The Smart Communications Podcast

Episode 66: How can you communicate better via Zoom?

June 24th, 2020  |  7 mins 9 secs

communications, nonprofit, pop-up rules, video norms, zoom

Stay-at-home orders across the country have increased the amount of daily interaction that occurs over video calls. Discover ways to maximize the effectiveness of each call while reducing burnout.

Episode 62: How can you disrupt power dynamics and bring a DEI lens to your major donor relationships?

June 10th, 2020  |  12 mins 28 secs

campaigns, communications, donors, nonprofit

What roles and power do your donors have? Learn how to center your participants while maintaining donor relationships by applying a DEI lens with Sarah Durham and Hannah Thomas.

Episode 65: What happens when people think they know your organization but they don’t?

May 27th, 2020  |  20 mins 58 secs

brand perceptions, branding, ms foundation, nonprofit, nonprofit communications

Sarah Durham and Teresa Younger discuss shifting brand perceptions.

Episode 61: What are the six elements your communications need to thrive?

May 13th, 2020  |  6 mins 16 secs

communications, engine, leaders, nonprofit, teams

Sarah Durham’s new book, The Nonprofit Communications Engine, explains the six elements your communications need to succeed.

Episode 60: Why should your Executive Director prioritize communications?

April 29th, 2020  |  17 mins 50 secs

communications, mission, nonprofit

Farra Trompeter and Sarah Durham discuss the many flavors of communications teams and how to help leaders understand what communications can—and can’t—do to advance the mission.

Episode 59: Should your logo stand out or fit in?

April 15th, 2020  |  12 mins 16 secs

communications, design, logo, nonprofit

Sarah Durham and Sandy Zimmerman discuss the sweet spot for your organization’s logo.

Episode 63: How should your organization navigate communications during COVID-19?

April 1st, 2020  |  4 mins 59 secs

communications, coronavirus, covid, covid19, fundraise, fundraising, nonprofit

Here are some quick tips and resources to support nonprofits during the COVID-19 crisis.

Episode 58: Interviews, focus groups, or surveys: which should you use?

March 18th, 2020  |  24 mins 9 secs

audience, communications, interviews, nonprofit, research, surveys

How does your brand resonate with your participants? Learn how you can conduct your own research using interviews, focus groups, and surveys with Sarah Durham and Laura Fisher.

Episode 57: What should your nonprofit’s communications really achieve?

January 22nd, 2020  |  6 mins 47 secs

branding, communications, mission, nonprofit, privacy, teams

Sarah Durham’s new book, The Nonprofit Communications Engine, explains what nonprofit communications teams can actually deliver and what they need to be successful.

Episode 55: Can you continuously improve your website?

December 6th, 2019  |  18 mins 40 secs

communications, nonprofit, testing, updates, website

Keeping up with your website can be difficult. Keeping it client-ready can be even harder. Learn how your nonprofit can maintain good website “hygiene” with Sarah Durham and Rory Tucker.

Episode 53: Is it really feasible for your nonprofit to raise millions?

December 5th, 2019  |  19 mins 43 secs

donations, feasibility, fundraising, nonprofit, nonprofit communications

Sarah Durham and Eric Javier discuss feasibility studies, context, and audience when evaluating your donors for a major fundraising initiative.

Episode 52: How do you make sure your events and recordings sound good?

December 4th, 2019  |  12 mins 25 secs

audio, communications, logistics, nonprofit, podcast, podcasts, sound

Sarah Durham and Marcus dePaula discuss audio logistics and how to make your organization sound professional.

Episode 51: Who is your Director of Second Impressions?

November 20th, 2019  |  13 mins 29 secs

communications, donors, nonprofit, second impressions

Sarah Durham and Farra Trompeter talk about the importance of second impressions to keep clients coming back.

Episode 50: What skills are most important on your in-house creative team

November 8th, 2019  |  16 mins 18 secs

communications, creative team, in-house

Sarah Durham and Claire Taylor Hansen explain how consistency, production, breadth, and the right experience can make your creative team flourish.

Episode 49: How can your communications team apply inclusive branding?

November 7th, 2019  |  17 mins 37 secs

Big Duck’s Farra Trompeter and communications professional Christ Tuttle talk inclusive branding. Listen in now.

Episode 48: How can you design when you’re not a designer?

November 6th, 2019  |  15 mins 50 secs

designer, nonprofit, nonprofit communications, nonprofit designer

How to design like a designer when you’re not. Sarah Durham and Claire Taylor Hansen tell us how design can affect your brand, your clients, and your impact.