The Smart Communications Podcast

Is your organization looking for innovative ways to convert crisis donors into regular givers? This podcast explores how to attract and retain new donors.

Do robots make bad fundraisers? In this episode of the Smart Communications Podcast, Sarah Durham chats with Steven Shattuck, author of the book, “Robots Make Bad Fundraisers” and Chief Engagement Officer at Bloomerang, about ways to apply time-tested principles of philanthropy to the modern technology available to fundraisers.

A good tagline can inspire you to think, feel, maybe even react. In the episode of The Smart Communications Podcast, Sarah Durham and Big Duck Copywriter, Ryan Gerhardt, break down three structures for taglines that can strengthen your organization’s brand strategy.

Ever find yourself stuck on how to approach a big project that you have to do, but you just don't see how you're going to get it anytime soon? This podcast unpacks the process of tackling projects and offers a roadmap and tips on how to get started.

Whether you consider yourself a pro at setting communications strategy, or you are just getting started, this podcast, back by popular demand, offers useful insights to help you get a sense of the terms: goals, objectives, strategy, and tactics from a non-profit communications perspective.

In this episode of the Smart Communications Podcast, Sarah Durham examines some of the common barriers that make it hard for nonprofits to establish successful communications. What are the common pitfalls? Tune in and find out.

To gala or not to gala. In this replay of a 2018 Smart Communications Podcast, Stephanie Thomas, founder of Stetwin Consulting, discusses the value of galas, and whether or not they still work as a fundraising vehicle. Tune in as she shares her over 25 years of experience and offers useful and relevant tips to assist your organization in this new normal.

Thought leader and host of the “Nonprofits are Messy” podcast, Joan Garry, talks about what an effective nonprofit communications strategy can look like and provides some tips on how to become a five-star storyteller.

Sarah Durham discusses how nonprofits generate sustainable momentum in their communications. She identifies common challenges, including bottlenecks created by leadership micromanagement and a lack of staff accountability, and offers ways to address them. Tune in to hear about the six key elements that can help your organization create sustainable momentum in its communications.

Sarah Durham and Eric Javier discuss the 80/20 rule, the ladder of engagement, and how to articulate your vision to donors. Listen in to learn how your nonprofit can get their next really big donation to transform the organization.