Celebrating International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day! So, I thought that one of the best ways I could celebrate would be to highlight women-run organizations that I love, and would love for you to be aware of. And, in keeping with the spirit of this blog, I'll let you know what I like most about their marketing and communications as well.

Here are 10 that I've chosen, but there are so many more that I could've listed! There are many women out there doing inspiring, and much needed, work. Be sure to check these gals out, and support them in some way, even by just following them on social media or telling a friend.

NONPROFIT

1. Be the Bridge: This budding organization utilizes resources and conversations to further racial reconciliation. They believe that the Church must become a bigger answer to this issue, and are equipping people to host racially diverse small groups that create open lines of communication.

What I like most about their marketing and communications is how grassroots-oriented it is, which fits with their business model. People who are a part of their online and in-person groups have a voice, which creates not only fans, but advocates for the work.

2. TrueNorth Freedom Project: TrueNorth helps individuals, families and ministries navigate our sex-saturated culture through resources and conversations. By learning how to talk about sexual issues with grace and compassion, relationships will be strengthened, kids will be better prepared for the challenges, and the Church will become more effective in leading many to true freedom in Christ.

What I like most about their marketing and communications is their approach. They tackle a very difficult societal issue, but always take the stance of grace over shame, and that always shines through.

3. A21 Campaign: They are fueled by a radical hope—that human beings everywhere will be rescued from bondage and completely restored. They are the abolitionists of the 21st century, and work with you to free slaves and disrupt the demand.  

What I like most about their marketing and communications is that they frequently share survivor stories which makes the need real and urgent.

4. Refuge Coffee Co.: They relentlessly pursues the goal to provide employment and job-training opportunities to resettled refugees, to create a unique, welcoming gathering place in Clarkston, and to tell a more beautiful refugee story to Atlanta.

What I like most about their marketing and communications is that they tell a lot of stories, including the staff and volunteers, neighbors and those who frequent the establishment. Their mission involves being active and present in the community, and that is apparent in all aspects.

5. Thistle Farms: Thistle Farms is a sanctuary for healing for women survivors of abuse, addiction, trafficking and prostitution. They are a community of survivors, advocates, employees, interns, volunteers, and friends from all across the world. They are young and old, women and men. They want to change a culture that still allows human beings to be bought and sold. They believe that in the end, love is the strongest force for change in the world.

What I love most about their marketing and communications is how diverse they've become in their model, which allows them to constantly talk about what they're up to, and a great deal of cross-promotion. Currently, they have Magdalene House, a bath and body care product line, Thistle Stop Cafe, Shared Trade Global Marketplace, The Studios Workshop and the National Education and Training Center.

Honorable mention to: The Mend Project, Wellspring Living, Malala Fund

FOR-PROFIT

1. Dr. Bombay's: One of my favorite spots in Atlanta, this darling little tea shop in the Candler Park neighborhood funds “life scholarships” for girls in India with their Learning Tea program. With these funds, girls can go to college, have a safe place to live, and have all their basic needs provided for. (And her chai is my absolute favorite!) I've actually seen their work in India first-hand.

What I love most about their marketing and communications is how "local" it is. They are good neighbors. Many of their ingredients and offerings come from local or small businesses, and they also place event posters in other area parter businesses as a regular part of their promotions. And the atmosphere is so quirky and unique that it makes a great place for people to take and share photos!

2. Yellow Conference: They are a conference for creative, entrepreneurial women who want to change the world. Bonus that it takes place in Southern California!

What I like most about their marketing and communications is their heart for their community, both in-person and online. They are supportive and encouraging, and always looking for ways to help their fans be better in life, in their jobs, and in the world.

3. So Worth Loving: They are a community of passionate and original individuals who exist to embrace your past and empower your future. They believe no matter your history, past mistakes, religion, career choice, or relationship status, you are worthy of love. And they believe that fashion is the most iconic way to make a statement.

What I love most about their marketing and communications is that they always keep it simple. And it's highly effective! They share the stories of their fans, promote the idea of self-worth, and sell clothing that reminds people that they are worth loving.

4. Business Boutique: This is a fairly new conference that speaks to Christian, women entrepreneurs. They focus on all three aspects of a business: Dreaming, starting and building. 

What I love most about their marketing and communications is the practicality. I left their event feeling informed and resourced in moving forward in my business. And the podcast is a way to continue to soak up the knowledge.

5. The Skimm: A short, daily email telling you all about the day's top political news.

What I love most about their marketing and communications is that its fun! Otherwise, I wouldn't read it, to be honest. I have a hard time connecting with politics and news because it is usually so depressing or mean. They give you the highlights in a compelling way.

Honorable mention to: Joyn, Fashionable, Huffington Post, Raven + Lily

What do you think? Who would you have included? Tell me below!

And happy International Women's Day! #BeBoldForChange

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Ask the Experts: Branding and Design

Each month, I'm inviting guest contributors to speak about additional timely, relevant and sought-after topics that are important for cause-focused organizations to be aware of as they grow. First up, we have my friends, Madison and Dusty Beaulieu, who expertly designed my branding and website!

Q. What are the latest trends in your industry?

A. There’s definitely been a leaning toward illustration and texture. (YAY!) Flat design is huge, but now designers are taking that minimalism and giving it over to the artists. The desire for perfection in design is being replaced with a need for history and personality. We want to see the human hand in design now. Watercolor, paint, printmaking, hand lettering . . . the arts are showing up in a big way through design, and we love it.

Q. What is the biggest mistake you see people making in terms of their brand?

A. People give logos more credit than they deserve! Your brand is your tool box. Your logo, type, colors and patterns will help show your customers who you are in the same way that the clothes you’re wearing tell others a bit about who you are. Think of your logo as an accessory. If your purpose and brand values are not clear, appealing, and meaningful, an amazing logo won’t be able to fix that. Purpose and values are the foundation for your brand, and a good designer will help you clarify them before jumping into the logo design. Design that comes from the core of your business will work no matter what’s trending.

Q. What is your best piece of advice for people during branding and design, especially for those who are new to, or overwhelmed by, the process?

A. Be sure you understand the investment and what it will mean for your business. The branding process is not something to jump into half-heartedly. (We would make How to Style Your Brand by Fiona Humberstone required reading if we could.) The first six months of any business are unpredictable at best. I recommend that you quick-design a temporary logo using a template from Canva or another app, and build a one page site on Squarespace. After six months, sit down with a designer and discuss taking your business to the next level with an original brand. The branding process should feel like a celebration of your hard work and hustle. It’s an exciting time!

Also, find a designer that you trust and enjoy working with, even if you technically don’t need one now. It’s kind of like finding the right doctor. When something comes up, it will be good to know who you’d turn to.

Additionally, don’t be afraid to talk honestly about your budget. If a designer is passionate about what you do, they may be willing to find an agreement that works for both of you.

And, finally, not all design is branding design. We work with several clients for 5-10 hours per month on designing emails, social graphics, and those random little items that come up. We love partnering with them, and they love delegating those would-be headaches.

Q. What is one thing readers can do this week to improve their brand presence, either online or in print?

A. Make sure you’re using all the same fonts on documents. (No more than three different fonts.) It’s the smallest thing, but it will instantly give your brand a sense of cohesiveness. Typography works very subconsciously. Make sure it’s working for you!

Q. Anything else we should keep in mind for our brand, website or graphics?

A. Be true to your values. Be consistent with your community. Be honest about your capacity. Simple, purposeful things done consistently make a brand shine.

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Mad & Dusty is a creative team for nonprofits and purpose-driven brands. Starting in 2015, Madison and Dusty Beaulieu have worked with over 40 purpose driven organizations to tell important stories through art and design.

Find them online at www.madanddusty.com.

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Marketing Strategy Made Simple

It's week six of the "Foundations" series! Wow, I can believe we're already at the end of the first series on this blog! I will undoubtedly have other topics to include here over time, but I feel like we've covered the absolute basics that you need to begin, or get back on track with, your marketing and communications. With these things as your foundation, you're in a really good place to start building, creating, and planning.

Speaking of planning, today's tip is all about strategy. I think a lot of small, cause-focused organizations get confused or tripped up on their marketing and communications because they don't have a strategy in place.

IT'S HARD TO BEGIN IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO END.

The good news is that you don't need a dedicated, full-time marketing employee to create a strategy. You will, however, need advanced time and thought. It's a matter of putting in the work ahead of time knowing that it will reward you later.

HAVING A STRATEGY SIMPLY GIVES YOU DIRECTION.

Here's an example. Like you, I wear a lot of hats. And one of those is new business owner. The last few months have been FILLED with decisions, and at times, that was overwhelming to say the least. I'd been writing blog ideas in Evernote when they came to me, but it was just a list of bullet points in no particular order.

Then came the creation of this website, and with that, the writing of it. So, I put off writing the first blog post because I already knew it would have an introductory focus. Past that, I was too in the weeds to consider anything else. But I also knew I wanted to have several blog posts up when the site went live. Again, other things seemed to take priority. Because, you know, there are ALWAYS immediate needs fighting for control of your time.

Soon after, I reached a decision point. I really needed to start adding other blog posts because the site was about to go live, but hadn't made any progress on what the topics would be. But I thought that I had a great list to choose from, and I'd just pick a few important topics to roll with as needed.

And then, ladies and gentlemen, I remembered that I was a marketer . . . 

Um, hello!

That was completely the wrong approach, and I would do us both a disservice if I just winged it. So, I stopped, took a deep breath, moved to a quiet location, and started putting together my content calendar. This action gave the blog and social media a strategy.

Yes, it took time I didn't think I had. No, it wasn't easy, even for someone who's more used to marketing than you may be. Yes, it was totally worth it.

By taking the time to start creating my content calendar for my blog and social media, I feel more prepared each week to tackle what's ahead. I know how every piece builds on each other, or what I'm pointing you to in order to better help you shape and share your message. And I understand that when I have a strategy in place, I'm best utilizing both my time and yours. 

IMPLEMENTING A STRATEGY GIVES EVERY DAY FOCUS AND PURPOSE.

I know that most days, many of us feel like Indiana Jones being chased by that big boulder. We think that if we stop, even for a minute, we're going to get squashed. Some days, yes, that may be more true than others. But if we keep letting those immediate needs dictate our time, we'll never move into a more productive cycle. And that does ourselves, our cause, and our supporters a disservice.

It also means that our marketing and communications efforts will always be reactive, never really going anywhere. That may not seem like a big deal to you, but it could mean stagnation (or loss) of sales or support, and that most certainly is a big deal to you.

I know people who have crazy detailed strategies for their marketing and communications. They have marketing plans and content calendars and detailed budgets and all the things. I want to be them when I grow up. And I'm working on it. But I'm still getting my legs under me as a new business owner, and it's going to take me a while to get there. If you think that's what you have to have too, and you find that discouraging, take heart. Start simply. Think about this month, or even just this week.

Set aside some time to put your strategy in place. If you can find an hour, make that a really productive hour focused on the very short-term. If you have a half day, think further out. If by some miracle you can find an entire day, think six months or a year out. But make this time intentional. Remove distractions. And after it's done, reap the benefits. I promise, you'll see them.

And if you need some assistance, I'd love to help. I get all kinds of giddy about helping people think through and create strategies. Nerdy, I know, but hey, we all have our gifts!

Additionally, I've created a sample content calendar that you can use for your planning. I'll talk more in-depth about a marketing plan soon!

Read the other posts in this series:

• My #1 Marketing Tip

• Expand Your Curiosity to Improve Your Marketing

• Get Organized

• Alexander Hamilton: Marketing and Communications Icon

• Know Your Audience

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Know Your Audience

Not long ago, I was sitting in a meeting for a nonprofit's benefit dinner. We were brainstorming various ways to communicate the message for the evening, and make the big "ask" for donations. This was THE annual benefit dinner, so obviously, a lot of pressure was riding on how well this evening went.

There were a lot of smart people in the room. A lot of great ideas. And a whole lot of perspectives. 

So, how were we going to decide which idea to act on? 

I decided to ask a couple of questions that changed the conversation:

1. Who will be in the room?

2. How do they need to hear the information?

Turns out that this audience was actually a little different than the three previous years. This was the first benefit dinner in which a lot of new people would be in attendance. Previous years had included a lot of friends, family, and personal connections. This year, there were new partners, more sponsors, friends of friends, and a few others who were newly interested in this organization and their cause. So, they weren't as close to the issue as those who had come in the past. 

This meant they needed to be spoken to not as insiders, but as those who were just learning about the organization and its cause—because that's exactly who they were. 

And given the answer to the first question, how did they need to hear the information?

We actually decided to do this in a few different ways based on learning styles, attention spans, and wanting to spread information out over several hours to be less overwhelming. First, we had an interactive exhibit which brought the issues to life as people entered the doors. Second, we decided to include not only video testimonies, but also have the people in the videos there to meet attendees. Third, the founder and his son gave a compelling "ask," which included some background on how they started the organization as a family, and how it's grown. And finally, as they exited, those in attendance were given a keepsake and a handout with next steps.

All of these things wouldn't have been necessary if the audience had been filled with people who were already familiar with the organization and their mission. 

KNOWING YOUR AUDIENCE DETERMINES HOW YOU COMMUNICATE YOUR MESSAGE.

But, of course, before you get to your "how," you have to know your "who."

One of the most popular ways to know your audience is to develop a persona. That is, give your "who" a name. There are some marketers who get super detailed about their persona. They delve into every facet of this "person's" life—their spouse's name, the type of pet they own, what they wear on a Tuesday, their birthplace, etc. It sounds a little like coming up with an alias, which I kinda dig. Often, this are fictional personas that represent large groups of people. However, mine isn't that complicated. Maybe that's because I have two personas . . . which can likely lead a number of jokes about having multiple personalities.

But way back in blog post numero uno, I gave some background on why I started SIGNIFY, and who I started it for—my friends. So, because I speak to both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, I have two actual, real-life friends that represent each of those areas. Much of what I've been talking about on the blog has come from conversations with them, or people like them that I've met or helped along the way. That makes my audience persona(s) easy. I write and create content that I think they'd find helpful and useful.

WHEN YOU IDENTIFY OR CREATE A PERSON TO REPRESENT YOUR AUDIENCE, YOU CAN SPEAK TO ONE WHILE SPEAKING TO ALL—AND ACTUALLY BE HEARD.

You have a great message. I know that, and you know that. But do you understand who your audience is, and how they need to hear it?

The chief complaint I've heard about this process sounds something like this, "But our organization (or product, etc) appeals to everyone. Why should we narrow that down?"

In theory, it's a great question. You don't want to feel like you're eliminating anyone that could support or advance your cause. 

But it's actually quite short-sighted. There really isn't one thing that appeals to everyone. Not everyone shops at the same stores, eats at the same restaurants, buys the same phones, wears the same closes, donates to the same causes . . . you get the point. That's why we have variety. Otherwise, we'd only have a couple of options for each of those things, and we'd never be overwhelmed on Amazon again.

You can't speak to everyone. You need a message that's tailored to someone. When they read your website, or open your emails, or see you on social media, they need to feel a kinship with you. They need to relate to what you have to say. Giving them that kind of connection is what turns them into fans, or buyers, or donors.

WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR AUDIENCE IN A WAY THAT COMMUNICATES YOU UNDERSTAND THEM, BOTH IN WHAT YOU SAY AND HOW YOU SAY IT, YOU CREATE A RELATIONSHIP. AND RELATIONSHIPS TURN FOLLOWERS INTO FANS.

This is a process that grows and gets shaped over time. And the good news is that if something isn't effective, you can always try again!

I've created a resource for you to continue working through your "who" and "how."

Let me know how it goes!

Read the other posts in this series:

• My #1 Marketing Tip

• Expand Your Curiosity to Improve Your Marketing

• Alexander Hamilton: Marketing and Communications Icon

• Get Organized

• Strategy Made Simple

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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