How To Communicate Effectively in the Shadow of Disaster

What's the place of nonprofit communications in the wake of disaster, particularly when even these crises of epic proportions have generated far less giving than Hurricane Katrina or the Indian Ocean tsunami relief efforts? And how about when human life is not at stake, but there's massive economic and environmental devastation at play, as in the current flooding in the Midwest.   

For a nonprofit, the answer lies in the way (if any) the organization is involved in the relief effort, or related issues. Read the full article for comprehensive guidelines for nonprofit marketing in tough times.

These guidelines derive from an analysis of news of, and fundraising campaigns for relief efforts in, regions struck by the recent earthquake in China and cyclone in Myanmar.

P.S. Disaster isn't the only challenge in your communications context. Read these articles on nonprofit marketing strategy for more tips for challenging times.

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VolunteerMatch(ing) Easier Than Ever with Redesign -- Showing True Respect for Time and Effort of its Base

The leading online volunteer matching service, VolunteerMatch (VM, can't get a name better than that), has just launched a redesigned matching site making finding the right volunteer opportunity easier than ever for its users.

Nothing speaks more strongly to your site users (or your program registrants or online donors), than making it easier for them to act. Such changes are the ultimate in respecting your base and so a powerful nonprofit marketing tool, bound to increase activity.

At the center of the launch are improvements to VM's pioneering Search & Match engine used by prospective volunteers to find active opportunities. With the changes, users can now just enter their location and a few words describing what they want to do to initiate a search. It's seriously really, really easy. As easy as using Google. And on the results side, the new system reveals better information that users can filter by location, description, organization and date. Brilliant!

Robert Rosenthal, VolunteerMatch's director of communications, is confident that "the new approach will lead to higher referral rates from volunteers, especially in areas of skilled volunteering  -- and 5 days worth of data seems to suggest this is the case."

There are two other interesting features to note:

• Ratings & Reviews – A nationwide platform for user-generated recommendations about specific volunteer programs. It's likely to lead to better volunteer-nonprofit matches and stronger, more effective, volunteer programs. Nothing means more to a user than a peer recommendation
  • But are nonprofits ready for this level of transparency??? Volunteer managers get to work.

• RSS Subscriptions – Users can subscribe to RSS feeds to track volunteer opportunities by “cause” or by organization as new listings enter the VolunteerMatch system. Again, making it so easy for prospective, and current volunteers.

Kudos to Volunteer Match for respecting its users, and for walking that talk.

What can you do to make it easier for your base to interface with your organization?

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NY Botanical Garden President Greg Long: Inspiring Model for Nonprofit Marketers

A decade ago, when I guided the New York Botanical Garden to develop a more effective 2nd-generation Web site, the institution's (and it was just that) renaissance was just beginning.

After years of being known mostly to socialite supporters and dog walkers, the Garden was beginning to come back to life under the spirited guidance of president and consummate fundraiser Gregory Long. Signs of strength included stronger relationships with new donors beyond the waning society contingent that had supported it for so long and success in putting its unique research agenda front and center, while remaining a treasured destination for nature-starved New Yorkers and others.

Founded in 1891, the Garden is one of the world’s great collections of plants, the New York metro region’s leading educational center for gardening and horticulture, and an international center for plant research. The Garden is alive with opportunities for discovery, from an "ecotour" of the world in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory to an innovative indoor/outdoor science museum for kids to 50 exquisite gardens and plant collections, all on a 250-acre National Historic Landmark site in New York City’s Bronx borough.

But this multi-faceted identity  -- one of the Garden's greatest strengths -- has also been a significant marketing challenge. At the same that one focus inform another -- e.g., research findings inform exhibit designers -- they can be just plain confusing to external audiences.

Long's marketing and fundraising success, despite this challenge, can be attributed to "the kind of planning process that starts from the bottom and involves staff members at every level. It's clearly worked here, since $600 million has been raised during the past 15 years, including $250 million for such capital improvements" (as cited in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal).

But his real success is showcased base in the brilliance and innovation in the Garden's current exhibition, Darwin's Garden: An Evolutionary Adventure. This story of the advent of evolution is told through horticulture (33 stops through the Garden), and is an ideal metaphor for NYBG's unique combination of research, public gardens and living museum. Its opening is an unqualified triumph; and a great model for nonprofit marketers seeking to rejuvenate or reposition their organizations.

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The University of Dallas' Tagline Really Rocks -- Here's Why

Can't get much better than this -- The Catholic University for Independent Thinkers.

Here's why. The tagline:

1.  Adds critical info missing from the university's name (that it's Catholic). Many Catholic colleges/universities are clearly Catholic (i.e. St. John's).
2. Builds understanding of its unique value for prospective students -- the university's open-minded and intellectually curious community, which may not be assumed of an ecclesiastical institution. It provides some surprise value.

Remember, your organization's tagline has to complement its name and should enrich your base's understanding or engagement in what its doing. Does yours?   

Your name, and the few words that comprise your tagline, are more important to your nonprofit marketing impact than any other. Unfortunately, 72% of nonprofits rate their taglines as ineffective, or don't have one at all.

PS Learn how to make the most of your tagline  with the free Getting Attention Nonprofit Tagline Report -- due out in July.

Sign up today for the Getting Attention e-news to ensure you get a copy. 

How a Museum Re-Branded Itself to Boost Visitors by 600%

As an art-loving New Yorker, I've visited the New Museum of Contemporary Art many times over the years to see its provocative shows, but hadn't visited in several years. After all, there are so many New York City museums competing for visitors and supporters.

Frankly, my attention and support, and that of most New Yorkers, was pulled elsewhere by museums that more effectively raised their voice over the NYC cultural scene.

So I was struck, hard, by the creative marketing and extensive media coverage around the re-branding and concurrent re-opening of the Museum in a striking new building. It was the startlingly succinct mission statement that first caught my eye.

Read this comprehensive case study to learn how the New Museum leveraged the attention and excitement around its new building to launch a definitive new brand.

New Museum. New building. New brand. New level of attention, awareness and support.

P.S. Take a look at this re-branding case study of the Art Gallery of Ontario.

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New NetSquared.org Home Page Strong Model of Easy to Use Design for Diverse Audiences

Take a look at the new NetSquared home page for a useful model of user-friendly site design.

As I stress repeatedly in my writing and training about writing for the Web, effective communications is all about making it easy for the user. This holds for offline communications too, but most important online with trillions of choices available to online readers at the click of a button.

One vital way to make it easy for your users is ensuring they quickly find what they need online. For  organizations reaching multiple audiences on multiple programs and goals, this is a real challenge. One approach I've seen is providing pathways for various user groups by job title/position. That might seem like a natural but research has found that people don't self-identify primarily as a "fundraiser" or "policymaker."

Instead, online readers come to a site to focus on what they want to do there -- register for a conference, absorb some information, or share a comment. NetSquared does a beautiful job of inviting site visitors to step into clear action paths (join, build, share) that make sense for one-time visitors and return audiences who want to pursue various modes of involvement over the course of multiple visits.

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Surprise Them -- It Works Every Time, When Not Overused

Our daughter Charlotte had her fifth birthday last weekend, and instead of our usual huge friends and family bash, she asked five friends to help her celebrate.

After carefully thinking through a few "theme" options, she pounced on the hiking expedition to take place in South Mountain reservation just two blocks away. We mailed invites and asked kids to wear their oldest clothes.

I was the one to be surprised to to get RSVPs accompanied by parental wonder that we were hosting this "out of the norm" (e.g. Chuck E. Cheese, a gymnastics party, etc.) party. Post-party, we got five calls telling us how much the kids loved the hike and commending us for making this adventure happen. To us, not a big deal. But to the other parents, who may not hike often or have a nature preserve two blocks away, a pleasing surprise that got their attention.

Your org should be putting surprise to work -- periodically, not steadily, since all the time is no surprise -- to get your audiences attention. Surpassing their expectations works every time, as long as you do so periodically, not daily (which means no surprise).

I was absolutely surprised, and 100% engaged, by Al Gore's Coalition for Climate Protection's (aka WE Campaign) $300 million campaign bringing the surprise duo of Al Sharpton and Pat Robertson together to discuss the importance of caring for the environment, and the need for everyone to work together for the cause. Now meet the latest couple in the "strange bedfellows" or "unlikely alliances" series: Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Here's how the WE Campaign explained the series in their email to me and other bloggers: "Our hope is that showing this kind of Unlikely Alliance will demonstrate the unity of purpose needed and will serve as an invitation to people from all walks of life to join WE."

That's $300 million all about surprise and it's working big time. Not only is the ad campaign getting huge consumer attention, it's getting the Coalition major media coverage.

Think about surprising your audiences with a format, look and feel or message significantly different than your norm. If Al Sharpton and Pat Robertson can do it, your nonprofit can too.

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Play to Win. Send Nets. Stop Malaria. -- Org Uses Interactive Game to Build Awareness and Donations

Urging millions around the world to "play the game" and "deliver nets," the UN Foundation's Nothing But Nets(NBN) campaign just launched an intriguing interactive game to build understanding (in an incredibly fun way) of how insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent malaria get to users in Africa.

''Deliver the Net'' teaches users about bed net distribution and challenges individuals to deliver as many virtual nets as possible before the sun goes down and malaria-carrying mosquitoes come out to bite. Players are urged to "race the sun and hand out as many insecticide-treated bed nets as you can to African families. The more nets you deliver—before the mosquitoes come out—the more lives you save. Once you’re done playing the game, sign up for news about the campaign and a life-saving bed net will be sent on your behalf!"

This is one of the most ingenious nonprofit marketing campaigns I've seen, ever. Here's why:

• Launched at the beginning of the month, the game is a build up to World Malaria Day on April 25th. I can't imagine a better attention-getter; and this generates donations too.
• NBN sent an engaging, colorful email invite to get participation going with this clear subject line: Play to win. Send Nets. Stop Malaria.
• The game is truly fun and engaging; learning is organic rather than pushed and so has greater staying power.
• Providing your email address at the end of the game -- when players "get it," and enabling follow-ups from the campaign -- generates a $10 gift to NBN from its partners. $10 covers the cost of purchasing a long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net, distributing it to a family in need and educating the recipients on its proper use. And, players are invited to donate additional nets, at the affordable price of @$10.
• After providing your email address, you're brought to an online video of a UN worker in
  the field talking about the project and challenges of the  difficult security situation. It's on YouTube, so easy to pass on.
• It's a fun game that delivers a powerful impression at the end when you see the guy inside his tent, filming the video, with the generator running in the 110 degree heat. The video creates a real sense of what it's like for African's fighting malaria.

Just a few days post-launch, 2,673 players to date have generated a gift of a net to Africans, and understand how nets can combat malaria -- all while having fun. Fun while learning; nothing's better than that.

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We/Me --Gore's We Campaign 5-Star Launch

Al Gore and team just launched the We Campaign -- the centerpiece of his Alliance for Climate Protection -- with a media blast featuring high-impact full-page ads in key newspapers including The New York Times. The campaign is a 5-star model of effective nonprofit marketing.

The simple ad -- mostly text with a lot of white space (making it easy for readers to digest), highlighted with the green (but, of course) logo at left -- introduced the Alliance's beautifully simple construct, built on the constitution:

• No one else can/will solve the climate crisis
• But you can't do it on your own
• You & me (we) are the ones to do it
• We (our org) will help organize and guide you to...
• Effectively pressure our political and business leaders to make and maintain critical changes.

The Alliance does a fantastic job of:

• Appealing to "me," the modus operandi of many of us (and especially Millennials)
• Simply but clearly connecting multiple "mes" into "we" (they're using the Web address "WeCanSolveIt.org."
• Positioning the Alliance as the critical organizing body, with subject expertise, policy knowledge and relationships, can to guide the "mes" into the vocal force of "we," and to effectively pressure leaders for change.

This last point is a great model for nonprofits who are concerned (as they should be) about displacement by self-created, issue-focused communities of interest (like those building on MySpace or other social media). No better way to engage your base.

I do believe there's significant value in nonprofit orgs that offer subject expertise, organizing, advocacy and service provision experience, and the strategies to reach and build relationships with key influencers in making systemic, issue-focused change. The Alliance is the first org I've seen that's making that value loud and clear to the climate-concerned community.

PS Take a look at Steven Heller's insightful analysis of why the We Campaign's logo works, in yesterday's Times.

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Don't Throw $ Away on the Wrong Message to the Right Audience

Yesterday's mail brought this glossy, 64 pp. magazine from the Alzheimer's Association. It went right into the recycling bin.

Wrong strategy to the right audience, nonprofit marketing people. The Association got my name when I sponsored my friend Stuart in the NY Chapter's fundraising walk for two years running. Stuart's story -- of caring for his close friend struck with Alzheimer's at a young age -- drew me (and my donation) in.

But, instead of following up with me post-walk, and subsequently, with stories like Stuart's (and those are how most walk donors are pulled in), the Association blasts this expensive but useless promotion out to its entire list.

Two takeaways here, marketers:

1. Match the message and channel to the audience. Otherwise, you alienate them, and waste valuable resource (this magazine was printed on heavy, high-gloss stock, yikes).
2. Keep in touch with event audiences following the event and then periodically till the next one -- to keep them engaged -- but do it in a way that reinforces their initial way in.

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Nonprofit Web Sites that Work -- 3 of My Favorites

When I guided 30 nonprofit communicators to strengthen their writing for the Web the other day, I showed them a few great models (dos), and lots of don'ts.

Somehow the don'ts scream out; but there are so many effective sites (and other nonprofit communications models) that deserve more attention. So I wasn't surprised when they asked me to share more effective nonprofit Web site models.

Here are three organizations that get the Web medium and how their audiences use it:

1) DonorsChoose, where donors can choose the school project they want to fund, is a great example of a site that puts the full capacity of the Web to work in executing its program. Take a close look: This isn't communications about the org's work, it is the org's work. Here's why the site works so well to engage donors and gift givers:

• Home page features GIVE NOW in large, orange large type, profiles one project (you can scroll through more) and showcases a news item (Stephen Colbert today). A user can do much of what she wants right here. Easy. Respectful.
• Site architecture is simple and straightforward. Users don't have to spend any time figuring out what's behind Door #3.
• Each of the two target audiences -- donors and teachers -- have a clear way into what's relevant, right from the home page and from the menu bar on every page.
• Design is bright, light and clear.

2) The Human Rights Campaign's(HRC) site is a great example of advocacy communications -- clean, clear and focused. Compare it  with other advocacy org's with busier sites (The Humane Society is one) that provide too many options for users, and you'll see how focus has impact. Here's what the site does well, right on the home page:

• Clear calls to action -- articulated in the left menu bar (volunteer, donate, attend an event, take action). Compare that to the Humane Society's issue-focused navigation.
• Up front positioning statement -- Humane Society does a good job here too.
• Relates HRC's work to leading news stories, engages every time. here's how to make an impact in 2008 elections.
• Invites users to drill down for more specific info/actions by locale or issue area.
• Reinforces HRC's graphic identity. It's logo and colors are striking and, although they won't be everyone's favorite, are easily recognizable. That's an advantage in nurturing an active base of citizen advocates, donors and partners.

3) The Wildlife Conservation Society's(WCS) site succeeds in providing multiple pathways into the diverse programs of a complex organization in an effective way. The WSC site:

• Frames its most well-known programs (its parks, including the Bronx Zoo and NY Aquarium) within its research focus.
• Makes its research agenda interesting and accessible, to spur prospective volunteers and donors to jump in.
• Headlines key wildlife conservation issues, ensuring audiences are updated on what's new.
• Builds and maintains brand recognition by using the same banner bar in this main site, and in all sub-sites like the Central Park Zoo.

Remember, it's not about your budget, but the way you think through your site goals and design. I've 5k sites that are far more effective than some 35k sites; and some 40k sites that exceed the impact of some 100k sites.

What are your picks among high-impact nonprofit Web sites? Please comment below to share with Getting Attention readers.

P.S. Here's how to Shape Your Nonprofit Web Site to Generate the Actions You Need

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Simple, Focused Messaging Works -- Despite Distraction of Mouth-Watering Chocolate Cone

We just got our prints back from our February Florida trip, including this one hyping Big Olaf's, our favorite ice cream place on Longboat Key. I spied it one balmy evening as I strolled around the corner, cone in hand after a visit to Big O's.

Always the marketer, I was struck by this sign's effectiveness. Here's why it works, and what you can take back to your nonprofit marketing:

1. It's a basic production, but gets the message across.Don't get caught up in production values. It's easy to spend too much money and time on fancy paper or design, with incremental difference in impact.
2. The message is focused and succinct (all about price), and has universal appeal.Olaf resisted discussing other competitive advantages -- flavor, size of serving -- both of which are more subjective than price.
3. They listened, then just did it. Rather than get a designer in, or wait till they looked at other ice cream marketing, they listened to customers waiting in line and responded. With a strategy as low-investment, low-risk as this one, it makes sense to throw something at the wall to see if it sticks. Depending on your org, it can make sense to experiment first, then get approval (based on your findings) later.
4. BO's product value is emphasized by linking it to the news (price of gas), an evergreen strategy for getting attention.

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Our Public Radio Station Bringing Listeners on Board as Researchers -- Powerful Model of Engaging Your Base

The famed Brian Lehrer Show, one of the most popular programs on WNYC, our local public radio station has opened its arms to its listeners by asking them to plow through 11,000 pages of just-released Hillary Clinton schedules from the days of Bill's presidency. Now that's engaging your base.

Listen to this brief audio clip from Brian Lehrer and WNYC political director Andrea Bernstein on this project), explaining how they'd like listeners to help. They hit just the right note with the invite, explaining that they have more to do than staff on the show, and need help to unwrap this very relevant history. They also guide citizen researchers, asking them to report in on anything they find intriguing, revealing or surprising; asking researchers to keep some very specific questions in mind.

Once signed on, listeners plow into the docs one week at a time, reporting back via the online discussion page. Lots of activity already; with about ten researchers reporting in daily.

Simple, elegant and absolutely engaging. The Brian Lehrer Show fills its programmatic need (research) while providing a satisfying participatory experience to listeners interested in this important story. Success and satisfaction for WYNC's news and marketing teams alike.

Other examples? Click the "Comments" link below to share them with Getting Attention readers.

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How The United Negro College Fund Is Revitalizing Its Brand (Case Study)

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) has been on my mind lately, as the home of one of the world's most effective taglines (A mind is a terrible thing to waste.) And you know taglines are all I'm thinking about right now, as the Getting Attention Tagline Survey draws to a close.

So UNCF's announcement of its rebranding got my attention, particularly when I saw it covered in The New York Times. Of course, as a woman who does a lot of nonprofit branding, I was intrigued by the brand revision itself, but also by the unusual way UNCF introduced it. Here's how it played out:

The Challenge
UNCF, the country's largest private minority education assistance program recently re-focused on closing what President and CEO Dr. Michael Lomax calls, "the education attainment gap." ...
With this clearer direction in hand -- brought to life in its scholarships, advocacy for minority education and 39 historically-black members colleges -- UNCF realized it had to modernize its look and feel to engage the younger generations it needs to support it in the long run.

Learn about UNCF's solution, and see if you agree with Getting Attention's critique. You'll find the full case study here:
http://www.nancyschwartz.com/new_uncf_brand.html

P.S. You may also be interested in this branding case study on a much smaller organization:
How a Small Nonprofit Shaped a Clear, Memorable Brand -- Five Steps to Low-Budget Branding for Big Results

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Make Sure I(s) are Dotted and Bows Tied Before You Drop Your Mailing -- Otherwise, You Frustrate Me To No End

We're loyal members of the Reeves-Reed Arboretum (RR), a nearby conservancy that's both beautiful and innovative gardenwise, while providing lots of pleasure and great educational programs for gardeners (and garden enjoyers) of all ages.

The daffodil bowl is one of my favorite treats at Reeves-Reed, offering visitors a dramatic immersion into a glacial bowl planted with over 30,000 daffodils. That's our daughter Charlotte among last year's blossoms.

What I don't love about the Arboretum is the frequent disconnect between its programmatic finesse and its marketing. Here's an example:

• Last week I received my spring members mailing, and excitedly tore it open.
• I digested several events I'd like to attend, including a Wellness Walk, Art in the Garden, and the Great American Backyard Campout.
• But....when I went to the RR Web site, I couldn't find a description of any of these events. The calendar featured 2007 events and I got frustrated.

Nonprofit marketers, let this be a lesson. If you do a mailing or drop a mass email, make sure the back-up/related info is everywhere it needs to be (offline, online, staff members trained). If you don't, you'll lose attendees, and loyalty.

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Philadelphia Orchestra Enchants Under 5s (+ Parents & GrandParents) With Sound All Around

Talk about a fun and effective way to get younger generations excited and involved, while engaging (and generating revenue from) parents and grandparents! The Philadelphia Orchestra's (TPO) Sound All Around concerts introduce children ages 3 to 5 to the instruments of the orchestra and musical concepts through interactive presentations featuring members of the Orchestra and award-winning storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston.

Last weekend, when our daughter Charlotte and I visited my dad in Philly, he invited us to one of these 45-minute concerts. Although we've taken Charlotte to loads of events, most of the music has been more of the Dan Zanes variety. She loves listening to classical music and I wanted her to experience it in person.

I was absolutely amazed at rapt attention with which Charlotte and her peers listened to storyteller Charlotte and her musician friends, and equally amazed at the one to three parents and grandparents with every single child.  In addition, subscribers big and small take home the Sound All Around newsletter at every performance, with song lyrics, music-themed puzzles, concert-listener etiquette, an interview of one of the musicians of the day and recommendations for good listening. It's definitely something I want to keep around for reference, and will continue to remind me of TPO and the series.

With Sound All Around, TPO is providing great entertainment to the community. As it does so, it's building its fans among listeners of all ages, and reinforcing its relationship with long-standing concert goers, providing them the joy of sharing what they love with their kids and grand kids. Win win, TPO. Great nonprofit marketing.

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Nonprofit's Online Gaffe Spurs Guidelines for Communicating Online

The ePhilanthropy Foundation is taking the lead in urging nonprofit's to police their online communications practices and fix any problems immediately. Take this quick online test to see how your organization fares. This initiative is largely motivated by the recent online shenanigans of staff members of GiveWell (a nonprofit that, ironically enough, was establish to ensure the accountability and transparency of the nonprofit sector. Two GiveWell-ians participated in multiple online communities using aliases, hoping to boost the image of the organization. Blow up...as one would anticipate.

Jointly funded by Cisco Systems Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Convio, Inc., the one-page code, which about 100 organizations have endorsed, requires groups to "employ practices on the Web site that exhibit integrity, honesty, and truthfulness and seek to safeguard the public trust."

According Bill Strathmann, president of Network for Good, as quoted in the Chronicle of Philanthropy (accessible by subscribers only), "if more charities consider adopting such policies, the GiveWell episode might have a silver lining."

In other words, don't say what you do, do what you say.

But frankly, it's a no brainer that every organization today, must have standards that cover online and offline communications and branding. Remember, the credibility your organization builds up over years could disappear in an instant via a misguided comment or blog post. And online communications always leave a trail. Make sure that trail leads to the right place so your image and your relationships remain strong.

Get your style guide/brand book 2008 into place today, and make sure it covers who, when and how to participate in online conversations, as well as where to place the logo and what typeface to use.

Start here to craft a basic style guide for your organization (you'll have to add online communication guidelines):

• Avoid Audience Confusion – Create a Style Guide

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Part II: How to Build Media Relationships That Stick -- Treat Them Like a First Date (Case Study)

Well, you know the story of the query I got from Andrea Gardner of Marketplace. And, in my post on that experience, I promised I'd follow up with guidance on how to build media relationships that stick.

It's much like a first date but your focus here goes beyond charming and  disarming. Your strategy should begin from the moment  you identify a journalist as a media priority But what are the key steps to building and strengthening  your relationship, leading to a second date and beyond?

Simply follow these four rules of first dates to ensure your flirtation flickers and flares into a
close, long-term relationship with media contacts who can extend your organization's reach and  impact:

1. Catch your intended's eye and make a good impression. If they don't come to you, go to them. But however you hook up, be ready for the conversation.
2. Prep thoroughly for that critical first date so it's not the one and only.
3. Shape the big date to be a boon, not bust. Do whatever it takes to be comfortable and relaxed. You'll both get more out of the conversation.
4. Follow up for a second date. Make sure you let the journalist know what  areas you  can help her out on, and how much you enjoyed the conversation.

For step-by-step guidance on building strong relationships with the media, read the complete guide:
How to Build Media Relationships That Stick -- Treat Them Like a First Date (Case Study)

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Freshest Mission Statement on Earth -- NYC's New Museum

Nonprofit marketers take note. NYC's New Museum, now nested in an intriguing new building in a quickly-gentrifying Lower East Side, got my attention big time with its new Mission Statement:

 

That's it. That's everything. That's enough.  I love it, although I know others will hate it. They'll ask what these words mean, want more syllables, more convolution. To me, a perfect model of less is more.

What's your take? Comment below please.

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Increasing Visitors and Donations in the Shadow of the Great New York Museums -- Newark Museum Case Study

Back in the fall of 2003, when Mark Albin, Newark Museum deputy director of marketing and public relations, started his new job, he faced what seemed like an overwhelming challenge.

Museum visitors were few and far between to this incredible art and science resource with a planetarium, a restored 19th-century mansion, representative works of American art, historical galleries and much more. But low visitation wasn't the only issue. The low number of visitors capped funding (many funders gauge gifts on visitation, among other factors; and most major donors evolve from the visitor base) and, ultimately, the Museum's impact.

Today, visitors are at an all-time high. Read the complete case study to learn how Albin harnessed  straighforward, moderately-priced audience research to get a better understanding of the problems and how to solve them.

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Here's How to Inform & Inspire in a Single Page -- Case Study, United Way Mass Bay & Merrimack Vallley

All this talk about fact sheets (strong models of nonprofit fact sheets here and here) motivated Meghan Keaney, communications director at the United Way of Massachusetts Bay & Merrimack Valley, to share her fact sheet strategy:

We have often struggled with the challenge of informing and inspiring in one sheet.  Our solution is to marry a fact sheet (one side) with a  success story (the other side).  We’ve found that our donors want something that marries the head and the heart.  They want their investment in the community to be making measurable changes (hence the fact side) but they also want to feel a connection to someone they helped.  It’s our first year doing it like this, but I think it’s a good tactic.

Our United Way focuses on four primary areas & community goals:  Healthy Childhood Development, Increasing Youth Opportunities, Affordable Housing and Sustainable employment.  We have one overview fact sheet on our organization, but we often find that these more focused fact sheets are what get people invested.

Take a look at the graphically-compelling, easily-scannable approach Meghan and colleagues have developed:

• Affordable Housing
• Healthy Child Development
• Increasing Youth Opportunities
• Sustainable Employment

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More (Almost) One-Page Fact Sheets -- No Better Way to Spread the Word

The International Rescue Committee IRC grabbed me with its pithy one-pager; now other Getting Attention readers are sharing their fact sheets.

Here are a few more highly effective fact sheets, all powerful examples of making it easy for your audiences to "get" who you are, and why it matters:

• Anixter Center
• ACCION New York and New Jersey -- Used as a low-cost alternative to the full-scale Annual Report, so features impact and a brief analysis of this microlender's portfolio)
• Legacy Charter School -- "It's too long, but we like it," says Barbara Carney, Legacy's director of development. Barbara, cut copy by 2/3, pump up the sub-heads and add more white space. You'll like it even more, and so will your audiences.
• Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Make sure you include  your fact sheet in your online press kit, and make it available as a download (and a regular Web page) in the About Us section of your Web site.

Remember that less is more here, assuming the less is right on target. Do whatever (almost whatever) you can to keep it to a single page.

Please email me your fact sheets and I'll share them with Getting Attention readers.

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After 10 Years, Movement Centre Needed to Surprise Those Who Knew It and Engage Those Who Didn't -- Online Video Did the Trick (Case Study)

It would be natural to hear about The Movement Centre of Manitoba and assume it's a hub for modern dance or exercise. But when you take a few minutes to view Our Story, the Centre's new video, you'll quickly understand the Centre's work, client base and unusual success story. It's a great model of putting online video to work its magic.

The Centre is a leader in helping children and adults with disabilities learn how to handle motor challenges to achieve optimal physical, cognitive and social independence through an unusual approach called Conductive Education. Conductive education is a complex concept and nearly unknown in North America, but is the critical differentiator for the Centre in its fundraising and program marketing. Here's the marketing challenge: Audiences have to understand what's unique about the way Centre staff work with their clients, and the relative impact of that approach, in order to grasp the organization's value to the community.

This challenge loomed bigger than ever as the Centre's 10th anniversary grew near. This all in the context of a bare bones staff: there is no Centre staff member tasked with communications, nor is there a communications-focused board or volunteer committee.

Nonetheless, Centre leadership was eager to use this milestone as a point of engagement to build understanding of the Centre's way of working. As anniversary planning evolved, videographer Nancy Gregory (who had covered the Centre in her previous life as a newscaster) suggested video as the clearest, most engaging strategy for telling the Centre's story.

Since I first covered the Centre several years ago, the story of their program and the progress of their clients has grown significantly. I wanted to do everything I could to audiences connect emotionally with the people who participate in these programs and with their families  And I knew I'd have so many great storytellers to choose from. Video was definitely the way to showcase the Centre's impact.

Working closely with Gregory, Centre staff identified key goals for the video including establishing credibility within the medical community for the Conductive Education approach, increasing referrals from specialists and pediatricians and confirming to existing donors and sponsors that their investments do make a difference. Next they brainstormed on how to get the most from their investment, listing venues for the video (or part of it) far beyond the anniversary gala and as varied as distribution in DVD format to prospective sponsors and donors and  via the Centre's Web site, and  projection at the annual open house for prospective clients and their families.

Then Gregory jumped into production mode:

This video finally presents the authentic story of the Centre's clients and their families, in their own words. Some of the major donors didn't truly understood how much their support was making a difference in the lives of so many people. Many of them had never visited to the Centre. So we took the Centre to them.

The video launched just a few weeks ago at the Centre's open house, golf tournament and online. Response has been extremely positive, reports Gregory, with lots of ahha (sp?) moments:

Several donors came up to me at the tournament came up to me and said, ''I knew we were helping kids but had no idea how much." And the Centre's Executive Director shared this: "The responses have been extremely positive with comments such as 'I had no idea that you worked with so many different types of challenges,'  and 'wow – when you actually can see what you folks do, this really makes sense.'"

Gregory did a mini email blast to about 100 folks, although the Centre has not yet launched a press campaign or email blast about the video. Even so, Web site usage stats show a huge (292%) surge in first-time visitors to the site since the video was posted online two months ago. And visitors are spending an average of one minute more on the site (that's a lot in the world of the Web).

Our Story is a model for nonprofit use of online video, addressing multiple goals and distributed in multiple venues. Clearly actions do speak louder than words for the Centre. It's still early but the Centre is clearly getting a huge return on their video investment. .

P.S. Don't forget to read 9 Keys to Using Online Video to Increase Your Nonprofit Marketing Impact.

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Nonprofit Success Tied to Looking Out, Not In, including Marketing-Wise

Researchers Leslie R. Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant dug into a dozen high-impact charities to learn what makes them so successful, and have just released their surprising findings in Forces for Good:

What we discovered after closely examining these 12 high-impact nonprofits came as a bit of a surprise. We had assumed that there was something inherent in these organizations that helped them have great impact – and that their success was directly tied to their growth or management approach. Instead, we learned that becoming a high-impact nonprofit is not just about building a great organization and then expanding it to reach more people. Rather, high-impact nonprofits work with and through organizations and individuals outside themselves to create more impact than they ever could have achieved alone.

So, going back to one of my perpetual rants, perspective is everything.

Crutchfield and Grant have shaped the book to serve as a practical guide rather than an abstract treatise, identifying the 11 characteristics common to successful nonprofits. And what's particularly interesting to me is that four of the 11 criteria are squarely marketing focused, which suggests that nonprofits that pay lip service to marketing (or execute traditional us-to-them marketing strategies only) lose out big time.

The four marketing musts are:

1. Convert individuals into evangelists for your organization and for the cause
   
   • They're the most powerful marketing strategy you'll ever see, and when the cause advances, your organization does too.
   • But, to make this strategy work, you have to engage your supporters emotionally, not just intellectually or politically. Are you doing so?
2. Nurture networks of nonprofits; see related orgs as allies, not competitors
   • Forgetting to communicate with existing and prospective partners is one of the most common nonprofit marketing mistakes
   • Building relationships with other orgs in your issue arena is key to raising awareness and moving your issue agenda forward --you get the power, knowledge and complementary perspective of like orgs
   • Ongoing communications -- that's the nurturing -- is a must to building a powerful networks. Don't hit and run.
3. Harness market forces and see business as a powerful partner
   • Marketing and capitalism aren't bad words; don't be afraid
   • Building earned income streams and corporate partnerships are the first steps to impact on a greater scale.
4. Focus on impact, and measure progress against results or larger systemic change
   • Too many organizations measure success by their process or outputs, not impact, particularly with marketing activities -- that's all about your org, not about the difference you make in the world.
   • Design a process that makes impact, not just outputs

Read Forces for Good for a clear-eyed look at what will make your organization successful, and detailed case studies on twelve organizations putting these strategies into practice today.

Caveat: The 12 orgs profiled here all have budgets of $13 million or more. Crutchfield and Grant claim that these same principles apply to grassroots organizations, but I'm skeptical. There's just so much less leeway (and fewer resources) for those orgs. What do you think?

Tip of the hat to The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

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Crisis Goes Gold as Verizon's Censorship of NARAL Text Call-to-Actions Gets NARAL More Attention than Ever

Over the past few years, text messaging has become a core organizing tool for advocacy orgs, even more so in Europe than it is here (yet). So it's not surprising that NARAL Pro-Choice America put texting to work to motivate citizen advocates to contact their representatives on to protect choice.

What is astonishing is that (and how) Verizon Wireless rejected NARAL's application for the short code required for texting:

VZW will not accept programs that are issue-oriented from lobbyist [sic], PACs, or any organization that seeks to promote an agenda or distribute content that...may be seen as controversial or unsavory to any of our users. 

Seems that because NARAL makes Verizon Wireless cringe, users of the service can't get the text messages they have subscribed to. And, since texting is not legally protected by telecom legislation, Verizon Wireless censors because it can.

Happy ending though, and a great example of how a nonprofit that's on the ball can turn a crisis to its advantage. NARAL (a Verizon Wireless customer) worked this story big time:

1. Getting a story placed on the first page of today's New York Times (they never would have been there otherwise)
2. Putting its highly effective online organizing machine to work with an email campaign to Verizon Wireless promoted to its email list (got mine at 10 this morning) and via its Web site, most effectively targeting Verizon's action as a censorship issue. NARAL generated 20,000 emails in two hours.
   
3. Writing (and publishing on its Web site) a blistering letter to the company from NARAL president Nancy Keenan.

Result? By 11:25 this morning, when I combed the Times online for the censorship story, I found that at 10:30 Verizon had reversed its decision. Win-win-win for NARAL now able to text, better known than ever before and even perhaps piquing the interest of civil liberties supporters not previously involved in pro choice activism.

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How to Use Online Video to Strengthen Your Nonprofit Marketing Impact -- Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants

How do you put online video to work to boost your nonprofit marketing? That's what I asked colleagues to share in this week's Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants.

Here goes:

• Alia McKee of Sea Change Strategies Direct remembers how Video Killed the Radio Star (not a bad song 20 years later). She recommends that online video should complement -- not replace -- more traditional and online channels at this point. She also shares 5 key tips for online video success, including keeping it under 2 minutes.
• Steve Andrews at the UK-based Whitewater agency shares the SolarAid (a nonprofit he's helping to establish) online video strategy -- they'll be using video primarily to deliver timely, tangible, powerful feedback to donors. Donors and beneficiaries will be able to converse via blogs and vlogs (video diaries).
• Higher ed marketing guru Bob Johnson suggests that online video is an expectation for many nonprofit audiences (definitely for prospective college students) and warns against talking heads and other staged approaches. He also stresses the importance of quality production -- as budget permits.
• Katya Andresen advises on how to succeed in nonprofit marketing in a quick-and-dirty (but effective) video, with links to easy directions for doing it yourself. Katya, you win the "most original" prize by a landslide. Enthused by her video experiment, she goes on to critique Neiman Marcus' anniversary video campaign, concluding that show, don't tell is the ultimate video must.
• This startling video from Greenpeace absolutely captivated me because it's startlingly original, short, a bit frightening and hugely compelling because I get blamed for a huge world crisis. I clicked on the call-to-action link at the end of the video.
• Hatef Yamini at Frogloop interviewed video experts at Online Video Services (OVS) who advise that knowing your audience and selecting video "stars" that appeal to that group is key. Another  important guideline -- quality counts, e.g. you get what you pay for. OVS estimates the cost for a professional video shoot, including editing, at $1K for each minute of on demand finished content. 
  
  • Caveat -- There is an active debate what quality means, and adds, in online video. Some Carnival bloggers hold out for the authenticity of amateur video. My take -- that amateur video will soon become tedious as the novelty of the medium erodes. Expectations for higher-end production values will begin to increase very quickly. I've watched this cycle before, most recently with blogging.

Some Nonprofit Video Successes
There are many powerful nonprofit videos out there to inspire and guide you. Here's a list of top picks from Carnival bloggers:

• The Buffalo Movie -- Video evidence connects donors and beneficiaries
• This video from UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School lets students talk about how they advance their careers in a great example of "storytelling" content that's more effective delivered in video than written out as text.
• The Central Dallas Ministries Transition Resource Action Center produced this video, which motivated NPowerDC's Jocelyn Harmon to become a first-time donor.
• Kids radio program Kidcast put together this simple video to spread the word. Thanks to David Brazeal for the heads up.
• Alia points to IRC communications officer Emily Holland who recently traveled to Darfur to document the lives of displaced Sudanese survivors. Her video diary shows us that IRC is working on the ground in key areas and is an absorbing story. Again, authenticity rules.
• NC environmental organization RE3.org is using video for online training, with the long-term goal of reducing training-related travel. This is a very simple and clever use of video -- RE3.org simply video tapes a PowerPoint presentation with the audio, resulting in a full-fledged Webinar. Simple but elegant.
• OVS credits the California Bar Association with setting the bar in using video as a fully-integrated component of its anti-smoking campaign. Here's Carol Burnett.

Let me know (click the Comments link below) how your nonprofit is using video, and what's working best. I'll spread the word.

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If You Say It, Mean It -- Pret a Manger Clearly Doesn't

Promising and failing to deliver is much worse than never making the promise. That's what the Red Cross is finding according to business researcher Scott Deming. Unfortunately, I see this pattern rearing its ugly head all too often, and it's absolutely antithetical to the authenticity that is so critical to building strong relationships with your target audiences.

Here's an example of gross inauthenticity I picked up on during a recent lunch at Pret a Manger("ready to eat" ala pret a porter). This well-designed, British-born grab-a-quick lunch chain strives to brand itself with its healthy and homemade food and its caring for its customers:

We don’t like big food factory/depot/processing place