
The Smart Communications Podcast
The Smart Communications Podcast helps busy nonprofit leaders build their communications skills and develop their organization’s voice. Every episode shares insights and practical tips to help you leverage strategic communications to advance your nonprofit’s mission.
Latest episodes

May 24, 2023 • 20min
Episode 137: What can branding really do for your org?
Farra Trompeter, co–director, chats with Vince Warren, executive director at the Center for Constitutional Rights, about their branding journey and what outcomes they achieved by shifting how they expressed their mission more robustly through new visuals and messaging.

May 10, 2023 • 29min
Episode 136: How can we bring radical honesty to communications?
Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Marisa DeSalles, founder of Good Tilth LLC, and Michelle Flores Vryn, chief development officer with OneStar, about radical honesty and the power of rooting truth and trust throughout your communications.

Apr 26, 2023 • 25min
Episode 135: What does it actually mean to show up as a "good" board member?
Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Brooke Richie-Babbage, founder and CEO of Bending Arc, and the host of The Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast, about what they find meaningful about board service and the benefits of having board members who are passionate and can be cheerleaders, ambassadors, and thought partners.

Apr 12, 2023 • 15min
Episode 134: Does the nonprofit sector need to rebrand itself?
Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Joan Grangenois-Thomas, principal of JGT Public Relations, about misconceptions surrounding the nonprofit sector and suggestions for shifting perspectives and language about the industry.

Mar 29, 2023 • 34min
Episode 133: How can you center community in your communications?
Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Michelle Shireen Muri, host of The Ethical Rainmaker podcast, about valuing staff contributions, rethinking audience priorities, the importance of analysis, and ways to communicate in a more inclusive way.

Mar 15, 2023 • 19min
Episode 132: What can messaging do for your organization?
A nonprofit’s approach to messaging should strategically advance its mission and engage its staff as brand ambassadors. Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Wayne Ho, president and CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council, about the lasting impact of their branding and messaging work.

Mar 1, 2023 • 19min
Episode 131: What are the latest nonprofit communications trends?
A nonprofit’s approach to communications should strategically advance its mission. Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Kivi Leroux Miller, founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide, about ways to refine your team’s communications initiatives

Feb 15, 2023 • 17min
Episode 130: How should you evolve your approach to digital marketing?
Does your digital marketing strategies and tactics stall, get stuck, or succeed? Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Geraldine Zamora, account director at Community Boost discuss approaches for you to efficiently ramp up your online advertising, search engine optimization, and more.

Feb 1, 2023 • 24min
Episode 129: How can development and communications teams work better together?
Clear communication and shared strategy internally are essential to strong external communications. Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Sunil Oommen, President of Oomen Consulting LLC, about why collaboration between your teams is so important.

Jan 18, 2023 • 22min
Episode 128: How can you stop the spread of so many sub-brands?
Do the sub-brands of your nonprofit reflect your brand strategy and help you engage audiences, or do they cause confusion and limit participation? Join co-director, Farra Trompeter, and creative director, Claire Taylor Hansen, as they discuss how to use sub-brands strategically.