The Two Most Significant Investments I Made This Year

The last couple of weeks we've been talking about end-of-year budgeting, looking ahead to 2018, and some wise places to consider spending some of that hard-earned cash. Those decisions aren't easy, but sometimes they totally pay off.

First, we compared social media scheduling tools. It's only been a couple of weeks, but I'm already seeing a good ROI from Smarterqueue! Then, last week, we talked about the pros and cons of co-working spaces for those of us in nontraditional office environments. It's a hot topic in my corner of the world, and may be in yours as well.

This week, as we wrap up this series, and November, I wanted to discuss the two most significant investments I've made in my business this year. They may just surprise you, especially considering one of them is free!

Getting Accountability

If asked in a job interview—yes, I would describe myself as a self-starter. I've always been a pretty determined person, full of hopes, goals, and dreams, and the initiative to pursue them. So, working from home as a solopreneur was not a problem. I've had friends who said they'd get distracted easily or never get anything done, and yes, that does occasionally happen. But, for the most part, I'm good at checking things off my list. (And I love checking things off my list!)

However, I think there are times when a little accountability can benefit us all. It's certainly worked for successful programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, Weight Watchers, and many others. Even the most motivated of us need a little extra skin in the game from time-to-time.

So, this summer, the opportunity to have an "accountabilabuddy" presented itself, and I jumped at it!

Jen Gordon and I met through a mutual friend, and hit it off immediately over breakfast. A few minutes into our conversation, she told me that she'd read my website and wanted to hire me for her launch. However, after talking about her skills and knowledge, I knew I could benefit from her expertise as well. So, I proposed that we meet twice a month for three months to exchange insights that would help us both build our businesses.

That three months is still going strong six months later! It has been the absolute, best, hands-down decision I made in my business this year. We are each flying solo, so we act as sounding boards for each other, share what we're learning, offer suggestions, and hold each other accountable for deadlines both big and small. 

It's very unstructured for the most part, but we each leave with our action steps that we'll be responsible for at our next meeting. And we check in with each other throughout the month as needed.

This summer I did a two-part series about "working ON your business, rather than IN your business" because it's just so darn easy to get "admined" to death by all the little things that need to happen. So, it can be really difficult to maintain vision for large goals and initiatives at your organization. Having Jen around helps me get the small things done, while staying focused on the big picture—and she's there to ask me about both.

I would highly encourage you to find someone that you can develop this relationship with. Much like a mentor, these people don't often fall from the sky. But they are certainly worth the search!

Even if you're at a larger nonprofit or social enterprise, I still think having an accountability partner could be really beneficial. If you lead a team, you can still use peer-to-peer feedback. And it's good to have someone that will let you vent and be yourself, which you may not get when you lead a team, or an organization. Plus, an outside perspective is always helpful, because we often don't see our work as clearly as someone from the outside. 

If I could give you any advice as you start thinking about the New Year, I would tell you to find an accountability partner. Think about it, and someone may come to mind. Or ask around to friends, family, or even in Facebook Groups. And be patient if it takes some time. You'll get so much out of this relationship, and it will be worth the time and effort it may take to find him or her!

 

Getting Help

Despite my best efforts, I just can't do it all. I don't have the time, skills, or experience needed to accomplish every task on my plate. And, while helpful, endless hours of research on Google may not be the best use of my time. So, once-in-a-while, I have to ask for help. (And I have a really hard time asking for help.)

Over the past year, that's mostly been in hiring others to do some of the things that I'm less capable of doing or don't have time for. Yes, there may absolutely be times when you can get someone to help you for free, like a volunteer or intern, or even by bartering, which is also essentially what Jen Gordon and I do in our accountability partnership.

However, sometimes you just have to suck it up and pay someone. Yes, those decisions are harder for some of us than others, but I don't think they should ever be off-limits. Why? Because hiring someone, even in a short-term capacity, can:

• free up your time,

• potentially create something better than you could've created on your own,

• expand your network,

• increase your knowledge,

• provide that much-needed outside perspective,

• and let you focus on the things that need your personal attention.

Those bullets are part of the speech I give to my clients, but I occasionally have to give it to myself as well. :)

The two, big areas that I've paid for additional help this year are in graphics and managing my social media accounts. Mad+Dusty beautifully executed my branding and design, and on several occasions, I've also hired them to help out with smaller projects. One of the cooler things they've done for me is create templates in Canva that I can use again and again. (Ex: social media and testimonials) That way, the "short-term" project has some staying power, and allows me to build on what they've done professionally. So, consider an option like that when you need some graphics help. Have your designers create some templates, or at least some simple designs you can mimic when you don't have the ability to hire them for every little project that comes along.

And hiring someone to manage my social media just wasn't on my radar six months ago because it was something I already knew how to do. I'd never call myself a social media expert, but I feel pretty comfortable with it, and even give advice to clients about the subject. 

But the truth was that it just took too much of my time. And we all know that time is money! I needed to do more writing, finding clients, and taking care of tasks that genuinely required my attention. Social media just didn't fit the bill. So, this month, I've been in a 30-day experiment to see what my friend Jen Wilder could do with my channels. (I know a lot of talented Jens. :) Additionally, I've had her set up my social media scheduling tool, Smarterqueue. Again, something I knew I could do, but my time was better spent elsewhere. And it's been another great investment!

 

Your Turn

I can honestly say that these two items were the best investments I've made this year for Signify. They're allowing me to grow and scale, and setting the stage for a better 2018. I would also recommend the same types of investments for you.

Find someone that can hold you accountable, and return the favor. And hire out some of the tasks that need to come off your plate for whatever reason. 

And did you catch the other take-away? Both of these were experiments. We all feel a lot more comfortable taking risks when they have an end date. With Jen Gordon, we were only testing the waters for three months. We reassessed, and both agreed that we wanted to continue.

With Jen Wilder, it's been so fantastic learning from her, seeing her in action, and having her set up SmarterQueue. Right now, I just don't have the cash to pay her as an ongoing contractor, but you'd better believe I'll have some more experiments for her in the future!

What's your action step? Or what were your best investments this year? I'd love to hear!

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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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Should you invest in a co-working space?

As November comes to a close, many of you, like me, are probably already thinking about your budget for the New Year. You're looking at where you can cut back, where you can expand, and where you're sitting pretty.

For small businesses and solopreneurs, I don't think it's ever an easy decision to spend money. But, if we are going to grow and scale, I do think we need to take calculated risks, and that can sometimes mean forking over some hard-earned cash.

Last week I compared 13 social media scheduling tools, and ended up choosing SmarterQueue for Signify. I think it will be a great, long-term asset, and in fact, I've already seen some traction on social media, including receiving my first client lead from Twitter. Not too shabby!

This week, I want to talk about co-working spaces. They seem to be a big topic of conversation in my circles, and many of you may be trying to decide if it's time to invest in one for your nonprofit or social enterprise as well. So, I'll lay out some of the pros and cons for you to consider.

With the growing freelance economy and the shift of traditional companies offering work from home solutions or alternative environments, co-working spaces are all the rage. Here in Atlanta, we seem to have a couple dozen of them, and I feel like I hear about another one every month.

They are incredibly appealing if you're looking for a completely separate space to work, free of home distractions like laundry and Netflix. But, of course, their perks do come at a cost—literally.

This summer, I decided to try out Roam here in the ATL. I shelled out the money for a 30-day experiment because it was something I was really curious about, and wanted some first-hand experience. After reading the websites of about a dozen potential spaces, I chose Roam because it was the closest to me, a friend also had a membership there and liked it, and they were running a summer special. I've also been talking to other friends who utilize these alterna-offices to get their feedback. 

The Pros

• Getting out of the house. While I am an introvert who loves working from home, I know I need to be intentional about getting out of the house. But it must be especially hard for extroverts who crave in-person interaction with others. Being around the energy of a co-working space can actually be a good fit for both.

• Meeting space. Sure, there are coffee shops everywhere, and they've served many of us very well, but sometimes you just need a private space to talk with your people or a potential client/donor/customer. At places like Roam, their meeting spaces even have A/V equipment so you can present like a pro.

• Dedicated office space. Maybe you just need a couple feet of desk space, or maybe you need a lock and key for yourself or your little team. Many co-working venues rent dedicated office space, and some even have printers, fax machines, mail boxes, and other benefits that come with more traditional office environments.

• Event space. When you need event space for just a few people, or maybe up to a couple hundred, it can be extremely difficult to find. Co-working spaces help fill that gap, and also give you a little more personality than a hotel ballroom.

• Collaboration. As I mentioned, I chose Roam because I had a friend who was already a member. So, it was fun to plan which days we could work together, bounce ideas off of each other, and make believe we had someone else on our team.

• Networking. If you're on the hunt for new customers, donors, or even sponsors or partners, there are often regular networking events at co-working spaces.

• Other events. Depending on the venue, they may even offer pitch or feedback sessions, bring in guest speakers, celebrate holidays, or offer other opportunities to get to know your co-working neighbors and enjoy the environment.

• Food and drink. A lot of co-working spaces have coffee bars, food, or delivery options, which makes it even more convenient to spend the day there. And a few places even provide snacks and drinks, which is a super nice perk. I certainly took advantage of the sparkling water on tap at Roam!

• And depending on the space, you may also get guest passes, after hours access, and gifts included in your membership.

 

The Cons

Really, I think the biggest con for any of us would be the cost. All the features above have to sound pretty enticing regardless, but it's just a matter of making it work for your budget.

And think about it, you will not only have to pay for the membership, but your costs may further increase if you purchase food or coffee while being out all day, or frequent nearby restaurants for meals. I typically only work at a coffee shop or restaurant one day a week, so during my experiment, I certainly spent a lot more on coffee and eating out than normal.

However, money isn't the only factor. Keep reading!

Other Considerations

Co-working spaces seem to take on the personalities of their founders. I hadn't thought about that before my experiment, but it makes sense, doesn't it? Your personality likely dictates the culture at your nonprofit or social enterprise, whether it's an army of one or many. Roam was started by business people, so you definitely get that vibe and those are the kind of people you'll often find there. That's also why you'll see a lot of meeting space at Roam, like an abundance of conference rooms and a large event space.

However, a friend of mine who is a graphic designer works out of a co-working space designed by, and for, creatives. So, that is reflected in the layout, the events offered, amenities, etc. Neither of these "types" of co-working spaces is good or bad, but you may be drawn to one or another. Or just because one space doesn't work for you doesn't mean you won't love another.

 

Evaluate the ROI of Investing in a Co-Working Space

There are a lot of positives that come with co-working spaces, and you may be tempted to stop reading and start Googling to find your nearest option. However, outside of the budget factor, we still haven't really considered the ROI, or return on investment. So, before you start recalculating your budget, let's take a hard, last look.

• Is it a need or a want? If it's going to be financially hard for you to shell out the cash, you need to really decide if this is a need or want. Even if it won't be too much strain on your budget, you should still decide if this is the best place to put that money, or if it would be better spent some place else.

• Will you be more productive there? This was one of the chief reasons I decided to do my 30-day experiment. It would've been a financial sacrifice for me, but if I could get more work done there, it would be worth it.

• Do you need meeting or office space? If you hold regular meetings, it may be a great investment for you. No one likes sitting next to large groups of people at Starbucks, especially if they are attempting some sort of presentation.

• Do you want the extra benefits, like networking or events? Depending on your organization, this may be a terrific way for you to find new partners, donors, or customers.

 

My Conclusion

In the end, for me it was a luxury, not a necessity. The shine wore off after about two weeks. Then it become more of a gym membership—I went because I was paying for it. But it wasn't because I didn't like it. I just found another way to confirm that I like working at home . . . and not brushing my hair if I didn't have to.

I also wasn't any more productive. I worked longer hours, again, because I was paying to be there, but I don't think I would've kept up that pace long-term.

If you're still on the fence, or want to take the next step, most co-working spaces I've seen offer day passes. So, this is a terrific, low risk way to check one (or more) out. Even if you don't see it listed on their website, reach out and ask. Some also offer seasonal discounts or special offers, so be sure to follow your favorites on social media or hop on their email list to take advantage of the next opportunity to stretch your budget a little further.

And even for people like me who decide not to pursue it right now, we can still utilize day passes now and again, or even rent the meeting rooms, if needed. Overall, I am a huge fan of these spaces, and love seeing exciting, new options like this for freelancers, solopreneurs, and small businesses. 

Have you tried a co-working space? What did you think?

PS: Next week, we'll talk about the two most significant investments I've made in my business this year, and why you should consider doing the same. And if you didn't get the chance to read my comparison of 13 social media scheduling tools, check it out here.

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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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A Comparison of 13 Popular Social Media Scheduling Tools

Anyone else ever feel like they're caught in a perpetual catch-22? As a small business owner, I feel that way A LOT. For example, I know I need to increase my website views because standard conversion rates are at about two percent, meaning if you have 100 people visit your site, only two will take whatever action you've designated for them, like purchasing, signing up for your email list, or making a donation. But I have so many other things on my plate that are also important. So, which do I choose? Which do you choose?

Even as a marketer, I know that I should be marketing my blog posts much more than I am actually writing them, but they both have to get done, so my time is always split. It's a common frustration many of us share, right?

There are, of course, a lot of ways to get traffic to your site, but for most of us, the day in and day out formula revolves around social media. And if you spend several hours writing a blog post, but only promote it on social media a couple of times, it could easily go to the internet graveyard. #RIP

So, what's the solution? I think it might be a social media scheduling tool, especially if you do not have someone who is solely dedicated to your social media strategy. There are a lot of popular options out there, and I took the time to review 13 of them. None were perfect (though some come close!), and several were quite similar, but I think you'll find some great choices for your nonprofit or social enterprise.

First, let me address a hesitation you may be feeling, which I also had for months. This all sounds good, you agree with what I said, and you share the same frustrations, but you know it's going to cost money, which makes it feel more like a luxury, and something you should probably put off for "later." Sound familiar?

For those of us at small organizations, every dollar counts. And this is especially true for those of us running solo businesses or may even be all volunteer-led. We want to look more professional, but we also need to stick to our budgets. I get it, and like I said, I debated with myself about it as well.

However, recently, I've decided to put this in the "you've gotta spend money to make money" category. That, my friends, is unavoidable. And that's also what I'll be talking about for the next three weeks here on the blog.

In order to scale your nonprofit or social enterprise, you just have to be willing to put out some upfront cash knowing that it'll pay off in the long run. If I don't pay for the social media scheduling tool, I will either need to hire someone to manage my social media, or I will always be minimally promoting my blog posts, unless I slow my blogging frequency way down to make time in my schedule for it. 

Granted, my traffic will likely increase organically with time, but it will take a very long time. Like I said, there are certainly other options for increasing your traffic, but for everyday efforts, I think this is the way to go.

So, here we are. This is where I've arrived, and I wanted you to benefit from my research and experience. 

Two other things to note before we dig into the social media scheduling tools.

First, pretty much all of the services below have free versions and higher tiers, but as I am a small business who works mostly with small nonprofits and social enterprises, I had us in mind when I did my research. None of the free versions had the features I was looking for, so I knew I would have to pay. Prices below reflect annual plans, because that is cheaper than paying month-to-month. Also, if you are a nonprofit, most of them have discounts, so be sure to ask!

Second, in case you were wondering, it is always more effective to post "natively." So, for example, scheduling Facebook Page posts directly in Facebook. However, most of us just don't have the time to do this long-term or ongoing with our other responsibilities. But platforms will generally show your Tweets and posts to more people when they are published directly from their own site or app. I get it, I wish I could, but I just can't. 

THE WINNER: SMARTERQUEUE

My biggest priority for the search was having the ability to auto recycle content. Meaning, not just schedule Tweets and posts, but once the queue was empty, it would start all over again on its own. This really allows you to "set it and forget it," and just add new content as you go into the mix.

Cost: $17 per month

Pros: 

• Auto recycling

• Excellent amount of features without being overwhelming.

• Works well with short-term promos. For example, you can set a post to expire after a certain date or number of times.

• Drag and drop content calendar.

• Utilizes categories for different types of content. (ex: quotes, promos, blogs, etc.). And each category can have its own schedule, and you can set a ratio of how often each category should be recycled. Categories can also be paused and customized per profile.

• Has content curation features, which allow you to easily add new content from other places you follow or find, which aren't already part of your mix.

• Easy set-up by analyzing your profile history and creating a schedule you can customize.

• Helps you find a posting schedule based on analytics. It's always difficult to know "the best" time to schedule per social channel, and sometimes the "experts" disagree on when it is.

• You an tag others in Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

• Has a competitor analysis feature so you can see what others like you are doing, and how they're performing.

• Monitors the mentions you get from other social media accounts. Who doesn't love a shout out!

• Easy migration from Edgar.

• Smaller plans don’t have as many restrictions on features as some services.

• Has a “social Inbox” where you can manage the messages you get from different platforms.

• Has an engagement feature where you can like, Tweet, comment, etc, directly within the platform.

• 50% discount for nonprofits—wow!

Cons:

• Doesn't auto schedule. It won't pick the best time to send your posts so you don't have to. Unless you are really good at reading analytics, this is a big guessing game. So, it's nice when a service chooses for you.

• Can't upload video directly in the program at this time. I imagine they'll fix this soon, though, since video is winning the Miss Popularity contest right now. They do have workaround instructions in the Help section for now, though.

• This one seems a little silly and stingy to me, but if you downgrade from a higher priced tier or cancel your account, there are no refunds. Most of the others offer this, I think, so I was surprised to see it.

Lots of pros, am I right? This was only the second tool I originally checked out, and I was pretty smitten with their site. It had enough information to keep me reading and interested, but no so much that I was overwhelmed. I'm really looking forward to using it! You can sign up right here with my affiliate link, which gets you a 30-day free trial instead of 14 days. (By the way, if you need help, my friend, Jennifer Wilder, can help get you set up. She did mine!)

(Update 5/7/18: This year, Twitter, Facebook, and it seems like every other social platform has introduced all kinds of new rules and regulations to keep haters, spammers, and fake newsers at bay. This is obviously a very good thing, but has also been a bummer for those of us who schedule social media using these third-party platforms. However, I'm still sticking with SmarterQueue for two reasons.

First, they have implemented "fixes" so that their software still works. Second, even though I know manually scheduling and posting will yield better results, I maintain my position that if posting frequently on social media is going to happen, then right now, it's going to happen through a scheduler. Maybe that'll change when Signify grows up a little more, but for now, here we are. And I'm grateful to SmarterQueue for their updates and fast, friendly customer service team.)

Edgar

Edgar came in at a tie for second place with Viraltag, but I'm listing it first because probably more people have heard of it. It is a really solid option.

Cost: $49 per month

Pros:

• 30-day money-back guarantee

• I feel like everyone I talk to that has it loves it.

• Has content curation through a browser extension

• Expiring content feature for limited-time promos

• A bargain for larger businesses since there aren’t other tiers. I actually think they've come down in price since I seem to remember them being $79 when I've looked at them in the past.

• Has categories

• Getting started guides and a support forum

• I've been on their email list for a few months, and find it helpful. I really love it when service providers like this have helpful forums and emails. :)

• For those who’d like an extra special on-boarding experience, every Edgar account comes with free account setup assistance and a free social media strategy call!

Cons:

• This is the most expensive option I looked at.

• Doesn’t sync with Bitly, a link shortener, which I use a lot.

• Sends performance reports, but no analytics at this point.

Viraltag

This was my other tie for second place. It was a much tougher decision once I'd narrowed it to these three! And if you're wondering how I arrived at these 13 social media scheduling programs when there are so many others out there, it was because I asked some social media pros I know as well as in some Facebook groups with social media managers and people more likely to use these kinds of tools. I actually hadn't heard of Viraltag until someone suggested it in one of the groups, and I was very impressed. I think you'll start to see it pop up more.

Cost: $24 per month

Pros: 

• Learns the best times to post and which content drives more engagement—LOVE this!

• Specializes in visual content, though you can have plain text posts for Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

• Connects with Google Drive and Dropbox and Canva

• Provides image editing directly in their interface

• You can customize images per network

• Has the content calendar feature so you can see how everything fits together rather than just in a list.

• Really helpful customer service chat, even on the weekend.

• You can schedule a demo to begin.

Cons:

• Not sure I like the interface as much from the little I saw on the site, but of course, this is a preference.

• Managing Facebook Groups is "in the pipeline."

• You have to manually handle any short-term promos, which means deleting them after you don't want them posting anymore.

• The site says that this plan has only 30 days of analytics, but the customer service woman told me they could remove that restriction, so just be sure to ask.

Missing Lettr

This is another one I hadn't heard of until I posed the question to a social media manager Facebook Group, and I find it very fascinating. For the right person, I think it would be awesome. 

Cost: $15 per month

Pros:

• It's good for people who need social support to keep their blogs out there circulating the internet. The gist is that it takes your blog post, cuts it up into bite-sized pieces, and distributes it over the course of a year to your social networks. Cool huh?

• Looks extremely easy to use, and does a lot of the work for you. You do get to double-check and approve everything before it goes out.

• It even suggests hashtags for you! #winning

Cons:

• It does what it does, and that's it. So, it doesn't work with other promotions or content you may want to push. You'd need another service to manage that, or if that's a rare occasion for you, just post directly to your social networks as needed.

Social Jukebox

Okay, so your brain may not work the same as mine—fair assumption. This was one of those that several people recommended, but just didn't give me much of an impression after looking at it. It's a very simple site, which sounds like a good thing, except it didn't "sell" me. And because the website is so basic, I didn't really want to contact them with the dozens of questions I had.

Cost: $19 per month

Pros:

• You can set targeted posts, which seems cool. (ex: send a birthday Tweet to someone every year, etc)

• Has orientation video

Cons:

• Again, I just didn't have much of an impression. However, for people looking for a straight-forward way to get the job done without bells and whistles, this will probably suffice. But, for a couple bucks less per month, look at how much more I'm getting with SmarterQueue . . .

Recurpost

Even though it's still somewhat basic, this site has a nice layout and design that worked for me. It didn't have all the features I wanted, but a solid option for people wanting to keep things simple while adding some oomph to their social or launch strategy.

Cost: $0-25 per month

Pros:

• With so many services offering free accounts, you may be wondering why I put the goose egg in this cost category. That's because it actually offers some pretty good features for the free accounts, so if you are really concerned about the price of a social media scheduling tool, or want to start slow, you might check this one out.

• They predict the best times for you to send, which is nice.

• Seems like a fairly simple way to recycle posts.

• Categories, calendar feature, and analytics

• Has a knowledge base

Cons:

• Even though it checked a lot of boxes for me, it didn't wow me. Obviously, this is just an impression, and not quantifiable. It may be just the thing you've been looking for.

Buffer

This is one of the more popular options. I've used it myself, once several years back on behalf of a nonprofit and also earlier this year for my Facebook Group (before you could schedule posts there). This is another pretty solid option, depending on your needs.

Cost: $10 per month

Pros:

• Nice, low cost

• Probably the simplest tool to set up and use

• Has image editing and video uploading

• Lots of resources (blog, emails, guides, webinars, FAQs) to help you get better, and to answer questions

Cons:

• Less impressive

• No categories

• No recycling or auto scheduling

• No analytics on lower plans

Hiplay

Hiplay serves as an add-on to Buffer.       

Cost: $5 per month

Pros:

• For people who love Buffer, and they do have a big fan base, you can recycle your posts on a service you love without a lot of additional effort or training.

Cons:

• You're now having to use two programs, yuck.

Hootsuite

This is one of the other big dogs on the social scene. I've used Hootsuite for many years, even just for my personal profiles before I had a legit business. Their free plan works pretty well, and served me for a long time. But it just isn't going to get the job done anymore, now that I need to step up my game.

Cost: $19 per month     

Pros:

• Basic scheduler with analytics

• Calendar view

• Integrates with other apps

• Auto schedules content

• Analytics

• 30-day free trial (That's a lot!)

Cons:

• You get unlimited scheduling with paid plans, but they recently introduced limits on free plans.

• Doesn't recycle content

• Once you go past that $19 plan, you're looking at $99 per month!

Dlvr.it

They skipped adding some letters in their funky company name, but didn't repurpose them on their website. This is a super basic site, which just gives you the absolute minimum information. As such, it didn't impress me.

Cost: $9.99 per month

Pros:

• Integrates with Google Analytics and Bitly, which is really nice.

• It says it's "the easiest" way to post on Facebook and Twitter, so perhaps no explanation needed. ;)

• Works with lots of social platforms, where others have more limited options.

• Auto scheudling

• Affordable

Cons:

• I just don't know much about them because they didn't take the time to put it on their site.

Everypost

I'd heard of this one, but not much about it. And, honestly, there's not all that much to talk about, in my opinion. Some of the big plans seem to be good options for team collaboration, but I don't know many people that need that. 

Cost: $9.99 per month

Pros:

• Customize content per channel, which is nice

• You get 10 channels for $10 per month. Most of the plans I've been touting here are only for three to five profiles at that lowest price plan.

• Unlimited scheduling. Some of the plans in this post have a limit as to how many posts you can schedule at that price, like 100, 500, or 1,000.

• You can request a demo.

• Affordable

Cons:

• Analytics only for two profiles at that price

• Nothing super special

Social Pilot

One of my friends who is a social media manager loves this one. And it does have quite a lot of features for the price tag.

Cost: $8 per month

Pros:

• Excellent, affordable option if you don’t need auto recycling

• Connects to Bitly and Canva

• Calendar feature

• Content suggestions if you need some help

• Analytics

Cons:

• Again, the big drawback for me was that it doesn't recycle content. I don't want the well to run dry, and me have to go set it all up again.

• No categories

CoSchedule

I've been on their email list for probably at least a year. But if you aren't into marketing or really honing your social skills, it would probably just be overwhelming. They'd definitely fall into the "more is more" category. However, I do recommend their Headline Analyzer for writing titles.

Cost: $40 per month

Pros:

• They definitely want you to be well-resourced through emails, blogs, webinars, etc.

• Full marketing calendar available

• Integrates with Wordpress, Google Analytics, Evernote, Google Docs, and more

• Live demos regularly

• Drag and Drop calendar

• Categories

• Recycles content

Cons:

• Second most expensive option I looked at

• Pricier plans have much more advanced features for entire marketing efforts, not just social

• In all that information, I couldn't figure out how many profiles or posts the $40 per month got you.

• Whereas some of the websites only had one or two pages that didn’t impress me or provide me with enough info, this one had so much it was kind of overwhelming to get the full picture. I can see growing into it maybe, but it’s just too robust for now.

• With a plethora of features, I find it funny that it doesn't work with LinkedIn.

And one to grow on: Hopper

This one was also recommended in my research, but in looking at it, Hopper is only made for Instagram. However, it says it schedules "automatically," which I didn't think was possible. It's $19 per month for one account, so I'll let you check it out of Insta is your jam.

Whew—are you exhausted!?!? I am! But hopefully I saved you hours of research, or at least narrowed things down for you. A lot of it comes down to what you need, or think you'll need, as well as your preferences. 

Before you go, I want to leave you with a couple other things to consider:

• While I don’t list every feature here, also take note of things like FAQs and support forums so you don’t always have to reach out to customer service, especially if you work a lot on the weekends when they may not be available.

• If you are just starting to explore this idea, but aren't ready to make any moves yet, ask to get added to their email lists. Then you can learn more about the company, the culture, offers, and get more information about features. I love to see how people treat their email lists. #marketingnerd

• If you are somewhat ready to make the leap, almost all of these services offer free trials with requiring a credit card. So, check them out, or at least poke under the hood. You can take a look at the systems and interface without having to upload a bunch of content.

• Think long-term! This is super important. Look for options you think you might need or would be nice to have as you grow, so you don’t have to through the entire set-up process again. For example, even before I sent my first company email, I knew that I'd want to switch from MailChimp to ConvertKit at some point. But, in the interest of saving a few bucks and avoiding a learning curve when I was already overwhelmed, I went with MailChimp "for now." But I have kicked myself multiple times, and of course, every month goes by, and I will have more to set up later when I do make the switch! Ugh, I'm getting hives just thinking about it. Anyway, learn from my mistake!

See you out there in the social sphere! 

And don't forget to try SmarterQueue! Remember, my affiliate link gets you a 30-day free trial!

(PS: I am a busy solopreneur with limited time on my hands, so my friend Jen is the one who got me set up and running on Smarterqueue. She is available to help you too!)

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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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The Key to Maximizing Your Year-End Fundraising Efforts

Today's guest post comes from Cindy Wagman, President of The Good Partnership, which is on a mission to make great fundraising achievable for small nonprofits. Since we are entering prime fundraising season, I wanted Cindy's perspective on how to make the most of year-end efforts. And she's got some great advice for you!

Oh, hi!

If you’re like most of my clients, you’re the Executive Director for a small nonprofit and you’re juggling a million balls, trying to keep up with the increased holiday workload. On top of that, you need to take advantage of year-end fundraising. You’ve probably seen the infographics on Pinterest that show how much money comes in through donations to charities at year-end. Feel like you’re missing out, or behind the 8-ball?

Take a deep breath and grab a coffee or tea, and I’ll give you a few pointers on how to focus your year-end fundraising to maximize results with the least amount of effort.

 

Campaign vs. Appeal

First thing’s first. You need to think of year-end fundraising as a campaign, or mini campaign. It’s not just one direct mail package or one email asking for support. It’s also not a bunch of random asks that don’t have anything to do with each other. A campaign is cohesive and multi-channel, multi-touch. But, that doesn’t mean overwhelm. In fact, a campaign can help eliminate some of the overwhelm because it gives you a clear plan with a lot of messages that can be repeated, over and over.

At minimum, I want you to do a three-part email series with an ask in EACH one, some social media posts and, if you do traditional direct mail, at least one letter. If someone makes a donation, you can remove them from the subsequent communications.

Your Theme

Now that you have an outline of what you’re sending, you need to know what messaging to include. Pick one theme for your campaign and then have that theme run throughout all of your materials. Build on the story through your emails and social media posts, and keep in mind that it takes someone 8-10 times of seeing the SAME message to really internalize it. Don’t worry about repetition. Seriously, don’t worry about repetition.

 

Your Writing

So, there are some best practices when it comes to fundraising writing. Effective fundraising writing is not necessarily “good writing” and usually isn’t what we personally “like." But it works. It should be casual and friendly, with a specific and personal call to action. I’ve actually written a whole blog about just that, which you can read here.

 

Your Thank You

Your thank you is as important (or more important) than your ask.

Your campaign doesn’t end with a gift. In fact, what you send after someone donates is as important or more important than what you send in asking for it.

Create a thank you letter that directly reflects the ask. It should build on the same story as the rest of your campaign and give donors a sense of meaning for their contribution.

Also write a thank you call “script” (something short, sweet, and informal) and have your staff or board call to thank donors when they give.

Somewhere between three and six months after your campaign, create a short but meaningful donor update building on the same messaging as your campaign, to let your donors know what progress you’ve made thanks to their support.

 

Focus

It may seem like this is a lot to do, but if you focus it on one campaign with consistent messaging (and understanding that people need to see repeat messages for it to sink in), you can actually minimize your work and maximize your impact.

Here’s a quick checklist for your year-end campaign:

• One theme/story to use throughout your campaign

• 1 letter (if you usually do letters), 3 emails, and a handful of social media to support the campaign

• A thank you letter and phone call script

• A 3-6 month update

You’ve got this! One final tip is to turn off your cell phone and notifications, sit down for a couple hours, and get this all written and drafted in one sitting. Batching work can often save many hours of switching back and forth.

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Cindy Wagman is President of The Good Partnership, which wants to make great fundraising achievable for small nonprofits. She loves fundraising because she gets to see the most generous side of people, and helps match their passions with real action.

After 15 years as an in-house fundraiser, she left her 9 to 5 and created The Good Partnership to help the organizations that were closest to her heart. These were organizations that were driving change, and aligned with her priorities for her community, our society, and the world. She wants to help you be your authentic fundraiser and lead the change you want to see in the world.

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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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