The Smart Communications Podcast

Episode 13: Should we digitize our brand guide?

July 24th, 2018  |  7 mins 18 secs

board, brand guide, branding, communications, digital brand guide, digital branding, digital style guide, donor engagement, events, fundraising, galas, giving, in-person cultivation, marketing, nonprofit boards, nonprofit communications, nonprofit management, nonprofits, style guide

Brand guides contain everything you need to write and design on behalf of your nonprofit, and many organizations are beginning to digitize them. Listen to learn more about the pros of digital brand guides.

Episode 12: What makes a great nonprofit tagline?

July 11th, 2018  |  14 mins 4 secs

board, branding, communications, copy, copywriting, creative, jargon, marketing, nonprofit boards, nonprofit communications, nonprofit management, nonprofits, organizational taglines, taglines

A tagline can’t communicate everything, but it can fill in gaps left by the name and logo and help express your brand. Tune in for new ways of thinking about your organization’s tagline.

Episode 11: How can nonprofit leaders take successful sabbaticals?

July 3rd, 2018  |  18 mins 19 secs

When nonprofit leaders prepare effectively for taking extended time off, it can strengthen their senior team, too. Tune in to learn what it takes to plan and take a successful sabbatical.

Episode 10: What words should you avoid?

June 27th, 2018  |  10 mins 24 secs

brand personality, brand strategy, branding, communications, core values, jargon, language, marketing, nonprofit communications, nonprofits, organizational values, personality, phrases, pronouns, values, word choice, words

Lila Tublin, one of Big Duck’s copywriters, uncovers words, phrases, jargon, and pronouns(!) nonprofit communicators should think carefully about before using, gleaned from our popular “Words to Avoid” annual blog, plus shares tips to ensure your writing is clear and easy to understand no matter what. Click play to tune in.

Episode 9: Why is it so hard to raise awareness?

June 13th, 2018  |  8 mins 40 secs

awareness, brand personality, brand strategy, branding, campaigns, communications, core values, development, fundraising, marketing, nonprofit communications, nonprofits, organizational values, personality, raising awareness, values

To successfully increase their organization’s visibility through campaigns, nonprofit leaders need to ensure they’re grounded in strategy—with concrete goals, audiences, and actions in mind.

Episode 8: How are organizational values and personality different?

May 30th, 2018  |  12 mins 7 secs

brand personality, brand strategy, branding, communications, core values, marketing, nonprofit communications, nonprofits, organizational values, personality, values

Organizational values and brand personality are related but very different, and often get confused. We’ll define and differentiate them in this podcast.

Episode 7: Are events and galas still effective?

May 16th, 2018  |  12 mins 25 secs

board, branding, communications, donor engagement, events, fundraising, galas, giving, in-person cultivation, marketing, nonprofit boards, nonprofit communications, nonprofit management, nonprofits

Episode 6: How do you get feedback from a working group?

May 1st, 2018  |  8 mins 54 secs

Episode 5: How can nonprofits use photography well?

April 25th, 2018  |  8 mins 19 secs

board, branding, communications, marketing, nonprofit boards, nonprofit communications, nonprofit management, nonprofits, photography

The Smart Communications Podcast helps busy nonprofit leaders build their communications skills and develop their organization’s voice. Every episode shares insights and practical tips to help you leverage strategic communications to advance your nonprofit’s mission.

Episode 4: How do we communicate without communications staff?

April 11th, 2018  |  12 mins 18 secs

board, branding, communications, marketing, nonprofit boards, nonprofit communications, nonprofit management, nonprofits

Having a dedicated communications team is out of reach for many nonprofits, but the need to communicate effectively to external audiences is still there. This episode of the Smart Communications Podcast features a conversation with Wayne Ho, President and CEO of CPC, a large social services organization located in NYC. Out of CPC’s 4,000 employees, none have “communications” in their job title. Listen in to find out how Wayne encourages all staff to be effective brand ambassadors.

Episode 3: What's the board's role in branding?

April 2nd, 2018  |  11 mins 31 secs

board, branding, communications, marketing, nonprofit boards, nonprofit communications, nonprofit management, nonprofits

Figuring out the right people to have in the rebranding process at the right time is a real struggle. In this episode of the Smart Communications Podcast, Big Duck’s VP, Farra Trompeter, and Big Duck’s CEO, Sarah Durham, share their experiences leading nonprofit rebrands and serving as nonprofit board members, plus provide expert recommendations for defining the board’s role in branding.

Episode 2: When is it okay to use jargon?

April 2nd, 2018  |  6 mins 46 secs

branding, communications, copywriting, guidelines, jargon, marketing, nonprofit branding, nonprofit communications, nonprofits

Generally, we recommend avoiding jargon. But in this episode of the Smart Communications Podcast, Dan Gunderman, Big Duck’s Creative Director, sits down with Sarah Durham, Big Duck’s CEO, to discuss when nonprofits communicators should embrace industry-specific language.

Episode 1: Welcome to the Smart Communications Podcast!

April 2nd, 2018  |  1 min 51 secs

branding, communications, marketing, nonprofit communications, nonprofits

The Smart Communications Podcast helps busy nonprofit leaders build their communications skills and develop their organization’s voice. Every episode shares insights and practical tips to help you leverage strategic communications to advance your nonprofit’s mission.