Relationship Marketing: 5 Secrets To Effective Engagement

 Old school marketing revolved around selling the benefits of your services and products against competitors with similar benefits. Promotional materials clearly delineated all the features and what the organization  could do FOR the prospective client, funder, customer or partner.  New school marketing is turning such thinking upside down and talking about what we can do WITH the prospective stakeholder.

 These two little words, relationship marketing, mark a major shift in direction.  This new approach is based on a relationship where all partners talk and  engage with one another, and together come up with the best service and product suite solutions.  And with open dialogue, the key tenet of any relationship, the value proposition emerges as one that both clients and partners connect with.

So, it’s time to celebrate Relationship Marketing.  It’s powerful, it’s engaging and it’s here to stay because:

• ·         It equalizes the marketing process, so that customers take ownership and become more accountable in the ultimate engagement process, be it choosing to fund the organization or registering or utilizing one of its programs.
• ·         It can be personalized. My relationship with a Latino customer may be different than that with an Anglo buyer.  This customization of the marketing, leads to better culturally relevant messaging.  It’s dynamic.  Relationships change over time, as do marketing strategies. Relationship marketing  enables you to be more dynamic in your thinking over time.
• ·         It allows for more creativity in product development. Relationships mean we listen to customer ideas and then actually do something with them. 
• ·         It builds trust with your customers as they see and assume good intent.
• ·         Relationship marketing means we can ask customers to endorse us, and be advocates for our products or services via word-of-mouth and referrals.

5 Essentials for Relationship Marketing:

 1.     Don’t assume one size fits all. Be sure your communications is culturally competent—this is critical to creating relationships with our diverse communities.

2.     Focus heavily on Social Media. The research is out — more and more people are creating relationships online.  Don’t miss this opportunity.

3.     Hire staff who are “other oriented” as they will find it easier to connect and build a relationship.

4.     Make sure your collateral materials, advertising, and web pages reflect and focus on the customer’s needs, not the organization’s.

5.     Build a relationship with your partners by supporting their causes. Allocate your charitable contributions to those organizations. This seals the relationship.

Bottom line: relationship marketing is much more egalitarian — and tears down the barriers of power between the seller and buyer.  It is a partnership where all win. Win-win, indeed.

How To Create "Exuberance" in Your Organization

Exuberance.  When I hear the word I generally think of kids.  In fact, I was reminded of this emotion recently while at the beach at Golden Gate Park, watching young children rock out to a local band playing to the crowd.    They danced   and created a feeling of joy, regardless of who was watching and whether it was the “proper thing to do”.  They were alive and in the moment – and their enthusiasm was catchy and by the end of the song adults were dancing too.  Exuberant was the word that popped into my head, so I checked out Webster’s to see what they had to say about this word.

Simple Definition of Exuberant:

very lively, happy, or energetic : filled with energy and enthusiasm

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, you'll find most mission driven organizations engaged in intense and serious work working to make the world a better place. Dedicated and committed, they speak with passion about the need to address a certain issue, concern, or reality.  And we applaud their efforts , because without their insistent voices, policies would not change, the vulnerable would not be helped, and equity  for all would not be achieved.  But it is hard work.

And I thought of the kids, and whether as we struggle for a more just world, we need to also be reminded of the value of exuberance.  This is the vision of hope reflected with energy and enthusiasm, that makes one want to join in. And if our organizations practice the exuberance that comes so naturally to children, we may be able to counter the intensity and even negativity that may challenge us. 

And remember...your marketing materials and website, also need to reflect energy, joy, enthusiasm and hope.  People want  to feel positive and invigorated.  

So, let’s add exuberance to our repertoire of emotions at the workplace to ramp up the happiness factor.  And let’s add the spirit of exuberance to our marketing and branding to create more ambassadors and evangelists for the organization. Here are some other tips :

1.       Allow playfulness and yes, even moments of being silly.  Nerf balls are great to have around and toss when things get stressed.

2.       Music can create exuberance, so allow people to dance at their standing desks, listening to their tunes on earbuds. (That’s what I like to do.)

3.       Have an outsider conduct an audit of your home page and marketing materials to see if they  feel positive and energized after viewing. If not, work on that--- maybe a video or some music will help!

4.       Potlucks, food, treats (healthy if possible) are a great backdrop for lively conversation and camaraderie, the foundation of exuberance.

5.       Costume days create laughter and  Fridays are great for this.

In sum: music, food, laughter, engagement create joy and exuberance.  Give it a try.

If You're Not All Ears.... It Could Cost You!

How many times have you heard it before?   "Yes, we listen to the customer. Yes, we are customer driven. Yes, we design our services and products based on the customer."  Well, maybe you heard what they said -- but did you really listen?  And what happened to all that customer input.

Often, a lengthy and robust report gets  generated from customer focus groups, survey and informant interviews. Next, a beautiful PowerPoint presentation is made to the leadership team about the key findings from customer research.  However, in many cases it generally validates what is going well, with an occasional nugget or two around areas for improvement.

 I think the problem is that too much of this research is testing  basic satisfaction levels or the organization's messaging. Sure, these are important areas  to measure, but companies are missing a real opportunity when they don’t do the “deep dive”  andask questions about the most important thing a company offers … its FUTURE core services and products.

I’m talking about getting down to your core business model.  We rarely ask this, because we work with our own experienced staff, our Board and perhaps even hire consultants to lead service or product development.  Or we may even create our suite of offerings guided or directed by grant opportunities.

But what if we challenged this process and assumed that our customers are just as sophisticated as outside consultants and can be the product leaders of our companies.  Oh no, you may say, what if they suggest something we can’t deliver, something that challenges the current business model.   Well, maybe it’s time to break a few rules and challenge the status quo.  Who says we can’t be creative and innovate with customers as our partners?

“The key to brands is to have a listening culture.”  Rob, Pace, HundredX

Here are some ideas to help you really listen and incorporate customer feedback into product and service innovation.

1.       Bring an attitude of equity into the process.  It’s time to be humble – you don’t really know more than your customers or clients.   They are equal partners in product/service development and listen to them with as much attention as you would your CEO or Board Chair.  That also means listening constantly in social media!

2.       Start the product development cycle with the phrase, 'what rules can we break to make things simpler'.  Every customer in my 20+ years of marketing wants things simpler.  It’s our architecture and processes that keeps things complicated.  “Out of the mouths of babes”, the saying goes.  I would add “Out of the mouths of our customers and clients. ”  They often generate the simple solutions.

3.       Don’t just put a Band-Aid on the service or product issue thatcauses pain. Go upstream and eliminate the cause of the pain completely as opposed to addressing the symptoms to make it tolerable.

4.       Create a customer or client advisory work-group you consult with during your service build cycle.  This isn’t a focus group, but rather a roll-up-your-sleeve, let's generate products and services  together kind of group.

5.       For your next focus group, ask participants to create a vision of what products/services your customers will experience two years, five years from now and then work backwards to make this a reality

6.     Hire creative people.  Yes,  analytics are important, but listening to customers and thinking totally out of the box for their big ideas, even if the idea sounds ludicrous at the moment, is easier for creative folks.

Together, with customers, you can deliver innovation. But don’t do it in a vacuum synthesizing what you think you heard.  Listen... and then give them the pencil and let them draw the future.

 

Does Your Organization Attract Tourists, or People Who Want To Stay and Visit?

For Mother’s Day, I flew down to visit my son in San  Francisco.  He shares an apartment with his buddy in North Beach and given my Italian heritage, it’s a place that feels like coming home.  It’s an authentic neighborhood, with café shops and Italian bakeries, where I heard Italian spoken among the local residents. At every corner, the Italian flag, tri-colors of green, white and red, are  prominently striped on the utility poles, letting me know in a simple way that I was in a special place.

In  the  piazza next to St. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral , I watched elderly Italian men gesturing with their hands as they watched the community wake up, this Sunday morning.   A small group of elderly Chinese residents practiced Tai Chi.  It was real and I felt a part of the community.  I stopped with my cappuccino in hand and lingered, wanting to participate in the vitality of the neighborhood.

A little later, I continued my walk down to Fisherman’s wharf, only about 8 blocks away.  I was overwhelmed with tourists—and I felt no connection.  People with cameras, accompanied by bored children, browsed the shops and waited in line for the ferry to take them to Sausalito or Alcatraz.  Unlike my early morning adventure in North Beach, these people were tourists… sampling the sights but not stopping long enough to experience the sense of place- an historic fishing market. In fact, there was nothingto truly make them pause, dig deeper and enjoy and relish the waterfront legacy and story.

And I thought about how often as organizations we attract “tourists” to our website , who may engage briefly with us, drawn to our “brightness”, but then they move on, without connecting   to our core story.    We lose an opportunity to engage with them because we do not present ourselves in a simple and authentic way that resonates with a pure purpose .  Rather like Fisherman’s Wharf, we draw them with a multitude of sensations, sights, smells, bright lights and noises, that give us a brief look, but then we are on to the next shiny thing.    Simply stated, we inundate our stakeholders with too much information, overwhelming them with words, program descriptions, dull imagery that are not clean and simple, but rather complex and confusing.

So today, let’s try to be simple and clean with our branding and messaging.  Let’s try to be authenitic and real and create a sense of place and story like that of North Beach.  Let’s create engagement and connection following these two principles:

1.       Shareahistory that creates curiosity, interest and the desire to learn more

2.     Ensure every touchpoint with the organization, from an interaction with a staff member, to a press release about the company, creates a singular and differentiating message and sense of place about WHO you are and WHERE you came from.

And of course as we mention frequently in our blogs:

1.       Eliminate unnecessary words from  your  website and collateral

2.       Create a manifesto that states the truth about your purpose

3.       Clean up collateral, with consistency of brand that makes it simple to connect

Getting Employees To Open Up and Blossom: A Lesson from the Tulip Tree

I’ve always called them tulip trees, but I later learned that they are actually Magnolia trees.  But as a kid growing up in Portland, the blossoming of these trees meant spring had arrived.  And I swore, when I was little, that some magical power had put tulips on branches.   For those of you who don’t know what I am talking about, there is a blossoming tree that grows in the Northwest, which literally has large single tulip shaped pink and white flowers, that open up and blossom over a two week period.  They are stunning, exotic, and magical and just make me feel happy.    Who wouldn’t like to look out their window, and see at eye level, tulips tightly closed, that over time begin to open up and blossom? And then once fully opened they begin to drop their petals, creating a beautiful pink carpet below.

It made me think about how people open up over time.  In the case of the Magnolia,  sun, warmth, nurturing care from a gardener, and the right timing, provide the ideal environment for the blossom to emerge and create its beauty.  So taking this metaphor, I bet we all have stories of a fellow worker, who just needed the right mix of warmth, encouragement,  caring and trust, before they opened up and really became a colleague  -- productive and positive. 

So in spite of the movement toward working from home in this digital age, I’m not always that  enamored of working in physical isolation of others.  Many do it successfully, but there is a special formula that is created within the dynamic of a team environment, with people sharing common space and stories, that leads to individuals opening up .  Trust, camaraderie, laughter are important ingredients in any workplace – and I’ve seen  even the most timid open up and blossom in this situation. 

Here are few ideas to help people blossom in the workplace:*

1.       Each person  has their own comfort level with sharing and opening up.  Honor that and respect the time schedule of when people begin to trust and share more.

2.       Even if people work from home, provide opportunities, even informally, for employees to get together physically.  I recommend at least once a week, e.g. improvement suggestions, new ideas for products or services, "venting" sessions, etc.

3.       If you are a manager, don’t only interact when you need something or to give assignments and monitor the work.  Employees are people with lives outside of the office.  Show an interest.

4.       People open up when you think of them not just as an employee but someone with a  career path.  Spend time on development.  You may be surprised at how people will blossom when they get some  encouragement.

5.       Allow employees to work on projects that may be outside of their usual scope or work.  You may notice a new passion and energy obvious signs they are blossoming.

*These are not new or revolutionary ideas, but sometimes we all need a reminder, like the “Tulip Tree” to jog our memory.

Let's Get REAL: Is Your Homepage Compelling?

 Let's be honest. People go to your website to get a “feel” for who you are.  Yes, they want to know what services you provide, but more than that, they want to understand your personality, your brand.  A well-branded home page positions you and gives you an edge in increasingly competitive markets.   This is done with emotion leaving readers wanting to learn more. 

"People want character on the page; it has to have meaning"

- Kelly Cutler,  Chief Executive, Marcel Media, a nationalweb consulting firm

Sadly, however, many webpages fail in this respect.  Rather they look and read like a brochure or a newsletter. Way too much information, for the short-attention span of most viewers today. They don’t want to read much as they would rather be entertained.  

We preach every day that with simplicity comes power.  Less is more.  But what is ironic is that most people we talk to agree with this premise, but when it comes to their website they spent so much time to build, it doesn’t apply.  Somehow the old page is sacred.    Is it the money invested, that the business or organization doesn’t want to waste for a front-end refresh to create a more compelling site? Is it the politics of still working with the web designers and developers that created the original “look”? 

One way or another, you are doing yourself a disservice by perpetuating a web design that does not differentiate or break through the clutter.  A lost opportunity to tell your story with emotion.

Here are some indictors your web front end needs a refresh in today’s over communicated world::

1.       Does the home page have multiple blocks of text on it?

2.       Does the home page have multiple images, often photos?

3.       Does the language or voice on the page reflect a business or academic style of writing?

4.       Are you confused with so much information that you don’t understand the singular mission of the organization?

5.       Is the font traditional or old-school vs something fresher?

6.       Does the page leave you feeling rather blasé, with not much feeling?

7.       Does the page look like everyone else’s home page in the industry?

8.       Is your page missing an opportunity to give feedback or join social networks or an email newsletter?

Even if your website works, that doesn’t mean you don’t need a front end refresh.  And the cost of a new, cleaner and more compelling home page may be more affordable than you think, as we aren’t talking about back end development.   

So bring some imagination to your website. Use emotion to differentiate your product or service.  Chances are good you'll then have a compelling message and value proposition that makes your readers want to learn more!

If you need help or would like to discuss options for front end messaging and branding, HCollaborative would love to help you.  Call or email Tom at 503-781-5989, tom@hcollaborative.com

Feeling Discouraged? How To Get Through Those Hump Days

Sometimes it’s hard to stay positive. A negative word you got from someone, a decision you made goes south,  a “no thank you” on a proposal you submitted– all can leave you feeling a little discouraged and less hopeful.  We have all been there, when you wonder if your efforts and hard work were worth it.

My personal antidote is to turn to Nature to bring me back into balance.  It is my way to put things into perspective and bring a smile back to my face.   It happens like this:

This morning, feeling a little overwhelmed and even negative, I took a walk in the woods nearby and it felt like overnight someone had turned the green hose on …  a Spring day when everything seemed alive, vibrant and healthy.  Plants seemed six inches taller, lush and poignantly brilliant. With a light breeze blowing, birds greeting the morning with song, dew on the leaves, and the early forest foliage beginning to flower, it felt totally “right”.  I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and listened and smelled all that greenery.  At that moment everything was in balance and in harmony.  And I walked back, with this peak moment stored in my mind, and I no longer felt negative or stressed.

We all have our own strategies for rebalancing.  Mine happens to be Nature. 

Here are some other ideas to get you over the “hump” and back to a place of positive energy. But remember --- we are all unique and what works for one person may not for another.

1.       Start a “peak moments” list to keep at your desk, when all was “right” and balanced with the world.  Maybe a moment with a family member, a beautiful landscape, or a song that resonates with your inner core.  Find those images or moments that remind you to put things in perspective.  And when you are feeling less hopeful, review the list and recharge.

2.       Slow down your pace.  Often when we feel stressed and discouraged, we may unconsciously accelerate our walking, or talking, as if this extra forced energy will get us through it. Instead slow down and play the role of the observer.

3.       Smile at people around you. Remember it is your relationships, not all your activities or accomplishments that make a difference. 

4.        Laugh at something or yourself.  In the bigger scheme of things, it's often little things that bug us and bring us down.  Let stuff go.

5.       Finally, and VERY IMPORTANT, if after a period of time you just can’t shake off the “funk”, talk to a health professional.  You may actually be depressed and this is serious ad not something you want to ignore.

In the meantime, I’ve decided to take nature walks every day! What about you?

Tension on Your Board? Could It Be Different Decision-Making Styles?

I’m always surprised how long it takes for some people to make decisions.  Now me,  I listen, solicit others' opinions, determine the level of emotion behind the decision, check in with my intuition and then make a call.  Well, sometimes this isn’t the best  approach and it challenges  people who are much more thoughtful, thorough in analyzing the data and studying the impacts of decisions.  The “ah-ha” is that both styles are needed. However, different approaches on a team can create some tension and even conflict at times.

There has been quite a bit of research regarding the way people approach decision-making.  I like the categories developed by Harvey F. Silver and J. Robert Hanson a number of years ago.  They suggest that individuals have certain decision-making styles that they use and prefer, although circumstances often modify their “go-to-approach”.  Here are some summary definitions by Silver and Hanson:

Sequential:  Sequential decision-makers need lots of specific information and details. They want to know the steps and process needed to get the end result, and desire a clear description of the outcomes.  They want the data behind all options.

Logical:  These decision-makers also want specifics, but want the reasons and all defensible positions.  They tend to weigh and balance choices against one another.  They use objective judgment to make decisions, not their feelings.

Global: Global decision-makers want to explore and imagine all the possibilities.  They want to know how a decision fits within the context of all possibilities.  They want to explore the many options and aren’t restrained by data.  They want to know what is good for everyone.

Personable: These decision-makers want everyone to share and weigh in with their experiences before reaching a decision.  They want the decision-making process to be collegial, cooperative and sensitive to the needs of individuals.

Do you recognize your own preferred style and the styles of some of your Board and leadership team members?  The important thing to remember is that no one style is better or worse than the other.  But here are three tips to help you manage the differences in discussions.

1.      Remember: The sum really is greater than any one part. So listen, honor and recognize that often the best result comes from allowing everyone to approach it their own way.  That means lighten up and approach without frustration, impatience, or stalling the discussion.

2.      Create a set of decision criteria that everyone can agree with.  This framework can describe the scenarios for when you can make a quick decision based on simple discussion, and when you need more thorough analysis and data.   This allows for all styles to shine, at different times.

3.      Take a break when there is an impasse or ‘locked jury’. Do something fun to lessen the stress and facilitate camaraderie and sense of team.  After all people really just want what is best for the organization, and there is more than one way to skin the cat.

GOOD LUCK!

If you and your staff, or Board members are interested in learning about the specific decision styles of the individuals in your group, HCollaborative offers an informative 90-minute workshop around principles of decision-making.  It includes a quiz to help identify the individual decision styles of each individual team member.  For detail, email: Maryanne@hcollaborative.com or call 503-708-9239

For Earth Day...I DARE YOU To Listen To This Environmental Hero and Not Be Moved

Earth Day.  Do you think twice about this international movement? Like many Americans perhaps you woke up today and re-committed to upping your “green” efforts in some way .  Maybe it means promising to ride the bike one more day to work.  Or only using recycled materials in your office, or maybe even a commitment to start volunteering for one of those inspiring nonprofits that are all about sustainability, like our friends at Trash for Peace, a local nonprofit in Portland  www.trashforpeace.org

We all make our small efforts, and these steps magnified across many make a difference in ensuring a green planet into the future. But for some individuals, efforts towards environmental sustainability involves more sacrifice.  These are the true heroes of Earth Day, and they are recognized each year at the Goldman Environmental Awards ceremony. 

HCollaborative's freelancer Chris Allen,  through his SF advertising agency, helped plan the media and communications strategy for this year’s Goldman Environmental Prize winners, such as Maxima Acuna from Peru.  We hope you are inspired by her story as shown in this video this Earth Day.  

To find out about the 5 other winners, check out the Goldman Environmental website  www.goldmanprize.org

As a company built around helping and serving others,  HCollaborative  is happy to support people like Maxima and the Goldman Prize as they work to make the world a better place.

Nonprofits: Do You Have an Ambassador Program? Here's How:

Do you have fans?  Are they loyal donors, clients, partners?  Are you using them as your ambassadors?  Are they part of your Friendraising Team?

One of the new “golden rules” of nonprofits is to utilize your fans as champions in telling your brand story.  We have all heard about the value of testimonials, but rarely do we go beyond asking our fans if we can quote them in a collateral piece or use their statement on our website.

 What I am talking about is a formal and well-thought-out program --- that proactively harnesses their goodwill towards your organization – turning those individuals who have experience with your nonprofit into evangelists to augment your fundraisingor promotional efforts

So how do you find these ambassadors?  Well the reality is that they rarely come to you unless you ask.  And it isn’t that hard to identify them.  Here are five ways to do that:

1.       Check your Facebook page and see who gave you a good review or made a positive comment.

2.       Ask you reception team to create a field on their intake form to mark if there is a positive comment. Don’t forget to script the staff to ask if someone from the company can call them back, when they have given a positive comment.

3.       If you do customer surveys, include space at the end where people can give you contact information, and follow-up with a phone call.

4.       If you do community outreach or staff tables at conferences, community events,  then keep a sign-up sheet at the table. Note if they are a current client, donor or partner. If they say something positive, ask for their name.

5.       If you have a client e-newsletter, ask readers to share what they like about your company, and then follow-up with them.

Great, so you now have a list of some customers who really like you.  What do you do next with these folks? The most important thing is to make them feel valued and appreciated.  Often people feel honored and validated when you ask them to help you out.    Deep down many people want to feel needed.  So ask them to help you SPREAD THE WORD!  As communities become more multicultural, some of best ways to market is through word-of-mouth.    

Many cultures, including the Latino and south Asian cultures, often make buying decisions based on a referral from someone they know.  So if you have fan that likes you, that trusts you and your services, they can help pass that trust on to their friends and family.  Fundraising is done through them! 

Ideas to Create a Formal Ambassador Program:

·         Create a brief ”job description” for your ambassadors, so they know what they can expect.

·         Send a formal letter of invitation, signed by one of leadership team members, asking them to be a part of your Ambassador program.

·         Provide them with collateral materials, information, and ”talking points” about the organization.

·         Determine if there is a way to acknowledge their efforts – perhaps a social event with food and beverages.  Or perhaps give them a small certificate of recognition.

·         Highlight them in your e- newsletter.

·         Give them branded business cards, or a pin with the organization’s logo and their name for when they are out in the community.

·         Give them permission to email you with ideas or comments about how to improve things.

·         And MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL…. Ask them how they want to be an ambassador – they may create a vision of an ambassador that is totally different from yours.  The key is to listen and let them spread the word in a manner that works best for them.

The new world of nonprofit promotion and branding is all about sharing and social engagement.  An Ambassador Program puts your nonprofit squarely in alignment with this new paradigm.

Nonprofits: Do You Practice a Rock Star Culture or UBUNTU?

We are quickly becoming a multi-cultural workforce – a true kaleidoscope nation that looks and acts differently. You’ll find a thousand different faces with difference values and behaviors.

 A short time ago, our “melting pot” model called for assimilation where all flavors were diluted.  But today, things are different. We dare to be unique and proud of the diverse heritage and the values we bring from our communities to our offices each day.  It’s freeing and it’s creative.  We no longer need to be constrained to a singular way of looking or acting.

 I don’t know about you, but it feels refreshing not to be locked into a rigid Western European analytic model of management and decision-making.  The kind of model that rewarded the individual by fostering competition and recognizing the paradigm of “Pulling oneself up by the bootstraps.”

I personally get very excited observing and watching other cultural styles that focus on the team, the group, and the community.  They acknowledge and attribute success to the collective effort, not to the lone “rock star” where one person is the hero.  

Call it synergy, call it UBUNTU, call it the sum is greater than the parts, this new model lends itself to innovation and more robust problem-solving and productivity – maybe even more joy in the workplace. But this requires a willingness to let go of the old American way of getting ahead with individual hard work and discipline. It demands a more ego-less approach and attitude, focusing on the communal success. 

Yes, it’s now time to be humble and consider collectivism over individualism. So here a few tips to get you going on a path using   multi-cultural values in the workplace:  Some of you may already be familiar with these ideas, but I challenge you to truly put them into practice today- not just cognitively think about them.

1.       We all know about the power of brainstorming, but managers still ask people to go off by themselves to come up with a solution.  How about brainstorming as a group, then move to individual contemplation by a number of people, and then a final third step of reviewing once more as a group to reach the solution?

2.       Think about rewarding and incentivizing people as teams versus individual contributions.  This approach immediately shifts the paradigm and generates team work and superior innovation.

3.       Ensure diversity in your teams – when possible include different cultures and perspectives in the thinking.  You will experience vastly different approaches.  Case in point is marketing… where Anglos show health as an individual running on a path, while Latinos, show a family taking a hike together – and often with three generations.

4.       Hang out with people from different cultures – be open to values not so "waspish" but focus on the family, the neighborhood, the community—it’s about “the other” and not always about “me.”  Think how refreshing it might be to not have to prove yourself but reap the rewards of a collective sense of belonging and contributions to the whole.

HCollaborative offers workshops in "Cultural Competency", to help you learn more about the values and communication styles of diverse communities. Email us: maryanne@hcollaborative.com

 ~HCollaborative.com~

The Bane of Nonprofit Communications: Are You Guilty of These Pitfalls?

I am so invigorated when I hang out with nonprofit leaders.  I feel their passion, their energy, their commitment.  And I know the world really is better off because of them.   Intellect, compassion, empathy – these leaders have it all. 

Yet when I read the communications that come out of the organizations they lead, I’m often left wanting more.  The emotion I love to hear when they talk ---is often lacking when I read the content on their web site or in their collateral materials.  And based on my experience, the reasons behind this can be summarized into one of these four areas:

1.       Too academic and at a very high literacy level.  Yes, nonprofit leaders are very smart social workers, health care providers, educators, public health professionals. They write to this very same audience.  The language used may be appropriate if you are writing a grant, but not if you want to connect and become memorable to your stakeholders. My suggestion: be real, humble and authentic.

2.       Inconsistent messaging.  Too often, each individual program or service described in communications, has its own unique image and voice. As a stand-alone, these descriptions may be effective. But kn actuality they don’t really stand alone.  I’ve often heard nonprofit leaders say, “Well it is different because it is targeted to a different audience”.  But stand-alone pieces sacrifice the synergy and benefits of consistent branding.  Instead reinforce a singular vision and mission and connect back to the whole, the cause, and make sure it is easily recognized as a part of a family look and feel. Consistency is everything in your organization's messaging.

3.       Too much content.  Yes, nonprofits stand proud and want to shout to the world about everything they are doing and all the results they are achieving.  But today, people are so inundated with words and messages, they just don’t read. On average, a person is exposed to 343 ad messages...a day! Readers tune out or get lost with all those words.  Instead use clean, simple messages where less words are better.

4.       Forgetting the Millennials.  This is a huge population bubble (bigger than the boomer generation) representing future donors, volunteers, and staff.  They expect different things from communications. For them data driven, analytical content is trumped by authenticity, creativity, and experience.  Instead think Social!

So here is the challenge.   Record yourself talking about the organization for 3 minutes, than 1 minute, than 30 seconds and finally 10 seconds. 

Now you are getting down to the essence of your brand.  And now you have overcome the 4 pitfalls of nonprofit communications, and are instead are capturing the words that will help you:

·         Connect with new constituents

·         Reflect simplicity so all can understand

·         Be memorable, differentiating, and easily replicable in all communications

Some call this the elevator pitch.  I call it your Brand!  If you need help getting down to your core vision or brand, we would love to help you out.  www.hcollaborative.com

Video: The Most Powerful Tool To Engage Your Constituents

By the year 2017, video will account for 69% of all consumer internet traffic, according to a study by Cisco. The plain and simple fact is that when it comes to major fundraising events, nothing evokes emotion and creates a desire to donate like a powerful video. Suddenly, your organization's story comes alive and the message of your mission becomes real, heartfelt and memorable.

Videos can be simple and still be effective. Or you can be dynamic by engaging all the senses through music and more sophisticated production techniques. A right video approach and tone exists for each organization. It all depends on your organization's budget and timeline to produce.

Using videos on your website is absolutely essential if your want your organization to thrive. We know it is challenging to get the attention of the viewer but data continues to support the idea that video messages get remembered longer and deliver increased engagement to your constituents.

The Peoples Lens, formerly known as Collective Eye, partners with HCollaborative and takes our scripts and creates videos at special prices for nonprofits and benefit companies. Here are a few samples of Collective Eye's work. Several have won national awards:

https://vimeo.com/144575429

https://vimeo.com/131727587

https://vimeo.com/135944206

~HCollaborative.com~

La Paz - The City that Blossomed: A Story To Inspire Nonprofit Leaders

La Paz - The City that Blossomed:  A Story To Inspire Nonprofit Leaders

I first visited La Paz, Mexico 13 years ago on my honeymoon.  It wasn’t a random decision. Friends certainly all gave me their recommendations for other sunny spots and we considered them.   But it was Jacques Cousteau who called the Sea of Cortez the "natural aquarium of the world".  And then who wouldn’t be drawn to the place that inspired one of my favorite authors of all time, John Steinbeck.  In fact, he wrote “The Pearl” after his visit to La Paz.      

So off we went, bags packed, to a place few people heard about.

It took us close to six hours (today it takes about three) over two-lane dirt roads through dry arroyos. And we stopped several times to let goats and cows cross.  Few people were around town the night we arrived.  The Boardwalk or Malecon was crumbling and I didn’t see any walkers strolling next to the bay.  It was quiet, but the hosts at our small boutique hotel, the Mediterranean, welcomed us and brought out the ouzo, tequila and grappa, we so appreciated after our trek.

So Mary Anne, you are asking, what the heck does this have to do with nonprofit leadership or management?  

Well you see, this sleepy fishing village had a dream.  They aspired to be more while maintaining their authenticity.  It wasn’t about tourists or revenues coming in. It was about creating a safe, positive experience for the locals who lived there and secondarily for those that wanted to visit.  And so it happened.  This small town became a vibrant, sustainable city simply because they never gave up.  They believed they could become more. Actions speak louder than words so they engaged all the town’s residents in community efforts to make the town a shining star in Baja.

The Mexican Government recently announced La Paz as one of the top three Mexican cities to live in. And this once quiet coastal town was awarded funding to become the first Mexican city to be totally solar powered in 20 years. 

Like the little engine that could, La Paz became the little town that could.  Were there daunting challenges? YES.  But it is all about perseverance when you’re in it for the long haul.  To trust that it will work.  To evolve and grow the organization in spite of all the challenges and obstacles – to keep with it and finally be around to reap the rewards. 

With that said, here are some tips to reinforce your belief in your vision: (These are time-tested principles and you’ve heard them all before. But I challenge you to put them into practice today!)

1.       Congratulate yourself on the baby steps that keep you moving forward.  Two steps forward and one step backward is still progress.

2.       Remember to see the glass as half full and to make lemonade out of lemons.

3.       Don’t take yourself so seriously. Remember: it’s a journey not a destination.

4.       Reminder yourself that ultimately it is about the people you touch, the connections and relationships you make.  See them as powerful tools to reach your goals.

5.       Be authentic and true to yourself and your dream.  Distractions occur, but hold fast to your vision as it evolves.

6.       And finally, make the daily affirmation in spite of setbacks, “Yes…I am moving forward!”

~HCollaborative.com~

Mar-Apr 2016 Newsletter, Vol 2

http://eepurl.com/bWcxLf

Instant Emotion for Your Nonprofit Brand: Music

I’m all about getting emotional. I want messaging that makes me feel something.  And quite honestly some of the communications coming out of nonprofits just doesn’t cut it.  It’s pretty bland with its pretty photos and less than memorable  words, that look like everyone else’s advertising and branding.   There is no differentiation. I think we need to use venues that include compelling music to set the tone for brand story telling .   

Sure, we all have our favorite genres of music, but I maintain all music connects with the brain in a different way. And use of this branding  element makes the brand story much more memorable.  Today with the ease of YouTube, nonprofits can convey their the story with compelling music that will draw the customer in. Combine it with some imaginative animated illustration, and you have set the hook to  reel me in.

Experts say it is because “music distinctly transcends other sensory experiences.”  (Music and How It Impacts your Brain, Malini Mohana) .  Transcending is a pretty "out there" word but the latest brain discoveries around music reveal that the brain processes and translates music into emotion.  And this phenomenon crosses all cultures.

Music stimulates the brain to remember images, smells, and feelings that aren’t stored in memory.  I guess that is the transcendence part of it—and it’s somewhat of a mystery how this happens.  But I’m sure we all have an experience when we heard a melody or tune, andwere transported somewhere else, that we couldn’t just recall with memory alone. 

Music  triggers an emotional response.     Professor Daniel Levitin, a neuroscientist and composer, explains the mystery by stating that music impacts the brains emotional, language and memory centers, creating a new experience.  And guess what? You really feel something that  touches you.  It may even bring a chill or take your breath away, or take you do a different place.  Levitin goes on to say this process can only be described as standing halfway between thought and phenomenon.

Well enough science.  We all get it. Music does the job of creating its own story world, outside of the ordinary.  And so the message of the nonprofit, be it a video or ad, are even more differentiating. Given this reality, it is surprising that marketing agencies aren’t more insistent about using music to accompany their brand story.  And if you do decide to use music, consider local musicians to write some music for you.  The right music can evolve to be your own distinctive tune.   

Let’s all raise the bar with better, more emotionally provoking music when we promote our message.  It’s a powerful tool in any nonprofit marketer’s tool box.   

HCollaborative  is a branding and marketing agency that specializes in creating powerful branding and communications for nonprofits often using music, video  and illustration. www.hcollaborative.com  

Is Your Nonprofit Ready for a Cleanse?

From eliminating sugar to going gluten-free, cleanses are  all the trend these days.  I think most would say, it’s to eliminate certain foods from the diet to feel “lighter” and to promote health.  It’s tempting not to try one, if this is the result.

Mother Nature gets behind the trend as well thanks to her good little wind storm.  Last week one blew in  that rattled the windows and whistled in the trees.  I actually like the sound of the wind, and thankfully it didn’t last long or do any damage in our neighborhood.  But when I took a walk to the woods with the dogs the next day, I saw a number of small downed branches littering the path.  Perhaps small limbs that weren’t essential or secure – not strong enough to withstand the wind. In sum, a little Mother Nature cleanse.

As you know, I love analogies. And this recent storm made me think of nonprofits and whether occasions arise when they need a cleanse – often revealed when there are periods of intensity, like a windstorm.  This cleanse can be thought of in terms of the workforce, or in terms of marketing and branding. 

Whether we call it change or a cleanse, there are times when we need to simplify and clean things up in our organizations.  Today, I’m going to focus primarily on the need for a “marketing cleanse”.  Although it may be a valuable exercise to   humbly look at staff to determine if all of them can stand up to a strong wind that challenges the status quo.  Every nonprofit needs a foundation of team  resiliency, to flex and bend with the gusts that may pommel the organization.    

But back to cleaning up marketing.  Too many nonprofits we work do not take the time to prune all the verbiage, messaging and clutter on their website and in their collateral materials.  It’s confusing to the reader.  Perhaps we need a good healthy wind to winnow down all the extra stuff found in communications.  I suggest a great place to start is by removing unnecessary words to reach a clean simple brand that stands strong.  Here's a three-step process to clean up your brand.

1.       Write down all the words in collateral pieces or the webpagethat you use to describe your agency

2.       Look at this list and determine which ones describe WHAT you do, and which ones really get at WHO you are.  These  WHO words are the keepers – your core narrative.

3.       Now go back and look at your communications again, and remove much of the descriptive “what” and “how” you do things and then  look for the emotional hook that  nails your identity. Voila! You have cleansed your brand and taken the first step in creating a killer tagline.  And it will withstand any storm, wind or otherwise!

Trilliums Teach: Some Things are Sacred in the Workplace

This past weekend I took a mini-hike in a pocket forest near my  house and discovered the  arrival of spring Trilliums..   They always seem so mystical to me – drawing me in with their white or purple petals, but yet feel somewhat foreign and untouchable. 

As a child, when we would go walking or playing in the woods, my mother was always very clear about not picking the trilliums.  We could look, admire, but we couldn’t touch.  They are beautiful flowers of the spring, but the story goes that if you pick them, they will never grow back. That’s sad for a little kid, and sobering to an adult, as we read about plant species disappearing.    I guess the hope is that everyone’s Mom told them the same thing, and we can protect these special gifts from Nature.

Then I started to think, maybe it is just a myth.  So since curiosity is my middle name, I looked it up.  Here is what Wikipedia told me:

“Picking parts off of a trillium plant, flowers, stems, can kill it, even if the roots are  left undisturbed.  Picking them seriously injures the plant by preventing the leaf-like leaves below the flower  from producing food for the next year, killing the plant and ensuring none will grow in its place.  Some species of trillium are listed as threatened or endangered.  In the US it is illegal to pick them in Michigan and Minnesota.  In New York it is illegal to pick the red trillium.  I also learned that it takes about 15 years to grow a trillium from a seed.  All the more reason why these are so precious."     

So Mama was right.  Leave the trilliums alone! 

As I closed my browser, I started to think of things in our workplaces that should remain sacred and not messed with.   There are so many different work cultures and environments,  but here are a few practices, that I think are certainly worth not touching:

1. The opportunity to make mistakes.  We find powerful learning opportunities when we make a mistake.  Let’s not throw out that business practice.

 2. An employee’s right to be quiet during the day…. without feeling compelled to chat or engage with everyone.   Some days we just don’t want to talk, and it’s okay to chill.

3.  Ability to stretch, flex, and move around. Employees aren’t meant to sit 8 hours straight.  Research proves it's bad for your health.  People need to move around while at work. It’s a sacred principle that saves companies money in healthcare claims.

4. And my all -time favorite: The Golden Rule within the workplace. Let's keep it sacred and don’t try to justify why we aren’t following it.  Like the Trillium, the Golden Rule will become extinct if don’t revere it as something valued and precious.

What are some other universal sacred "trilliums” in the workplace that shouldn’t be touched? Share your thoughts here.

Art and Beer: Why Shake It Up Branding Works

Art and Beer: Why Shake It Up Branding Works

On the road to Cabo, about 15 minutes past Todos Santos, a large sign proudly proclaims "Art and Beer".  Most drivers zoom by, as it looks like a non-descript collection of clay and bamboo buildings, just perched on the road outside of any Mexican town.  But those in the know do something. They stop.  

If you have been there once and you partake in the art and beer brand, you get hooked, and tell all your friends.  Word-of-mouth promotion keeps this tiny spot alive. On the walls of this eclectic abode, you see numerous photos of celebrities.  Those few who become so intrigued by the juxtaposition of art and beer, they decide to stop and check it all out. Which is what we did the first time.

The owners, a grizzled Mexican artist and his wife, look like hippies from the sixties, down to their long hair and bohemian shirts. Yet they have created a differentiating brand by combining two diverse concepts, art and beer, usually not associated together.

Well... I'm here to say that it is because of this unexpected pairing, that the "Art and Beer" brand works.  Everything feels a little off kilter when you enter the small bar. It's the unexpected elements, that make it memorable.... like after you pay the bill for your drink or meal and get ready to leave, they offer you a free beer to drink in their rustic gallery up the stairs. And guess what? Free beer on the upstairs deck, means you end up buying the silk-screened t-shirts featuring, what else, art on them.

Sometimes I think we need a lot more surprises with branding, to break through the expected norm.  This is true for many organizations, who feature beautiful photos of hip, smiling individuals engaged in healthy and fun activities with non-differentiating messaging.  Sorry folks, but they all look and sound the same. I say it's time to be more provocative and break out of the pack!

Let's try to introduce into our branding -- things that don't go together and make you stop, pause, and tell your friends.  

~HCollaborative.com~

How a Nonprofit Trumpets Its Uniqueness To the World

You know your nonprofit stands for something special in the world.

But do your constituents?

Do they understand your plan to create an equitable world? Can they feel the passion that fuels your fire, which is serving others and making the planet a greener, healthier place to live?

If you're uncertain about that, I have one word for you: manifesto.

A brand manifesto differs from your mission statement. Their intentions may be the same. But their language is not. While the mission statement is very left-brain and logical, the manifesto is right-brain and emotional. Well-crafted manifestos can last for decades if not centuries.

Think Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech," the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the Ten Commandments. A manifesto is your bold plan for a better world, for healthier communities. It's a moral compass that will guide and define your brand to both external and internal audiences.

Is a manifesto right for your organization? Consider the following criteria we believe must be a part of one:

1.       Communicate Your Deep Emotional Principles. What is your organization's reason for existence?

2.       State Your Core Values. What is it your organization stands for? Justice? Compassion? Health?

3.       Speak the Truth. Are you authentic? Does your language and ideas reflect that?

4.       Relate to Your Audience. Are you using emotion to touch your audience's core?

5.       Differentiate. How does your organization differ from others appealing to your audience?

The manifestos we admire and that resonated with us all share things in common. These elements include:

1.       Speaking in the Collective Voice.

2.       Speaking in the Active Voice.

3.       Looking to Change the Status Quo.

4.       Serving as a Compass for Future Decisions.

For contemporary examples of well-crafted manifestos, we happen to be particularly fond of  Albertina Kerr's "Army of Angels" here in our hometown of Portland, OR. And if we may toot our own horn, we also like our own Harmer Collaborative manifesto here.

If you feel the time is right in your organization for a manifesto and you need some guidance, let us know. We'll show you the next steps.

~HCollaborative.com~