Community Media Workshop recently announced upcoming trainings, with topics such as:
"Professional Media Relations"
"Get Your Story On Air, Online & Into Print"
Webinar: "How to Write a Quick and Dirty Marketing Strategy"
Taking Social Media to the Next Level
Writing to Make the News
Website Planning, Design & Usability
...and much more!

Check out Community Media Workshop\'s website for a full schedule and training descriptions.

Want to learn more about the presence of your organization in social media?  Read through this assessment to learn ways to improve your current processes.

http://www.slideshare.net/JeffreyAder/10-step-social-media-assessment

In its most basic meaning, tools are things used to accomplish some sort of task. Unfortunately, in the digital world that we live in, there are often just as many tools as there are tasks, and breaking through this clutter is a task itself. In an effort to help do so, here are 30 tools grouped by the categories below that woulld be of value to nonprots of all sizes.

http://www.slideshare.net/JeffreyAder/digital-social-media-tools-for-nonprofits

Given the array of media choices available today, the quest for marketing effectiveness grows more complicated each day.  However, there is emerging research that is beginning to shed light on general principles around marketing mix and its long term benefits.  Nielsen Analytic Consulting recently published a report based on the review of their global clients and offered some guidance for nonprofit marketing efforts.

This article gives more information on how:
- Greater ROI can be achieved through mix adjustment
- Digital efforts have significant short-term impact
- Traditional marketing efforts support longer-term efforts

More: http://philanthropyjournal.org/resources/marketingcommunications/mix-messages-increased-roi

Even if you don\'t have a big marketing or public relations budget, you can still raise your organization\'s profile and build a strong brand among customers, members, potential members, the news media, and other opinion leaders if you use a few proven—and inexpensive—PR tactics to raise your visibility.

1.    Messages
2.    Pitching the Press
3.    “First in a Series” articles
4.    Spotlight newsworthy people
5.    Use social media
6.    Be the media
7.    Article marketing
8.    Network strategically
9.    Press releases
10.    Commission a study or survey
11.    Determine ROI

More: http://www2.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2010/any-organization-can-win-high-visibility-and-build-a-strong-brand.aspx?source=apr2010nwsltr

Word of mouth. It is the holy grail of marketing. It\'s effective and inexpensive. Everyone dreams of achieving it, but few organizations are truly able to make it work. Most likely it\'s because they are not ready for word of mouth. Before you get started on this journey, look in the mirror and ask yourself the following questions. Answer them honestly; if you don\'t answer Yes to these questions, you may need to address some internal challenges first.

1.    Is there something unique or interesting about your company?
2.    Can you easily articulate your unique value?
3.    Do you treat donors, clients, and employees with the highest level of respect?

Click here to read the full article and receive tips on engaging in word of mouth marketing.

Sharing lists for fundraising outreach has long been accepted as a cost-effective practice in the direct mail world.  But list sharing has yet to be applied to online lists in any great numbers.  Many nonprofits are held back by fears over negative impacts to their e-mail lists or the quality of the new supporters.  Others are simply uncertain about how online cross promotions work.

An online cross promotion doesn\'t work like a direct mail list swap, where two groups literally swap lists.  Instead of actually trading lists, each nonprofit sends an e-mail to its OWN list, promoting a link to the other nonprofit\'s Web site.  Each nonprofit acquires only the names of people who affirmatively opt in on its Web site.

To learn more about cross promotion and how to run your own, read the full article.

In today’s competitive and stretched economy, nonprofit organizations need more than just a good mission to stand out above the rest.

To support the cause, organizations must be top-of-mind with potential donors to strongly compete for limited dollars or even survival.  Successful nonprofits accomplish this by creating a ‘perfect storm,’ integrating their mission with the art of personal connection.  Constantly building awareness, loyalty and funding, the perfect storm should make nonprofits top of mind in any competitive economy.

http://www.philanthropyjournal.org/resources/marketingcommunications/mix-marketing-and-fundraising-%E2%80%98perfect-storm%E2%80%99

These excellent tips will help your organization be prepared to handle a quetions from the media and possibly prevent a communication crisis.

* Get the media caller\'s name, affiliation and contact information. Put all media inquiries through to [insert designated point of contact - usually the communications director or public-relations consultant or agency].

* If the designated point of contact is not available, take down the caller\'s name, affiliation, contact information, deadline and the nature of their inquiry.

* Let them know the designated contact person will get back to them as soon as possible, and immediately notify the contact person.

* If the caller asks for a specific person other than the designated point of contact, or starts to ask you questions, state the organization\'s media policy (example below) and put the inquiry through to the designated point of contact.

* Sample media policy: It is the policy of [insert organization name] to direct all media inquires through to [insert designated point of contact]. This individual will help you with your questions.

* Designated point of contact\'s response to media: If you are the designated point of contact and are caught off guard by a media caller\'s inquiry or need more time to answer, follow these steps.

1.  Politely say something like "I\'m right in the middle of something, can I get back to you?" Find out the media caller\'s deadline and assure you will get back to them in plenty of time.

2.  Quickly do an Internet search on your organization to see what, if anything, is being said. If you find something create some talking points.

Read the full article by

This great article by Joleen Deatherage in Philanthropy Journal really hits the mark on why branding is important for nonprofits.  She says:

"It is critical that nonprofits understand the importance of developing a strong nonprofit brand and how your brand literally lives within the minds of your audience.

Lack of clarity about or within an organization is usually the result of the absence of a core brand that connects with the intended audience.

I like to describe a brand as the "personality" of your organization, but it is much more than that. Your brand is the sum of all experiences at all touch points. It is the "gut feeling" someone has about your organization."