Category Archives: Green Marketing

Green marketing (not greenWASHing!)

Represent an Environmental Org? Read This!

I am looking for donor appeal letters from environmental organizations of various types (conservation, environmental justice, grassroots, policy, etc.) on a variety of topics. I’ll be collecting them between now and October 1 and will be reviewing them for great techniques to share (and not-so-great techniques to avoid).

If you have a letter that has worked for you in the past I would love a copy! And if you have a letter that sort of bombed I’m interested in that, too!

I will share my analysis, and your letter may be featured in my upcoming workshops on this topic (thus, your org will get more exposure).

Want to share?

Please attach a note about the success of the letter (it can even be written on the back of the envelope) and send to:

Dalya Massachi
PO Box 5607
Berkeley, CA 94705

I look forward to reporting back!

Thanks,

A great new way to benefit from “Writing to Make a Difference”

Have you found inspiration, support and practical ideas from Writing to Make a Difference: 25 Powerful Techniques to Boost Your Community Impact?

Hundreds of people already have, from many different walks of life: nonprofiteers, small business entrepreneurs, students, government agency staff, consultants, volunteers…the list goes on.

A few comments from readers:

“It’s as though I have a personal writing coach looking over my shoulder with a smile to encourage me to make what I’ve written more clear and more effective. I heartily recommend this book. It will give you confidence and the specific tips you need to make your writing sing.” — A reader on Amazon.com

Writing to Make a Difference is the best writing tool you could have for your socially responsible business. If you write event announcements, newsletters, fundraising letters,  press releases, business letters or any related writing, you need this book.  And don’t forget email, websites and posting online.  This is an organized and practical manual; it is easy to use and fun to read.  You will use these techniques every day.” – Diane Adkin, US Sales Coordinator, Canaan Fair Trade

Writing to Make a Difference is the most thorough, practical, compellingly readable, downright inspiring guide to nonprofit writing that I have ever seen. If you write or if you edit writing by others—this book will help you do a better job.” — Genevieve Richardson, Librarian, Dayton Metro Library

Writing to Make a Difference is a great balance of both instructional and interactive tips, tools, and exercises for those who want to effectively communicate the difference they are making in the world. Alandra L. Washington, Deputy Director, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

“This is one book I would recommend to every member of my team – grant writers, fundraisers, staff, and every board member.” — Johnson Hor, Esq, Board member, Art Endowment, Inspire to Do, Lawyers’ Club of San Francisco

“I’m very impressed with this book. Every progressive organization should have a well-thumbed copy handy.” — Susan C. Strong, Executive Director, The Metaphor Project

Writing to Make a Difference is a rare book of welcome mixtures, combining the accessibility of a “how-to” guide, rigor of an educational text, and practicality of a professional manual—all presented with the warmth of a trusted friend.” — A reader on Amazon.com

Now there’s another way you can benefit from the book! Just tell your friends about it by sending them to this link: http://bit.ly/c64ABf . Ask them to write in the purchase comments box:

“referred by (followed by your name and email address)”

and YOU will receive $2 (via PayPal) for each purchase they make. There is no limit to the number of referrals you can make, so go for it!

If you prefer to have your bonus donated to a nonprofit organization of your choice, just have your friends put the nonprofit’s name and email address in the comments box.

We all could use a little bonus here and there (especially in this struggling economy) so I hope you take advantage of this special offer.

Are you keeping track of your org’s stories?

I recently returned from speaking at the Fair Trade Federation‘s national conference in Bellevue, WA. As I write this, I am enjoying a cup of fair trade tea from Equal Exchange, one of the several dozen organizations represented at the conference.

Crafts, coffee, clothing, accessories, food, and many other items are all part of this growing movement. The idea is to use grassroots international trade to economically empower the producers of these handcrafted (and often beautiful) goods from the Global South. You may think fair trade is only a tiny fraction of U.S. trade, and it is. But it’s rapidly spreading and it’s big business in Europe and other places. If the Fair Trade Federation has anything to say about it, we’ll be seeing a lot more in the coming years!

I spoke at the conference about using storytelling for marketing success. What kind of stories? I’m talking about slice-of-life word snapshots that can crystallize messages for your readers  (often called “case studies” or  “before-and-after stories”). These are stories that come from your clients/customers, from your producers, from within your organization, and even about the very products and services you offer.

Stories form bonds from one person to the next. Without a mutual sense of story, we can’t really understand each other. Stories ensure that you are making a human connection with your reader.

The idea is to illustrate your context and community needs and  show how real people benefit from working with your organization and why that’s important to them.

I recommend building a stockpile of  these little gems. At the conference, I handed out what I call a “Storybank Record.” It’s a simple Excel sheet that helps you keep track of your stories, where they came from, and what they are about. It’s something to keep for ongoing reference and revision.

It has columns for:

DATE, PROGRAM NAME, THEME/STORYLINE, CHARACTERS, SOURCE, and ANY PERMISSION NEEDED.

Where do you dig up these stories? Thee live all around you! Check:

  • Written/spoken client evaluations and reports
  • Focus groups or conversations at public events
  • Any letters or emails your organization has received
  • Water cooler conversations at your office

You may even want to regularly secure a brief spot on your staff meeting agenda. Ask  about any recent interactions folks have had that illustrate the impact of your work. Then follow up with individual interviews, and don’t be afraid to ask if you can quote people.

While my presentation was focused on using stories in marketing materials, you can also use them in grant proposals, funder reports, webpages, and a slew of other documents you write.

Benjamin Franklin: Learn His Secret to Great Writing

Yesterday we celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. Today was have the birthday of another great American in mind: Benjamin Franklin! He serves as one of my writing heroes/sheroes, and gave us a lot of great writing quotes. I especially like this one:

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

One of the best-known writers of Early America, Franklin was not always so eloquent. It took years of practice and feedback. In his youth, he would often find excellent published writings, jot down an outline of their points, and then try to imitate (or even improve upon) them with repeated practice. Since he had no real-life people to run his work past, he would simply compare his versions with the published originals. In his autobiography, Franklin wrote this about the experience:

“… By comparing my work afterwards with the original, I discovered many faults and amended them; but I sometimes had the pleasure of fancying that, in certain particulars of small import, I had been lucky enough to improve the method or the language, and this encouraged me to think I might possibly in time come to be a tolerable English writer, of which I was extremely ambitious…”

I take inspiration from Franklin’s work! I’m always on the lookout for great turns of phrase to tweak in my own writing, and recommend continued writing practice coupled with honest and supportive feedback.

You probably have many opportunities on the job to practice your writing. But do you get the feedback you need to constantly improve? While Franklin didn’t have a writing circle, you can join one for free! It uses online technology and weekly conference calls, starting next month. I call it Writing Wednesdays. Just go HERE to learn more about this excellent opportunity.

 

 

Write Your Way to Social Change

Let’s face it. Virtually everyone working for a social or environmental cause has to do some writing at some point.

You may be like I am, and love committing words to paper. If so, you are always on the lookout for new ways to bring your writing to life.
Or, you may never have intended to become a writer at all. You may be one of the many people who got into this field for other important reasons: an interest and passion concerning a certain issue, an urge to give something back to your community, a perspective you want to share, etc.

Continue reading, by clicking here.