Forget Christmas in July, Plan Your Year-End Appeal Now
Once upon a time, we could spend all day on Thanksgiving enjoying time with family and relaxing in the afternoon watching football (or binging on Hallmark movies). Today, that’s often not the case. We rush through our holiday celebrations and hurry out to the store or ready our computer screens to be first in line […]
Matching the Outside to the Inside
When you walk down the street or through the mall, what makes you stop and enter a particular store or restaurant? My guess is there is something that draws you in. Maybe it’s a cute outfit in the store window? Or maybe it’s a sale sign? Perhaps it’s a fun, eclectic display sampling of what […]
Opening your Lens
Awhile back, I was approached by the University of Iowa Office for Study Abroad to talk about my time in Costa Rica during college. When we sat down to chat, the interviewer asked me what I gained from my study abroad experience that has influenced or helped me in my career. To be honest, it […]
Lessons learned from a “Stubborn Old German”
Earlier this month, my wonderful, hard-working, loving grandpa passed away. I am sad and miss my grandfather terribly, BUT, I am also happy. You see, my grandpa lived his life on his terms. He once said, while in the hospital recovering from a surgery, “It takes a lot more than that to take down a […]
You talking to me?
Do you ever notice yourself changing the way you say something based on who you are talking to? I know my communication style is vastly different when I am talking to my kids (or my cat, Stella) versus communicating with a colleague. The same holds true when talking to the various groups of people that […]
There is #Crying in Good Marketing
I have a routine at night. After everyone settles down for the evening, I scroll my social media feeds to get caught up on the news and events of the day. While doing this I always stumble upon a few stories from Love What Matters. Sometimes the stories are uplifting and filled with hope, sometimes […]
The Imperfect is Perfect
A few days ago I was chatting with my neighbor about her adorable three pound puppy. Axel is the epitome of cuteness. He is sweet and mellow, great with kids…the list goes on. I was surprised when my neighbor told me that she saved a significant amount of money when purchasing Axel because his tongue […]
Stand out from the crowd with your year-end fundraising strategy
#GivingTuesday, annual reports, holiday cards, year-end appeals, emails, social media, newsletters… It’s all a bit confusing for even the most experienced fundraising professional. Which methods of communication do you use and how do you avoid getting lost in the shuffle and ensure you meet your fundraising goal? I believe a two-step year-end fundraising approach is […]
Take Time to Breathe
The “buzz word” of today’s workforce is work-life balance. It is not that employees in 2017 don’t work hard, in fact it is much the opposite. Today’s workers have simply learned that it is equally as important to take time for yourself and your family. But sometimes we forget. A few weeks ago, I had […]
