Communications Archives - Marlow FIVE-0

An overdue mobile-responsive website upgrade for my writing colleague, Rita Cipalla.

For this website redesign, we chose to skin an existing template WordPress Theme, Argent, by Automattic. The Argent Theme is based on _Underscores, so theme skinning is fast and straightforward – and the final product is guaranteed to be compatible with WordPress software and Plugins.

Overall Page Size is a lean 584 Kb, ~25% the industry median page size, with only 32 web server requests. As a result, page load speed is well optimized for mobile devices.

The site features Rita’s custom travel photographs for an authentic look. A classic combination of custom serif and sans-serif fonts are typeset in very readable line widths, with bold red and yellow call-outs for emphasis. And, unlike her previous static HTML site, Rita can now easily add and edit portfolio and blog content.

I love it! Thank you so much.

Sponsoring Seattle WordCamp 2018

Posted on November 6, 2018December 9, 2018

Seattle WordCamp is this weekend at the Washington State Convention Center at 705 Pike Street. Weekend tickets are still available for $40.

If you manage a WordPress site, here are some presentations to consider:

Saturday, November 10

10:30 DIY Content Strategy by Larry Swanson
11:30 Write Right, Right NOW! Boot Camp for Content Writers by Liz Coursen
1:30 Making Content Part of Company Culture by Taylor Waldon
2:30 It’s Not About You, It’s About Them by Imei Hsu
4:30 The Power of Photography – Why Your Clients Should Never Settle for the Same Old Stock Images on their Websites by Bruce & Josh Hudson

Sunday, November 11

10:00 Introduction to Gutenberg and the Future of WordPress editing by Grant Landram
11:00 Storytelling with Gutenberg: How to Use the New Editor to Boost Your Blog by Andrea Zoellner
1:00 A Hypothesis on the Future Impact of Gutenberg on SEO by Robert Nissenbaum
2:00 Always Source Responsibly – An Intro to Selecting Themes and Plugins by Jessica Ortega
3:00 The Trick to Incremental Website Design by Gayle Williams

Browse the full Word Camp Seattle schedule

5 Communication Tips to Inspire Nonprofit Donors

Posted on October 10, 2018October 26, 2018

Understand what donors care about – and make them the hero.
Donors are deeply interested in how their gift did or will make a difference. Let them know specifically what you did with their money. They also want to know what would happen if they gave you more. That’s your vision. Be sure to make it big and bold. And, they want to be thanked, personally and frequently. In addition, don’t focus on how wonderful your organization is. Tell donors how wonderful they are. Instead of “Our organization fed 100 hungry kids thanks to private donations,” tell donors, “You helped feed 100 hungry kids.”
Don’t talk just about your needs.
The time-honored adage in fundraising remains true. Donors don’t fund organizations that have needs. They fund organizations that meet needs. Talk about the need in the context of what the donor can do to fix the problem.
Use ‘you’ and ‘your’ more than ‘we’ and ‘our’.
YOU is the most powerful word in donor communications. Research shows that donors give more when they feel personally responsible, over and above “we’re in this together.”
Communicate without asking for money.
Your stewardship communications should out-frequent your solicitation communications by at least two to one, preferably even more. Organizations that communicate solely with their hand out risk losing valued donors. Thank-you letters, e-newsletters and emails, print newsletters, personal thank-you phone calls, holiday cards, love notes from clients – all can make a real difference in keeping donors in the fold.
Tell stories that illustrate donors’ impact.
Storytelling inspires bigger gifts! Let the people you serve illustrate how much the donor achieved.

For more help with nonprofit communication:

Moore Ink. PR & Fundraising Communications