Design

Author’s note: This blog was originally written in 2014 and was updated in 2020 to reflect current information and practices. In a world where people have attention spans of eight seconds, nonprofit communicators can use vibrant images to help their stories and messages come to life. A great image can convey an entire narrative that complements… Read More »

Author’s note: This blog was originally written in 2015 and was updated in 2020 to reflect current information and practices. If folklore is to be believed, a picture is worth a thousand words. In a time when our messages need to be short and sweet, yet informational, impactful and inspiring, nonprofit communicators can use all… Read More »

When it comes to your nonprofit’s annual report, how can you cut through the clutter, keep your copy concise and present your information in a visually compelling way? How can you effectively tell your organization’s story in short sound bites? More and more organizations are opting for shorter formats (think postcards and trifolds), but how… Read More »

Are you responsible for producing a nonprofit annual report? Does the process feel like a drag every year? Reframe your thinking! Although a “report” might not feel like the most exciting project for a marcom pro who enjoys more obviously creative projects, there are many ways you can benefit from the annual report creation and production… Read More »

First impressions make a strong impact. Creating consistent, branded, engaging communication materials to showcase your nonprofit is a must. But it’s not always easy to do. For marcom professionals, any tool that can make this easier is worth its weight in gold. When Canva was in its early days, I shared info about their “amazingly… Read More »

In my last post, I talked about how to lay the groundwork for your event collateral — where to get started and how to prioritize your to-do list. Now that we have covered the importance of establishing a strong event theme (and the branding to go along with it!), it’s time to make sure you… Read More »

For many nonprofits, summer is the season of making plans, listing goals and gearing up for an annual event — be it a gala, luncheon, symposium or conference. The amount of work it takes to pull off a successful event can be daunting at times. Therefore, it is crucial to create a roadmap of what… Read More »

Logo development is a bit like an onion. When you delve into logo design with a qualified professional, you start to realize there are many layers involved in doing it right. The core of the matter is to make sure your logo is on point in terms of brand positioning and strategy. Secondly, it’s important… Read More »

When you go to the library, every book has its place, and there is a system that lets you easily find any book you need. When your organization is using photographs, graphics and other visuals, the same concept applies. Because you’re dealing with multiple images and creating visuals for print marketing materials, social media, blog… Read More »

Digital communications now means visual communications. Our brains reportedly process visuals 60,000 times more quickly than text – which is probably why the most effective and popular online communications platforms these days are highly visual. There is a strong need for almost any organization to have a polished presence on various digital platforms, and to… Read More »