox, a fundraising platform, presented in a recent webinar, helping to simplify the steps for nonprofit employees to regain joy in community work.

Send Tax Donation Receipts

The end of the year often ends in a blur of business tasking to wrap up the quarter’s work. One crucial addition to that list is remembering to send tax donation receipts. Remember a short thank you note, as well, to every donor who supported your organization via mail or email goes a very long way.

Goal Setting for Your Non-Profit

Non-profit work can feel like it pulls your attention and time in a hundred different places. Goal-setting can help determine the direction and impact you hope to make. Does your organization tune everything back to the mission statement?

Here are some goal related questions you should be asking:

What kind of impact does your organization hope to make?
Are you working on a small scale or large scale?
Do you hope to increase donor retention or start generating donations this year?

After determining the organization’s goals, the types of fundraising needed and the tactics to be used will become apparent. This can help save time in the long-run as you can make decisions clearly and efficiently regarding budgets and tasking. Outline a budget and financial items that need to be accomplished within a given timeframe and follow through with delegating tasks to volunteers or board members of your non-profit to find the success you are looking for.

Organizational Goal Planning For Non-Profit

Fundraising

There are a variety of ways that a non-profit can receive funding. Fundraising tactics include peer-to-peer, crowdfunding, events, corporate donations, and more. Always keep track of all the moving parts when running non-profit operations and managing donation money. Start with what are the steps when dealing with fundraising for a non-profit.

Donorbox has 5 key steps they call the 5 A’s of Ask:
attract, ask, acknowledge, account, again.

It’s important to put effort into attracting donors, but equally crucial to continually seek donations, publicly acknowledge donors, account for funds in financial records, and consistently maintain these practices to nurture meaningful donor relationships.

In your fundraising efforts, creating fundraising goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) helps to focus on real ways planning can make a difference with your organization. These smart goals can also be called KPIs or key performance indicators. KPI’s are quantitative measurements of donor retention, average money raised from a donor, monthly donors, new donors, etc.

Volunteer getting fundraising signatures

Communication Touch Points With Donors

Fundraising Trends:

Maintaining a positive relationship with donors is crucial for maximizing your non-profit’s impact. Achieve this by consistently demonstrating the value your organization offers in stewardship and the lives it impacts. This will attract more individuals whose personal values align with your mission.

Some of the trends that are emerging in the non-profit fundraising world include a focus on donor trust and experience. CharityWater had a brilliant idea to use VR headsets to allow donors to be immersed in a virtual reality showing African women walking buckets of water to the river and back, showcasing what the value a monetary donation would hold.

As we delve into a new generation of digital technology, using AI for fundraising will prove to be a smart pivot in your organization strategy. Other smart trends include cashless giving, alternative currencies, and experience-based fundraising.

Community Fundraisers in Jackson Hole

Locally in the Jackson Hole region, there are two events that bring non-profit fundraising to the next level with community engagement and involvement that makes for memorable experiences.

Transcend Ideas is a proud challenger of The Tin Cup Challenge, a local philanthropic fundraising event in Teton Valley, Idaho. Join us on July 20, 2024 to participate in the local fun run and donate to a favorite community non-profit!

The Community Foundation of Teton Valley works to elevate lives through the power of generosity by championing the nonprofit sector, empowering donors, promoting a culture of giving, and serving as a catalyst in addressing critical community needs. The Tin Cup Challenge is a proud sponsor of community programming by sponsoring matching donations from local businesses, giving grant awards, leadership training, and more.

We also proudly support Old Bill’s Fun Run, another community and philanthropic race event in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Old Bill’s is one of the most successful fundraisers in the nation. The race brings the community of Jackson together over a shared goal of altruism. Kindness for others and community and a singular drive to make a difference. Since Old Bill’s has started, it has brought more than $256 million dollars to Jackson.

We hope you’ll join us on September 7, 2024 as we’ll be out supporting this event that celebrates the local nonprofits that support our community!

Thank you for reading our summary of the great content put out by Donorbox! Can Transcend Ideas support your work to increase your non-profit fundraising and strategy? We’d love to support your work and enhance your digital marketing strategy.

Watch the Donorbox webinar in full here:

Building Awareness with Marketing

Posted on March 22, 2024 - 9:00 am by Heather DeVine

The most effective marketing campaign is one that builds awareness on issues. They can evoke a thought, a pause, a consideration, an emotion, an action, a changed behavior, and at times all of those things over time. Learn how you can start building awareness with marketing. There are many tactics to make an awareness campaigns stick, here are some great examples:

In summary that this blog post covers:

Catch Phrase
Evoke Emotion with Bold Imagery/Design
Consistency
Educate and Inform
Influencers
Normalize Issues

1. Catch Phrase

A successful catch phrase will stick with the audience. Something short and sweet and easier to remember is key.

“Only you can prevent forest fires” from Smokey the Bear to build the awareness around what you can do to prevent forest fires.

What makes a catch phrase work:

Short and easy to remember/recall
Direct
Actionable (clear call-to-action)

**“Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires”** – Smokie the Bear

2. Evoke Emotion with Bold Imagery/ Design

When your audience evokes an emotion it leaves a lasting mark on their heart. Shock and abrupt imagery does get your attention and discomfort comes up.

When imagery stands out and colors are bold, that’s a great ingredient to a memorable campaign.

The plastic straws (single-use plastic) campaign
Quit cigarette smoking
Gun reform in America

**“Plastic Straw Problem”** – Green Peace

“Every cigarette rots you from the inside out.” – Search ‘ Smokefree’ for free quitting support

3. Consistency

Consistent is key. When you see and hear this message consistently it stays with you. You can even recall the slogan years later – that’s good and effective marketing tactic.

“This is your brain. (egg)

This is drugs. (frying pan)

This is your brain on drugs.” (fried egg in the pan)

**“This is your brain on drugs”** – Partnership for a Drug-Free America

4. Educate & Inform

When you offer up education to the public you are empowering them with information so they can discover what they need to do or not to do based on this new information. When a campaign lays out the desired behavior and the reason why it’s important to change it – that’s an effect campaign.

PlayCleanGo – Clean off your gear, clothes, dog to help the spread of invasive species
No Poop Fairy – Clean up after your dog and directly impact our waterways

**PlayCleanGo** – What are invasive species?

5. Influencers

The very definition of “influencers” are those that influence others. Many public figures (singers, actors, television personalities) know their influence on others and want to use their persuasion to promote campaigns they care about.

This is no difference today with influencers you see promoting products on social media. You may also see them share their opinion on social issues like reproductive rights, the climate crisis, etc. Building awareness with marketing is what they think about full-time in how they present themselves, how they talk, and the products they promote.

**“Don’t listen to rumors about AIDS. Get the facts!”** – American Red Cross

Logic’s song “1-800-273-8255” the Suicide Prevention hotline with a story about suicide ideation and asking for the help they need

6. Normalize Issues

Over the years there are many issues that are being normalized to lift stigma. When discussions are brought to the surface that many face in our society they begin to breakdown and remove the shame and stigma surrounding them. More than ever before examples of this happening now more than ever before;

Mental health
Pronouns (she/her | him/his | they/them)
Gender Identity – education of what it is and is not
Suicide Prevention
Body positivity
Race
Abortion
Sexual assault

@waltermasterson
Pronouns
♬ original sound – Walter Masterson

Womxn Life Freedom campaign

This was a privilege to work on this campaign. The women in Iran are rising up and protesting all the country and the world. This campaign is meant to build awareness of the fight for freedom of women, including those that identify as women.

Ask yourself “What would I like to evoke in my next campaign?” Consider pulling in inspiration from past campaigns that have been effective, perhaps you have a personal experience with them yourself, look into campaigns that align with your brand or have some similar audiences. I personally like working with Pinterest to pull in inspiration.

Do you need help building awareness with marketing? Contact Transcend Ideas to learn how we can help you build awareness around your messaging!

Canva AI Apps: All You Need for Rapid Content Creation

Posted on February 16, 2024 - 9:00 am by Heather DeVine

Canva AI - Rapid Content Creation graphic

Are you looking to have a more efficient workflow? Well, so are we! Having a one-stop shop like Canva is a lifesaver. We have all been there; there are many photos, videos, logos, and colors to work from. Canva allows you to craft the kind of professionalism that you want to see throughout your marketing. Canva saves the day again! Here is another geek-out over how great Canva is. Yeah, we are sold.

Canva has AI technology to help you get things done efficiently. Follow along and see what it has in store, and consider utilizing it or at least giving it a spin and seeing if it suits your business.

Navigate to Canva AI apps mentioned in this article by visiting Canva.com (duh), choose a Template or a Project, click into Apps (grid icon), and search for the following Apps below that may help your business.

Top 8 Canva AI Apps

1. Bulk Create

Bulk Create has its own blog post here we’ve written on previously because of how much we love it. Generate dozens of social media posts within minutes with the power of ChatGPT and Canva AI and Canva templates.

2. Text to image

Allows users to generate photos/components with just text to use on canva templates. The different filter styles create a drastically different image, cartoon styles/emo/minimalistic, and more.)

3. Magic Eraser

Operates just like the Magic Lasso tool to erase in Photoshop – This is within the image editor to help remove a distracting element. Select this tool within a template, edit the photo, and select Magic Eraser from the options.

4. Magic Edit

Replace a specific element on an image with something new. This only works on actual images, not branded material. Select your image. Right-click, set an image as the background. Click edit photo. Click Magic Edit (Beta). Select your brush size, and brush over what item you’d like to replace in the image, type what to replace the item with. Choose the AI-generated options it comes up with.

5. Magic Design

Magic Design is currently in the Beta version, but still available for use. Users can access it from the main templates search on Canva. Upload a photo and tell it a prompt for the template style you need. It will generate a list of potential templates you can use with your content. (The placement will be slightly off, you can click into the template and make adjustments on the one you choose. Like uploading a palm tree picture and saying I need a set of minimalistic templates with ocean color palettes, etc.)

6. Magic Write

This AI tool to come up with content quickly for social posts, etc. with a simple prompt.

7. Translate

Canva app, Translate your content to another language. This is a great option for quick short form writing when you need to generate items both in Spanish and English for a classroom, government agency, and more.

Chrome Extensions using Canva AI Apps

Canva Automate Maker

Similar to Bulk Create, Canva Automate Maker is great for print-on-demand products found on e-commerce sites like Amazon, Shopify, Redbubble, etc.

We hope this article helps you to get inspired and explore some of the AI capabilities that are available on Canva. Do you have a marketing project that you’d like to utilize Canva AI Apps on? Transcend Ideas would love to help you work through the strategy to figure out what would best suit the needs of your business size and audience to reach the goals of your small business. Contact our team today!

Non-Profit Storytelling as a Catalyst For Change

Posted on December 12, 2023 - 5:46 pm by Heather DeVine

Non-profits ignite transformation in our communities. From championing and overcoming food insecurity and poverty to resolving inequality, protecting women’s and minority rights, to creating endless innovative solutions to help curtail these and other social problems that isolate our communities and us from each other. How does storytelling play a pivotal piece in the puzzle of social issues?

Complex problems require a lot of resources and a lot of brainpower to overcome. How is it possible to create enough of a wave of excitement to generate action from viewers or your community? How do you pierce someone emotionally to the point where they feel they have to support your brand by volunteering or donating to your cause?

Storytelling. The power of the underdog and the tale-as-old-as-time triumph of the Cinderella story is what motivates viewers to send money your way. If they connect with your brand emotionally – you could have a recurring donor long-term. If you can replicate this type of reaction on a large scale, you could have the funding to make a difference with your organization.

Here are a Few Tips for Effective Storytelling with your Non-profit

Build a community

Building a community that everyone relates to requires empathy, curiosity, research, and patience. Take the time to lean into what the true goals of your nonprofit are and find a consistent way to share this message in a way that will rally others to join your cause.

Start a Conversation

Why should people be passionate about your organization? What is the problem? Can you back up your position with statistics and numbers? These are all questions you have to approach as you look at your non-profit marketing plan. Take to social media and introduce people to the social problem your non-profit is approaching and ask them their thoughts. Conversations get people curious. Starting a conversation in an interesting and creative way is a great way to get peak engagement.

Transcend Ideas - nonprofit image of food and medicine labelled boxes

Stay Curious and Strengthen Your Non-profit Messaging

Gather the Stories and Impact of Your Organization on a Blog

Gathering resources, funding, and volunteers is no small task. A great way to maintain a consistent stream of content that reaches the public and aligns with your brand values is to create blog content. Your blog can empower viewers to stand up and take action with you. How do you write in a way that moves people? Blogging is a powerful way to bring new eyes to your website and introduce your mission consistently. Google website crawlers are constantly looking over your site for new content that can be indexed. Do you have the chops to cut through with a message that resonates?

Hit their Pain Points

Make me feel something. That’s what every internet and social media user is looking for in less than 10 seconds. How do you relate to and make someone feel involved with your mission so quickly?

Polish your Writing Tone

Find ways to use messaging in a succinct way that hits on the base instincts of self-preservation and security, creating connections, generating social change, and harnessing creativity. Utilizing these types of call-to-action messages will be most effective in getting the engagement and attention you need.

Tell the Truth

Nothing makes an impact quite like a true story. Whether it be a testimonial from someone who benefitted from your organization or a harrowing story that encourages viewers to stand up and take action. Always protect the privacy of those you receive stories from and be mindful of how to use their stories to enlist help and create an impact with your non-profits.

According to Non-profit Source, non-profits that effectively use storytelling in their fundraising efforts have a donor retention rate of 45% compared to 27% for organizations that do not focus on storytelling. Storytelling fosters a stronger emotional connection with donors and encourages them to stay committed to the cause.

Effective and powerful storytelling, additionally, brings increased donor retention, higher fundraising success, greater engagement on social media, enhanced volunteer participation, improved email response rates, building trust and transparency, humanizing the organization, and more.

Non-Profit Tech for Good Resources

Non-Profit Tech for Good is one of our favorite resources for learning about the best tools for non-profits. These help make a big difference with their webinar series. These tools and organization tips allow your non-profit message to penetrate through the distracting messages of other organizations. These same organizations are vying for the time, attention, and money of other potential donors.

Non-profit messaging appeals to the compassionate nature of our communities. Taking the time to dig deep and harness the message you want to send out to the community will come back to your nonprofit in leaps and bounds. We hope we’ve shared some ideas on how you can make some small adjustments to your nonprofit to make a big impact in attracting others to your cause.

Transcend Ideas is passionate about supporting our local non-profits. Let’s get coffee and discuss how we can promote your mission in an effective and engaging way!

Dear Canva, I LOVE you!

Posted on July 6, 2023 - 11:07 am by Heather DeVine

A quick geek out over Canva!

This is a geek out blog post about Canva. If you haven’t guessed, I love the platform and what they provide businesses. Their platform continues to amaze me and what you can do with it. How may I count the ways.. I love you, Canva!

SVG Magic in Branding Your Business

DeLacy Tea Company – SVG rosehips

Let’s begin with SVGs, which stands for: Scalable Vector Graphics.
This handy-dandy format allows for your vector files to be colorized before your eyes. That’s right. Exactly how you can pull an element from Canva and change out a color to your liking? I recently designed something for Mariel’s DeLacy Tea Company. Delacy Tea Company wanted to utilize the rosehips element on different tea labels. Each label needing to be a different color, so making a couple of elements she can then colorize in Canva was huge! An important tip for Illustrator/vector designers: make sure the vector is completely closed so the element can be colorized effectively in Canva. For this sample of their rosehips (right), I had the lines in the leaves transparent and not white so that the rosy color or any color of their choosing can stand out on a contrasting background.

There are some smaller businesses that need to be able to “play” with their logo and with this versatility it allows for a business owner to take it upon themselves to make necessary changes on their own.

From now on, when I package my client’s graphics and hand them over, SVGs will be on that checklist of elements that are an absolute must. Exporting elements for your clients that can be the most useful allows them to move freely in their brand without constraints. All too often clients have shared stories where they are left hopeless with ownership over their own logo files, domain names, hosting for their website, access to their social media platforms, etc. All forthcoming topics I will happily share in our blog.

Some Canva templates provided for marketing campaigns:

Bravo goes back to Canva, an Australia-women owned business. Canva has revolutionized graphic design for so many ambitious dreamers. Now design is accessible to anyone that wants to build a business with the help of their design platform. I couldn’t be more excited to recommend them to anyone who works in design or wants to dabble in it.

Canva Custom Template Offerings

Original price was: $837.00.Current price is: $669.60.

Non-Profit – Custom Canva Templates to Match Your Brand
Original price was: $930.00.Current price is: $837.00.

Custom Canva Templates to Match Your Brand

Forbes: Empathy Is the Most Important Leadership Skill

Posted on July 1, 2023 - 11:24 am by Heather DeVine

Empathy Is the Most Important Leadership Skill

I knew Empathy was a trait that helped better more relationships in all aspects of life. I’ve seen the difference it makes in mine. When the pandemic hit in 2020-21 I felt disconnection and I needed a periodic check-in with my team. A “how are you?” rather than diving right into work stuff became critical. I personally wanted my colleagues to care about me as I cared for them and their well-being.

Forbes recognizes the positive impact of empathy on innovation and retention. Studies show that empathetic leaders create engaged and productive teams. By considering others’ thoughts and feelings, leaders can connect on a deeper level, foster trust, and inspire empathy in return. This leads to a more compassionate and successful work environment.

“Leaders don’t have to be experts in mental health in order to demonstrate they care and are paying attention. It’s enough to check in, ask questions and take cues from the employee about how much they want to share.”
Forbes article on Leading with Empathy by Tracy Brower, PhD.*

Stress is a pervasive state and data suggests it is an affect by the pandemic and the ways our lives have been turned upside down.*

Empathy by the Numbers

42% of people have experienced a decline in mental health
- 67% of people are experiencing increases in stress while 57% have increased anxiety, and 54% are emotionally exhausted, 53% of people are sad, 50% are irritable, 28% are having trouble concentrating, 20% are taking longer to finish tasks, 15% are having trouble thinking and 20% are challenging to juggle their responsibilities
61% of employees reported with empathy leaders were able to be innovative, compared to 13% of employees with less empathic leaders
76% of people who experienced empathy from their leaders reported they were engaged, compared to 32% who experienced less empathy
57% of white women and 62% of women of color said they were unlikely to think of leaving their companies when they felt their life circumstances were respected and valued by their companies

As a leader in the community I know how important it is to engage in empathy. From the receiving end it feels good to be seen and heard. On a Board of Directors we engage in similar behavior with a check-in before we begin to discuss anything on the agenda. If any of us are feeling low or drained, the camera doesn’t need to be on when we meet virtually and if they need to leave early we honor that with understanding and compassion for one another.

**Listen to a two part Podcast on How Empathy Can Bridge Connection**

Empathy Fosters More Empathy

I’m a cheerleader for empathy marketing. When we engage with our audience in a way that they need and want, you are likely to be more engaged with us.

It’s clear that empathy should be a trait intertwined with leadership. It starts with caring about your team, and your community.

Cognitive empathy – Consider someone elses’ thoughts (“If I were in his/her position, what would I be thinking right now?”)

Emotional empathy – Consider someone elses’ feelings (“Being in his/her position would make me feel ___”)

Empathy is the most important leadership skill because it enables leaders to connect with their team members on a deeper level. Strong leaders understand and share the feelings and perspectives of their employees. They can make more informed decisions and create a supportive work environment. By demonstrating empathy, leaders foster trust, enhance collaboration, and inspire loyalty among their team. Ultimately, this drives higher levels of productivity and success.

Empathy fosters more empathy.

Short Form Video – Right for Your Business?

Posted on April 19, 2023 - 3:10 pm by Heather DeVine

Short-form video dominates with the Gen Z crowd. From dance-off competitions to popular music covers, and now how users discover products and services. What’s the best way to step into this trend? Can it work for your small business? Short-form videos prove to work for marketing many businesses.

What is a Short-Form Video?

Short-form video is being used across a variety of platforms. It all began with TikTok and spread quickly to Instagram (Reels) and YouTube (Shorts). User-friendly with a low barrier to entry and engagement, short-form video showcases instant and short videos that give a snapshot into the creator’s life. This teen-savvy engagement opportunity may be the golden ticket for your small business ‘word of mouth’ promotion. Tap into your preferred audience and tell your story on this new platform. Small business owners can give potential customers a look behind the scenes at operations, a day in the life of product design or food creation, and interview customers that are raving about their products and why. The opportunities are endless to catch a user’s eye and potentially make a repeat customer.

Short-form provides a “short” between a 30 – 60 seconds in duration. With those parameters, you have to get creative and concise with what you are sharing. You’ve seen it, text overlaying the video/photos of step-by-step directions on how to make the best frittata, a trending dance move, or a quickened-paced story to tell a story, make a point, or share a laugh. It’s an entertaining way to capture your younger audience. Still, images are not always going to be cut to capture the younger demographic.

Short Form Video – Right for Your Business?

Short-Form Video and Small Business

Still skeptical about how short-form video could work for your business? According to USA Today, 81% of users use short-form video clips. This type of engaging content, utilized across all social media platforms, helps users discover new products and brands. This shows just one example of a short-form video being a marketing professional’s dream. This type of exposure is critical for small businesses that want to tap into and influence specific demographics that are looking for the content you have to offer.

With the onslaught of content available with short-form videos and reels on social media, find what items are providing the most hits in search results. By doing this, you can cater your marketing to those items. If you are targeting a certain age group, you can discover trending audio/music clips and tack them onto those trends to capture your audience. There is a low cost for starting ads on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube, as well. They can be catered to your location, a perfect solution for the young crowd that constantly surfs the web looking for something new and interesting to try out.

Are Short-Form Videos Right For Your Business?

I always want to insert the skeptic into trends. Ask yourself: does short-form video suit my business? There are downsides to jumping in feet first with just about any new trend. Much of what short-form video drains time and energy from running your business. If you are small enough and curious about specific trends like this one, consider recruiting help in this department like a social media marketing expert.

Watch some videos that your competitors and allies are threading together. Observe for yourself if this is the platform/method for your business. Also, remember that followers and/or likes don’t equal sales/revenue stream. However, some of the most successful videos are informing, educating, and entertaining. Viral videos follow similar formulas to grab attention and evoke an emotional response that does spark more interest that generates more clicks, more followers, and more shares.

When using new techniques, you want to align with your messaging, stay consistent and sustain the activity. I say, stay curious, try it, and see if you like it and if it aligns with your vision for your business.

Conclusion

In summary, short-form videos can help small businesses increase engagement, promote their products or services, increase brand awareness, and create a connection with their customers.

Overall, the mystery behind the short-form video trend is starting to fade. This type of engagement is here to stay and continues to influence consumer behavior every day. Keep in mind those that will do business with you will come through trust they have in your expertise. Trust can be built in many ways and that doesn’t necessary mean short-form video but it sure draws more eyes to your content and that’s not a bad thing.

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Contact Transcend Ideas today to discuss how we can make short-form video work for you!

How Empathy can Bridge Connection

Posted on April 15, 2023 - 9:05 pm by Heather DeVine

Listen to my interview with Kaeyy Noella on her The Love Talk Wall podcast. I introduce her to “empathy marketing” and how I show up with Transcend Ideas. I introduce (in Part 2) how “empathy” makes up the key ingredient of People Spread Love.

How Empathy can Bridge Connection

Part 1: Empathy marketing can be a powerful tool for small businesses looking to build stronger relationships with their customers and differentiate themselves from competitors. By putting the needs and emotions of customers first, small businesses can create a more loyal customer base and drive long-term growth.

“Empathy” is a key component to how I show up in many places in my life. I recognize human connection is what we all strive for in this life. When we feel heard and understood we can profoundly connect.

“The Clubhouse app helped me find my voice.” I jumped on the app with curiosity and met these strong women entrepreneurs. They encouraged me to step into Transcend Ideas. And I’m eternally grateful for their strength in their belief in me. And made me believe in myself.

Part 2: My audio cut off as I began introducing the brand. I continued the introduction of People Spread Love in Part 2. I introduce People Spread Love and my journey starting a movement in 2015. First, with becoming a 501c3 non-profit organization. The organization empowers community members to write notes of love to those facing adversity all over the country and world. This brings us back full circle to the power of empathy and how it can facilitate human connection.

Kaeyy asked me about self-love and I told her a story about how I recently fractured my knee skiing. I touched on how grateful I am, even more so after getting hurt.

Listen to Part 1 & 2 of the podcast interview and let’s connect!

Non-profits: Heart-centered Marketing Message

Posted on February 27, 2023 - 6:47 pm by Heather DeVine

Heart-centered Marketing Message

I have a soft spot for non-profit organizations. I am in a unique position, both with experience working with non-profits marketing and as an Executive Director of a human services non-profit; there is much to learn and grow from sitting from both of those different perspectives.

Non-profit organizations are asked year after year: “what’s your ‘why’ and how will you show up to impact your community?” These questions are crucial because it keeps them on track and helps avoid mission creep. “Mission creep” is often used to caution against stepping too far beyond the organization’s mission statement. When non-profits remain focused, the impact can be so significant, measurable, and sustainable.

Non-profit Organizations with Heart

When I say “heart-centered,” I mean a genuine drive to connect and serve a need in the community.

Authentic non-profits with heart-centered messaging can magnetize supporters, donors, and volunteers to back their efforts. I attend workshops regularly, so I stay energized with how to connect to the community through the non-profit sector.

As a marketer, I am always curious about how to show up better and communicate the message effectively. Without the audience’s curiosity and willingness to adopt new pathways, we will most certainly miss significant opportunities. Ask yourself, “do I have a heart-centered marketing message?” Often I hear non-profits feeling that sense of stale messaging and the same old, same old, but the best way to avoid that stagnation in my mind is to have an outsider’s perspective.

Just ask your audience

Also, do not hesitate to ask your audience what they need or want. Not one person will be a key to your success, but the community as a whole can grant insight. Ask them, “how can we serve you better?” That simple question can allow the community to share in their mind what they need, and you can benefit from their feedback so your organization can continually serve and adapt to the identified need.

“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”
Albert Einstein

Random Acts of Kindness Week

The heart-centered work is timely, as Random Acts of Kindness Week (Feb 12-18) was just a few weeks ago. I have a soft spot for kindness campaigns myself. RAOK Week reminds all of us to be kinder every day. We don’t necessarily need an annual dedicated week, day, or month to be kind to one another. This little nudging reminder is just what many of us need.

I follow closely with national projects like Random Acts of Kindness Foundation and more localized efforts like Kindness Wyoming, which prioritize kindness. This is the second year I have participated in Kindness Wyoming’s Kit, where they send you ideas on how to show compassion for others. The kits are helpful and adaptable for households, workplaces, and classrooms. Now that’s what I call: heart-centered messaging!

Some takeaways:

Ask yourself: “why.”
Ask yourself: “how.”
Stay curious and keep learning – attend non-profit workshops
Be willing to adopt new pathways
Ask yourself: “do I have a heart-centered marketing message.”
Bring an outsider in to help gain a new perspective

This heart-centered messaging can pull in the interest from the community because that feel good connection can make all the difference. These tips also pertain to for-profit businesses because a business with heart, that’s always a good thing!

Jackson Hole Nordic Alliance Case Study

Posted on December 29, 2022 - 2:58 am by Heather DeVine

Jackson Hole Nordic Alliance has worked with Heather for many years. Heather has helped JH Nordic develop a strategy for the website, marketing messaging, graphic design, marketing strategy, and more. JH Nordic is a non-profit organization and a community-oriented resource designed to identify, map, describe, and share all the best trail information in the region. The amount of work is staggering that goes into preparing up-to-date trail information on the extraordinary Nordic skiing opportunities around us. JH Nordic, also, provides information on fat biking and snowshoeing in the Jackson Hole/ Teton Valley/Greater Teton region of Wyoming and Idaho.

JH Nordic hosts an Annual Community Event at Turpin Meadow Ranch. This year the event is going to be extraordinary. The event has been canceled two years in a row because of the COVID pandemic. On Sunday, January 8th, 2023 the event will be on! The event is family-friendly and brings people together who love Nordic skiing, fat biking, and snowshoeing.

Community powered in a Shared Love

What makes JH Nordic so intriguing is the community that supports and feeds it with experience and enthusiasm! Our small town’s shared love and camaraderie of outdoor recreation is potent. It’s exciting to witness JH Nordic’s reach grow. The organization generates positivity and gratitude from every single patron affected by the organization’s service.

JH Nordic has been the go-to place to find trusted and accurate information on all things Nordic. This information includes details about grooming, daily trail reports, events, resources, featured profiles. The website includes profiles on the people that enrich the community, ask JH Nordic, and more.

Give them a follow on Instagram @jhnordic for a positive community of adventure and love for the outdoors.

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