Newsletter: Why Your Partnership Page Needs Video đ„ ; Partnership Lessons from the Indy Zoođ ; Carol Coneâs Podcast is Up for an AwardâLetâs Help Her Win! đ
I've spent a lot of time this year writing about how partnership teams can demonstrate their credibility. Testimonials, impact metrics, and awardsâall important.
Written case studies? Essential.đ„
đđ» But thereâs one credibility builder almost every partnership team is missing, and itâs the one that gives prospects the fastest, clearest sense of what itâs like to work with you: a video case study.
Backed by several written case studies, WWP will feature this video case study on its partnership web page.
Today, Iâm sharing a âvideo case studyâ I created for Wounded Warrior Project on its partnership with transportation giant CSX.
Itâs short, simple, and built for exactly the job a video case study does bestâhelping prospects âget itâ in three minutes.
I think every partnership team should have at least one video like this on their partnership page.
Let me be clear: Video doesnât replace your written case studies. The latter are still your social proof backbone. Theyâre where you walk prospects through the goals, the strategy, the results, the business benefitâthe details the decision-makers need to justify a partnership internally. If you could only pick one format, the written format still wins.
But hereâs what Iâve learned after reviewing dozens of partnership pages: Prospects donât always want to start by reading. They want something they can feel. Something they can watch, share, and react to quicklyâbefore they decide whether to dig deeper.
Thatâs what one good video case study gives you. Tone. Emotion. Real voices. Real partners. A sense of pace and professionalism that immediately says: âThese folks know how to do partnerships.â
And the best part? You donât need five of them. You donât even need two.
You need oneâwell-positioned on your partnership page.
Because one video does the work of a first meeting, it warms prospects up. It gets them excited. It helps them picture themselves partnering with you. Then you can share written case studies to show breadth and confirm the details.
Itâs the perfect one-two punch: video for credibility, written for confidence.
If you want companies to see your organization the way you see itâcapable, strategic, and partnership-readyâdonât just tell them. Show them.
One well-made video can shift how prospects perceive you and how fast they say yes.
đ„ âWatch: Wounded Warrior Project & CSX Partnership Case Studyâ
âïž Partnership Notes
In my "Partnership Notes" section, I share stellar corporate partnership programs and show you how to do your job better!
1. âA chairlift campaign that proves companies can give more than moneyâ. đĄ This ski resort shows how assets can become powerful partnership tools. Instead of a traditional cash ask, Californiaâs Palisades Tahoe turned its chairlift into a fundraiser for Palisades Tahoe Community Foundation. Itâs a reminder that businesses donât just have checkbooksâthey have assets: space, equipment, infrastructure, and community touchpoints that can be turned into fluffy piles of...cash for your nonprofit!
2. âThe first half of January is your secret lead-gen weaponâ. đĄ Last December, I walked through a full fourth-quarter series on partnership lead generationâfrom nine ways to attract better leads, to why your team needs a lead-gen newsletter, to building an Ideal Partner Profile, to warming cold prospects, and navigating December outreach without looking like a Grinch. All of it still applies this year. But hereâs the part too many teams forget: the first week of January is gold. While everyone else is easing back in, you should be auditing your prospect list, reigniting dormant leads, and booking quick âNew Yearâ discovery calls. Decision-makers are unusually reachable, budgets are fresh, and planning is underway. Get busy!
3. âWhat the Indy Zoo can teach partnership pros about audience insightâ. đĄ The Indianapolis Zoo reminds us that you canât grow sponsorships without truly knowing your audience. They study visitor behavior to understand what guests value mostâthen build sponsorship packages around those insights. Partnership pros should do the same. Before pitching, get crystal clear on who your audience is and what captivates them. Youâre not just selling a program; youâre selling access to a community companies want to reach.
đ€ Marketing Your Cause
In my "Marketing Your Cause" section, I share strategies for growing your brand and audienceâtwo key ingredients for securing more partnerships.
1. âA year-in-review is a partnership power moveâ. đĄ This roundup of the best âYear in Reviewâ emails is something partnership teams should absolutely steal. A clean, well-designed recap packages your big wins, standout partners, and key metrics in a format companies actually want to skim. But you donât have to make it all about your own organization. Try creating a small partnership industry mini-report instead â the trends youâre seeing, what partners cared about this year, and where the opportunities are headed next. It positions your nonprofit as a thought leader, not just a recipient.
2. âYour next prospect may never visit your website, but their AI agent willâ. đĄ Todayâs prospects arenât filling out forms or waiting for repliesâ70% finish their research before talking to anyone. And that research increasingly starts with AI tools that scrape your content, compare you to others, and form recommenda-tions before a human ever shows up. The bold prediction? Soon, prospects may not visit your site at all, but their AI agents will. And those agents expect information thatâs structured, transparent, and instantly accessible. If your partnership page isnât ready for an AI reader, you risk becoming invisible. Nowâs the time to tune your content for both humans and machines.
3. âSteal this PR tactic: make your outreach media-readyâ. đĄ Garrett Public Relations reminds us that visibility isnât luckâitâs preparation. Nonprofits should treat every outreach â to donors, reporters, community partners, or policymakersâlike a mini media pitch: lead with a clear angle, keep the message tight, show why it matters now, and make it ridiculously easy for someone to say yes. That means having a skimmable overview of your work, one strong stat or story, and a simple next step ready to go. The more âmedia-readyâ your communication is, the more attention it receives. Visibility follows clarity.
đ Cool Jobs in Cause
In my "Cool Jobs in Cause" section, I share open partnership positions so you can discover your next adventure.
1. National Associate Director of Corporate Relations, Reach Out and Read, Remote ($90k - $100k)
2. Director, Corporate Development, Susan G. Komen, Remote ($105k - $140k)
3. Director, Corporate Initiatives, Alzheimer's Association, Remote in Midwest ($120k - $155k)
đ§ đ Brain Food
In my "Brain Food" section, I share things that spark inspiration, fuel curiosity, and bring a smile to your face!
1. âIs âadoptionâ the new, more human version of sponsorship?â đ đĄ Adoption feels personal. It signals care, responsibility, and relationship. Sponsorship feels transactional. More of a line item, right? For causes, especially in a crowded fundraising landscape, reframing offerings as âadopt a ___â could be the emotional unlock sponsorship can never quite deliver. Youâre not just asking for support; youâre offering a sense of guardianship. That subtle shift in language can change how companies view their role and how connected they feel to your work.
2. âCarol Coneâs podcast is up for an awardâletâs help her winâ. đĄ Carol "Mom" Cone calls me the "godfather" of her âPurpose 360 Podcastâ because I helped bring it to life! It's going strong at 214 episodes and has been nominated for Best Business Podcast of 2025 by DiscoverPods! The winner is determined by audience vote, and Carol and her team need our support. Head over âhereâ, enter your name and email, select Purpose 360 Podcast with Carol Cone under the business category, and click submit. đ
3. âAll I want for Christmas is this lobstah nativity sceneâ.đŠ đĄ The birth of Christ reenacted by crustaceans? Only in New England. The only thing missing is the holy buttah.
Planters done. Christmas cactus blooming. Buddy dreaming of presents and goodies. Holiday season = â€ïž
