Organic Growth

I've had the amazing fortune to meet a couple of fabulous coaches who share my business philosophy and have helped me clarify words for it. Many thanks to Renee Hribar and Tracy Beavers for their inspiration! 

Never One for Hustle Culture
I enjoy conversations - a lot - all day, every day. These conversations help me get to know people, their needs, their motivation, and how we may be able to assist each other. 

I'm not here to simply earn a buck. I'm here for the conversations, relationships, and to help you shine.

What Is An Email Service Provider?

Let's make sure we start on the same page. If you're going to send emails to a "large" group of people, it's far easier to use an email service provider than simply sending by cc or bcc from your personal email. 

I had heard a few years ago that Google/Gmail limits the number of names you can have on a "to" line. On a search, apparently that's not accurate - they list no hard number limit. I've known many who seem to have issues with emails bouncing or never being delivered with a group of more than 50 which is surprisingly easy to hit for even small groups, and this has been the case for a number of years.

It becomes more an issue of how the email providers communicate with each other, each having their own spam flags. Unfortunately, even using a paid email service provider is no guarantee you won't end up in someone's spam folder to never be seen. 

What Are the Benefits of Using An Email Service Provider?

• Professionalism: Seeing a message sent through an email service provider conveys you're spending intentional thought (and quite possibly intentional budget) to share your work.
• Data/Analytics: Email service providers generally track numbers for you that you can then track over time—how many emails are getting through, are there blocks or unsubscribes happening, what's the "click" rate of folks engaging with buttons on your message or simply opening emails. This feature may be the difference in a free vs paid tier for an email service.
• Artistic element: many email service providers offer template designs with drag-and-drop styles, making it convenient to personalize your message in a stylized way than simply sending a text email.
• FUN! Creating emails with some design elements may not be for everyone, but if that does excite you, it can make a needed task more fun to manage.

Is It Necessary to Use An Email Service Provider?
Nope!

I'm beginning to see a trend of folks that I know have large email lists sending basic ol' text emails to thousands and tens of thousands of folks. No added graphics—just a chatty bit of news you'd send a friend. 

• Sending email this way may necessitate breaking the large group into smaller ones and hitting copy/paste/send repeatedly as most email servers can only handle so much info on their "to" lines.
• Your personal email may also need to send large amounts of emails in a staggered fashion to not overwhelm sending or receiving providers. 
• In spite of less artistic emails, most I'm familiar with still use an email service provider due to the sheer number of emails they send.

Are Newsletters ONLY By Email?
​Nope! I touched on a couple of other ways to share a "newsletter" with others on this blog post, which includes LinkedIn and Substack.

However—and this is a big however!—"rented land" is definitely a concern for how you communicate with your audience should the social platform go away or shut you down for whatever reason, whether legitimate or not. Unfortunately, there are far too many stories of creators being blocked from access to their account and stuck in limbo for some first-line AI agent before you get to a person for some resolution, if you get any response at all. 

YOU are given permission to use someone's personal email address to send them news. That does not rely on the whims of social media platforms and gives you a means of continued communication.

So Which Email Service Provider Should I Use?
This is a loaded question with a number of factors for you to consider:

• How large is your email list currently? Add a buffer for growth over the next few months to a year before you need to research and consider changing your email provider or plan.
• How often do you anticipate emailing? Most providers multiply the size of your list by your frequency to determine the plan for you.
• Do you want access to the analytics or data? That can make the difference between a free and paid service.
• Are there additional features you may use that the provider has available? Many are now bundling the option of a text messaging service or hosting your website, all for additional pricing. 
• Are you a nonprofit? Many offer a nonprofit discount of varying levels by contacting their Support option and sending proof of your EIN. Even $1-$2 off per month adds up over time!

Options Available
This was a challenging topic to tackle as email service providers seem to change pricing regularly and new servers develop along the way. You're welcome to start with this list, but I suggest you do some additional searching including finding groups that may have useful input for you.

I reviewed nine different platforms for this post. I'll link each to their pricing page and share my favorites of those listed. I'm going to focus on those with pricing for 500 or less contacts, much larger lists, and one very small option. The name of each service is hyperlinked to their pricing page. 

• Kit: Free option for up to 10k on your list, jumps to $33/mo if you want to also text, not seeing a nonprofit discount.
• Mailtrap: Free up to 500 contacts, sending no more than 1.5k/mo (gives you up to 3 emails/mo to 500), no nonprofit discount noted. This can be a good option if you're just starting to send group emails. 
• Sender: Smallest plan accommodates up to 1,000 contacts (generous) and 12k/mo sends (up to 12 x 1000 on your list if you max out the contacts or allows for more sends for a smaller list), $7/mo - one of the most affordable, nonprofit discount of 25%.
• Email Octopus: Free option up to 2,500 contacts and sending up to 10k/mo. Analytics are saved for one month on the free plan OR you can pay $9/mo for ongoing analytics. No texting service but they do offer a 20% nonprofit discount. This is the service I currently use for my business. I have the paid service for ongoing analytics. 
• Brevo: Free option allows only 300 messages sent over one month. If you have a small list and don't anticipate emailing often, it may work for you to start. Their paid tier is for up to 500 contacts and up to 5k/mo sending rate for $8.08/mo. Texting is available for an additional monthly fee and a nonprofit discount is available up to 20% off.
• MailChimp: I've used this service for many years for a number of organizations on free and paid tiers. Whatever price you start with, they're very good at generally locking you in at that rate, "grandfathering" you in. The price has gone up quite a bit over time. Between the number of contacts, sending rate, and price, this is definitely lower on my list of recommendations these days. Their starter plan is up to 500 contacts and no more than 5k sends for $8/mo for the first year, then $9.50/mo. It's a big jump to their next tier of services - up to 10k contacts and up to 150k sends per month, but the price is $25/mo for the first year and $30/mo thereafter. Texting is available for an added fee and there is a nonprofit discount.
• Mailerlite: This service recently had some price and plan changes. There is a free version for up to 250 contacts and no more than 2.5k sends/mo. If you're just starting out, this may be a good option for you! The price begins to climb rapidly beyond the free numbers. 
• Omnisend and Constant Contact are more expensive than I feel comfortable recommending, but their pricing pages are linked for you to investigate further. 

​If you prefer visualizing charts, I'll share my findings below.

Get to the Point
I highly recommend investing in an email service provider for your nonprofit or business group emails or newsletters. 

• If you or someone on your team is at all artistic, designing a newsletter may be very creative and satisfying. Many of them have drag-and-drop templates to make it easy to create and can generally be updated with your brand colors. Once you create a style you like, you can update the messaging content and quickly hit "send."
• Even if you send only full-text emails, it's a convenient way to send the same message to many people.
• Analytics (numbers) are extremely useful to determine how your message is landing. 
• Discounts are common for nonprofits by sending Support or Sales your EIN. 
• List size and services can grow as you grow! 
• You can upload a number of contacts at once as a .csv file (spreadsheet) or individually.
• Select a plan that leaves you with room to grow into rather than max'ing out your email or delivery numbers. 

Your Turn!
If you send email news to your customers or members, do you have a favorite email service provider? If so, who and what made you select that one?

Here's to a community that lifts each other!  Let's Chat or message me on LinkedIn or Substack!

What IS a Podcast?

Let's start with the basics and not make assumptions "everyone" knows what a podcast is.

Per a basic Gemini search:
"A podcast is a digital audio or video program made for on-demand listening, like a personal radio show you can play anytime. It comes from the words 'iPod' and 'broadcast'." (note: the word origin is news to me!)

Podcast Lingo

• Episodes: each show is an "episode" that you can stream or download to listen at your convenience
• Topics: basically anything you can think of—just start searching in your favorite podcast player
• Feeds: "subscribe" to a show for new episodes to be available automatically for you to download when you wish or receive alerts for new episodes

How Popular Are Podcasts?
Let's look at some statistics straight from Podcast Statistics for 2026:

• As of January 2026, there are 4.58 million podcasts available worldwide.
• Around 584.1 million people across the globe listened to podcasts.
• In the U.S., about 158 million people tune into podcasts every month.
• One in three people in the U.S. listen to podcasts on YouTube, making it the most popular platform for podcasts.
• The global podcast market is estimated to be worth $39.63 billion.
• On average, podcast listeners spend about 7 hours per week listening to their favorite shows.
• About 86.1% of people prefer to listen to podcasts on their mobile phones.
• The average podcast episode usually lasts between 20 to 40 minutes.

This indicates there is definitely a market to both create a podcast and simply seek opportunities to be a guest on someone's show, which brings us to our next question...

How Hard Is It?
Let's look at this from both sides of the matter. 

What Does It Take to Host a Podcast?
Surprisingly little in its most basic form, however, this is a very basic list. To do this well in the competitive market, I suggest referring to this Buzzsprout post for a more complete yet focused reference to get started. It also offers some great gut checks to determine if you're really ready for the commitment.

• ​Microphone
• Recording device: phone, laptop
• Headset/earbuds for optimum audio
• Software for editing and recording

What Does It Take to Be a Guest on a Podcast?
If committing to a regular schedule as a host or the decision of solo vs guest format is too much, there's a lot to be gained from being a guest on podcasts! ​

Is Being a Guest Worth the Effort for My Business?
Statistics on Omniscent confirm that's a resounding yes! A couple of stand-out stats:

• The average guest-to-client conversion rate on B2B podcasts is 10%.
• Podcasts lead to 25x more conversions than blogs.
• You can produce a large number of content pieces for your social media, blog, and website by sharing a podcast appearance. 
• Your voice (and face if video is created) helps create know, like, and trust authority. Podcast listeners feel they know you, at least a little bit, after an episode and tend to want to learn more.

You will get much further with "warm" pitches when possible. 

Connect with a podcaster for a program you regularly listen to that's related to your client market. You'll be better able to highlight the benefit you have to offer the host and audience. Per Podchasher related to 2026:

• Acceptance rates range from under 1% to 40%, depending entirely on relevance and targeting rather than volume.
• 68% of producers name AI-generated template pitches as the top reason for an immediate no. Mail-merge outreach, unpopulated [First Name] tags, and sterile tone are now an active liability, not just an ineffective tactic. 

Also from Podchaser:

• Pitch an episode, not a guest. The strongest pitches propose a specific episode concept tied to the show’s recent topics, rather than asking the host to feature a person. Producer and podcast production agency owner Doug Downs, who runs more than 20 podcasts, calls this being the “blue M&M” in a bowl of identical red ones.
• Remove the producer’s homework. Winning pitches include a concise, human bio, suggested questions tailored to the show’s format, and ready-to-use assets like headshots and links to past appearances. Easy-to-run pitches get run.
• Match the show’s format before pitching. The report’s “4A’s” framework sorts shows into Analytical, Anthropological, Aspirational, and Actionable. A pitch that fits the show’s actual style converts far better than one built for a category.

Where Do I Find Podcasts?
If you haven't discovered podcasts, there are free and monthly fee services that curate shows featuring a variety of topics.

• Spotify: offers music, radio, and podcasts
• Apple Podcasts: offers podcasts, videos, and shows
• YouTube: podcasts, music, videos, shows, and movies
• Podcast Addict: I'm a long-time user of this app and very happy with the free option
• LinkedIn: not necessarily podcasts but online events, live and taped, very podcast-like
• Substack: similar to LinkedIn with audio and video options

You may actually find it easier to connect and message hosts on LinkedIn and Substack rather than by email!

Get to the Point
Podcasts are an amazing tool in your marketing tool kit! You'll get noticed as a host and as a guest. 

I will note if you decide to host a podcast, it takes a commitment to your audience and yourself to maintain a schedule. It may also come with a financial cost for equipment, streaming services, and editing or recording tools to really sound good. Hosting should not be taken lightly! 

Some podcasters connect with a service such as Buy Me A Coffee or Patreon to offset production expenses, especially if they have monthly subscription fees for recording and editing tools. 

I heartily recommend jumping at any opportunity to, at a minimum, be engaged on LinkedIn and Substack in podcast or live audiences to be seen with active interest. There is often an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise with helpful comments. You can become a "regular" with some shows and develop friendships, strengthen bonds with connections, and continue to make new connections. 

Once you get some comfort at that level, consider reaching out to hosts of your favorite podcasts that would also appeal to your potential clients.

Your Turn!
Have you hosted a podcast or LinkedIn/Substack events? Are you still doing it? Love to hear your suggestions to get started or why you may have stopped!

Have you been a guest on podcasts or LinkedIn/Substack events? Are you looking for those opportunities? 

Let's help each other get connected, as hosts or guests! Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn or Substack!

Panic in the Streets!

Headlines blare:

• Marketing Is Dead!
• Websites Are Pointless!
• Don't Bother Blogging!
• Social Media Reach Is Gone!

Step AWAY from the Doom & Gloom!
Marketing basics are truly timeless and aren't going anywhere. If you're hoping for an easy way out of doing the marketing work by betting hard on AI, I predict a long wait. Your Mama was right—there's no easy way around work. 

Oh, sure—AI has its advantages, don't get me wrong.

• Yes, it's a time saver.
• Yes, it's a brilliant extra set of brains for strategy and ideas.
• Yes, reach with websites and the traditional marketing tools is down as everyone relies on AI summaries or searches. 
• Yes, Google announced they're changing their basic "search" function to be AI driven, featuring links you can click on if interested. 

Don't Despair!
In spite of all that, the basic marketing tools remain useful.

• Where do you think AI will be getting all of its search results from? Your marketing content!
• Focused searches for particular items or concepts remain relevant.
• AI searches provide links to their reference points—that means you!

I love this article from Blue Compass that shares website traffic hasn't dropped as significantly as predicted and offers ways to thrive in this AI era!

Birth of the Internet—Take 2!
Remember when the internet and the world wide web was a new and shiny thing in about 1990? It was going to change everything! It did—but it expanded our capabilities. It didn't replace them. 

AI is heading in a similar direction. There is a lot of talent expansion happening right now, maximizing our capabilities to do more faster. There are likely bumpy days ahead, don't get me wrong. 

But there is very definitely still a place for the basics of marketing.

Classic Marketing Isn't Going Anywhere
What would I call "classic marketing":

• Websites: This is typically your core anchor point and creates validity for you when searches or clients want to confirm if you're real or AI.
• Social media: While the reach is lousy these days and you can seemingly only get noticed by paying for ads, you still need to maintain a presence for search validity and credibility. 
• Email/newsletters: Emails and connections you own for communication is key as any of the socials can be moody, blocking you for no reason at all. Some say print is a hidden opportunity for the future.
• Public relations materials: Graphic designs for all of the above noted, business cards, flyers, and more are the backbone of all your marketing.
• Conversations: While all of the prior marketing tools potentially cost money, conversations don't have to. Sure, you can purchase membership in chamber organizations or networking groups, even premium LinkedIn, but a lot of conversations happen daily for free. This is the one area AI has no business in unless you're role playing, testing conversations, or researching someone before meeting. 

Is Blogging Useful?
Blog posts give you amazing material for visibility across all of your channels! Thanks to Nonprofit Tech for Good for sharing these blog statistics. 

• AI search: Blogs provide fresh material for your website to get picked up by AI searches.
• Social media content: Blog posts can be broken into multiple pieces to be shared over the course of time and reshared as your content library grows. Something you posted weeks or months ago will be new to new viewers and likely forgotten by your core crowd to be a great refresh. 
• Email/newsletters: Blog posts can be shared in whole, part, or teased in your emails. 
• Video content: You can share or expand on your blog material in video format to share bits on socials or fully on YouTube which can then be billed as a podcast. 

Your Turn!
How do you approach your marketing? What are you using as your core source of visibility?

I'd love to hear! Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn or Substack to message!

If you'd like to consider working together, we start by looking at where you're marketing plan is and where you'd like to be to see if we're a good fit. We focus on what is manageable for your time and energy. Click any of the links above to start!

How Should I Get My Book Published?

While my focus is on marketing and not book publishing, this is a rather common question as a starting point. I've been grateful to spend time with many authors and publishing affiliated folks to become familiar with the basics of the options available.

I am the first to admit, I am no expert on this nor profess to be, but I'm an amazing researcher and am happy to share my discoveries and resources.  

Also bear in mind, publishing options change—plan to do a bit of research on the matter when you're ready to publish for the most current info.

First Book - Where's A Good Start?
Excellent question! Let's start by defining the global options available with thanks to Books.by for their tutorial and an amazing comparison chart:

• Marketplaces: you publish on their store, they have the customers, you receive a percentage of the sale - they keep 30-65% of the sale (Amazon, Barnes and Noble) 
• Distributors: they make your book available to retailers who then sell your book, gets you into stores you may not otherwise have access to, multiple middlemen means lower royalties, and you still don't own the customer relationship (IngramSpark, Draft2Digital)
• Direct sales: you sell directly to readers through your own processes, you own the customer relationship, highest royalties; however, you must generate all of the traffic, PR, and granular business aspects such as shipping and taxes (Books.by, Shopify, Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy)

​Chart below is courtesy of the same Books.by 2026 self-publishing guide:

Focusing on Amazon
My dear friend Gillian Whitney, author, podcaster, book coach, and publisher (with her husband), hosted a fabulous podcast February 25, 2025 discussing ISBNs which led to a discussion about Amazon publication options. She has transcribed the podcast into an article you can find here along with the option to listen to the podcast if you prefer. Above is her LinkedIn, here is her website.

Gillian's recommendation for first-time authors: "[I]f you are a first-time author who is unsure whether publishing is going to stick, the free ISBN [with Amazon] is a perfectly reasonable starting point. There is no shame in it. You can always change your mind later — it is just more work if you do."

ISBNs (each book format's individual book number of record) are needed to publish and sell books. A different one is needed for each book format. Purchasing them individually can be expensive, but they are sold in bundles a bit more affordably if you plan to publish in multiple formats or author multiple books. Gillian has plenty of detail in her article. Let's return our focus to Amazon, probably the most frequently used by independent authors.

Amazon's Free ISBN: The Pros and the Cons
Per Gillian's article: "Amazon (through Kindle Direct Publishing) offers a free ISBN for paperback and hardback editions. For Kindle eBooks, no ISBN is required at all — Amazon simply does not ask for one. Neither do Apple Books or Barnes & Noble Press for ebooks, though aggregators like Draft2Digital and IngramSpark do require them." The pros and cons are taken directly from her article.

• The Pros of Using Amazon's Free ISBN
  • It is genuinely free — no cost for paperback or hardback editions
  • Amazon handles registration for you — no metadata entry required on your part
  • Available to authors worldwide, not just in the United States
  • The book shows as "independently published" on BookWire — not as Amazon-branded
• The Cons of Using Amazon's Free ISBN
  • You cannot take it with you — the ISBN belongs to Amazon and cannot be used on any other platform
  • Amazon is listed as your publisher, not you
  • If you later want to move to a different platform using that ISBN, you will need to unpublish, apply for your own ISBN, republish, and then ask Amazon to transfer your reviews to the new listing

Buying Author Copies on Amazon
On behalf of a client, I asked Gillian about options for authors to purchase (affordably) printed copies of their book for distribution at meetings as a beautiful "business card" or to even sell independently off Amazon. I wasn't sure if there may be regulations about potentially inflating sales numbers if the author is the one predominantly purchasing the books. 

Here's what she had to say: "When an author publishes their book on Amazon, they have the ability to order Author copies at cost. You can order as many copies as you like (up to 999 per order) and sell them independently yourself at whatever markup price you choose. Many authors sell their author copies at conferences, speaking engagements, etc."

Very good to know—thank you, Gillian!

Get to the Point
There are a number of ways to consider publishing your book! We have only scratched the surface here, but we've laid the groundwork for future posts and tackled a decent summary about Amazon to get you started.

This post focuses on Amazon as it's one of the most popular means for authors aiming to publish independently rather than through traditional publishers whose process can take months and may ultimately not be accepted in their printing calendar. 

Gillian Whitney is a fabulous resource for authors looking to get published! She has published six books now and is involved on the publishing side of things with her husband. Her weekly podcast is roughly 30 minutes, hosting many guests related to the publishing and marketing process for books. She hosts monthly events on LinkedIn with featured guests for an hour where Q&A is available. 

Some authors prefer the broad distribution and authority of working with traditional publishers. Others prefer the speed and independence of independent publishing options.

As an independent author, you do have some input in the price that will be charged depending on whether you're aiming for a profit or prefer to "freely" share your information. Amazon has a rock-bottom price point of slightly above the cost to print a book or $0.99 minimum for Kindle books.

Your Turn!
Have you published a book yet or thinking about it? Any stumbling blocks along the way?

A book is an amazing asset to have for your business to demonstrate your thought leadership and expertise! It's a fabulous calling card for authors, solopreneurs, and even nonprofits interested in broadening their reach.

I'd love to hear your experiences! I'd also be very happy to help you put the finishing touches on your nonfiction book with proofreading/editing skills. My favorite part of publishing is the marketing before and after your book is published--Let's Chat! You can also find me on LinkedIn and Substack! 

Visibility, Conversations, Opportunities, Clients

I've had the pleasure of "meeting" Tracy Beavers through her website, newsletter, a webinar she offered, podcast, and Facebook group. I absolutely adore her approach to gaining clients that I'll call "relationship marketing" which is my preferred style. 

Tracy works with her clients on the nuts and bolts of marketing techniques - the value of websites, an email list to get into inboxes, and even Facebook groups for real-time conversations. 

But what I really love about Tracy's methods is her focus on conversations. 

Tracy's style aims "to turn everyday interactions into genuine relationships, meaningful opportunities, and ultimately, paying clients.

 ✔ Visibility creates conversations.

 ✔ Conversations create opportunities.

 ✔ Opportunities create clients."

Her focus is in building real relationships. 

​I adore that. 

Is Relationship Marketing Really a Thing?
Turns out the answer is yes! (I thought I was just making up the term!)

According to Wikipedia:
"Relationship marketing is a form of marketing developed from direct response marketing campaigns that emphasizes customer retention and satisfaction rather than sales transactions.[1][2] It differentiates from other forms of marketing in that it recognises the long-term value of customer relationships and extends communication beyond intrusive advertising and sales promotional messages.[3]"

Continuing from Wikipedia: "The technique was first proposed by American marketing scholars Berry (1983) and Jackson (1985). Berry (1983) argued in a conference about the field of service marketing that relationship marketing is a marketing activity for enterprises to obtain, maintain and promote effective relationships with customers. . .Jackson (1985) further modified the concept in the aspect of industry marketing. He argued that the essence of relationship marketing is to attract, establish and maintain a close relationship with enterprise customers."

While I appreciate these early efforts to define Relationship Marketing, my take after many years of working with nonprofits, many more years in hospitals as a physical therapist, and more recently as a business owner focusing on marketing, my approach focuses on customer satisfaction, retention, and simply revolves around conversations. 

Let's review Tracy's approach one step at a time.

Visibility Creates Conversations
Visibility is created in a variety of ways which can naturally lead to conversations.

• Your website - you share your message here and often have a Contact form
• Your email newsletter or simply email communication
• Your social media or messaging through those services
• In-person and online networking opportunities and follow-up conversations
• Maybe you've written a book - that will definitely create conversations!
• Online discussion boards, forums, and groups - interact and share your knowledge
• Maybe you host a podcast! Lots of conversations with guests, their audience, your audience, and promotion before and after the latest episode. 

Conversations Create Opportunities
Conversations and Opportunities can happen in many ways. 

• You may get invited to be a guest on a podcast or webinar
• Collaborate, partner, or trade podcast guest options
• Collaborate or contribute to articles with someone else
• Tag those you know or would like to know to interact with your posts
• Get featured in a magazine
• Be featured on a panel discussion or speak at an event
• Conversations will keep you top-of-mind for others to recommend and connect you
• Being "out there," noticed, and having conversations will lead to any number of opportunities!

Opportunities Create Clients
Thanks to your visibility creating a myriad of opportunities, you're bound to be hired for your services! While obtaining clients is likely ultimately the goal, it doesn't need to be pushy. It's more a matter of being in the right place at the right time when someone identifies a need you could be the perfect person to fill.

• ​Take conversations deeper with online or in-person "coffee chats" to get to know each other better.
• Listen more than talk - how can you serve someone, what are their pain points?
• Have ways others can easily share what you do should they find someone who may be a good fit - have a flyer or email language ready for someone to share.
• Have your business card (hard copy or digital option) ready for in-person networking events (Blinq has a free digital version of a business card).
• Be ready to share the easiest way someone can see what services you offer - maybe a QR code linking to a flyer or your website.
• Have a plan ready to quickly vet potential clients to ensure it's a good fit. Starting with a lousy client relationship or someone you don't get along with is not a fun way to do business. 
• Be ready to talk project pricing, whether you have a firm price structure or personalize the service with the price. 

Your Turn!
Where is your biggest challenge - Visibility? Conversations? Converting conversations into opportunities and clients? 

Love to hear if you're a Relationship Marketer as well and where you're focusing your efforts - Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn or Substack!

What Is It?

Per Givelink's LinkedIn About section: "We're a transparent giving platform where donors pick real items needed by real people, give online, and see photo proof of their help reaching someone's life. Every donation is visible. Every item is tracked. Every life reached is real."

Per Panos Kokmotos, one of three co-founders of Givelink, he describes Givelink as "helping nonprofits get the exact goods they need, and helping donors see where their money goes."

What Do They REALLY Do?
Givelink serves nonprofits coming and going.

• ​If you're a nonprofit seeking in-kind donations, Givelink has the perfect system to streamline order deliveries, confirm deliveries (hello, Amazon photo proof!), and most importantly help you thank your donors to build ongoing relationships!
• It's also a fabulous database of vetted nonprofits for those seeking their next good cause to support. 

Graphics that describe Givelink's advantages best as adapted from their website:

How Much Does It Cost?
As if this little gem could get any better, the generous folks of Givelink manage it! Use of this amazing service is free to nonprofits! Just be ready to provide your EIN for them to confirm your nonprofit status. 

Get to the Point
As you can tell, I'm a bit over-the-moon excited for my recent discovery of Givelink! I've enjoyed chatting with Panos by zoom to get to know each other and email for continued discussions. 

This service meets a huge need in the nonprofit realm.

• I've been on the receiving or purchasing end of donation lists, trying to manage items from Amazon Wish Lists where it's not always easy to confirm the address is built in if you're purchasing to have items mailed to the list creator.
• If you built the Amazon Wish List, you have items arriving at all sorts of days and times and can never be sure deliveries will be safe if there are "porch pirates" in your neighborhood. Heaven help you if you'll be traveling and packages keep arriving!
• It's not always easy to determine who purchased the item to donate to even consider thanking them or confirming the donation arrived.
• Donors automatically receive a tax-deductible receipt once a delivery photo is uploaded!
• If you're lucky, you know the donor to be able to send a personal thank you for their generosity. Otherwise, it's impossible to follow-up or send ongoing information about your cause. 
• No contracts, no minimums, no commitments—just sign up in the platform.
• Givelink assists you with adding a "Give In-Kind" button to embed on your website, emails, and social media to drive donations.
• In-kind donors retain 60% more than any other monetary platform currently on Givelink.

​
How Do I Sign Up?
You can email Panos directly or head to Givelink's For Nonprofits page for details and ways to get started. 
​
Your Turn!
Solopreneurs and authors—you likely work with nonprofits who may benefit from this service. Please share with them!

Nonprofits—I hope you give Givelink a try! What are you currently using if you have in-kind donations needed? 

I'd love to hear if there are alternative options out there - Let's Chat (shoot me an email) or message me on LinkedIn or Substack!

What Is GeekPack?

​GeekPack per the LinkedIn company page "is a business education company built for online business owners who are technically excellent—but revenue is inconsistent. We work with coaches, course creators, service providers, and agency owners who have the skills, the systems, and the clients—but not a predictable pipeline."

Founder Julia Taylor, self-professed introvert "who'd rather be behind the screen than out in front," is a "business coach for tech-savvy women" (although I've seen a few gentlemen in the group), "helping you stop hiding in the backend & build predictable revenue."

Special thanks to Julia Taylor for allowing me to interview her!

Julia began GeekPack in October 2018, but started her first business in 2016. On becoming a military spouse with multiple moves, Julia started her business to manage her own career progression with flexibility to work from anywhere. As she shared on social media about her journey—teaching herself how to code, build websites, location independence with the RV life—she began hearing "I want to be able to do what you do—can you teach me how to do it?" 

“I wanted everything I did to be based around a supportive & encouraging community" as any time she asked any tech questions, she was made fun of. “I wanted to teach people how to build websites and start a business, but I wanted to wrap it around community—supportive, encouraging, and geeky," thus GeekPack was born.

Who Is This For?
Following and participating in the GeekPack programs are useful for solopreneurs, authors (writing books is your business!), and even nonprofits. 

I have seen a number of fellow nonprofit leaders in the GeekPack program. I asked Julia how she sees the match in her programs for nonprofit founders. “There are many parallels with nonprofit leaders and business owners—selling a service or funding, storytelling, marketing, letting others know you exist, have conversations, build relationships, networking—it's all the same. The only real difference is owner vs nonprofit, but I would argue most nonprofit leaders feel like owners, because they're probably the ones who started it, so there's not a huge difference. There are a lot of similarities.”

GeekPack offers a number of programs:

• 6-week free foundation program thanks to a grant partnership with Verizon Small Business Digital designed to help you think through your brand: the Who, What, Why, Where, and How of your business plan. Entry is open to all with an application process and new cohorts regularly starting.
• Revenue OS (Operating System) is the GeekPack flagship paid program where you work closely with Julia for personalized guidance as you move forward with your business plan. The focus is on creating habits that will help you build predictable revenue. While this sounds more geared to the solopreneur, the concepts absolutely translate to nonprofits as well. 

Get to the Point
I recently completed my second iteration of the 6-week foundation program--completion certificate achieved!

I initially completed the program a year ago, year 3 of my business, where I gained insights that guided me forward, to ensure my business foundation was in place. Admittedly, I participated half-heartedly, thinking I knew more than I did and more focusing on the day-to-day of what I was doing in my business to build connections.

I gained insights but not nearly as many as I did this year with many thanks to my instructor in GeekPack, Glenna Garcia.

This time on year 4 of my business, I'm taking a step back to check my business foundation, and listening—truly participating this time each and every week—showing up live 2x/week with the cohort, watching the Verizon videos accompanying each lesson, doing the homework, and engaging with my classmates—all fellow solopreneurs.

This year was more of an intermediate program—perfect for where I am in my business and for others in my cohort.

• The next-level frame of reference was refreshing.
• I was also tapped to be an "Ambassador" during the session which totally got my attention, focus, and tapped into my existing business service of social engagement. I made a point to be present and participating! Who knows—a future business opportunity for me with GeekPack! At a minimum, deeper connections with a program I already love.

What's Next?
The timing for the most recent GeekPack/Verizon program was perfect to commit to investing in Revenue OS, which I also highly recommend. It is not necessary to take the GeekPack/Verizon program before jumping into Revenue OS, however, I found the programs a good match for me.

Revenue OS provides:

• Personalized 1:1 interviews or chats with Julia Taylor to map your business plan, mid-program status check, and solidifying your ongoing plan.
• A handy app to track daily progress with an opportunity to reflect on your week's activities—what worked, what didn't, what to consider adjusting in your strategy. (Julia is an app developer and a whiz at it—the app alone is gold!) This is where you build the daily, weekly, and monthly habits that will lead to more stable revenue.
• Inclusion in a group of like-minded business owners also going through the program. It's a fabulous resource to bounce ideas off of, share challenges and successes, and get out of your own head which is useful when you're predominantly working on your own as a solopreneur, author, or small nonprofit. (a number of folks in the GeekPack programs lead small nonprofits!)

Want More?
Head here to sign up for GeekPack/Julia Taylor's email at a minimum. This will keep you posted of upcoming opportunities to join programs or learn about new options available.

Head here to apply for the next GeekPack/Verizon program.

Head here to learn more about the Revenue OS program. 

Your Turn!
Have you found any business development programs you like and have participated in? 

Love to hear about them! We all grow by sharing resources! Let's Chat or message me on LinkedIn or Substack to share!

What's the Difference?

This is a frequent question I receive and I'm glad for it! The differences may seem subtle on the surface but are significant when you dig in.

Short Definition

• Brand Marketing is more the backbone of your business, your strategy and consistency
• Marketing is more the nuts and bolts how of marketing, the tools and methods you use to share your opportunity

Resources
This post will pull together information from four resources: 

• Vistaprint
• Shopify
• Kantar
• Aventi Group

Comparisons
We'll review the basic differences between brand marketing and marketing, pulling thoughts together with a beautiful graphic courtesy of the Vistaprint article cited. 

Brand Marketing

• ​This is the unique identity of your company, what differentiates you from competitors
• Shares your core values
• Reflects your target audience's preferences—reflects your Ideal Client Persona (ICP).
• Establishes your brand reputation
• Remains consistent
• Creates trust, loyalty, and awareness of your business
• Pieces can include your logo and brand color scheme—your brand voice

​
Marketing

• Strategies—the how of your message—that evolve over time, may change depending on products, services, or even campaigns
• SEO tactics
• Social media content
• Email newsletters
• Sales or donor campaigns

Great Marketing Quotes Courtesy of Vistaprint

• Marketing can be a great way to get a customer’s attention, but branding is a great way to keep their attention
• Marketing drives sales, branding drives recognition and loyalty
• Branding comes first, marketing comes second - ah, the chicken or the egg question is settled!
• Marketing strategies come and go, but branding is forever

Recent Poll Results
I conducted a poll on LinkedIn recently asking what the biggest frustration is about marketing?

• Responses overwhelmingly noted it's a "time suck"—a necessary "evil" of doing business and all would far rather be doing client work.
• Less noted an admission of not really knowing how to market! It's not like it's an intuitive skill, yet somehow we all need to be an "expert" marketer in addition to a business manager. 

Get to the Point
I provide brand marketing services, which includes marketing services, but I start any conversation by identifying your brand marketing pieces to see if we need to strengthen or establish your plan. 

Your Turn!
Do you have a solid brand marketing plan in place yet or simply random thoughts as your foundation? Are you able to see the difference between brand marketing and marketing?

I'd love to hear your brand marketing and marketing journey--Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn or Substack!