1. Write for Skimmers. Your copy needs to be digestable for those who won’t read every word.
2. Put the important stuff in bold. Some people will read every word–a lot of people won’t. Make sure they all know what is important.
3. Write for a single target audience. Be specific in who you are addressing. It may be tempting to include other audiences, but if this is a newsletter for your donors, write only to them.
4. Write with a personal voice. Instead of writing as if you’re speaking to a large audience, write as if you’re sharing your heart with a friend over coffee. What would you say if you were updating one donor on the goings-on within your non-profit?
5. Include photos. Sometimes photography is more effective than words. Show your donors what your organization has been doing. Make sure all photos are high quality. Pixelated, off-center photos will not contribute to excellently telling your story.
6. Consider sending out newsletters in lieu of appeals. Often the “newsletter” vibe inspires more generosity than the “appeal” vibe. Be intentional! Inspire your audience.

In your own experience, what has worked best for your email newsletter? 

“ 4) Choose life. Do something regularly to interrupt the patterns of injustice – do something to end violence, bullying, war, capital punishment and other mean and ugly things.”

Soles4Souls is committed to changing lives one pair of shoes at a time. I want to live life in such a way that every day of work improves the life of someone else. I have been in the shoe business since I was 15. No matter what circumstances you were born into, your life can be used to “interrupt patterns of injustice.” It is up to each of us to figure out how our opportunities, giftings, and passions can be used for something bigger than ourselves.

“ 1) Believe in miracles. And live in a way that might necessitate one.”

The nonprofit world exists on the generosity and kindness of others. Their generosity and kindness is not guaranteed. That means we have to encapsulate an attitude of thanksgiving, hopefulness, and preparation. Every year that Soles4Souls puts shoes on the feet of children in the US and around the world, it is a miracle because someone’s life is changed for the better as a result of what we do.

So tell me, what are some of your hopes for 2012? What attitudes will you change to be a more effective and compelling nonprofit leader?

Here’s four that I think are most important:

• Prepare. Some non-profits may be growing so fast that they do not have trained structures in place. This can make for a rough transition. Be sure to ask questions about transition protocol ahead of time and clearly communicate your expectations.
• Investigate. Get your hands on any literature the organization has produced ever. Connect with others in positions of leadership at the organization. Get help filling in as many gaps as possible. When moving into a new position, there is a learning curve. This is magnified when transitioning from the corporate to non-profit sector. Be an investigative reporter and figure out what you need to know.
• Connect. In the nonprofit sector, board members and donors are key. Get to know these people right away. Connect with them on a personal level. Building their trust early on will make your transition smoother.
• Focus. The pace at which some nonprofits make decisions can be slow. Especially early on, it’s important to recognize the effect a hastily made decision can have on your organization. Just like in the for-profit world, the best companies are focused and know what they do best. Don’t be diverted by projects that don’t line up with your purpose and mission.

If you’ve made the leap recently, what did you learn through the transition?

When you have that level of diversity, there are some important things to keep in mind about leading a multigenerational workforce. Whether or not they know it, each group views the world differently. Brian Zimmerman recently spoke to this topic and brought up a few great points.

Here’s what I think you should know.

• Generational differences. Generation X exudes independence, resilience, and adaptability. Millennials are technology-oriented, confident, multi-taskers. Millennials are digital-natives while Gen-Xers speak the digital language with a bit of an accent.
• Workplace perspectives. When working with these two generations, remember that Millennials are relatively new to the workplace and are likely optimistic about fulfilling their dreams. However, if they have experienced disappointment (and many have as a result of the Recession), they may seem cynical or jaded.
• Generational similarities. One similarity between the generations is their desire for workplace structure, clear direction, and leadership that earns their respect. A trend to consider is that both Millennials and Gen-Xers are not very likely to stay in their current jobs. Job security is scarce and both generations are likely to keep an eye out for a more ideal position. In fact, Millennials are twice as likely to quit within a year compared to Baby Boomers.

While this data may make you nervous, don’t let it. Resolve instead to maintain ongoing communication with your staff. Some of the best ideas may come from some of the most unlikely places. And that kind of validation could keep them around for quite a bit longer.

Where have you experienced the biggest challenges in leading, recruiting, and retaining a multigenerational workforce?

If you’re like me, just reading that phrase makes my eyes glaze over. But in the nonprofit world, the annual report is essential. And though it does fall into the “report” category, it does not have to be mind-numbing. In fact, it can be exciting and inspiring. Kimberlee Roth recently discussed how to Make Your Annual Report Sing. Her suggestions got my wheels turning. I’d like to share and comment on a few of her creative ideas.

1. Tell someone’s story. Roth affirms what I believe is true. Rather than only sharing cold stats about your work, paint a vivid picture of one life that was changed as a result.
2. Use mixed media. Roth suggests utilizing video, interviews, and photos. In your annual report, include photos, infographs, and other visuals that further tell the story of your organization. Be creative. If your online version, consider embedding video for a more dynamic reader experience.
3. Communicate with candor. Roth points out that a balance exists between melodrama and leaving out rough-around-the-edges details. Work on telling a compelling story, but don’t scrimp on the less than positive portions. Authentic messages stand out.

What other creative ideas do you have to freshen up your annual report?

Over on Katya’s Non-profit Marketing Blog (one of my favorites, bookmark it if you haven’t yet!), she listed 18 mood-killing words to banish in 2012.

Among the list were a few that I especially loathe:

1. Capacity
2. Systemic
3. Innovation
4. Facilitate
5. Support

These words are fine for the boardroom but not when you are talking to donors.

I urge you to commit now to using fresh, specific language in your fundraising copy this year. Steer clear of jargon and use words that everyone can understand. Instead of putting the cookies on the top shelf where only the tall can reach, put the cookies on the bottom shelf where all can reach. (And make sure the cookies aren’t boring.)

What other words that we should stop using this year?

Here are a few findings that might surprise you:

1. Up from 5th place in 2010, the United States is now considered the most generous country. While monetary giving has not increased notably, volunteerism increased 4% and going out of one’s way for a stranger has gone up by 8%. 2nd and 3rd place go to Ireland and Australia, respectively. Check out the rankings on this visual map.
2. 66% of Americans have donated to charity, 43% have volunteered, and 73% have helped a stranger.
3. The world is more charitable in 2011 than in 2010–but not because of money.
4. Despite economic woes across the globe, the global average of the three giving behaviors increased from 31.6% to 32.4%. The increase is due to 2% more people ‘helping a stranger’ and 1% more ‘volunteering time.’
5. Giving money and volunteering time is on the rise among those over 50 and helping strangers is most common among the middle aged (25-34).

Were you surprised to find “helping a stranger” thrown into the mix with volunteering and donating? What stood out to you the most about these findings?

Note: To check out what other people are saying about the 2011 World Giving Index check out the conversation on Twitter: #WorldGivingIndex.

Micro-Enterprise: We use your unwanted shoes to support micro-business initiatives  in developing nations. We don’t give a hand out, but provide individuals a hand up – a way to support themselves and their families. As they say, “Give a man a fish, he eats for a day – teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.”

Recycling: We give your unwanted shoes a 2nd life. The shoes with life left in them are cleaned and given to someone else in need in the U.S. and around the world.

Sustainability: We are 100% sustainable. No shoes we receive are thrown away or end up in landfills.

Health: The shoes protect children from hookworm, a life-threatening illness. 

Protection & Mobility: Shoes enable the walking population in developing nations

Marketing & Promotion Support: Become the hero in your community. When you donate to Soles4Souls or host a benefiting event, we do what we can to make sure your community knows about it.

Tax Benefits: Save money! As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all donations are tax deductible. 

Program & Donor Assistance: We help you from start to finish. You receive personal customer service attention and step-by-step support to maximize the impact of your project.

Experience: Join Soles4Souls on a trip. See where we distribute the shoes we receive and even help us give the shoes to people in need. Look for challenges and sweepstakes throughout the year to earn an opportunity to join us on a trip for free!

The young author asks Hemingway and Stein if they would read his work and give him feedback on it. Though understandably terrifying, it’s certainly not a bad idea to get feedback from your heroes. Here are a few more ideas inspired by Hemingway’s real life choices that I think you ought to implement in 2012:

1. Find a mentor. Hemingway and Stein had a special mentor relationship. Let this be the year you connect with someone who can identify with your experiences as a nonprofit leader and also give you time-tested advice.
2. Be a thoughtful networker. Hemingway had the Lost Generation. Lewis had the Inklings. As a nonprofit leader you don’t have a lot of time. Are the people you are spending time with inspiring you? Do they challenge you? Do they have strong character? Your time is limited. Be honest with yourself about why you spend time with the people you do, and why they spend time with you. It ought to be beneficial on some level for both sides.
3. Commit to intentional face time. Did you know that even as he was living in Paris Hemingway switched publishers in New York? Even though he was an ocean away, Hemingway got business done in person, if necessary. With all our mobile devices and social networking, it is easy to communicate without actually making eye contact. This year, commit to closing your laptop and making eye contact.

So tell me, do you have any of your own resolutions regarding interpersonal communication? What do you want to improve on this year?

1. The revamped Twitter page. Twitter finally launched a redesign that includes brand specific pages. They’re testing it out already with 21 large for-profit companies. The new pages give companies the opportunity to promote a tweet to display at the top of their pages and are free from advertising from other companies. This is very good, smart move for Twitter. Be sure to keep your ear to the ground to hear when the feature is widely available.
2. A landing page for mobile devices. More people are going online with their smartphone or tablet computer. Be ahead of the game by having a landing page for your nonprofit that is optimized for mobile devices. (For example, if you access giveshoes.org from your smartphone, you’ll see an optimized version of our full-featured website that you’ll experience if you visit through your computer’s internet browser.
3. Move from engagement to enrichment. Over the past year we have talked a lot about utilizing multiple avenues to connect with our donors. We’ve committed to conversation rather than monologue. Inspired by the late great Steve Jobs, I’d like to take it one step further. One thing that Apple does better than perhaps any other company is enrich the lives of their customers. Not only do they engage their customers, but they commit to enriching their lives. I challenge you, what can your nonprofit do to enrich the lives of your donors?

What other innovative ideas do you plan to implement in 2012?