As a Jersey Girl , I was thrilled to hear that the New Jersey State Library was recently honored for outstanding marketing of its Tell Us Your Story advocacy campaign with a 2010 John Cotton Dana Award.
Here’s how the campaign worked:
- Campaign organizers mobilized staff members in 240 libraries across the state to ask their communities to Tell Us Your Story.
- Countless Jersey-ites who rely on public libraries for computers to aid in job searches, free summer programs for kids, books, DVDs and films stepped up to share their stories here.
- The organizers used these terrific stories (you can read some of them here) locally and in a statewide media campaign.
There’s lots to learn from the way the Library designed and marketed this campaign. Here are the campaign’s main success factors:
1. Mobilizing and training first-line messengers – library staff – as campaign advocates
This fantastic campaign harnessed on-the-ground staff to solicit patron stories. But organizers didn’t just expect that library staff would know what to do or would spend the time to figure it out.
Instead the organizers trained library staff (a.k.a. messengers) via a marketing toolkit supplemented by a library communication network linking more than 500 users.
2. Motivating the second-line messengers – Library users to library champions
Campaign organizers knew that NJ library users had a lot of good stories to tell. And that their favorite library staffers could motivate to do it.
But they made involvement more compelling by naming it. Become a Library Champion is a far more powerful invitation than Share Your Story. It tells library users that their story will help sustain the library and gives them a name easy to remember and repeat.
3. Putting the stories to work in an all-state media campaign
The campaign generated powerful stories on how libraries have helped users in areas as varied as job searches to providing audio and braille books for blind users. But it didn’t stop there.
It used NJ library users’ stories as the core of a strategic media campaign that reached millions of people, including elected officials, through stories, commercials, outreach and the website.
4. Building a core of citizen advocates – From sharing a story to fighting for library funding
It’s likely that many of those who shared their stories would never have stood up to fight for library funding if asked directly. But sharing their stories engaged them.
And now, the Library has compiled a database of library champions (you can become one here) to update them on urgent legislative issues as they arise.
Due, at least in part to this campaign, the 2011 cut in library funding was reduced to 42% of the 2010 budget, from the 74% slashing initially proposed.
NJ State Library’s campaign design and process of engagement is a definite success, and a fantastic model for your organization. Of course the celebrity champions didn’t hurt – but they alone wouldn’t have had the same impact.
What are you doing to mobilize your colleagues and base as messengers? Please share your story here.
P.S. Get more in-depth articles, case studies and guides to nonprofit marketing (and video) success — all featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update. Subscribe today.
Nancy Schwartz on July 28, 2010 in Advocacy, Case Studies
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Tags:John Cotton Dana Award, library marketing
Subject: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Visits HealthRight in Vietnam
Healthright-nonprofit-marketing
I was thrilled last Thursday to receive this timely e-news alert from HealthRight International. It’s nonprofit marketing at it’s finest.
This scrappy organization doing fantastic grassroots public health work worldwide had learned just a week prior that it had a fantastic marketing opportunity on its hands: Hillary Clinton had selected its Smile of the Sun center in Hanoi (a model for providing support and advocacy services for children and families living with HIV) as the stage for her signing of a five- year agreement with the Vietnamese government to fight HIV/AIDS.
Healthright’s executive director Mila Rosenthal (in photo in white shirt) is a close friend who happened to be visiting us a few days before Clinton’s visit. She couldn’t leave her Blackberry alone for a minute – not like her – and when I asked why, she shared the news as she continued to work on visa issues.
Mila knew that:
- Nothing’s more powerful than connecting your nonprofit with a major news event. Clinton had already done that. It was HRI’s job to make the most of it.
- Clinton’s visit was the biggest media/marketing opportunity HRI had ever had, especially since her team had vetted many programs before selecting HRI’s program as the “set.”
- This was a priceless moment for HRI to a) build awareness of its work and impact with existing supporters, and to b) engage many others as supporters, or at least pique their interest.
- Mila better be there, on the scene, herself.
Despite visa delays, Mila did make the signing. Then she and the HRI team capitalized on it. They:
- Captured as many photos as possible, with Mila included when possible (the visual connection between Mila and Hillary is worth a million dollars).
- Distributed two press releases, one each the day before and the day of the visit, including one featuring the photos.
- Sent out this e-news immediately.
- Featuring the story on the HealthRight’s homepage
The only additional suggestion I have for HealthRight is that they continue the story across online and offline channels, including the blog (nothing there yet on Clinton’s visit).
Remember that engagement is fleeting: Once your organization does engage a new or re-engage an existing audience, make sure to keep in close touch with related content (in this case, more about the trip, the center and HealthRight’s work in Vietnam and other countries. It’s much harder to re-engage them, than to keep the conversation going.
Please share your stories – in the comments box – of connecting your organization’s work and impact with a major news story. Don’t forget to mention the results. Thanks!
P.S. Get more in-depth articles, case studies and guides to nonprofit marketing (and video) success — all featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update. Subscribe today.
Nancy Schwartz on July 26, 2010 in Case Studies, Strategy
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Tags:HealthRight International, media relations, Mila Rosenthal, nonprofit branding, Nonprofit Communications
Q: Can we use both a tagline and slogan for our nonprofit?
Our organization uses a three-word slogan (Access. Acquire. Empower.) and a tagline (Using Technology to Narrow Societal Gaps). And I have two questions for you.
1. Is it overkill to use a slogan and a tagline? Is that a nonprofit marketing don’t?
- The slogan is important for our mission statement, which is based on those three words.
- The tagline gives a better idea of what we do.
2. What’s the solution?
- We’ve been toying with the idea of getting rid of one or the other, or making a “mish-mash” of the two: Access to technology. Acquire knowledge/skills. Empower people.
- We know this isn’t very powerful.
–Ephraim Geffen, Machshava Tova, Israel
A: Dear Ephraim, using two taglines is confusing. Stop!
Your instinct that something is off with your nonprofit messaging approach is correct.
There’s really no difference between a slogan and a tagline. So your nonprofit is currently using two taglines, which is incredibly confusing to your target audience. It’s tops the list of nonprofit marketing don’ts.
The last thing any nonprofit communicator wants to do is to confuse his audience. Because confusion makes people want to flee; the absolute opposite of engagement.
Instead, take the time to develop a single, clear tagline — eight words or less–they conveys the essence of your organization’s value. I don’t know the meaning of your organizational name, but if the name doesn’t say what you do, the tagline should include some description.
It is NOT important that your tagline mirrors the words in your mission statement (which is internally oriented). What you can do to convey those ideas is to integrate the language and concepts into your positioning statement — the one to three sentences you use to convey your organization’s focus, impact and unique value to the communities you serve.
But start with your tagline. You’ll find all the guidance you need to shape a powerful one in the Getting Attention Nonprofit Tagline Report (download link below).
P.S. Messages that connect are a priority for all organizations and the prerequisite for motivating your base to act. Learn how to craft the most essential message — your tagline. Download the Nonprofit Tagline Report, filled with must-dos, don’t dos, case studies and 2,500+ nonprofit tagline examples!
Nancy Schwartz on May 20, 2010 in Branding and Messages, Case Studies, Taglines
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Tags:branding, case study, messaging, nonprofit marketing, nonprofit tagline awards, nonprofit tagline report, tagline
I’d like to ask for your help. I’m putting together a presentation and an article, on two different topics, and want to highlight my guidance with real-life stories of nonprofit marketing in action. Here’s what I’m looking for:
1) Are you using a keyword strategy as the first (or only) step to search engine optimization (SEO)?
- I’m writing an e-update article that guides organizations on how to identify the right keywords for SEO (the first step to getting your org’s online content as far up in search engine results as you can, ideally in the first 10).
- Seeking mini-case studies of organization’s who are doing this.
- Please share your story here. It will take 5 minutes, at most! Thanks.
2) Are you integrating your social media outreach into your overall communications strategy?
- I’m speaking at NTC on this crucial topic, and need some case studies from small or medium organizations to share.
- Please share your story here. Won’t take more than a few minutes.
If you can’t answer yes to either question, but you know a colleague at another organization who can, please forward this request.
Many thanks!
Nancy Schwartz on February 16, 2010 in Case Studies, Nonprofit Communications, Social Media
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Tags:Getting Attention, Nancy E. Schwartz, Nancy Schwartz, nonprofit branding, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing, tagline
Earlier this week, National Endowment for the Arts(NEA) chairman Rocco Landesman announced the NEA’s open call for a new logo design to convey its focus (tagline?), “Art Works.”
Designers, you’ll find the RFP here, The deadline is February 26th,with the winner gets $25,000. Much better than the take from typical design crowdsourcing ops like 99designs.com.
The announcement, made to students at Miami’s architecture and design high school, gave the NEA a wonderful chance to take center stage. That’s an opportunity usually left to the programs it funds. Landesman described the NEA’s needs here:
These two words – “art works” – pretty much sum up everything we are about at the NEA and I hope you will see them everywhere. Art, artists, and arts professionals work to change the communities they inhabit: they are placemakers and help create livable, sustainable, complete communities. I look forward to having a logo that conveys that.
You know that contests are all the rage — from America’s Giving Challenge to Chase Community Giving — but this is an interesting amalgam of contest, crowdsourcing and flat-out PR. I think it’s a brilliant communications campaign. Here’s why:
- Most of us only have a vague idea what the NEA actually is and does. This contest is a powerful platform for Landesman and colleagues to build understanding of its value.
- Art Works is the NEA’s thoughtfully-conceived brand. They’ve done the planning to ensure that its relevant and this contest is a wonderful way to build its network of messengers.
- And it’s news (new, time sensitive), so will be spread by traditional and non-traditional media (like me).
- The contest gives the NEA to talk about itself this week, while the submissions are coming in, at the deadline and when a winner is selected. That’s several points of entry into the news cycle.
I’ll be tracking the coverage and response this campaign generates for the NEA, and will share back with you. Meanwhile, what’s your take on this strategy? Does it work for you?…
NOTE: Please read the comments section. AIGA has come out strongly against this practice of soliciting graphic design work on spec
P.S. Get more in-depth articles, case studies like this one and guides to nonprofit marketing success — all featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update. Subscribe today.
Nancy Schwartz on February 4, 2010 in Case Studies, Graphic Design, Nonprofit Communications
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Tags:art works, crowdsourcing, Getting Attention, logo design, Nancy E. Schwartz, Nancy Schwartz, nea, nonprofit branding, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing, rocco landesman, tagline
Here’s a a fantastic model of an organization linking its issues to a major news event to generate headline attention.
Shortly before Groundhog Day, PETA took on the Punxsutawney groundhog club, heralding its call for groundhog (and more broadly, animal) rights via a blog post and press release. And PETA advocates went one step further to suggest that Punxsutawney Phil’s annual weather forecasting responsibilities be taken over by a robot.
PETA says it’s wrong that Phil is subjected to the bright lights and crowds related to the Feb. 2 tradition. Event organizers downplay those concerns and insist that Phil is beyond fine, living better than other groundhogs in his climate-controlled environment.
An extremely active conversation blossomed in comments to the blog post. And, even more significantly, major news outlets like NPR, the LA Times and the Christian Science Monitor picked up on the controversy. At this moment, 9:23 am on Groundhog Day, a Google search on “peta ‘punxsutawney phil’ ‘groundhog day’” generates 43,000 results! PETA rules.
Kudos to PETA communicators for realizing there are few days (any others?) when animals are scheduled to make the headlines and acted on it. In connecting Phil’s rights with a national event, they secured widespread mainstream and niche media coverage of animal rights issues at little or no cost. Phil’s in good hands!
P.S. Get more in-depth articles, case studies and guides to nonprofit marketing success — all featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update. Subscribe today.
Photo: oygirl.files.wordpress / CC
Nancy Schwartz on February 2, 2010 in Case Studies, Media Relations and Press, Nonprofit Communications
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5 comments
Tags:Getting Attention, groundhog day, Nancy E. Schwartz, Nancy Schwartz, nonprofit branding, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing, PETA, Punxsutawney Phil, tagline
Back in November, I received this email from the folks at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). It’s a powerful example of how acknowledging an error of substance (i.e., not a typo or missing photo) can be a good opportunity to reinforce your organization’s brand (in this case, reliability, accuracy and passion for the truth).
Here’s what happened:
- In striving to write a succinct review of a recently-published article, EDF implied the incorrect reason behind wasted electricity in the electricity production process.
- When the error was pointed out by an EDF member (an engineering professor), EDF morphed this mistake into a clarion call on its commitment to accuracy as the only way to “promote meaning solutions to our environmental challenges.”
- Sam Parry, EDF’s director of Online Membership and Activism reached out to the initial email list with a pro-active apology, correcting the error, thanking the professor and asking readers to let him know whenever they spot an editorial error.
- Outcome: Sam scored on multiple fronts — 1) Thanking EDF supporters for their support, 2) Stressing the organization’s passion for truth-telling and 3) Engaging supporters to help EDF perpetuate its focus on the “business of truth telling.”
Most communicators are mistake-phobic. We labor away — conceiving, writing, designing and finally…publishing our communications. And when something is wrong — no matter who finds it — it’s dismaying.
But it doesn’t have to be. Some errors are due to sloppiness, and that’s truly dismaying. But errors like this one can be a real opportunity. Congrats to EDF for seeing the opportunity in the mess, and responding artfully but authentically.
P.S. Don’t miss out on in-depth articles, case studies and guides to nonprofit marketing success — all featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update. Subscribe today.
Nancy Schwartz on January 19, 2010 in Case Studies, Crisis Communications, Nonprofit Communications
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Tags:Crisis Communications, EDF, environmental defense fund, Getting Attention, Nancy E. Schwartz, Nancy Schwartz, nonprofit branding, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing, sam parry, tagline
Before digging into American Red Cross’ stellar communications on the Haitian earthquake relief effort, I urge you to contribute to help the people of Haiti. Here’s a list of several organizations you can give to.
Please spread the word to colleagues, family and friends. Relief needs are huge.
At the moment of, I wanted to tip my hat to the American Red Cross for its immediate and creative communications strategy on the situation in Haiti and fundraising for relief efforts (through its International Response Fund). Their work is a great model for your organization when you’re responding to a crisis or simply handling everyday business.
Here’s how the Red Cross’ communication innovation is boosting the impact of disaster communications:
- Pushing out the latest from Haiti via the Disaster Online Newsroom, a blog that makes it easy for Red Cross staffers to get new info out a.s.a.p.
- Producing almost-real-time, short-form, easy-to-absorb video on the state of the devastation and the challenges faced by the relief effort. This video was “on the air” (via the blog) five hours after the earthquake struck.
- Sharing the Red Cross’ relief strategy as it evolves (via the video). The weak infrastructure in Haiti has resulted in the collapse of many entries into the damaged entries. The Red Cross outlines its preparation in surrounding countries for entering Haiti today.
- Making it incredibly easy to give via mobile phone.Text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief for Haiti.
- Mobilizing social media tools to spur awareness, giving and conversation in multiple communities. You can follow the Red Cross’ Haitian relief news via Twitter (@RedCross), the org blog and Facebook.
Overall, the Red Cross is doing a great job in utilizing a broad range of communications channels and capitalizing on each one’s strengths.
Other organization’s are also responding effectively. Oxfam has communicated its relief focus (public health, water and sanitation to prevent the spread of waterborne disease) which is very helpful in making giving decisions. Partners in Health, already on the ground in Haiti, is bringing medical assistance and supplies to hardest-hit areas.
P.S. Follow these key strategies to maintain the impact of your org’s communications in the shadow of a disaster like this one.
To learn more about social media and other key communications strategies, get the in-depth articles and case studies featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update. Subscribe today.
Nancy Schwartz on January 13, 2010 in Case Studies, Nonprofit Communications, Social Media, Web 2.0
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Tags:American red cross, disaster relief, earthquake relief, Getting Attention, haiti, Nancy E. Schwartz, Nancy Schwartz, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing
I recently heard from Project HOPE’s (PH) Marisol Murphy-Ballantyne, who wanted to share the communications innovations integrated into the org’s new website.
Frankly, I (and your audiences) couldn’t care less about a new website. And organizations that announce the launch of a new site as if it’s news drive me nuts.
But when I hear about a new or improved site that makes it easier or more effective for the org and its base to achieve its goals, that is news.
Marisol and colleagues made many of the typical updates in the new site — improving access to basic information on its international health education and humanitarian programs, and adding homepage links to Project HOPE’s Facebook Fan and Cause pages, and its Twitter and YouTube channels.
But far more important are these two changes, likely to make a real difference in engaging the org’s base:
- A new series of stories of individuals like Consuelo Rodriguez participating in PH’s programs are much more meaningful that the broad-based descriptions and stats of those served that are featured in the program summaries.
- The ability of donors, friends and fans to create their own fundraising webpages, similar those created by ActBlue supporters during the 2008 elections. Users choose the specific Project HOPE program (by geography or focus) they want to fundraise for, describe what the organization means to them, then quickly and easily create and promote their fundraising page. The leading fundraiser to date (and this is brand new) has raised over $10,000!
Thanks for the heads up, Marisol. These are two significant improvements to the site that are strong models for your colleague nonprofit communicators.
What innovations are you creating for your org’s website? Let me know and I’ll blog about them. Thanks!
P.S. Don’t miss out on in-depth articles, case studies and guides to nonprofit marketing success — all featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update. Subscribe today.
Nancy Schwartz on January 6, 2010 in Case Studies, High-Impact Websites, Nonprofit Communications
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Tags:citizen fundraiser, Getting Attention, Nancy E. Schwartz, Nancy Schwartz, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing, Project Hope, storytelling
This year saw the explosion of social media, online video and mobile content. We’ve friended, tweeted and absorbed more content on the web in 2009 than ever before. This means there’s more content competing for your audiences’ attention, so getting the basics right is an absolute imperative.
Take a look at this list of 2009’s most popular Getting Attention articles for insight into mastering your core marketing components in 2010 and beyond.
1. This Creative Brief Template Helps Ensure Powerful Copy and Design
Taking the time and energy to craft a thorough summary of your goals, preferences and needs for a writing or design project will save time and money, and ensure you get the results you envisioned. This article and template give you everything you need to succeed.
2. Nonprofits’ Most Missed Marketing Tool — Email Signatures
Crafting your email signature to feature key information about your organization is a simple and inexpensive way to communicate your message to your contacts. Read this article to learn what works best.
3. How to Design an Effective Marketing and Communications Budget (Case Study)
More than ever, it’s vital to have a plan and budget to guide and support your marketing efforts. Dive into this article to learn how to outline a budget that will help you accomplish your goals.
4. 5 Steps to Great Graphic Design for Your Nonprofit
Finding the right graphic designer or team is challenging. But now there’s help: This article breaks the selection process down into five easy steps for developing strong relationships with the right designers. This is a proven path to design work that conveys the essence of your org while captivating your audiences.
5. How to Write a Letter to the Editor that Gets Published and Read
A letter to the editor is great alternative to a news story for nonprofits, giving your org the chance to state an opinion, offer an alternative viewpoint, or move someone to action, in your own words. Here are 10 proven guidelines for letter to the editor success.
P. S. Don’t miss out on in-depth articles, case studies and guides to nonprofit marketing success — all featured in the twice-monthly Getting Attention e-update. Subscribe today.
Flickr photo: go-mel
Amy Kehoe on December 10, 2009 in Branding and Messages, Case Studies, Copywriting, Getting Attention, Graphic Design, Media Relations and Press, Nonprofit Communications, Planning and Evaluation, Recommended Resources
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Tags:creative brief, email signatures, Getting Attention, Graphic Design, letter to the editor, marketing budget, Nancy E. Schwartz, Nancy Schwartz, Nonprofit Communications, nonprofit marketing
