Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Donnica Hawes Saunders, Manager of Alcohol Policy & Government Affairs, Heineken USA about its Drink OR Drive campaign to change consumer behavior and promote responsible decision-making over the holidays.

Through January 3rd, Heineken is using the Evite digital invitation platform to encourage consumers to decide early on - at the point of RSVP - whether they will be drinking or driving at holiday events and celebrations. As part of the campaign, Evite users in 11 cities will also receive discounted Uber rides from Heineken. 

On the show, Megan, Donnica and I discuss...

I often think that smaller and less well known nonprofits can identify with retailers that are battling against Amazon. While the competition is not as singular as Amazon is to retailers, nonprofits know what it's like to compete against bigger, more savvy and more well-heeled organizations. As nonprofits and businesses share a similar challenge, they may also share a solution on how David can beat Goliath...

This is a great campaign that nicely shows the convergence of influencer and cause marketing, newsjacking and crowdfunding. 

Pro skier Julian Carr wants to educate the majority of Americans who don't know that global warming is caused by humans. To accomplish this, he's launched a Kickstarter to fund a Super Bowl ad that will educate 110 million Americans about global warming.

Team, this is a big idea that deserves our attention. This is an important message that deserves to be in front of the largest TV audience of the year. But it will cost over $5 million for the spot!

Dear Nonprofit,

I just received your email wishing me "Happy Holidays." Yet since these "wishes" are just a thinly veiled request for money, and your email included a TAKE ACTION button at the bottom, I thought I would by hitting reply and giving you a little advice.

First, I don't even support your organization. So I have no idea why you are wishing me anything. As a matter of fact, I don't even remember signing up for your emails. So my first bit of advice for you is to build your email list organically with people who truly want to hear from you. Stop buying email addresses from companies that also claim to know me but don't.

No, building your own list is not as easy as buying one....

While the quote above from Joe Pulizzi references businesses, the lesson of loving your audience certainly applies to nonprofits as well.

Everything should begin and end with your audience.

Once a month I teach a webinar on selling event sponsorships and one of my main messages to the nonprofit attendees is they need to shed their self-centeredness and embrace their audience.

For sponsorship, this happens in two ways.

The above graph and the below video from Rand Fishkin of Moz are must see and watch as they clearly explain the content marketing sales funnel, how it works and why it only works when you have content at all three phases: Know, Like, Trust.

Now, Rand's not talking specifically how the funnel works for landing corporate partnerships so let me interject a few comments to coincide with his remarks...

A reader asked how I keep track of all the content I consume every day. I use a service called Pocket.  Pocket is great and it's FREE!

Whenever I come across something on my laptop or on my phone that I want to save, I just click on the bookmarklet and save it to Pocket.

My son finally convinced me to buy a smart speaker for the house. We started small - literally - with the Google Home Mini.

Now, when I want to hear breaking news or listen to Christmas music or find out the year the War of 1812 began I just say "Hey, Google..." Oh, joy.

Whether you are using a smart speaker at home or talking into your phone, voices searches are a real thing that organizations should be thinking about. 

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Carol Cone, CEO of Carol Cone on Purpose and The Purpose Collaborative and Chris Noble, CEO of Matchfire (and Purpose Collaborative member!) on who give us an update on the Collaborative and share news on an exciting new cause platform from electronics giant LG. 

On the show, Megan, Carol, Chris and I discuss...

It must be my age because I'm a sucker for things that bring up memories of the old days - and all the happy feelings of comfort and joy and safety that come with them. I call them "The good ole days" but what I'm really talking about is Nostalgia. 

I get nostalgic get whenever I watch The Waltons or White Christmas or think of The Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon or remember playing Space Invaders. It's an ache for a simpler time when life seemed easier, richer and happier.

I vividly remember coming home from a day of canning for the Muscular Dystrophy Association on Telethon weekend. It must have been 1975 or '76. I came through the front door and my mother and godfather were watching Lewis on our old Zenith television (which needed to be serviced by a repairman named Lloyd at least once a month). They were laughing about something on the show and asking me about how much I had raised.

Happier times. Simpler times. Warmer times (and not from climate change).

Two of the biggest challenges facing nonprofit organizations are relevance and visibility. To prosper on the new philanthropic landscape, nonprofits must change how they engage the world with branding and communications.

Historically, nonprofits have largely practiced self-centered marketing - focusing on transmitting their story, showcasing their achievements and asking for support of their cause. Today, they are competing in a true consumer marketplace where they need to work differently in order to resonate with people.

There's an interesting body of research that shows that people will go to great lengths to escape giving a donation over the holidays. Ah, the spirit of the unreformed Scrooge is very much alive!

Even for folks in the nonprofit field such as us, the unending request for money can sour generosity as obligation takes hold. Personally, I've been blown away by the of number charitable appeals I've been getting in the mail since Thanksgiving. It's overwhelming, and frustrating because there is no way I can support all of them.

To ensure the spirit of generosity doesn't harden into resentment, I'm doubling down on giving this holiday season. And I'm using cause marketing as my guide!

I know what you must be thinking: Joe has finally gone nuts. 🤪 The cheese has finally slipped off the cracker. 

But hear me out before you call the guys with the van and white jackets. 🚑

1. I've talked before about why content, especially email marketing, should be part of every cause marketing team's outreach efforts....

I hate wasting food. Ask my kids. It drives me nuts. And it drives them crazy because I'm always yelling at them about it. 😤

That's why I'm excited about a new app called Food for All. I'm doubly excited that it was developed right here in Boston!

Here's how it works.

There's a fascinating article in this week's Wall Street Journal on how discount retailer Dollar General is thriving in rural America. The numbers are impressive.

"Dollar General Corp.’s 14,000 stores yielded more than double the profit of Macy’s Inc. on less revenue during its most recent fiscal year. And its $22 billion market value eclipses the largest U.S. grocery chain, Kroger Co., which has five times the revenue."

Sadly, as you'll learn in the article, the reason Dollar General is thriving is because rural America is not. Still, Dollar General's business and success has a few key lessons.

People often ask me what tools I use to run my business. Here they are! I use these tools EVERY. DAY.

1. Squarespace. My website is hosted on Squarespace. While it's not a perfect platform, and I would sometimes like more of the flexibility that Wordpress offers, Squarespace is easy to work with and their customer service is great.

2. Tweetdeck. I wouldn't want to look at my Twitter feed on anything else. I segment most of my followers into one of two columns, a "Watch" list or an "Influencer" list. Which one are YOU on? 😉

Check out nine more tools I use every day!

Colleen Brinkmann has been raising money for a long time. Way back in 2002, she started as the communications and marketing director for the North Texas Food Bank.

It wasn't easy back then.

"We said yes to everything," Colleen told the Chronicle of Philanthropy. "When anyone wanted to do a food drive, we said yes, whether it was Joe Bob’s Tire Shop or AT&T."

The food bank has come a long way in the past 15 years. In 2016, it raised $127 million in cash and donated goods. Along the way, Colleen learned a couple important lessons about raising money...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Brock Weatherup, Executive Vice President, Strategic Innovation & Digital Experience, at Petco, about the launch of Heads & Tails, the first iOS app where pet parents can both receive a gift card and donate to help animals in need by simply having fun taking cute pet selfies.

On the show, Brock, Megan and I discuss...