I'm in the last week of my 31-day cause marketing challenge and I'm ready to take some questions for readers.

One reader asks: "What's your process for writing a day? Is it hard?"

I'll get to the question about whether it's hard in a minute. Let me explain the process first.

I publish first thing in the morning. I read the post once for edits, etc. and then hit publish. I then share it on social media and add the post to the draft of my email newsletter.

There's a famous scene in A Christmas Carol after Scrooge has been visited by the three ghosts. Much to his surprise, he awakes in his bed and realizes he survived the night. Relieved, Scrooge pledges to "Live in the past, the present and the future."

It's a lesson we could all learn from. Yes, each and everyone...

I read a ton of books this past year! I read everything: fiction, history, biography, marketing, technology, memoir and everything else. I'll tell you about them sometime. 😁 For now, here are five books I read that helped me improve as a cause marketer.

1. Reengineering Retail: The Future of Selling in a Post-Digital World. This is a great book all about the changing landscape of retail, which is by far the #1 industry for us cause marketers. I love how this book is laid out with an emphasis on a different disruption or technology and how it's impacting retail. Must read!

I took a peek into my Google analytics this weekend and here are the ten most popular cause marketing posts on Selfish Giving in 2017. Enjoy!

1. 10 Best Cause Marketing Promotions of 2016 [SLIDESHARE]. My annual review of cause marketing promotions is always my most popular post!

If you liked this post, read this next: I've done "Best Cause Marketing" posts in 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012  and 2011. Check them all out!

A few years go I wrote glowingly about Wreaths Across America (WAA) and their mission to lay wreaths on the graves of fallen soldiers. This is important and powerful work and WAA became a big part of the speeches I delivered that year. I couldn't say enough good things about them.

Then, in 2015, the Wall Street Journal published an article that unnerved me.

Cash is not king. Just stand in line at a Starbucks and count how many people use a credit card or their phone to pay.

I'm wondering how this is impacting donation box fundraisers? People just don't have cash and coins in their hands like they used to.

Earlier this month, I wrote about how I'm donating to every Salvation Army red kettle this season. Coming out of the supermarket the other day, I had to literally prepare myself to give. I paid for my groceries with a card, but had to ask the cashier for cash back so I could put a few bucks in the kettle outside.

Giving cash is hard work! 

If you are a new visitor to my website you probably saw my "welcome mat" that drops down and asks you to join my email newsletter list. (I hope you joined because I send out an AWESOME newsletter every Wednesday morning.)

But it's annoying, right? You just want to get to what you are looking for. That's why you are thinking, "Why would I want a welcome mat or pop-up on my website. It's irritating!"

Well, there are a couple reasons why you would still want to use a pop-up.

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.