leandra's blog

I am very excited to announce the official launch of the new NC Rail-Trails website. This Drupal project has been going on for a few months and I couldn't be happier with the result. From the overall organization to the design details (love the grass and trail marker at the bottom of the page), this site is now a beautiful representation of all the good things this organization does for outdoor recreation in North Carolina.

Their Webmaster, Curt, was a huge help in keeping this project on track, feeding me information and gradually taking over the update duties. I look forward to helping them out with future projects.

I just added a new logo to the design gallery for NCTech4Good, a Triangle area meetup group that serves as an information hub to help nonprofits learn more about available technology.

Have you ever been asked about your organization's newsletter? How do you keep in touch with your clients or donors to let them know how you are doing and what you are up to? There are many e-newsletter services to choose from, but how much should something like this cost and what do you get for the money? 

A lot of folks start out by using their personal email lists and Outlook. This method will work for a few dozen emails, but putting too many addresses in the BCC field could end up labeling you as a spammer by your recipient's email client. This is where the professionals come in... one major benefit to having a tool for this process is the automatic management of your email list. All the services listed below will allow you to upload your existing list (although keep in mind that many do not allow purchased lists, so keep it legit) and will keep track of who signs up and, heaven forbid, who unsubscribes. Combine that with some lovely design templates and you are well on your way to a beautiful and useful marketing tool.

To give you a jump start on your competition, I put together a list of three affordable options for those just starting out.

MailChimp - One of the nicest things about MailChimp is that it is entirely free for your first 500 subscribers (after that, the price goes up to $30 a month for up to 2500 subscribers.) They also offer a 15% discount to nonprofits and charities. This plan is ideal for those who are just starting to build a donor list or client list. MailChimp is also good if you know a little bit of html and want to design your own template as they have a pretty robust design tool in place of an extensive template gallery. You can find a listing of Mail Chimp's features here.

iContact - If you are looking for an option with a lot of ready-made templates and beautiful charts of colorful results, iContact is another option. The cost is under $10 a month for 250 contacts and goes up incrementally from there. iContact also offers a 20% discount to all nonprofits and a free trial for 15 days and 500 emails. For those in NC, you'll have the extra added benefit of supporting a local business as they are based in Durham. You can find a listing of iContact's features here.

Vertical Response - This is possibly the best deal for nonprofits as Vertical Response allows qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits to send 10,000 emails a month for free. For the rest of us, the email newsletter plans start at a competitive $10 a month for up to 500 emails and go up from there. Right now, they are offering a risk free trial where you can send the first 500 emails for free to try them out. You can find a listing of Vertical Response's features here.

One of the organizations I am involved with, Durham Young Professionals, has been working with Urban Ministries of Durham for the past several months. UMD is a great non-profit organization that provides shelter, food, clothing, and substance abuse recovery programs to those who need it in the Durham area.

Each fall, the Durham Jaycees organize an annual Haunted House fundraiser, where money goes to benefit valuable charitable organizations in our community such as Urban Ministries. The Haunted House will be open for seven nights, and UMD will be one of the organizations benefiting from a specific fundraising night on Thursday, October 29th.

In order to make this night as successful for Urban Ministries of Durham as possible, they need your help!

From acting in skits and being tour guides, to selling concessions and taking tickets, there is always plenty of work for volunteers. Plus, you'll be helping UMD raise money to help with everything from paying operating expenses like utility bills to buying food in bulk for their Community Cafe and Food Pantry.

Please contact Tucker Bullock tbullock@scana.com for more information and to sign up!

Ask yourself a question... what brands are you loyal to and why? Now take the next step and think about what it would take for you to switch away from some of your favorite products. A compelling commercial? A friend recommended it to you? The colorful packaging caught your eye? Lots of people are already donating to various causes, so why not yours?

What are you known for and what makes you different? You probably know other organizations that serve similiar communities and groups, so what makes you stand above the pack?

Recent surveys have shown that the general public already knows that nonprofits are "understanding, compassionate, dedicated, caring and committed" to their causes, so demonstrating that you are also "efficient, accountable and effective" can go a long way toward people's perceptions of your organization.

The Cone Nonprofit Branding Report is a great listing of organizations that are leveraging their established brands to bring in more donors.

"At a time when donations are decreasing and nonprofits are continuously being asked to work across sectors to solve global issues, leading organizations are evolving and protecting their brands as powerful engines to raise critical funds in the near and long-term. In a sector where more than 1.5 million organizations compete for dwindling resources to carry out their missions, a solid brand identity helps tell an organization’s story. It sets expectations, gains attention, fosters relationships and ultimately helps ensure long-term survival."

Here's a quick exercise for you... think of three key attributes, central ideas or themes that describe your organization. Which of these are unique? Now list three proof points per attribute that support your claim about your organization.

The important thing is to use concrete results-oriented information to increase your perceived value to a donor. When people donate to you, they already care about your cause, so show them (with a mix of actual stories and hard facts) what you are doing with their money.

This is part of an ongoing series of my notes from the NC Center for Nonprofits Conference on September 10 & 11, 2009. Post inspired by Kelly Williamson's talk "Rebranding the Nonprofit Sector."