True Majority/Moms Rising Launch Blockbuster Mom's Day Video -- Fun & Effective

True Majority & Moms Rising premiered a customizable video for Mothers Day. Another great example of engaging your base around an event that's top of mind.

The video is pretty much irresistible. Try it!

Best yet, you have fun while Moms Rising reinforces its commitment to equity in pay, health care and more (review the strong cover email here), and harvests your email address when you pass the video on to your mom.

BTW, happy Mothers' day Fran (my MIL)!

5 Steps to Magical Fundraising -- Dixon Place Case Study

I attended an incredible performance at NYC's Dixon Place a few weeks ago, along with my husband and some friends. This is a venue I've known forever, and have seen grow from a tiny spot in the founder's living room to its latest incarnation in its own beautiful building. But I haven't been there much lately and was incredibly impressed by its magical fundraising.

Here's how Dixon Place worked it:

1. The minute the lights flickered and the audience was seated, a staffer thanked us for being so central to the theater's success, thoroughly reviewing its growth from step one to the new building (this was one of the first performances there).
2. That worked to engage an already excited audience, making us feel proud of ourselves even if the only support we provided to date was buying the tickets for that day. 
3. The magic hat was passed, with a request to keep it coming. Passing the hat made it all tangible, and the fact that it was a bicycle helmet, rather than the common cap, emphasized the originality of Dixon Place's agenda. Who could resist? And giving further engaged us.
4. Next, the staffer suggested we visit the theater's's Web site to get more involved , capitalizing on the here-and-now of our attention. On to the show...
5. And a big final thanks after the compelling show.

My personal poll of our group of five showed a deep feeling of engagement, interest and openness to more Dixon Place. 5 steps to magical fundraising!

P.S. Magical fundraising requires effective messaging. Download the free Nonprofit Tagline Report for must-dos, don't dos, case studies and 1,000+ nonprofit tagline examples!

How to Supplement Gifts & Grants w/Earned Income (Yes -- Charge for It!)

I'll be joining two other communications experts -- Hannah Kane from Idealist and reporter Carly Rothman from Newark's Star Ledger (the daily newspaper) tomorrow in a panel (Nonprofits, Technology and Messaging) hosted by NJN, NJ's public TV and radio station.

NJN is doing something really smart -- building an earned income stream by marketing for-fee use of its production facilities and services to carefully-identified target audiences. That's earned vs. unearned (income from donations and grants); a stabilizing source particularly in tough times. Always makes sense to diversify, including income-wise.

Here's the strategy:

• The folks at NJN are targeting nonprofits, government agencies and small biz/production centers/event planners --- the folks they feel are mostly likely to need moderately-priced outside production help/facilities. Interest is there -- 150 org staff members will be at tomorrow's session.
• They're marketing facilities and expertise they already have -- but aren't fully needed by the station itself. Many public radio and/or TV stations do so; but not on so formalized (and effective) a basis.
• They're reaching out strategically to build awareness, interest AND relationships. The panel in which I'm participating is part of an open house series -- one for each type of prospective customer -- designed to introduce not only the facilities and services to prospects, but to build relationships and a deeper understanding of how NJN can help with their challenges.
• They're showing their understanding of the target audiences, and their respect for their time (and value of their contribution) by providing a free customized training component in each open house. That's where our panel comes in. 

What skills, products and/or facilities does your org have on tap and aren't fully used by your own programs and operations? Look hard and inventory possibilities now. Winnow down the list by evaluating what fills a market need and is most feasible to deliver (e.g. of interest to audiences beyond the folks you already provides those services or products to, requires least additional work...). And go with it.

P. S. Don't miss out on the in-depth articles, case studies and guides on fee-based services, branding, messages and more featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update.  Subscribe today.

99Designs -- Get a New Logo for a Bargain Price

Need a new logo but don't have much of a budget? Turn to 99Designs to run a design contest sourcing your logo or other design challenge from a vast array of emerging graphic designers.All you need is a clear idea of what you want designed and how much you're prepared to pay for it.

Here are some current design contests, and here's how 99Designs works:

1. Craft your creative brief -- The brief articulates all the tough prep work your org needs to do -- brand definition, goal, target audiences, etc. My guide to creative briefs includes an easy-to-complete template.
2. Set your budget -- How much is your org to pay the winning designer to purchase their design (aka the prize)? Prize amounts generally range from $100 to $600 depending on the type of design you require.
3. Work with the designers -- Once your design brief has been posted to 99designs.com, designers from around the globe will submit design concepts to compete for your prize. It’s your job to rate the designs and provide feedback to help the designers deliver what you want.
4. Choose your favorite design -- Consider asking your base to weigh in here as well. At the completion of the design contest (which is typically 7 days) you will choose a winning design and pay the designer the prize amount. The designer will send you their completed design along with copyright to the original artwork. 

Of course, as with everything communications (and most else), what you get out of it is directly proportional to what you put into it. My friend Brian Reich, co-author of Media Rules, shares this guidance for running a productive 99Designs contest:

• Comment, comment, comment: The more you comment on submitted designs, the more designs come in, and the better they get. Makes sense, you're honing your vision so the graphic representations of it are more on target.
• Be brutally honest.
• Eliminate the ones you don't like pronto: That narrows the field and focuses the designers.
• Guarantee payment: It doesn't necessarily matter how much (although I'd say $300 is a healthy average for logo design) but designers do better work if they know a winning entry gets paid.

Remember though, the more detailed and comprehensive your creative brief, the better the submitted logos will match your org's vision and needs.

P. S. Don't miss out on the in-depth articles, case studies and guides on branding, messages and more featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update.  Subscribe today.

Speak Up! Comedians Guide Teens to Speak Out on Reckless Driving

 For more than two decades, car crashes have been the number one killer of teens in the United States. Recently, the Advertising Council joined with a coalition of state Attorneys General and consumer protection agencies to launch a series of PSAs) designed to save lives by reducing teen reckless driving. But this one is different -- the ads turn the typical on its ear, using three well-known comedians to deliver some very serious messages to teens.

Research conducted by the Ad Council shows that teen drivers are more likely to listen to their friends than the adults in their lives. No surprise to parents of teens.

What's great is that the new ads (TV, radio, outdoor and interactive) work with this peer-to-peer influence, rather than fight it. The TV spots feature comedians Rachel Harris, Fred Willard and Rob Riggle acting as teen passengers who humorously "speak up" to prevent a car crash: "If your friend is driving recklessly, say something."

The PSAs direct audiences to visit www.SpeakUpOrElse.com, where for motivation and practical tools to help them speak up.  Additional elements to come include a free iPhone and iPod Touch app that turns a phone device into a bullhorn with flashing lights that can be used to inform a friend of his or her reckless driving. (I'd like to use that for my own citizen arrests.) 

Site users can also user send instant message videos, starring the comedians, to friends. The recipient, expecting a friend to chat, will receive a reckless driving video instead. All of these tools are designed to get the point across with humor rather than a heavy hand, from one teen to another.

This is a considered, creative example of reaching audiences where they are (on social networks, online, etc) with messaging that means something to them (peer-to-peer) and making it easy for them to pass the word. Job well done.

P.S. The right messaging is critical to the success of every nonprofit communications campaign, and the tagline lies at its very core! Download the free Nonprofit Tagline Report for must-dos, don't dos, case studies and 1,000+ nonprofit tagline examples!

Pow! Wham! Communicating in a Fresh Way Can Bash Through to Consciousness

DC Jobs with Justice and the Institute for Policy Studies found a refreshing and attention-getting way to communicate on complicated issues in Economic Meltdown Funnies, a comic book about the recent economic crisis. 

The comic is indeed comic. But far beyond that, its format is a welcoming way in to a topic that's confusing and upsetting. It works.

Very reminiscent, actually, of Primo Dinero, my high school intro-to-economics text. Primo was the narrator of a tale of micro-economics on a small island, in comic book format. Believe me, everyone did the reading in that class.

Think about how you can put a comic, or some other non-traditional format to work to get through to your network -- on complicated issues or on simple ones that people think they know everything about already so their eyes glaze over.

P. S. Don't miss out on the in-depth articles, case studies and guides on branding, messages and more featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update.  Subscribe today.

Open It Up -- How to Engage Your Base Behind the Scenes

In an era when even Loehmann's (THE original discount ladies clothing store w/famously-communal dressing rooms) has a Facebook fan page*, you know it's hard to get through to your network of supporters, much less engage them.

But giving folks a chance to go beyond -- whether behind the scenes, after the show or standing in the shoes of -- is a powerful way to do just that. Here are some great examples:

==> Behind the scenes: As a long-ago member of New York's American Museum of Natural History, I joined a behind-the-scenes tour of the entomology (bugs) department. It was incredibly compelling,  and gave me a real understanding of what it takes to find, research and exhibit the incredible shows at the museum.

The research side of the institution is something the public is largely unaware of, and this was a powerful way to show how an exhibit evolves. I renewed my membership for several years thereafter.

==> After the show: My husband and I see many experimental performances in the Peak Perfs series at a local university. The performances usually raise questions and consciousness, and are often complemented by discussions after the performance and online (in perpetuity). These discussions erase the lines between the audience and the performers/production team/author, adding another dimension to the experience as participants become a single community discussing a work or issue from various perspectives. In the end, the opportunity to participate morphs these performances into memorable interactions.

==> Standing in the shoes of: As part of its 75th anniversary celebration, The School of American Ballet is inviting the public to "stand in the toe shoes of," by observing one of Jock Soto's master class in for senior students. This "as is" picture of how these classes run is likely to succeed hugely in developing new ballet fans (it's free after all) and increasing the engagement level of long-time devotees.

*5,000 Facebook users became fans of Loehmann's Facebook fan page in its first 24 hours.

P. S. Don't miss out on the in-depth articles, case studies and guides on branding, messages and more featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update.  Subscribe today.

Free Marketing Wisdom -- Get It While It's Hot

MarketingSherpa is sharing some wisdom again in its just-released 2009 Marketing Wisdom report.The report features 94 useful real-life lessons learned last year by marketers just like you, each conveyed in a single paragraph. Great example of creative crowdsourcing too!

I'm a big fan of this report, read it annually and urge you to download it today, for free. Here's what you'll get out of it:

• Succinct, engaging first-hand accounts of marketing techniques that work -- from colleagues in nonprofit and business world
• Diversity of goals, perspective and experiences
• Easy-to-scan content, indexed by tactic, organization and contributor name.

As a bonus, the submissions provide an overview of trends in marketing. This year, the editors point to "email is not dead," "clarity on the effectiveness of social networking" and the persistent importance of SEO (search engine optimization) as the big three trends.Is that what you're seeing?

Dive in today and let me know what you learn and put to work.

P.S. Now here's a bit of my wisdom! When a powerful tagline is joined to a compelling mission...nothing is impossible! Download the free Nonprofit Tagline Report for must-dos, don't dos, case studies and 1,000+ nonprofit tagline examples!

Change.Gov is Up -- Obama Shares Vision, Plans & Hopes, Wants to Hear Yours

 

Less than 48 hours after winning the election, the Barack Obama transition team has launched Change.Gov.

Like many sites, it's a work in progress. For example, I see "content to come" as the only element on the America's Service Plan page (at 11/6, 7pm eastern).

Frankly, it's good to see that authenticity. After all, I'm sure there's not an organization out there that's  launched a 100% complete, 100% error free site, especially in two days. The way that Obama's team shows their humanity is engaging. They're not afraid of being real, like you and me, and that makes us feel closer to them. Win!

I'm also pleased to see continuity in message and values (yes, a President can have a brand), with citizens asked to share our visions, stories and perspectives on key issues. I've just submitted my vision and will let you know how it's followed up. I know it will be.

The Obama team really shines in putting Web 2.0 to work. When I provided my email and zip code (not sure what for), I was thanked for "helping us remake Washington." And there's a blog too, complementing the user-generated content (visions, etc.). It'll be interesting to see who blogs, if comments are accepted, etc. Just another way to read the new administration.

But what's most exciting is my gut feeling that they'll move beyond the sharing of visions and stories (which I'm sure will be shared back) and join these folks up with the 3.1 million campaign volunteers of MyBarackObama.com as some kind of mind-blowing citizen advisory board. That's real community, and I can't wait to see it take shape.

P.S. Learn how you can craft a compelling story for your org in 8 words or less. Download the free Nonprofit Tagline Report for must-dos, don't dos, case studies and 1,000+ nonprofit tagline examples!

You're (In)Famous, and So Am I: MoveOn's Personalized Video Paints Dark Future for Non-Voters

You've probably already received 10 emails about this "vote-or-else" campaign from MoveOn.org, but I have to chime in with my admiration. It's irresistible.

MoveOn.org has outdone itself with this funny, engaging but ultimately, extremely thought-provoking video news report from the future.  And the video and news site are peppered with the “suspected non-voter’s” name(mine, or yours). It's the ultimate in targeting. Take a look.

Even better, MoveOn.org makes the experience easy to share by filling in a simple form with your friends' contact info. You can make 'em laugh and make 'em think, in a second.

So vote, or else...

P.S. Learn how to craft the marketing message that matters most -- your tagline. Download the free Nonprofit Tagline Report for must-dos, don't dos, case studies and 1,000+ nonprofit tagline examples!