Regardless of the state of the job market, it’s difficult to find people with Communications expertise who fit well at nonprofits. Put simply, it’s because most nonprofits don’t have the budget to hire experts. So most nonprofits hire people at the start of their careers. Those people gain experience and move on to higher salaries….
Everyone learns to write when they go to school. It’s one of the three Rs, right (“reading, [w]riting, ‘rithmetic”)? How many words have you written today without thinking about it? Maybe thousands. Most people who wind up working for nonprofits are good writers. They know how to build sentences and get their point across to…
A camel is a funny-looking animal. Long knobby legs. Bulgy eyes. Humps. Now think of a horse. Sleek lines. Flowing mane and tail. Graceful. Sir Alec Issigonis, most famous for designing the Mini—a resounding success—said, “A camel is a horse designed by committee.” You see what he meant, right? A camel looks like a bunch…
Why am I reading this? That’s a question readers ask when they’re looking at something wishy-washy, an article or blog post that doesn’t add anything to the conversation. You do not want people to wonder why they’ve invested time and energy in your communications. Emotion and donation Many nonprofits hesitate to take a strong position…
How do you eat an elephant? Bite by bite. How do you write a report? Bird by bird. Tackling a big project, like an annual report or new website, can seem overwhelming. When your organization does an enormous amount of good for your community, you want to share all of it—and it can be daunting to…
Short sentences. (Even sentence fragments.) Simple words. Lack of jargon. Little paragraphs that can be skimmed. Readers skip around. They ignore large blocks of text. They approach every piece of writing with their own expectations. Their ideas might conflict with what your organization wants to communicate. Even the most painstakingly crafted communication can result in misunderstandings. That’s…