Bridget Willard

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  • Is Your Nonprofit Taking Advantage of GivingTuesday?

    Are you a nonprofit or a foundation? It’s time to start thinking about GivingTuesday. GivingTuesday is a “global movement for generosity,” and it happens the Tuesday after Cyber Monday.

    When is GivingTuesday?

    So it goes  American Thanksgiving, Black Friday, which is for in-person businesses. Then you have Small Business Saturday, the shop small movement, which is sponsored by American Express. Then you have Cyber Monday which is for online businesses and then GivingTuesday.

    The short answer is GivingTuesday is always the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This year Giving Tuesday is November 30. Want a to-do list to get going? . 

    Focus Your Fundraising Campaigns on GivingTuesday

    GivingTuesday is a campaign in and of itself — separate from your general fund campaigns. It’s best if your organization starts working on that special campaign in the summer. Of course, now it’s already mid-September. But you still have time to ork on what one thing do you want to raise money for in November.

    What one thing do you want to raise money for on GivingTuesday? Write that copy. Make a landing page. Make a specific donation page only for that.

    This is where a plugin like GiveWP.com comes in handy. So that you can measure your campaigns against, um, one another. The funds can all go to the same bank account or to the same general fund, but you really want to see how your campaigns are going.

    Get Email Marketing Ready for GivingTuesday

    You’re going to want to make sure that you have a mailing list specifically for GivingTuesday. So you might want to start inviting people to just subscribe to that mailing list. You even may want to create swag for donors who specifically donate on GivingTuesday.

    GivingTuesday is a Good Opportunity for Co-Marketing 

    You might want to work with a branding partner or co-market with a for-profit business for #GivingTuesday. So start thinking about that in June. Get it all squared away by the 1st of August. Make those landing pages. They don’t have to be live but make sure that you have filled your calendar with all of the things that you need to do and to accomplish before that.

    Yes, We Wrote a Marketing Book for Your Nonprofit

    just to help your nonprofit focus its marketing efforts. More than my GivingTuesday worksheet, there is an entire chapter on GivingTuesday that you’ll want to read which includes optimizing your donation forms. But it also includes information on websites, landing pages, and marketing automation. 

    Table of contents screenshot for The Only Online Marketing Book You Need for Your Nonprofit.
    Screenshot of Look Inside at the Table of Contents for the Book

    What are you waiting for? People want to donate to your organization.

    Watch the My Video 

    The Only Online Marketing Book You Need for Your Nonprofit

    The Only Online Marketing Book You Need for Your Nonprofit is the second book in a series of three intended to help businesses, schools, and organisations get a grasp on the sometimes dizzying world of online marketing. This book will fuel your interest and excitement about what digital offers your nonprofit or foundation, and how you can use the internet to succeed. Your digital presence is an extension of all the things your business does online and offline. It’s an exciting time!

    Successful businesses and nonprofits have marketing campaigns. The only difference is that one campaign is to sell a product to fit a customer’s lifestyle and identity and the other sells a donation or way to give that fits that lifestyle and identity.

    This book also includes a chapter written by the founder of Groundhogg, Adrian Tobey called “Your nonprofit is bleeding money if you’re not leveraging CRM & Marketing Automation.”

    This is the second book in a three-book series for small businesses, nonprofits, and schools.

    Online marketing and communication is a way for you to make new connections and share with the world. It’s a foundational skill that you can apply to grow your organization for years to come, no matter how quickly technology changes and trends rise and fall. If you’re uncomfortable with tech, that’s okay. Communication, online or offline, is not a contest.

    Participate. Try. Fail. Learn. Try again. Succeed!

    Purchase the book on Amazon.com.

    September 10, 2021
  • How To Find Local Businesses and Services After You Move

    If your business is going to move, I have some advice from my move to San Antonio. After all, being a digital business doesn’t exclude shopping locally. Moving is hard and also easy. Well, let’s stick with “hard” for now. There’s a lot of change which is freeing, but change means you need new doctors, yoga instructors, and hair colorists. 

    I moved to San Antonio, Texas from Dana Point, California on September 12, 2020. Yes, I moved during the pandemic. Why? Well, that requires quite a bit of back story, but suffice it to say I needed to leave the ghosts back in California. 

    “Change will do you good.” Sherryl Crow

    I sold or donated everything that wouldn’t fit into my 2020 Civic and started my four-day road trip to Alamo City. It was the best decision I ever made. 

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    A post shared by Bridget Willard (@bridgetmwillard)

    Follow the Hashtags Before You Move

    One of the first things I did after finding my apartment while on vacation, is to follow local hashtags both on Twitter and Instagram. Of course, once I found a business that was interesting, I followed and listed it in my SATX list on Twitter. My specific neighborhood is Southtown so also following #SouthtownSATX is a good move. Do some digging. It takes work. But hey, I met a new friend on Instagram and we’ve had a few lunches. 

    It doesn’t end after you move, though. Keep up with those hashtags. We may work in the digital world, but we live in a local one. Following and using these hashtags is how the San Antonio Report reached out to me to write a story about my neighborhood.

    Google Maps is Your Best Friend

    Google Maps is your best friend after you move to a new city — heck, even during your relocation search. Make a new list of places you want to check out. Create a bucket list of restaurants to try, too. Read the reviews (and leave some for others). Rhonda Negard did this when she and her husband moved back to San Antonio after military retirement; we never have to wonder where we’re going for lunch. We look at the list. 

    I created another list for SATX Live Music on Google Maps as well as SATX Parks and SATX Museums. Once a month, I intend on visiting a museum here. I’ve been to the Witte and San Antonio Museum of Art, but I still need to hit the McNay. I also visited the Zoo and went Kayaking on the River. I enjoy doing things spontaneously — by myself. It’s hard to be spontaneous with other people. Keep your eyes open. See what other people do. Enjoy your new home. 

    I’m spending the afternoon at @SAMAart.#SATX pic.twitter.com/QFdkJHsgFh

    — Bridget Willard (@BridgetMWillard) July 16, 2021

    Collaborate With Locals After You Move

    I moved to San Antonio knowing a few people, one of whom is Rhonda Negard. So, we do lunches based on our list but we also go driving to find cool places. That’s how we both found Spechts Country Store. They have live music, an inside bar, and outside area even with games. It’s really neat.

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    My friend Scott Croom has also been invaluable with insider tips and advice. Whether you chat in private or send out a tweet or two, locals are happy to share tips. Kimberly, the bartender at Rosario’s is the one who turned me on to my new favorite pub, Francis Bogside and Roy Quismundo turned me on to Halcyon.  

    Join Local Meetups and Facebook Groups

    I joined a few Meetups (odd during COVID) and finally went to a Trivia Night. It was fun. I also went to a couple of virtual WordPress Meetups as well. From the Facebook Groups (and asking questions) is how I found Roy Quismundo who got my business cards printed. I haven’t used the Nextdoor app, but I hear people complain there.

    Don’t forget to go to city events, too!

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    Visit City Websites and State Parks

    If you’ve moved to another city in the same state, that’s fine. Check out the local, state, and national parks. I’ve been to the San Pedro Springs Pool and Garner State Park as well as Padre Island National Seashore. So many more places to go, too! 

    I found the second oldest public park after Boston Commons.

    Free to park.
    Free to swim.

    Fed by natural springs.

    Isn’t it beautiful? #SATX pic.twitter.com/VWLpT6Nmjv

    — Bridget Willard (@BridgetMWillard) July 23, 2021

    Fall in love with where you live. Any relationship takes time and attention. You’ll learn to appreciate where you live even more. Do you see a theme of appreciation and gratitude? It’s a big reason why moves are successful. 

    Walk the Neighborhood Before and After You Move

    When I was here on vacation last year, I looked up Mexican food downtown on Google Maps. Since I loved Ricardo’s in San Juan Capistrano, Google Maps recommended Rosario’s. I fell in love with their food, looked at apartments.com, and found my complex. Then I started driving around the neighborhood — not just listening to Google Maps tell me where to go. 

    Sure, my neighborhood is part of the San Antonio Housing Authority and used to be “the projects” known as Victoria Gardens. At the same time, there’s a great mix of homes, duplexes, and apartments. Some gentrification but also some historical homes — like the oldest wooden home in San Antonio. 

    Walking in my neighborhood helped me get a sense of the culture and friendliness of the people (that’s how I learned about the oldest home). Yes, it’s hot and humid in San Antonio; this is South Texas. Also, anything east of the continental divide will be humid. But look for the things you do like about your new home — the architecture, local flora and fauna, animals, sounds, culture.

    Walking in my neighborhood makes me feel like Snow White. I am routinely passed by various butterflies, dragonflies, and birds. Chickens may come up to you and cats just chill out. Don’t compare your new city to the old one and look for flaws. You’ll never be happy that way. 

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    Walking in my neighborhood is how I found my dentist, a mechanic for an oil change, a community garden, and new bars and restaurants. I became familiar enough with this area enough to find my counselor — which I walk to. But if you need a medical professional, don’t be afraid to drive, too. Rhonda gave me a great referral to my eye doctor. 

    No matter what you do, be open to possibilities and exploration. Your move is better if you move with optimism. 

    PS

    Small businesses — Are you using local hashtags, Google My Business, and asking for reviews? 

    August 31, 2021
  • Local Nonprofit Highlight — San Antonio Zulu Association

    Nonprofits and foundations are passionate at heart and, frankly, don’t always take advantage of natural marketing opportunities or learnings. Why? Generally, they focus on serving their cause and its population and then fundraising becomes a necessary evil. Hoping to help nonprofits shift their mindset to running like a business, Warren Laine-Naida and I are writing, “,” which is the second in our series of books and will be available in July. 

    So, why not highlight a new nonprofit I encountered while at the Fiesta Medal event this week?

    Meet SAZA — San Antonio Zulu Association

    If you’ve been to the annual event, “A Taste of New Orleans,” you likely know and love the nonprofit, San Antonio Zulu Association. They’ve got events down. According to their website, SAZA started in 1976 as a Texas Chartered Organization and their very first events were around Juneteenth and “and in 1982, joined the San Antonio Fiesta Commission as a Participating Member Organization (PMO).” 

    Follow them on Twitter, like them on Facebook, and check out their Instagram account. They did a great job grabbing “SAZAORG” on those three platforms which is a great callback to their domain name: saza.org.

    Nonprofit Fundraising — Event Souvenirs 

    Fundraising with merchandise is not a novel idea. WWF does it with their plush toys in the “symbolic adoption kit.  

    Arguably, to the Fiesta® natives and fanatics, Fiesta® Medals are more than souvenirs. With that said, the Fiesta® Medal is a fantastic way for local nonprofits to not only fundraise but grow their brand awareness. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to prioritize brand awareness as a nonprofit. When you’re using volunteers to staff your events, be sure to give them marketing materials and prep them for questions. This nonprofit did it right even with branded t-shirts. Great job, y’all!

    Being former booth staff, I walked up to the San Antonio Zulu Association’s booth and began asking quite a few questions. The gentlemen at the booth were fun, friendly, and informative. I even went back and asked for a selfie! I had not heard of this nonprofit before and, at the time, didn’t realize that the medals were a fundraising campaign. The nonprofit lover and marketer-at-heart here got super excited. I bought eleven medals on Thursday at $10 each so that felt pretty good! 

    I got my first @fiestasa medal from @sazaorg.

    They grant 20 college scholarships annually! #Fiesta2021 #SomosSATX #SATX pic.twitter.com/NhvZhORtcc

    — Bridget Willard (@BridgetMWillard) June 17, 2021

    Who Are SAZA’s Nonprofit Customers?

    It’s odd to think of a nonprofit as having customers, but when you think of your organization as a business, then you understand you have three primary customers: the donor, the volunteer, the recipient. 

    Without interviewing the organization further, I’m not entirely sure how they recruit their volunteers though I strongly believe it’s through shared vision. However, the recipients are local scholarship applicants from San Antonio. And the donors are mixed: event attendees, Fiesta® medal buyers, as well as one-off donors. If you would like to support them with your Amazon Smile purchases, search for the official 501(c)3 name: “Saza Commission Inc.” when choosing the charity.

    “With the proceeds from its well-known annual ‘A Taste of New Orleans’ event, held during the San Antonio Fiesta celebration, the organization reaches out to the community by providing youth the opportunity to further their education through scholarships.” SAZA.org

    Nonprofit Fundraising Is Essential 

    When I coach nonprofits, fundraising is always front-and-center. Fundraising for your organization sometimes feels gross but it is a must. People want to support causes so don’t be shy. Nonprofit fundraising can be done both online and off. Events are great for brand awareness and quick donations, for certain. Don’t rule out recurring donations as well as partnering with local businesses. 

    The San Antonio Zulu Association (SAZA) has a website with a PayPal button for online donations. “A Taste of New Orleans,” is their largest fundraising event for the scholarship program and is scheduled for April 1-3, 2022.

    Recommendations for SAZA’s Website 

    SAZA’s website could use some love as it seems to be built with 1and1’s website builder but might still be on WordPress. I’m unsure. It also needs a SSL certificate (https) which is pretty standard nowadays and free with LetsEncrypt. 

    I’d love to see this site redesigned in WordPress and using GiveWP donation forms and integrated with a CRM like Groundhogg for example. 

    I’d also recommend adding copy to their donation page including more information like their fundraising goals, percentage complete (or some other visual cue), and a reminder to check “Make this a Monthly Donation” when . Of course, adding a blog and doing stories on the scholarship recipients (case studies) is always advised.

    What is Fiesta® San Antonio?

    Okay, not to be confused with Fiesta Texas, the Six Flags amusement park, Fiesta San Antonio is a ten day festival all over downtown San Antonio every year in April. It was in June this year because of COVID. Since I’m fairly new to Alamo City, I’ve had everyone — literally strangers (in Texas we call them friends) — tell me that Fiesta® is the big deal! I must go. 

    This annual event attracts more than 2.5 million people a year and helps the local economy as well as facilitating a collective event for nonprofit fundraising. So, since I’m pretty new, how about we go with the official description?

    “Fiesta® San Antonio started in 1891 as a one-parade event as a way to honor the memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. That historic commemoration still takes place, but for more than a century, Fiesta® has grown into a celebration of San Antonio’s rich and diverse cultures. Fiesta® has evolved into one of this nation’s premier festivals with an economic impact of more than $340 million for the Alamo City. Funds raised by official Fiesta® events provide services to San Antonio citizens throughout the year.” Fiesta San Antonio

    Local Event Marketing for Nonprofits 

    We all know that nonprofits need clever, effective ways to fundraise and one great way to gain lasting, local support is through local events. With social media postings, an event hashtag, and engagement (online and off), your nonprofit is sure to become front-and-center. The only question is, which local event will your nonprofit partner with?

    Also, don’t forget about GivingTuesday which is November 30 this year. !

    June 19, 2021
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