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The dreaded non-profit budget-planning season is now underway. I’ve been there and it isn’t much fun! Fortunately I never had to prepare a budget during a recession.
Since I started my business I have been an affiliate agency of a national program called CreateAthon®. The Maryland program is open to all 501 c 3 non-profits from Baltimore through the Mid-Shore.
Through CreateAthon® up to five marketing projects will be selected and completed for free. Previously unselected applicants are encouraged to re-apply. The deadline is July 12. As a unique component of the Maryland program all non-profits not selected are offered a three-hour pro bono consultation.
Since I started the Maryland CreateAthon program six years ago, 25 Maryland non-profits and one New Orleans non-profit have been assisted with projects valued at $80,847.
I will accept completed applications by fax, email and snail mail. Remember the deadline is July 12!
Click here to download a PDF file.
Click here to download a word file.
If you have any questions, call Purple Cat at (410) 604-2319 or email create@purplecatpr.com.
The other day I was thinking about the latest fall from grace and was wondering why we hold such high esteem for athletes, politicians, musicians and other famous people.
What about the owner/mechanic working under your car fixing that oil leak or the accountant working her 13th hour straight during tax season? Or you or me, the small business entrepreneur who had an idea and turned that idea into a business? You’ll never find us on a Wheaties box, but its not a bad idea.
After all it will be the small business sector that helps us climb out of this recession. Although small businesses haven’t cornered the market on job growth and innovation, time and time again we have seen this sector make the difference when it comes to pulling us out of a recession.
My money is on the entrepreneur. However, I am a little biased. I still believe in the work ethic and American ingenuity!
5 Years and Counting:
Top 5 tips as I celebrate my fifth year in business
In what seems like a blink of an eye my business has turned 5 years old! So have a slice of decadent chocolate cake to celebrate with me and enjoy some hot topics that have come up time and time again:
1. Positioning (what makes you unique?). Every business or organization has something (or should) that makes it stand out from its competition. Make sure you clearly communicate that uniqueness in all your communications collateral and everything you do.
2. Revenue streams/structure. Is your business set up to succeed? Check out the specifics in your business plan to make sure that you have sufficient revenue streams and price points to appeal to a range of customers.
3. Know when to ask for help. Entrepreneurs are born doers – a blessing and a curse. Often we have a tendency to want to do (or control) everything. Unfortunately that usually ends up blunting our creativity and burning us out quickly. Team up with other professionals like accountants, lawyers, and communications professionals so you can focus on doing what you do best.
4. Don’t forget to promote. Staying lean and mean during a recession is important, but you shouldn’t be invisible!
5. Know your target market (customers). Gaining a better understanding of the demographics of your customer base and how they connected with your business is crucial.
- Excerpted from the Chesapeake Business Ledger
For full text go to: 5 Years and Counting!
Despite the doom and gloom economic reports a recession presents as many opportunities as it does challenges. Before you prepare an intervention for me consider the following marketing and business advice:
1. Do what works. Think about what you did during your first year to get your business or organization off the ground. Now isn’t the time to experiment with interesting but untested marketing ideas.
2. Market your business or organization. I made this a separate item even though almost all these concepts involve promotion and attraction. It is that important. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you can afford to cut or eliminate marketing your business.
3. Communicate your uniqueness. Positioning how you are different should always be prominent in all your communications.
4. Be flexible. Consider the economy and your customer and his or her needs. Is there something you could easily tweak about how you do business that would be helpful and would set you apart?
5. Be the problem solver. The restaurant industry took a look at tight family budgets and came up with many more set menu meals and “kids eat free” deals than previously. Do what you can to solve your customer’s problems and they will stick with you and you will pick up some new customers along the way!
Excerpted from the Chesapeake Business Ledger. For full text go to: New Year, New Opportunities
Expressing gratitude isn’t just something to do around Thanksgiving. In fact being gracious and saying thanks should be part of how you communicate with your current customers. I’m sorry to break it to you, but your Mom was right “please” and “thank you” are important and apply to your business as much as they apply to your personal life.
Find at least two times during the year where you clearly communicate your gratefulness to your customers or stakeholders. Sometimes I send Thanksgiving cards to clients or acknowledge special anniversaries or birthdays. Other meaningful things you can do to demonstrate that your customers and stakeholders aren’t just numbers (or dollars) are:
Add a note of thanks to routine business paperwork like proposals, invoices or even your fax cover sheets. Try something like this: “Thank you for your business. We look forward to serving you again.”
Send a handwritten note. We get so many form letters and pre-fab mail these days, sending an actual handwritten note makes an impression.
Send a newspaper or magazine article with a note. Sometimes you run across a topic when reading the newspaper that reminds you about a client. Maybe it’s something you were recently talking about. Why not cut it out and send it to her or him?
Call them just to say hello. If your client is extremely busy, be respectful of his or her time and make it very brief or send an email instead.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope you enjoyed the paddleball you received from Purple Cat at the annual conference of the Maryland Association of Nonprofits. Did it conjure up memories of fun and relaxation? Sure it gets frustrating at times, but boy is it fun! And as the saying goes “it is a gift that keeps on giving.” Thirty-five MANO attendees will be the first folks to take advantage of The Cat’s Meow, a special FREE promotion exclusively available through Purple Cat. Click here to sign up. MANO PROMO
Welcome to my blog! I look forward to engaging you in a lively dialogue on various public relations, marketing and communications topics.
The recession has certainly made all of our jobs more interesting and challenging. But in all honesty I firmly believe that the economy has presented endless opportunity to gain more of our target market. Remarkably the key to doing well during a recession is the thing that we all should always do anyway – communicate clearly, consistently and concisely. Just cut the clutter and tell your audience what you do best or what I like to call “the why should I care factor.”
Unless you are having a media friendly holiday event or program your window of opportunity for non-holiday news is about to slam shut. My general rule of thumb is you have up until the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving to distribute your news and still have a chance to have it published. After that think January. Speaking of January keep in mind that editors are “story hungry” the first week of the new year. Many people have taken off for the holidays and content is in demand. Can you spin a New Year’s Resolution story? “Resolve to volunteer in 2010″ or “10 tips to get healthy in 2010.” Whether you are a business or non-profit organization you have expertise in your area. Think about whether there is a new year’s angle to your story and you can start the new year with gaining visibility.
I know many businesses and organizations are running scared right now, leading some of them to severely reduce or eliminate their marketing efforts. Shutting down communication with your target market is a slippery slope and often makes your customers turn to your competitors who are still talking to them. This isn’t just theory there is a precedent and facts to support it.
How many times have we told someone else to “carefully check over your work?” I can remember my sister handing me a dictionary (remember those? I still have the one my sister gave me!) and saying “if you don’t know how to spell it look it up!” Sometimes I just hate it when family members are so right! Now nearly three decades into my profession and I can tell you that when I see an error I do judge the organization or business. Yes, we all make mistakes, but every piece of marketing collateral we create reflects on our brand and our sense of professionalism. If you know you are not detailed enough to proofread well give it to that persnickety person in the office who is always ready to point out other people’s mistakes. We all have good proofreaders in our mist. And if you are a one person shop you can develop the skills needed. It is well worth the time and effort. For more detailed “how tos” on proofreading check out my proofreading tip sheet.