Every once in a while, you hear a story that makes you smile from ear to ear. In this episode, Nita Wilkinson of Green Hills Community shares a heartwarming story of a program connecting seniors with teens who volunteer to teach them technology. We discuss the value of tech skills for elders, the unexpected results of bringing teens and seniors together, and how aging folks can add value to those around them. Resources: International Council on Active AgingLeadingAge Get in...

Sometimes, people latch on to poor metrics when they can’t find a good proxy for what they want to measure. And those poor metrics can lead them away from what they want to accomplish. In this solo episode, Spencer challenges the popular digital metrics of traffic and stickiness and explains how to find your "smoking gun" metrics instead. Article: The Vanity of Nonprofit MetricsArticle: The Surprising Truth About Digital Metrics for NonprofitsService: Health Nonprofit Digital Diagnostic

It used to take CoachArt's staff seven hours to match a volunteer with a child seeking arts and athletics lessons. Now, it takes them less than seven minutes. How did they do it? In this episode, Greg Harrell-Edge of CoachArt comes on the show to discuss how he built a customized tech platform to match volunteers with kids. We discuss the creation of CoachArt Connect, how CoachArt quickly pivoted to virtual lessons during Covid, and how that unexpected digital pivot is helping them scale...

"We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us." — British MP Jo Cox Accomplishing something truly great by yourself is a hard road. It's why many nonprofits develop partnerships with other organizations that have similar missions. But doing so is not always straightforward.  In this episode, Kyle J Rose—a Vice President at the International Diabetes Federation, Head of Strategy at DiabetesWise, and an Advisor at DiabetesMine—comes on the...

Awareness campaigns are a lot of work and we all want to make the absolute most of them. So how do you get more PR and earned media opportunities to boost your reach? Jennifer Weaver of the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation is a print and TV veteran and we dive into this exact question on the show. Jennifer breaks down the successes of their recent Journey of Hope campaign, how to get more press coverage, and her favorite PR tips and tricks as an industry...

Writing website messaging that captures the attention of visitors doesn't happen automatically. In this episode, Pam Lowney of Fistula Foundation comes on the show to discuss what nonprofits get wrong about their messaging, the difference between head and heart messaging, and the messaging framework she used during their web redesign.  Website: https://fistulafoundation.orgEmail: [email protected]

When someone is newly diagnosed, your organization has a prime opportunity to secure their attention and engage them with your resources. However, many nonprofit websites fail to effectively address the needs of newly diagnosed patients. In this solo episode, Spencer unpacks what newly diagnosed people want from your website and how you can adapt your website to meet their unique needs. Article: The Secret of Highly Effective Health Nonprofit WebsitesArticle: How Patient Experience Design...

Experiencing stigma is a real and significant challenge for people with a health condition. And as a health organization, combating stigma is a complex issue. In this episode, Kevin Williams of The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) comes on the show to discuss why stigma is such an important issue, the 3 different types of stigma, and how DBSA addresses stigma through education. Website: https://www.dbsalliance.org/Email: [email protected]

Does your organization have an awareness month? If so, you know it's not just about spreading awareness—it's about encouraging action. In this episode, Carolyn Baker of The Autism Community in Action (TACA) comes on the show to discuss why TACA calls them "action" months, how they encourage people to take action, and how they're adapting their messaging as they emerge from the pandemic. Website: https://tacanow.org/Email: [email protected]

Is your healthcare content connecting with your audience? In this episode, Betsey O'Brien of Desire Path Marketing comes on the show to discuss mistakes nonprofits make with their website content, signs your content is falling short (and what to do about it), and how to prioritize content improvements on your site. Betsey works with strategic planners, web developers, video producers and others to advance the communications goals of leading health care nonprofits. She has written for many...

If you provide online health information, people must trust you before they choose to read it. However, many nonprofit health organizations miss this critical step when crafting their digital platform. In this solo episode, Spencer breaks down the six website trust signals he's observed in Brooks Digital's research, and how they fit into the larger arc of effective health information. Article: 6 Trust Signals For Online Health InformationArticle: The Complete Guide to Nonprofit Website User...

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is the gold standard of viral marketing and fundraising campaigns. So who better to bring on the podcast than Morgan Roth of The ALS Association? In this episode, Morgan shares how the Ice Bucket Challenge began, why it was so successful, the pros and cons of viral marketing campaigns, and her advice for other organizations seeking to emulate the same success. Check out The ALS Association websiteEmail MorganConnect with Morgan on LinkedIn

What does it take to make your health resources multilingual? Lynette Fludd of the Hormone Health Network comes on the show to talk about evaluating the need for providing health resources in multiple languages, whether you should use automated or professional translation services, and the importance of getting translation right when communicating health information. Check out the Hormone Health Network websiteEmail Lynette

Should your organization use TikTok as a marketing channel? As one of the biggest nonprofits on TikTok right now, Sara Goldberg & Michelle Sagan of the National Down Syndrome Society discuss why they've been so successful, how they leverage the work of their policy team, and the unexpected fundraising opportunities they discovered on TikTok. Check out the NDSS website and TikTokEmail Sara & MichelleConnect with Sara & Michelle on LinkedIn

In today’s rapidly-changing marketing landscape, agile methodologies are increasingly being adopted by marketing teams. In this episode, Lesli Proffitt Nordström of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) discusses how she uses agile marketing to boost the productivity of her team by over 200%. Check out NORD’s websiteEmail LesliConnect with Lesli on LinkedIn

Creating awareness for a little-known health condition is challenging—let alone promoting your organization’s existence in that space. Patrick McCartney of the International Essential Tremor Foundation comes on the show to talk about his experience using corporate partnerships to amplify awareness and how he chooses effective marketing channels with limited resources. See the work of the International Essential Tremor FoundationEmail PatrickConnect with Patrick on LinkedIn

As a complement to the patient-provider relationship, health nonprofits have the opportunity to adopt a unique tone of voice. Carli Feinstein of Craft & Commerce comes on the show to talk about her experience refining brand voice at Bright Pink and how she uses it in her work at Craft & Commerce. See Carli’s work: Craft & CommerceSign up for Dollars & ChangeConnect with Carli on LinkedIn