Why aren’t you listening to podcasts?

Last week, I delivered a public relations seminar to members of the Manitoba Funeral Services Association. Not knowing a whole lot about the industry prior, I did as much online research as I could, including listening to those who podcast about the funeral business. Interestingly, when I surveyed those at my seminar, only a couple of people had ever listened to a podcast and the audience was surprised to learn there were podcasts related to its industry. The reality is, most people have not discovered the wealth of info out there via this medium.

A podcast is a digital audio file. It’s similar to a radio show but for the most part, not produced by professional broadcasters. You can download specific podcasts that you find on the Web or subscribe to your favourites so they will automatically download to your computer whenever there is a new episode.

You can find a podcast on virtually any subject, including the non-profit world. I’ve just discovered a few non-profit related podcasts that I’m checking out. One is Conquering Nonprofit Chaos produced by Bradley Burck who is a fundraising and marketing consultant. Craigslist Foundation also has podcast recordings of its non-profit bootcamps. Nonprofit Jungle covers topical issues facing non-profits and helpful resources. Offering scores of interviews with non-profit workers, social entrepreneurs and social change makers, the Big Vision podcast also provides a wealth of information.

Apart from professional development, I listen to a range of podcasts from the re-broadcasting of my favourite CBC Radio shows to travel podcasts.

If you’re not tuning in, here are some reasons you should:

1. There’s no easier way to keep up with what’s going on in your industry beyond your own little corner of the world. Podcasts help you to discover what others have learned about what works and what doesn’t. You have a world of experts at your fingertips.
2. Podcasts are portable. If you have an iPod or MP3 player, you can listen anytime, anywhere. I’m an avid runner and walker. Strapping on my headphones makes both these activities much more enjoyable. If you have a long commute to work, you have an ideal opportunity to listen to a podcast or two. Having said that, you don’t need a portable device to listen—just a computer.
3. It’s easier than reading blogs. Don’t get me wrong—I love reading blogs, but it can be hard to keep up sometimes. Podcasts are an easy way to take in information.
4. They’re FREE! It completely blows my mind that I can pick and choose from thousands and thousands of podcasts that provide me with heaps of valuable information and they are totally free.

OK, have I convinced you? If so, it’s easy to get started finding your own favourite podcasts. There are tons of search directories to help you find your topic. The Podcast Directory List identifies a slew of them. My favourite is iTunes.

If you have a must-listen-to podcast to share, leave a link in the comments section.

Did you find this post helpful? Why not subscribe to my blog ?

Great guide to non-profit branding

One of my favourite non-profit PR/Marketing bloggers is Nancy E. Schwartz. Her Getting Attention blog is bursting with great information and resources for non-profits. A recent post follows up nicely to my recent post about the importance of non-profit branding.

Nancy offers up her nine page primer on non-profit branding, providing the reader with a great background on what’s involved in creating a brand and how to take steps to begin the process. She covers everything from why non-profit branding is necessary as well as how to build and maintain your brand image even if you don’t have many resources. This particular post also points to other articles and resources regarding branding for non-profits, making it a great one-stop-shopping spot. Check it out.

Let’s banish bad websites

I think that every organization, non-profit and otherwise, needs a website today. If for no other reason, people need a way to find you. I can’t remember the last time I used a phone book, can you? That said, having a bad website isn’t better than having no website at all and in today’s Web 2.0 world, there really isn’t any excuse for a bad one. There are many tools and resources available online to help organizations create a stellar web presence.

What makes a bad website? Well, there are countless examples but here are some at the top of my list.

• A homepage that does not clearly communicate the purpose of the organization/site – You have a few seconds to capture someone’s attention—visitors aren’t likely to dig through your pages to figure out your purpose/cause.
• Labels for link buttons that are unclear – Don’t use the word “wow” to represent the customer testimonial page, for example. Creativity has its place but not when I just want to find what I’m looking for quickly without having to guess what’s behind each button.
• Too much text and not using concise writing to convey information – No one wants to read pages and pages of text on a screen. Information should be bite-sized with links to more information if needed.
• Bad design – This includes poor navigation but also pertains to the colours for text and background, bad clip art as well as unusual type/fonts that are difficult to read. All of this distracts the reader. Design is more than making things look pretty. it has a direct influence on the usability of a site.

Optimally, today’s website should be more than an online brochure. To really engage your audience, a website should offer changing content or some kind of service that compels the visitor to come back again. The worst websites (and I’ve seen this on many sites) display old information that hasn’t been updated. Big announcements on the homepage from 2006, for example, lead one to wonder if any of the other content on the site is up-to-date information.

Granted, it can be a pain and cost money to change content frequently but not necessarily. I’m working with a client right now who is moving his non-profit’s website over to a WordPress platform. WordPress is the open-source software that I use to create this blog. Open-source means that it’s free for anyone to use and anyone really can use it because it requires no coding knowledge to create a basic blog such as mine.

Although its main application is for blogs, the graphic designer we’re working with is using the platform to design my client’s website. This will mean that the site will have a very professional look but my client will actually be able to upload new pictures and change text very easily on his own. Using this kind of platform means there is no need to go back to your webmaster every time you want to change something. This is a huge bonus for small companies or non-profits that don’t have in-house tech support.

Invest in a good website. Hire a professional designer and writer. Opt to keep it simple and smaller if cost is a factor rather than including pages and pages of content and a site designed by your brother-in-law’s buddy who likes to create websites as a hobby.

More than ever before, your website is the first impression your audience will have of your company or non-profit. At a very basic level, the impression your site leaves will influence perception of the credibility of your organization. Make it the best it can possibly be.