A university president once talked with me about leading his marketing and communications team. When I asked if he would consider shortening the title for simplicity, he emphatically declined. For that and other reasons, neither of us seriously considered forming a working partnership.

Later, when I taught marketing at another university, I spent considerable time talking about the relationship between marketing and communications. I never believed the two terms were synonymous or interchangeable, and I drilled into my students the concept that communications comes at the end of the marketing process.

Five years ago I left my position as Vice President of Marketing at United Way. Although communications was part of my portfolio, it always grated on me when my CEO referred to my department as “marketing and communications.” Although I appreciated his thorough description of my team’s role, I also thought he was being unnecessarily redundant.

Half a decade ago, as I began working at the American Red Cross, my new CEO and I had in-depth conversations about expectations, responsibilities and titles. The department I inherited was labeled “community relations,” but to me that sounded too soft and even expendable. I wanted to lead a team focused on bottom line results.

My boss concurred and gave me the freedom to select my own title and choose a new name for my department. To avoid the redundancy of the clunky label “marketing and communications” I opted for the truncated term “marketing.”

That worked well until I became ingrained in the Red Cross culture and slowly realized that within our system marketing and communications are two separate functions. I vividly remember being on disaster assignment and telling an out-of-state co-worker I was responsible for marketing. She asked,”So who does your communications?” I thought she asked a stupid question, but as we talked she helped me to understand how the semantics within the organization might lead to confusion about my role and responsibilities.

In March of this year I attending a training session with Red Cross colleagues whom I hold in highest regard. Part of our conversation touched on the separate Red Cross roles of marketing and communications. Upon returning to the office, I talked with my boss about clarifying my role. Without hesitation, he said, “If you want to change your title and rename your department, you have my complete support.”

So I held my nose and elongated my “marketing” title to “marketing and communications.” Although my responsibilities never changed, I thought of the the new label as a tool to help me better function in dual roles.

Well, that lasted for four months. Then a national reorganization reshaped the existing structure. Across the nation, my counterparts and I were told we’d have to choose between marketing or communications. We were instructed that, in the new scheme, no one would be allowed to do both.

I chose communications.

Now, my official title is Regional Director of Communications | Public Information Officer. In my revised role I continue to be responsible for public relations, media relations, social media and disaster public affairs. The tasks labeled “marketing” are now handled in one of four marketing hubs strategically located throughout the country. The marketers in those hubs have assumed responsibility for advertising, PSAs, direct mail, telemarketing, sales support and the related production of collateral materials.

I do not begrudge the title change. To me, it is more of a change in semantics than in functional responsibilities. I am pleased, though, to be given more freedom to focus on and expand in areas where I feel most passionate while also sloughing off the less enjoyable marketing tasks that I once did (and did well, I might add).

Although the reorganization eliminated marketing from my title, it will never dislodge from me my professional identity as a marketing practitioner. In my book, a marketing mindset will always be required to function effectively as a communicator.

Within the past month, the word “marketing” has been expunged from my business card. Yet I feel a sense of satisfaction as I have held onto that label in my revised my LinkedIn summary. In the professional label just below my name, I no longer list my current job title. Instead, I more accurately describe myself as a “marketing strategist and corporate communicator connecting people with causes bigger than themselves.“

Taylor Saalfeld

Guest Post by Taylor Saalfeld

Over the past few weeks, I have had quite a bit of time to sit with the question, “Why do you want to work in the nonprofit sector?”  And to be quite honest I have been wrestling with this question and how to state my reasoning more than I would have ever thought.  My struggle is a result of trying to capture my heart and place it in writing.  In my best attempts to do so, the following is what has resulted.

I want to make a difference.  “Well isn’t that the goal of every nonprofit entity operating today?” you may ask and to that I would respond, “yes.”  But my difference is a result of who I am and where I have come from.

On Thanksgiving, I was blessed with the opportunity to sit with my father and grandfather and watch a WWII documentary on the History Channel about the 8^th Air Force.  I will never forget the emotions played on my grandfather’s face as he watched this documentary.  As a veteran, B-17 pilot in 8^th Air Force, 34^th Bomb Group, he was reliving his history and the pride for the difference that he, along with his fellow brotherhood of airmen, made was evident.  This pride I have only seen matched on the face of my father, who battled in a very different war.

His war was the war of collegiate and professional athletics.  In 2009, my father was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame for his accomplishments on the field of the famed Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.  The difference that he made is unmistakable.  The pride he carries is not for himself, but rather for the collective efforts that he was able to make with his team.

I never expect to be in the hall of fame for anything or stare down the ultimate sacrifice in my line of work, but I do expect to make a difference.  My enthusiasm for helping others is unmistakable.  I find value knowing that my time and talents are able to bless another human being’s life. And that’s it; this is what my three weeks of pondering has come down to – helping to make a difference.

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Taylor Saalfeld is a senior at Rockhurst University where she will graduate in May with a BSBA in Marketing and a BA in Nonprofit Leadership. “I would love to combine my Marketing and Nonprofit Leadership Studies Degrees into a position that fuses the two,” she says. “On the for profit side I am looking at positions in cause branding and on the nonprofit side I am looking at marketing positions.” Taylor has already gained considerable marketing and fundraising experience as an intern at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, H&R Block World Headquarters, Home Instead Senior Care Global Headquarters and the Kansas City Wizards. Her hometown is Omaha, NE, and upon graduation she wants to stay in the Midwest, preferably in Kansas City.

Duane’s postscript: The idea for using guest bloggers came last month when I spoke at a university class of young people preparing for careers in the nonprofit sector. I offered each student the opportunity to share why he or she had chosen to pursue a career in the nonprofit world. Read more here:  Introducing Student Guest Bloggers.

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Though I’m no Scrooge, I’ll admit that I hate fundraising when it is…

1. Not relevant. The fact that you need money is not my problem. You won’t get a contribution from me by telling me how desperate you are. My advice: Make your case by explaining how my world will be a better place when I give to your cause.
2. Based upon guilt or fear. If your cause is worthy of my support, don’t play mind games to manipulate my behavior. My advice: Make me feel smarter by investing in your organization.
3. Not differentiating. Every nonprofit is aggressively raising money, especially this time of the year. Unless you can show me how your cause is the best investment in things I care about, you’re just making noise in an already noisy world. My advice: Focus on the unique niche that only you can fill.
4. Coerced. If I’m forced to give, you may achieve a short-term result. Trust me, though:  I’ll forever resent being strong-armed and I will look for ways to distance myself from your organization at the earliest opportunity. My advice: Give me a choice and invite me to voluntarily join your team.
5. Treated as an end objective. Fundraising is a means to an end. It’s purpose is to help an organization have adequate resources to fulfill its mission. A nonprofit does not exist to raise money, but rather it raises money so it can continue to exist. My advice: Talk more about your mission and less about how much money you need.
6. More interested in my money than in me. If we don’t have a relationship, then I’m probably not going to give. Any farmer knows you cannot reap a harvest until you’ve planted the seed, nurtured the crop and waited patiently for nature to take its course. My advice: Give me ways to make philanthropy a natural expression of my relationship with your organization.

Chandra Clark

Guest Post by Chandra Clark

I have chosen to pursue a career in the nonprofit world because I am passionate about transforming lives. It’s my heart’s desire to lead a successful faith-based nonprofit organization specifically designed for children and young women. My passion is best described in poetic form:

ALIVE

I am from brokenness, rejection and fear

I am from slander, gossip and malice

I am from broken virginity, broken vows and a broken heart

I am from “I love you” only to find that it wasn’t love at all

I am from a tarnished body image and a façade to protect the wounds

I am from vanity used as a replacement for a lost identity

I am from father wounds that run deep to the core of the soul

I am from a defrauded and defiled temple

I am from “that girl is crazy, she got issues, what’s her problem”

I am from self-hatred, humiliation, false guilt and shame

I am from “somebody, anybody, say that you love me and mean it”

I am from “I wish that I was her because it is too painful to be me”

I am from the pit of despair, devastation and darkness

I am from death

I am from resurrection, regeneration and restoration

I am from renewal and redemption

I am from the promise of never being left or forsaken

I am from unconditional love and immeasurable grace

I am from a firm foundation that can never be broken

I am from “rest in me and trust that I will make you whole”

I am from restored virginity and a mindset of moral purity

I am from forgiveness and healing

I am from beautiful black and yellow butterflies

I am from vibrant rainbows and sunny skies

I am from orchids, daisies and lilies

I am from new beginnings

I am from life and love

I am from an inner beauty that only the Messiah brings

I am in Christ!

© Chandra Clark (2010)

Chandra Clark founded M.O.D.E.L. Ministries, a nonprofit organization committed to educating, encouraging and empowering young women to live passionately and virtuously for Christ. She is pursuing a master’s degree in education at Rockhurst University while also earning her Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership. Her volunteer experience includes Kansas City House of Hope and Reach Out and Read. Chandra is the the proud mother of Jada, her nine-year-old daughter. “Motherhood is teaching me to be intentional about enjoying each day,” she says.

Duane’s postscript: The idea for using guest bloggers came last month when I spoke at a university class of young people preparing for careers in the nonprofit sector. I offered each student the opportunity to share why he or she had chosen to pursue a career in the nonprofit world. Read more here:  Introducing Student Guest Bloggers.

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We talked about the trends in social media, ways to use social media in a nonprofit organization and the blurring of our personal and professional lives.

We even discussed using social media tools for personal branding. I shared my thoughts on using Facebook to differentiate oneself when launching a career. I challenged the students to use social media to “brand” themselves in an open, transparent and authentic manner. Then, to encourage them to develop their own online presence, I did something I’ve never done.

As an experiment, I invited each student to become a guest blogger here on my personal site. I offered this space to anyone in the class who wanted to share why he or she had chosen to pursue a career in the nonprofit world. A couple of students accepted the invitation.

In upcoming posts, I will publish what those students had to say. The first author, Chandra Clark, writes in a style more poetic than I anticipated, yet she speaks from her heart with a voice that needs to be heard. The second guest blogger, Taylor Saalfeld, shares her family influences and personal motivations for wanting to make a difference.

Though these two women communicate in different styles, they are both devoting their careers to the service of others. They represent the next generation of nonprofit leaders. Pay attention to their names in the bylines. These young people are destined to change the world. If you have the opportunity to help them launch their careers, the world will be a better place and you’ll be glad you contributed to their success. Thank you.

Some people are so obsessed with social media technology that they overlook their communication strategy.

They are so focused on gadgets, applications and tactics that they completely miss the obvious:  These are only tools!

Tools are used to create or build something. Tools, technology and tactics are all a means to an end. The “end” is often defined in a well-written marketing goal. A goal articulates what success will look like and offers a clear, measurable definition of the desired outcome.

A communications plan should 1) target a specific audience, 2) define key marketing messages and 3) select the appropriate channels to deliver the right message to the right audience.

These communication channels should include a mix of traditional and new media. I define the two this way:

Traditional media primarily push information outward from a centralized source. They “broadcast” information in one direction. Examples are television, radio, newspapers, direct mail, newsletters and brochures.

New media (sometimes called social media) work best when the content is user-generated. Rather than broadcasting outward, new media rely upon interactions and conversations. Examples of new media are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WordPress and other social networking platforms.

Traditional and new media must be integrated if you want to build a strong and effective marketing communication program.

Valuable insight can be gained by asking, “What would be lost to the organization or to the community if the marketing department were downsized or even eliminated?”

A mission statement focuses on why we exist, our raison d’être. Sometimes, though, it helps to understand our mission by looking at things from a negative vantage point.

I always love watching the holiday classic It’s a Wonderful Life. As you may recall, George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart) hit rock bottom. In his despair, he was given a glimpse of what his small town would look like if he had never been born. By examining his life from that perspective, he could clearly see his inherent value. He realized how much others really needed him.

Occasionally, I will mentally create my own version of the Wonderful Life movie. I visualize what the American Red Cross would be like without an effective marketing program. How would the organization be less effective in fulfilling its mission? What would go missing if there was no marketing? What would be the measurable impact upon the bottom line? Would revenue be lost, either directly or indirectly?

With a commitment to successful marketing, I invite you to join me in believing  that:

1. Marketing will flounder when not in pursuit of a measurable goal.
2. If a product, service or even a person cannot be differentiated, it cannot be marketed.
3. Marketing will fail unless strategy drives tactics, not vice versa.
4. Marketing must be based upon the concept of exchanges. Without a quid-pro-quo exchange, we will never have a solid marketing program.
5. Value can be defined only by the customer, not by the company producing the product or service. (Nonprofit organizations especially have trouble with this.)
6. The social media revolution is the best thing to happen to marketing in a long, long time, even though the tools for achieving marketing success have forever changed.
7. Old-school marketers who try to control the message will become increasingly frustrated, disoriented and ultimately obsolete.
8. You are still functioning in a 1.0 world—even if you’re using 2.0 tools—when you are not creating community and engaging people in conversations.
9. If we aim our message at no one in particular, we shouldn’t be surprised if no one in particular responds.
10. Communications comes at the end of the marketing process, not at the beginning.

That’s an impressive title, but what does it mean? What does he really do? What impact does he actually make?

In seven words on LinkedIn, Mark summarizes his job as “helping you find the information you need.”

I really like that “job description” for three reasons:

1. It’s simple. I can understand it without having to translate industry jargon.
2. It’s differentiating. It really describes what he does, not what his company or co-workers do.
3. It’s outwardly focused. He describes what he does for others. He focuses on the benefits he provides, not the process involved.

Recently I stumbled into a LinkedIn discussion that challenged members within a nonprofit group to “describe what you do in seven words or less.” Here are several comments that caught my eye:

•  Help nonprofits tell stories that energize stakeholders. —copywriter
•  Find funding. Write proposals. Manage programs. —consultant
•  Tell Oklahoma’s story through its people. —fundraiser
•  Help kids fight cancer. —marketer
•  Give Nepali children a fair chance. —board chair
•  Help military members adopt adult shelter pets. —executive director
•  Give male survivors of sexual abuse hope. —IT specialist
•  Help mature displaced workers find jobs. —job counselor
•  Bring citizens together to enjoy the arts. —fundraiser
•  Help bereaved children and families manage grief. —marketer
•  Create publications that inspire people to action. —graphic designer

Granted, not all these  comments are 1) simple, 2) differentiating and 3) outwardly focused. Yet they are intriguing and better than most job descriptions. Here are a few, though, that did nothing for me. They were a meaningless mix of mundane words, process-focused phrases or tired clichés:

•  Help others realize their dreams and goals.
•  Beg for money—lots of money.
•  Raise funds to help dreams come true.
•  Raise money and awareness to change lives.
•  Shout out our message to the world.

I challenge you think about the work you do and the impact you have on others. Then, describe your job in seven words or less. That’s a tough assignment. I’m still crafting my seven-word job description.

I’ll close, though, with one that is close to my heart. My son, Greg, is an elementary school teacher who says his work is “helping children discover, learn and grown.”

So what do you?

Believing that some of those ideas may be relevant beyond the parochial boundaries of my church, I share them with the hope that nonprofit professionals will be more strategic and less reactive when raising money. Here’s what I wrote back in July 2007:

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Dear friends. First, I acknowledge that the budget needs an infusion of cash. Without question, we need more money and we need to do something quickly and dramatically.  But…

Without the backdrop of a strategic vision, a fundraising campaign may ultimately do greater long-term damage to our finances. If we ask people for financial engagement when too few feel engaged at other levels, they may become calloused to our financial needs. How many hundreds of times have they heard us cry, “The sky is falling!” because expenses exceed revenue?

I begin, though, with the following assumptions:

1. People everywhere are experiencing donor fatigue. They are saturated with fundraising appeals, not only at church but in their everyday lives. The needs are endless and the appeals keep coming.
2. In the absence of a compelling, strategic vision, people become disengaged and uninspired. Members truly want to be inspired, engaged and strategically led. The congregation is comprised of good people who want to be involved and who are capable of generously giving more.
3. Once members feel inspired, engaged and strategically led, they will come alive and be much more involved.

Within the Finance Committee we have discussed various reasons why people should give. I’ve clustered all those messages into the following three categories:

Message Option #1: — Help stop the bleeding!

On rare occasions, this negative message becomes necessary. Each time we push this alarm, however, we diminish our impact. After a while people quit listening, especially if they see no tangible consequences of ignoring the alarm.

Deficit-based fundraising is seldom successful, and even then it works only on a stop-gap, short-term basis. No nonprofit organization has successfully built a long-term, sustainable fundraising program focused on alleviating operational deficits.

Message Option #2: — You have a moral obligation.

This message appeals to one’s sense of duty, and indeed we each have a moral obligation to give. Too often, though, this is a tactic of manipulation. Guilt does no build a long-term partnership with donors. I tend to think of this method of stewardship as a form of taxation. The parallel between giving to the church and paying taxes can be illustrated this way:

Message Option #3: — You can invest in something big, worthwhile and meaningful.

The right people will respond to this message for the right reasons. They will give cheerfully because a) they are thankful for God’s provision and b) they want to “invest” in the compelling mission of the church. As people become invigorated by being part of a big, strategic movement, they will also be compelled to give of themselves, their time and their money.

The Apostle Paul said, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

So how do we grow cheerful givers? I’m neither a theologian nor a financial wizard. I’m just a marketing guy with a few observations. In my opinion, cheerful givers are grown and nurtured in an environment that has the following elements:

1. A compelling vision. A cheerful giver must believe that the church has a strategic vision of what it can and must become. A strong “case for support” is essential. Perhaps a five-year plan could serve as a rallying point for member involvement.
2. An action plan. A strategic, five-year plan has to be more than a potpourri of great ideas. It has to be prioritized, assigned and resourced. There has to be a structure, with built-in accountability for implementation.
3. Engagement. People must be engaged in church activities and connected with fellow believers prior to being asked to become more deeply engaged financially.
4. Investment understanding. People must understand how their money is being invested, and by whom. If they are truly good stewards, church members will demand that their investments yield positive returns. (See next item).
5. Results. Any good investment must produce a good ROI. Successes, both large and small, must be identified and celebrated. Stories must be told and testimonies must be shared.
6. Consequences. When the time is right, members must understand the consequences of not being good stewards. It would certainly draw attention to the budget crisis if something dramatic were done to demonstrate the need to cut expenses. Perhaps the first worship service should be discontinued until attendance and giving mandates the additional service. This is a dicey strategy, however, and should never be the primary motivational message.
7. Gratitude and thanksgiving. People give cheerfully from their hearts when they are aware of the abundance surrounding them. An abundance mindset produces generous contributions, whereas a scarcity mindset results in a downward spiral of negativity and pessimism. Just for fun, Google the two words “abundance” and “scarcity.” Among the 1.6 million results, you will find (even on the first couple of pages) some good sermons and articles contrasting the two paradigms.

My conclusion:  I do not think we are ready for a high-profile fundraising campaign. We should first focus on getting the above elements in place. Then we can move forward on the fundraising campaign.

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Epilogue:  Sometimes pundits like me don’t have all the answers. The committee voted to proceed with a fundraising campaign AND it succeeded. We also have new leadership and people now have a vision for tomorrow and a strategy for today. And they are cheerful givers!