On November 14, 2014, the Central Iowa Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) held its annual National Philanthropy Day event at the downtown Des Moines Marriott hotel. I’m the association’s Chapter Administrator (maintain the finances, organize monthly luncheons, etc.) and it gives me great pleasure to be associated with this group and to be a small part of this amazing annual event which recognizes the philanthropic contributions of our Central Iowa citizens. Shoot me an email if you’d like to be more involved with AFP!
- 2013 National Philanthropy Day
Since 1960, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has inspired global change and supported efforts that generated over $1 trillion. AFP’s nearly 30,000 individual and organizational members raise over $100 billion annually, equivalent to one-third of all charitable giving in North America and millions more around the world.
National Philanthropy Day® is a special day set aside on the fifteenth of November. The purpose of this day is to recognize the great contributions of philanthropy—and those people active in the philanthropic community—to the enrichment of our world.
Last year, more than 130 AFP chapters held NPD events and activities across North America. In addition, AFP launched #NPDLove, a global social media outreach and awareness campaign to engage the global charitable sector, the philanthropic community, and the public in activities to demonstrate “love of humankind” and highlight how they (or their organization) are helping to change the world.
I’m not sure, but I just called myself one in a Proposal!
One of the things I pride myself in after being in business for five years, is being able to provide custom solutions for my Clients.
I was approached a few weeks ago by a group that wanted to produce a large community event. After learning more about their needs, it turned out that they didn’t want me to produce the event for them; they wanted me to work alongside them so they could learn to produce their event for years to come.
The old proverb: “Give a man to fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” came to mind!
So, I put together a proposal and called myself an “Event Consultant” – why not, right? Below are the responsibilities I identified:
- Develop an event planning and event marketing timeline in Excel to be maintained as a shared document
- Facilitate discussions during the group’s regular monthly meetings to make sure the right questions are being addressed and that we’re staying on schedule
- Consult twice monthly with project leadership outside of their regular monthly meetings in real life or via conference call twice per month. I’m available via phone, email and text between meetings.
- Consult with sub-committees during their meetings in real life or via conference call twice per month. I’m available via phone, email and text between meetings.
- Should there be unused time, I will execute tasks that may require specific knowledge or skills that group members on certain committees may not have. I will submit a timesheet to the Client on the last day of each month.
Does your organization need help producing events? Maybe you need an Event Consultant to keep you on track!!!
A couple weeks ago, I helped a Client host an open house at their new office space.
An open house is a great marketing tool. It’s an excuse to reach out to your Clients and to show them how much you appreciate them! Offer door prizes or prizes that can be won in a drawing. Always have refreshments and be sure each individual leaves with marketing materials and a small, branded gift.
Make sure your Clients know they can bring their friends. An open house is a great way to introduce Prospects to your business through a mutual connection.
If your Clients have to come to your offices for meetings, make sure they know where you are. The worst thing that could happen is that they get lost coming to meet you for an actual appointment. An open house is a great way to avoid this uncomfortable situation.
The key is to stay creative and think like your users. What kind of information would they like to see? What kind of information would help them use your products more effectively, or would make their lives easier? What would entertain them?
- Grab the readers’ attention immediately – Start your post off with something provocative that will make your audience want to read and learn more. Time is limited, so start off your post strong.
- Breakup your text with bullets and numbered lists – Everyone loves a list. If there is a way to organize your post with bullets and numbers, do it! This makes it easier for readers to skim over your post and get a general idea of what the blog is about before they decide if they want to read it in full.
- Keywords matter – For the sake of search engine optimization (SEO), the keywords and phrases you use matter significantly, especially in the title of your blog post. Use keywords that have high average monthly searches and low competition (on a scale of 0 – 1)
- Refer to other blog posts and articles – Mentioning other people’s content can not only create a “starting point” for your own blogs but it is also a great social media practice and a way to get other authors’ attention.
- What do you read? – Shape your own blog posts and articles around things that you find interest in reading. Read blogs related to your industry and see what information you find most valuable.
- Be controversial – Not every blog needs to be controversial, but certainly don’t avoid it if you think what you are saying might ruffle some feathers. Not only does controversy grab a reader’s attention but it will encourage them to leave comments or feedback if they disagree.
- Ask questions – Encourage interaction! Write something that will get people enthusiastic about commenting.
Do you have a social media plan for the holidays or are you looking for ideas to improve your marketing over the holiday season?
Chances are high your audience will be on social media during the holidays! Social channels will play a substantial role in holiday shopping this year, and the key is to figure out how to create a campaign that works for you and your brand.
Our panelists will help you get the most out of your social media marketing during the holidays with tips for planning.
Panelists Include:
5:30-6pm – networking / wine & heavy appetizers will be served
6-7pm – panel
facebook.com/SMCDSM / @SocialMediaDSM / #SMCDSM
Time: December 9, 2014 from 5:30pm to 7pm
Location: Willis Auto Campus – Jaguar/Land Rover building
Street: 9800 Hickman Rd
City/Town: Clive, IA 50325
