Tag Archives: Nonprofit branding

Best Tips on Public Speaking for Beginners

April 29, 2022HealthcareNonprofit branding, Nonprofit marketing, Nonprofit media, Nonprofit presentation, Nonprofit public speakingkmclarkstaging

It might be fair to admit we all probably share a few common fears like flying, heights, or fear of the dark. Avoidance can be an easy solution to our fears. If we’re afraid of flying, then we are likely to drive instead of buying a ticket for an airplane or if we’re afraid of heights then taking up mountain climbing may not be our top choice of activities.

But what if avoidance isn’t an option because your fear is an activity included in your job responsibilities? Yep, we’re talking about the fear of public speaking or the more scientific term “glossophobia”. For some of us, the mere mention of this responsibility can make hearts race and palms sweat.

Public speaking can instill fear in all of us, even the most seasoned speakers. Nonprofit consulting services are a great resource to help clients through these sometimes uncomfortable situations. There are some tips and tricks to employ, though, that can ease you through these daunting events and guide you toward becoming a public speaker exhibiting knowledge and grace. And a much slower heart rate.

Preparation is Key

Public speaking comes in many forms. A best man’s toast, speaking with the media, or thanking a large group of people. Sometimes you have to make an extensive presentation or you’re doing an interview for your local radio station.

Each can contribute to the level of fear you experience, but the common denominator is preparation. You simply have to know what you are going to say. Lack of preparation will only contribute to the anxiety you are already feeling.

Now that you have prepared what you are going to say or present, remember to cut yourself some slack. We all make mistakes and most people observing will sympathize with you should this happen. That being said, it will definitely show if you are underprepared as well.

Remember that old joke “Pardon me, can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer is: Practice. Practice. Practice. The same applies to public speaking. It is essential that you practice what you intend to say so that you can establish your cadence, pronunciations, and inflections. Know your subject, know your audience and in time practicing will help you leave out the “you knows” and the “ums”. The more you practice, the more you will feel at ease with each word.

The Importance of Appearance

If you are on stage delivering an important speech the last thing you want to think about is your tie being too tight, or your wool sweater too scratchy. Your physical comfort will contribute to feeling relaxed so you can concentrate on your presentation rather than loosening your tie. Preparation includes more than just practicing your speech.

Pay close attention to what you are wearing and the tools around you. Before taking the stage, if you have the ability, move your shoulders up and down and jiggle your arms and hands. A few slow deep breaths can work wonders to alleviate your nerves as well.

Once you begin your presentation don’t be afraid to use your body language. If you appear stiff and immoveable then the audience will notice this rather than concentrate on your speech. Casual hand gesturing and even walking around, if the situation allows, can contribute to your connection with the audience as well.

And lastly, make eye contact. It doesn’t matter if it’s an audience of five or 500, there is no surer way to connect with people than by making eye contact. This creates an intimate, human connection and can convince an audience of the significance of your words.

Are You Still Nervous?

If you are, then let that be the driving force to help you prepare what you have to say in front of an audience. Fear and anxiety about public speaking are normal and can affect anyone, but by implementing the tips above and of course, practicing, you’ll be sure to become more and more proficient at it. If you’re looking for more assistance on public speaking, reach out to us at KM Clark Consulting. We have years of experience with public speaking and… actually enjoy it! Let us help you find a place where you can enjoy public speaking as well!

Why Defining Your Nonprofit’s Target Audience is Important

February 14, 2022HealthcareNonprofit branding, Nonprofit consulting, Nonprofit marketing, Nonprofit target audienceMike Clark

Knowing your target audience or the specific group you want to affect with your messaging may seem like a simple and easy task, but it’s truly a foundational item to any organization, especially a nonprofit. After all, you want to be impactful and it’s hard to have meaningful and impactful conversations without knowing whom you’re speaking to. Right?

So let’s talk about it. Does your nonprofit organization know their target audience? Maybe you do or maybe you’re still refining who they are. If you aren’t sure yet who your target audience is… let’s take a look!

Defining your target audience

Your target audience could be multiple groups of people depending on why you are embarking on a marketing plan. Do you need more volunteers? Money? Clients? Below are examples of some typical nonprofit target audiences:

Volunteers
Donors (Current or Potential)
Board members
Attendees of an event
Consumers/clients
Businesses
Youth
Parents

Let’s look at an example. Your organization is looking at increasing donations for the year so your board wants to create a plan around this.

Who do you think your target audience is in this circumstance?

It could be current donors or it could be potential.

But, which is your team looking to increase? Do you want current donors to give more or give more often? Or are you looking for new donors?
Can you see how creating a plan for these two similar but very different groups would not be the same? Potential donors may not know anything about your organization, so you couldn’t send them an email that jumps right into asking them to increase their donation… they don’t even know who you are yet! However, that approach might work for a current donor.

Closing

If you already know your nonprofit’s target audience or audiences… think about the following questions.

Do you know what inspires your target audience? What do they care most about? How do they like to be communicated with? How does this audience feel about your organization?

Continue to ask questions… Dig deep. Treat your audiences like a new relationship. You want to know more and more about them, taking time to understand them is key to any non profit organization!

Feeling overwhelmed trying to define your nonprofit’s target audience? KM Consulting Group can help. Contact our nonprofit consulting agency to learn how we can help.

Top 5 Steps to an Impactful Logo for Your Nonprofit

February 10, 2022HealthcareNonprofit branding, Nonprofit logo, Nonprofit marketing, Nonprofit slogan, Nonprofit symbolkmclarkstaging

Have you ever seen a product on Amazon or eBay and decided not to buy it because of the poor-quality photos?

We definitely have and the same thing can happen with your nonprofit. People use first impressions, often a company’s nonprofit logo design, to judge whether your organization is worth further investment of their time or money. If they like what they see, great! If not, you might lose out on a potential partnership or relationship with a new organization.

While it’s not always easy to get that first impression just right, here are five steps we use for creating an impactful logo for your nonprofit to get you on the right track.

1. Decide How Best to Present the Organization’s Name

Many nonprofits choose to shorten or abbreviate their names, as the World Wildlife Fund has done. Other organizations like UNICEF, for example, need abbreviations since if they didn’t use them, their names would be a mouthful to say and likely forgotten. However, you should only abbreviate your name if the clarity is preserved and there is no possibility of confusing your organization with another.

2. Create a Slogan

How can you communicate your mission in a few words? I know, it was hard enough thinking of the perfect paragraph and now you’re being asked to sum it up into a short 3-5 word saying. It’s tough to do, but having a slogan is a great way to express your mission in a short, memorable phrase.

We can probably count the number of people who have memorized their companies’ mission statements, but almost everyone remembers the slogans. Once you’ve got it just right, you can use it on all your marketing material and display it proudly on your logo.

3. Create a Symbol if Needed

Symbols are powerful because they can evoke an emotional response and quickly convey meaning and purpose.

For example, the World Wildlife Fund selected a giant panda to represent their conservation mission. This is the perfect example of how a single animal can be used to represent an entire conservation movement. The World Wildlife Fund selected this panda because it’s endangered and their work needs all kinds of support in order not only to survive but thrive too!

Another example is Habitat for Humanity’s symbol. They use three human figures and a simple house as their symbol. This symbol excellently represents the work that they do and it reminds us of their values of friendliness, togetherness, and safety.

What symbols already represent your community that you could tap into?

4. Choose the Right Colors For Non Profit Logo

When choosing your Non profit organization logo’s color scheme, it’s important to consider the personality of the organization and what colors best represent your mission. A good exercise we use is to ask, “What emotions do I want the brand to evoke?”

If you’re with a strictly professional organization you might go with conservative black and light grey which feels serious and trustworthy, whereas a children’s charity might use more light-hearted pastel colors that feel caring, approachable, and fun.

5. Select a Shape

Most people stick with a standard circle or square, but there’s no rule about this. Our nonprofit consulting team tells people to think about their values and pick a design element that best represents them. For example, If you are an animal rescue, you could use a paw print for its shape – a simple design that viewers can easily recognize. You could also use a heart to represent love and care.

If you really want to make your logo stand out, consider using an irregular border or shaded background to create something a bit more unique. To find inspiration, you should check out other nonprofit logos and take some creative risk early in the design process.

Your non profit logo doesn’t need to be complex! The best types of logos are simple, clean, and easy to recognize.

Consider Nonprofit Consulting

Are you a nonprofit looking for help with your branding?

We know that nonprofits are the heart of our communities, and we want to help yours succeed. Our nonprofit consulting team has worked on some incredible campaigns over the years, so we know how to help your get results. We’re ready to work with you and make sure your organization’s branding is as strong as possible!

You can always count on us for honest advice, creative ideas, visual representations and practical support. If you need someone who will be there every step of the way – from strategy development all the way through implementation – then KM Clark Consulting Group is here for you.

Let us show you how working together can change everything. Schedule your free discovery call with us today!

Creating a Strong Nonprofit Mission & Vision Statement

January 19, 2022HealthcareMission Statement, Nonprofit, Nonprofit branding, Nonprofit consulting, Nonprofit management, Vision StatementMike Clark

In the nonprofit world we talk, what seems sometimes endlessly, about our mission and vision statements. Who hasn’t been in a meeting where the entire hour was filled with disagreements over this word or that word and in the end you still didn’t have a finalized product? It can be overwhelming, stressful and emotional to create these statements. It doesn’t have to be! We want to help make it a better process for you, your organization and all those involved.

Before we move into tips… let’s talk about definitions.

According to Oxford Dictionary, a mission statement is a formal summary of the aims and values of a company, organization, or individual.

A strong mission statement:

Answers the questions “What you do + who/what you do this for”
Is clear and easy to understand to anyone inside or outside the organization

It is what you want to accomplish for who and how.

A great example of a mission statement is from the Girl Scouts of America.

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character,
who make the world a better place.

The Girl Scouts answer all the strong missing statement questions. What they do: builds girls of courage, confidence and character. Who they do it for: girls, and to make the world a better place. It is also clear and easy to understand for anyone.

Not too hard, right?

Okay so we have the definition of the mission statement, now let’s move onto the vision statement.

A vision statement is typically a broader statement or idea that your nonprofit organization is striving for. It should read like the headline of a news article…pull you in while being short and concise.

The vision statement is the ideal world that will exist if your mission is completed.

A great example of a mission statement is from the Alzheimer’s Association.

A world without Alzheimer’s disease.

Would this make a good headline? Is it short, clear and easy to understand by those inside and outside of the organization?

Yes! It definitely is.

Okay, so you have the definitions… Now what? How do you take this information and put it into action with your organization?

Well the starting point is as easy as looking at these definitions in comparison to your current mission or vision statement, if you have one, then you can begin adjusting from there.

However, if you don’t have either of these statements, let’s get into what your next steps might be.

Create them as a team.
Whether it’s your board of directors or a small group starting your organization, build these foundational pieces together. Gaining viewpoints from multiple people will allow the organization to create a mission and vision statement that best encompasses what the organization truly stands for and ensure it is understandable to the greater community.

Unsure of how to facilitate this kind of meeting? Download our two favorite Activities to Facilitate Creating your Organization’s Mission and Vision Statement.

Make it a living statement.
Just because your organization creates a mission and vision statement now, doesn’t mean it can’t be changed later. As your organization grows, as you learn more about what you stand for and as changes come, you want to allow your mission and vision statements to reflect those changes.

This is especially important for those of you who have a current mission and/or vision statement. It’s alright to review it, in fact, it’s GOOD to review it! If you haven’t reviewed it in several years, it’s time. Make sure it is still in line with your organizational goals and values.

Learn it. Know it. Repeat it.
Now that you’ve written the best mission and vision statement for your organization, make sure everyone knows it. No, you don’t have to be that annoying kid on the playground who is constantly talking about themselves… but you should know your mission and vision statements. And so should your board members and other members of your organization. Be intentional about using them on all written communications including emails, agendas, and business cards. Ensure that board members and volunteers acknowledge their involvement in the nonprofit in their other pursuits whether as a school board representative, Rotary Club member or church leader with others outside the organization. Provide them with materials with the mission and vision statements.

Then it leaks out into the community and THAT is how real change begins.

If you’d rather have an outside set of eyes to help in this process, reach out to our nonprofit consulting agency! We have years of experience with helping nonprofit organizations build strong brands, including their mission and vision statements. Get in touch with KM Clark Consulting Group, and we’ll set up a call to see how we can best help.

Don’t forget to download our favorite activities to help facilitate creating your mission and vision statement!.