After five years and 200 episodes, Beth has certainly learned a thing or two (or 200) about participation, such as where it comes from and what it really means. As she turns the final page of the podcast, she reflects on the five principles of participation she’s picked up on with the help from guests along the way, from the meaning and value of collaboration to knowing your audience beyond demographics and much more.

In today’s world of connectedness and social media, movements can take off in the blink of an eye. But, as the guest of this session Jeremy Heimans posits in his book, “it's only a movement if it moves without you.” Jeremy, CEO of Purpose and co-author of the book “New Power,” joins this session to explore the concepts of old power and new power, and how each plays a role in participation for organizations and nonprofits. He and Beth tackle why old power versus new power doesn’t necessarily mean bad versus good, and Jeremy shares examples of each power dynamic in relation to participation, such as the #MeToo movement. They explore the scale of participation, the concept of agency, and much more.

Sarah Olivieri joins this session to talk all about strategy. How do you create a strategy everyone is on board with and can follow? And, more importantly, how do you even define strategy? Sarah, founder of PivotGround, and Beth explore the link between strategy and capacity, what differentiates strategies from tactics, and Sarah’s “secret sauce” to help businesses thrive. She shares tricks for getting time back in your day so you can shift your focus to the activity that is most important, tools for staying on track with the strategy you develop, and more.

When it comes to innovation and experimentation, ideas are only half of the challenge. Donna Kastner, founder of Retirepreneur, joins this week’s session to explore the other half: implementation. She and Beth delve into experimentation and how to get from a conversation about an idea to an actual product. Donna explains how to design a conversation that puts everyone on a level playing field and leads to exploring the "why" behind the idea—without jumping to tactics too quickly. She and Beth discuss how a hackathon can create an impact anywhere from a conference to just within your organization and bring people together to solve, or "hack," a problem, the importance of patience, and much more.

Jeremiah Lane knows the power of putting a face to the name of an organization. After attending a conference, he came back to the Children's Hospital Foundation, where he serves as Communications Director, with an idea that changed how the organization approached its storytelling. With one campaign that directly involves the families they serve, the Foundation has been able to tap into the emotional side of the work they do and share those stories with their audience in ways that resonate, especially because they may be stories about kids from their hometown. Jeremiah shares how to use personal stories to create connections with donors, the link between development and communications, and more.

As many organizations can relate, Julia Toepfer knows that it can be hard to generate the amount of content needed to tell your story when you have a small team. Julia, marketing and online engagement manager at National Immigrant Justice Center, joins this session to share how NIJC found inspiration for content from an unexpected source: its own staff. Julia shares how she and her team encourage staff members to contribute to telling NIJC's stories in ways they're comfortable with, whether it's writing a post, making a video, or even being featured in the story themselves. They explore maintaining messaging for staff members who are not in marketing, how to avoid hurting feelings or egos in new situations, and more.

Say you have a great event that brings in big numbers of participants and donations to your organization. What should you do when the event is over to encourage guests and donors who may have given only to support a certain participant to continue giving to your organization? Kimberly Kroll-Goodwin, manager of events at STARS Air Ambulance in Saskatchewan, Canada, joins this session to share how her organization created a welcome series that introduced donors to the work STARS does and how they can get involved—without making a single ask. She and Beth explore how to measure where your donors come from, how to effectively tell your story to a new audience, and more.

Segmenting your messaging isn’t a new concept—but there are new ways to do it without relying on just demographics. To Amanda Parsons, Associations Coordinator for the Oregon Recreation and Park Association, participation is a spectrum, and that translates to your email messaging as well. She joins this session to talk about how to use indicators of participation as a means of sending the messages people really want to receive without clogging their inboxes. She and Beth explore the value of segmenting based on interest level, how to effectively give your email database a cleanse and create a "healthy list," the lead indicators of an unhealthy list, and more.

Even for an organization as big as the Red Cross, having a team of volunteers with a wide set of skills can make a huge difference — especially today in digital communications and social media. Sara Falconer, director of digital communications at Canadian Red Cross, joins this session to talk about how the organization created a system that allows volunteers to lead the charge in the next wave of social media ambassadors, and how they ensure volunteers feel like they’re making a real difference. She and Beth explore the merits of a shared editorial calendar, encouraging experimentation with a new program, and more.

What's the secret to creating a killer email list? Believe it or not: The unsubscribe button. Gregg Banse, Director of Marketing and Business Development at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, joins this session to explore why quality is greater than quantity when it comes to your email lists, and why having people unsubscribe can actually lead to better results—and better relationships. He and Beth explore the value of automation, why opens aren't enough, how to understand email conversions, and much more.

What does content mean today? Jackie Lalley, co-founder of Yodelpop, joins this session to talk all things digital communications and content marketing. She and Beth explore the differences between keywords and core topics, and how they relate to the concepts of pillar pages and topic clusters. She explains how using blogs and tracking searches can help you better understand what language works and what doesn't. They talk about how to choose the right words for a topic cluster, why it's not all about traffic, and much more.

Janni Snider can always find something humorous in a situation. It's this sense of humor she brings to her role as Director of Creative Strategy for the United Methodist Communications that has led the organization to such campaigns as its HulaPalooza, which incorporated hula hooping to promote its global health initiative—and it's as fun as it sounds. She joins this session to explore the role of humor in engagement and how it can be successful for communications when used effectively, and much more.

There's been a lot of focus on millennials—whether it's about avocado toast or how best to attract them to the work your nonprofit does. But there's another generation Aria Finger wants you to keep in mind: Generation Z. Aria, CEO of DoSomething.org, joins this session to highlight Gen Z and the work her organization does to serve this increasingly engaged demographic. She and Beth explore how to encourage participation and action from this group of 13- to 25-year-olds in ways that appeal to their interests, whether it’s politics or social justice; why it’s dangerous to think of all young people as the same; and more.

Re-branding is a term that comes up a lot—but what does it really mean? Amanda Willard joins this session to share her experience with re-branding at Lincoln Park Zoo and why it’s actually about what she calls change management. A re-brand done right resonates not just externally, but internally as well. She and Beth explore the difference between participation and engagement, how to know when a re-brand is completed successfully, and much more.

The face of fishing and other outdoor water sports has long been typically associated with that of a man. Rachel Piacenza and Kendra Lee from the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation join this session to talk about Take Me Fishing, which is run by the Foundation, and its new marketing campaign that strives to put the focus on women in fishing. They share the research tactics they used to discover the typical audience for fishing isn't what it may seem, how they focused their campaign on a new demographic, and much more.

Amelia Kohm, founder of Data Viz for Nonprofits, joins this session to dig into data and visualization. How does data visualization make a difference? Is an infographic the same as data visualization? She explains how a simple chart or graph can tell a story and why some forms of visualization translate better than others. She and Beth explore how to know what type of data visualization to use to communicate the idea you're trying to share, how data can be better used to improve an organization, and more.

Trying new things can be scary—but often, the payoff is worth it. Jesse Lane of Pure Charity joins this session to explore ways nonprofits can be more innovative and how to create an environment that fosters creativity. He shares how at an organization he was a part of, they would set aside four hours every week just to brainstorm new ideas or work on implementing ones already in the pipeline. It created an environment for innovative ideas to be brought to the table in a new way and people were excited to share their suggestions. He and Beth explore why failure isn't always bad, how to get your donors involved in organizational changes, and much more.

Do you know the difference between marketing strategy and marketing tactics? Erin Dunkel of RPM Communications joins this week's session to share her view and how nonprofits can better organize their goals—and what they need to do to meet them. She shares the first three strategic steps people should take when it comes to their current marketing tactics, the data points marketers can follow when it comes to developing strategies and tasks, and much more.

If your employees aren't ambassadors for your organization, how do you expect others to be? Mia Freis Quinn, vice president of communication Plastic Industry Association, joins this session to explore how to empower employees to be the champions of your cause. She and Beth discuss the organization's new microsite, how to use analytics to find out the answers your constituents are really searching for, how shareable graphics can make a huge difference for both employees and the public, and much more.

When you're in charge of doing just about everything related to communications and marketing for your organization, it may be easy to feel overwhelmed—but not if you can figure out a way to make it work for you and the organization. Stephen Barker wears a lot of hats in his roles as director of marketing communications at Marillac St. Vincent Family Services and communications co-chair of YNPN Chicago. He joins in to share his advice on how to stay organized when your to-do list feels like it's overflowing as well as what a nonprofit marketer needs today to be able to do an effective job, and much more.

Love it or hate it, technology has made a big impact on communication and relationships. Mark Mehling joins in this session to share his take on whether or not technology has made a positive impact. To him, technology and social media have been "killing relationships," but there are ways to fix that. He and Beth explore how nonprofits can use technology better, segmenting strategies that will yield better results and stronger relationships, what he calls "visual dissonance" and much more—including Star Wars.

David Rhode didn't set out with the intention of his organization, Pitch In For Baseball, to become known for its disaster relief efforts. However, the work they do in providing softball and baseball equipment to communities with kids in need hit a home run as the organization was founded right after Hurricane Katrina hit. David joins in this session to talk about how a sense of urgency can elevate the importance of an organization's mission and message, as well as attract a new audience. He and Beth discuss the organization's communications program, how Pitch In collaborates with larger organizations, and more.

When your company undergoes a big change—a CEO transition, for example—there are ways to ease your staff, volunteers and supporters through it smoothly. Cassie Dennis, director of agency Monday Loves You, joined this session to share tips and tactics for organizations experiencing such a shift and how to best equip everyone involved for the new chapter. She and Beth discuss what can cause a CEO transition, creating an effective transition plan, the best and "least destructive" approaches to announcing such a big change, and much more.

Empowering employees to be the best they can be reflects not just in their performance at work, but also in the way they present the work they do to the wider community. Tara Collins, director of communications and resource development for RUPCO, shares how RUPCO encourages its staff to become ambassadors for the organization. Through photos on social media and in e-newsletters, staff members are incentivized to connect with each other as well as their constituents to put a face to the organization—and have some fun. Tara shares tips and tactics to inspire employees to also become brand ambassadors.

Is it possible to add personality to your emails? Nate Adams certainly thinks so. However, he notes, there are ways to do it effectively and still keep your messaging sounding authentic. Nate, chair of communications for Young Involved Philadelphia, joins Beth to explore adding voice and vibrancy to email communications, training the next generation of leaders, why email is still valuable and ensuring your messaging appeals to the right audience while also relaying information.

When you're in charge of getting the word out about a global event, what should be your first steps? What tools should you use? Lizanne Pando served as director of communications for the 2015 World Meeting of Families during the papal visit in Philadelphia, and she joins in to discuss the role of social media in the endeavor. She and Beth explore how public relations and social media intersect, how to include more than one language in your communications, and much more.

This week, author Dorie Clark joins Driving Participation to talk about personal branding—on an individual level as well as for an organization. How does a leader's personal brand align with the impression of an organization as a whole? Can they be separated? Dorie and Beth dig into what personal branding actually means, how it can impact your reputation, and how—or if—your personal brand changes as you choose different career paths throughout your life.

Julia Campbell has two pillars to her content strategy, which she divulges to Beth on this session of Driving Participation. Julia, an author and nonprofit consultant, joins in to talk about the elements that make up a sustainable content strategy and how social media plays into it all. She shares the three things that you should be using your digital marketing for, how social media has "revolutionized" human communication, how to post more provocative content beyond just news and announcements, and much more.

Monica Montgomery wants to help liberate organizations from what she sees as limited thinking, which could be caused by any number of things. She should know a thing or two about creative thinking as the founding director of the Museum of Impact, which is a social justice museum that is completely mobile. She joins Beth to talk about the mentality of scarcity and how that translates to limitations in thinking, as well as how to create "irresistible" experiences for your audience and why you shouldn't be afraid to use the word "agenda."

When RoiAnn Phillips became the communications director for HealthConnect One, a newly created position, she had some questions to work out. Namely, what will that mean for the organization? What value will this role bring? She joins Beth to discuss her new position and how she got there, even with an unconventional background as a theater major. They explore the questions you should be asking yourself about your organization, misconceptions about what marketing means, and more.

Using a donor's first name on a donation receipt. Making the "donate" big and easy to find. These seemingly small changes can make a big difference in not just improving your organization's donor conversion rate but also the donor’s experience of giving to your cause. Abby Jarvis, contact director at Qgiv, joins this session to explore the small changes that lead to big results when it comes to donation pages. From website color schemes to the donation page itself, Abby shares how you can make the experience as simple and meaningful as possible for a potential donor.

How do you go about planning a virtual conference? Arianna Rehak brought together speakers and professionals for Surge, an entirely virtual summit spread over the course of a few days, that allowed attendees the chance to join in on educational sessions about topics they care about—without having to go anywhere. From the technology behind the summit (like prerecorded video sessions) to how she measured its success (such as feedback forms), she talks about the logistics of creating a free virtual summit and why the event goes beyond just being a list builder.

How do you go about planning a virtual conference? Arianna Rehak brought together speakers and professionals for Surge, an entirely virtual summit spread over the course of a few days, that allowed attendees the chance to join in on educational sessions about topics they care about—without having to go anywhere. From the technology behind the summit (like prerecorded video sessions) to how she measured its success (such as feedback forms), she talks about the logistics of creating a free virtual summit and why the event goes beyond just being a list builder.

When you know who is really coming to your events, it can change everything. Not just your message and marketing, but the event itself. After attending our Master Class on Audience Focus, Chris Blockus used what he learned to completely transform the "Girls' Night Out" event hosted by the Downtown Somerville Alliance—and participation jumped by 50%! Listen as Chris talks to Beth about how he applied the techniques he learned to create a great experience for the attendees, the vendors and the association. To hear about upcoming trainings text "MASTERCLASS" to 33444 or sign up at www.iriscreative.com

Are you using LinkedIn to its fullest? Mike Kirby, vice president of business partnerships at Within3, joins in to talk about how to use LinkedIn to its full potential. From advice about targeting potential connections and leveraging your contacts, Michael shares his favorite approaches to communicating on the social platform and the messaging that works. He and Beth explore the steps to take when making a LinkedIn connection, how to use LinkedIn for research and much more.

The concept of peer-to-peer is nothing new, but it has certainly changed over the years with the advent of technology. Dorene Ocamb, senior director of integrated marketing at MADD, joins this session to explore what peer-to-peer really is (it's simpler than you think) and how technology has offered new ways for constituents to engage with your organization and spread your mission. She describes what she sees as a "renaissance of participation" and how younger generations are changing the peer-to-peer game.

As we head into 2018, Beth wanted to know: What tactics or strategies are you letting go of? She gathered responses from past Driving Participation guests. From foregoing massive website launches to leaving phonathons in the past to changing up social media habits—maybe even letting go of Facebook altogether—listen in to hear what some in the community are leaving behind in the new year.

Mike Lenda has experience in both the for profit and nonprofit world through working previously in marketing at Starbucks and now mobilization at Compassion International. He joins in this week to share some practices he learned at Starbucks and how they could—and should—be applied to nonprofits. From staying true to your mission—know your story and know your why, Mike says—to making your audience feel like partners in your organization, Mike shares what Starbucks has learned that nonprofits can learn, too.

On the outside, Philadelphia's 30th Street Station is just a big train station. But for Sarah Davis, director of development for the city's University City District, it represents a connection to lifelong employment and exit from poverty in some cases, or the home of outdoor space The Porch, where West Philadelphians can connect over lunch from the food truck on-site. She joins this session to talk about how the 20-year-old organization revitalized an area of the city and the conversations the organization has held with their audience to find out what the University City District means to them.

Some organizations suffer from failure to see things as the donors themselves see it, notes Nick Ellinger on this week's session. Nick, vice president of marketing strategy for DonorVoice, joins in to talk about how to create a connection between development and communications, and why communications in nonprofits is often one-sided. He explains how you can get real, substantive feedback from donors—and then how to actually use it. Where can you improve in your messaging so donors feel a personal connection? He shares some key advice, such as be careful what you ask as well as how you ask.

Jill Knaggs knows the perception about manufacturing typically evokes a sort of dingy image. But she also knows the industry is anything but dingy. She joins this session to talk about a campaign she coordinated as communication and marketing manager for the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Manitoba to change perception and show people what the industry is — and how they already interact with it, from food processors to aerospace. She explains how the organization incorporated hijack marketing around Canada's 150th birthday celebration and employing external influencers to reach a new and potential audience who can become advocates for your cause.

As Jen Martindale will say, having a brand strategy in place just the starting line—not the finish line. She helped the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts undergo a total rebranding, which doesn't mean a new logo. As Chief of Marketing, she helped the organization reach a new audience in a way that worked for them and created an image and strategy that communicates who the YBCA is. She talks to Beth about the role arts and culture play in enacting change, why you should never try to replicate what another organization does, how to create trust when you're taking a big risk, and more.

Will Dennis wants people in leadership positions to come from a place of 'yes.' With a background in theater and improvisation, Will, manager of the Prep Fund at St. Joseph's Preparatory School, knows the notion of "yes" and taking a risk on an idea is paramount—and often pays off. He believes in the value of conversation in determining what drives people's participation with an organization and creating a real relationship. For those who want their organization to start taking more risks, he gives listeners who want start making a difference a two-part challenge and shares advice on how change starts from anywhere.

This week, Beth is back with the team from Chemical Heritage Foundation. This time, she talks with Shelley Wilks Geehr, director of the Roy Eddleman Institute, about the roles of social media and digital content for the museum. Shelley explores the various media assets of the organization, from its quarterly print (yes, print!) magazine to a podcast to weekly Twitter takeovers. She also explains the role of Wikipedia in their organization and how it has helped attract attention to the museum. They talk about the museum decides what content they create, the benefits of social media, and more.

When you start a new project—like a new exhibit at a museum—you might look at what other organizations are doing, and that can be a good thing. This session is all about collaboration—both internally and externally—as Elisabeth Berry Drago and Rebecca Ortenberg from the Chemical Heritage Foundation join in to talk about how the museum worked with other organizations as it developed its newest exhibit. They discuss how they worked to personalize the exhibit for museum-goers and how they looked to other organizations for help in creating that experience.

It's easy to think of branding as something superficial. But at its core, a brand is really just a relationship, as Cynthia Round explains on this week's session. A brand creates an inherently emotional connection that inspires loyalty and ongoing action. Why does your audience connect with your organization? Asking qualitative questions that seek to answer how people identify with a brand helped Cynthia in her work at organizations like United Way Worldwide and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She and Beth explore why brands are more important for nonprofits, why your audience matters and much more.

Amanda Kaiser, qualitative member researcher with Smooth the Path, has done more than 300 interviews with members of associations to understand their worries, challenges, problems and experiences with the association to determine why they do or don't engage. In doing so, she's learned a few lessons and tips that she shares in this week's session. She explains why the new member process is upside down. Early experiences with your association—whether it's the first webinar, the first interaction with a staff person or the first conference they went to—leave a longer lasting impression on new members than you might think.

Are you struggling to reach your audience through email? Spencer Brooks from Brooks Digital joins in this week to talk about how your emails can be of value to your subscribers. He talks about what it takes to get your emails into people's inboxes and how to avoid the spam filter. For those dealing with low click-rates and high unsubscribe rates, he provides tips on how to clean up your list so that you are getting the best results that you can. He and Beth explore combining social media with email, how to reach a large audience effectively and much more.

Anika Rahman has worked with such organizations as Rainforest Alliance, the Ms. Foundation, and the United Nations Population Fund. She joins this session to talk about the different facets of leadership, from how leadership is different for men and women to how leaders should deal with failure. She talks about the true role of a leader when it comes to creating inspiration and—most importantly—trust. She and Beth explore the differences between a vision and a mission, how a leader can build trust, what "leadership" actually means, and much more.

What makes a good leader? Sandy Rees jumps in this week to talk about getting into the mindset of being a good leader—especially if you don't see yourself as one at first. Leaders set the tone of the organization, and Sandy gives tips about how to buy into yourself as a leader. For those starting a new nonprofit, she talks about the importance of finding staff and volunteers who believe in the organization's mission as much as you do and are willing to put in the time and talent to get the organization off the ground.

Breast cancer. Cáncer de mama. Cancer du sein. This week on Driving Participation, Beth is joined by Janine Guglielmino and Myriam Siftar from Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC). They talk about a recent project they completed in which LBBC materials about breast cancer were translated into five other languages to better serve their audience and those who needed the information most. Guglielmino notes that this allows people to see themselves represented, which builds trust. They talk about communication guidelines, why a neutral message is not feasible, the difference between a regular translation project and doing a cultural assessment and more.

So a donor made a gift... Now what? Gail Perry from Fired Up Fundraising joins in to talk about the post-donation experience. What kind of communication should you use for this donor? What should your message be? How do you invite the donor in and build an emotional connection? Gail answers these questions and more. She discusses different communications strategies, how to put the "fun" in fundraising events, why nonprofits shouldn't be afraid of email, the benefits of a print newsletter and much more.

This week, consultant and speaker Hardy Smith joins in to share the best way to create not just a relationship, but a true collaboration. Real collaboration between people—or even between organizations—comes with many benefits. Collaboration helps vent out the issues at the root of a challenge and helps vent out the opportunities for creating solutions, he says. He shares where organizations go wrong with collaboration and the one element that makes a key difference. He and Beth explore internal and external collaboration and much more.

In this week's episode, Theresa Miller, chief engagement officer for Girls on the Run International, joins Beth to talk toolkits: how to create them and why they're helpful. Theresa talks about how the fundraising teams and marketing and communications teams join together to engage different audiences and work as a unit, resulting in a fundraising increase on International Women's Day by more than 300 percent! With toolkits complete with social media messages, graphics, fundraising appeals and more—plus a calendar to guide when to post — Theresa explains how the organization helps its state councils and supporters reach their audience in a way that works for them.

What is the difference between content and content marketing? How do you differentiate between an interim metric and what Beth calls a terminal metric? What about the difference between content and social media? Robert McGuire of McGuire Editorial Content Marketing Agency joins Driving Participation to answer these questions and more. He takes a deep dive into the world of content, particularly content-driven attraction and conversion. He and Beth explore micro conversions, lead magnets, and growth hacking among other terms and practices you can learn from to make your content strategy work.

How can you create content that effectively drives your message home? Sarah Gilman, director of the National Resource Center on Lupus at the Lupus Foundation of America, joins in to talk all about content. From developing a consistent, recognizable voice to repurposing and repetition, she explores key ideas to keep in mind when it comes to creating content—especially health content. Content strategy isn't a term necessarily used often when it comes to public health, but Sarah talks about its importance in her field and in the work she does. She and Beth explore the importance of creating a content guide to help you implement a consistent voice and tone, ways to repurpose your content, and more.

This week, Beth is taking what she's heard from podcast guests about the meaning of participation and turning it into concrete actions you can take. She outlines five shifts you can make on the path to participation. It's clear that participation can mean different things to different organizations, she says, but what everyone has in common in the need to inspire people to take the important actions you need for your organization to thrive. From creating a survey to get to know your audience better to making the simple change of swapping "we" for "you," Beth details ways you can get the right people to get involved.

How can you optimize your experience with LinkedIn to really create meaningful and personal connections with people? Donald Hale, interim vice chancellor for advancement at the University of South Carolina Upstate and assistant vice president for development for the University of South Carolina Main Campus, joins in to talk about how to take a virtual connection and make it a personal one. When you send that first message to join a network, you can personalize it beyond the general introduction. Donald gives examples about how to use LinkedIn to network in the most optimal way, such as when organizing local events to get the attention of the alumni who it applies to most. They talk about the importance of visual elements, active versus passive engagement, and more.

This week, Beth sits down with the team from the Drexel Fund, Drexel University's annual giving team. They talk about how they reach 133,000 alumni and how their methods have changed over the years to create more effective messaging depending on who they're trying to reach. One key tactic has been experimenting with segmented groups of their target audience to create more personalized messages with the incentive of donating and getting involved. Drawing inspiration from even something like a Rubik's cube, they talk about projects and ideas they have to make their appeals fun, engaging and personalized.

Whether your first introduction to MailChimp was on Serial (remember Mail Kimp?) or you use it regularly for your organization, this week is all about taking a page from their book to learn how you can use visual elements in your marketing and communication—without veering off-brand. For everything from annual reports to public health messages, Beth shares tips on how to use visuals to share information and tell a compelling story that is in line with your organization's personality.

Jeff DeCagna, executive advisor of Foresight First, joins in to talk with Beth about recognizing the duty of foresight and using it to build resilience. Of course, he doesn't mean predicting the future but rather the ability or the choice to look forward. He explains how embracing the idea of foresight can lead to building resilience and help manage risks. They explore the idea of emphasizing governing over governance and how to encourage the people you're working with to see governing as an active process. DeCagna also discusses the difference between being a volunteer and being a voluntary contributor, and much more.

Reflect on Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and how it can inspire you to effect change in your own community this week on Driving Participation. How did the movement to get involved in community service in his honor begin? Beth takes a look at the holiday's history and the lessons you can learn from MLK Day for your own work. Revisit past episodes to hear how the work other Driving Participation guests do can inspire you, too!

Learn the magic of Google this week with digital marketing consultant Claudia Pennington. She joins in to share the secrets to getting the right people to your website — and then staying there. From keywords to the structure of the site itself, Claudia and Beth explore the mindset of a searcher and what you can do to fill those needs. She names her top priorities when assessing a website as well as the two trends she thinks will color marketing communications for the next couple of years. Listen in for SEO secrets and more.

It sounds like a simple question, but there isn't a simple answer: Why does membership matter? This week, Diane Ward, president of Membership Matters, joins in to share the ins and outs of membership programs, from data collection to evaluating who your members are. Within her work experience, she has learned how people "move in, move up and move out of membership programs." Members vote with their feet and wallets, she says, so she takes a look at why it's important to look beyond factors such as revenue and expense equations and focus on what members do for your organization.

New Year always feels like a fresh start with a clean slate. It’s a great time to look both forward and back. Last year we did a show (ep. 85) about looking forward and setting your marketing resolutions for the year ahead. This year Beth invited our past guests to look back at what they did over the year that helped them grow. In this episode, learn what fifteen of our consultant and nonprofit guests did differently -- and really worked. Listen in and get inspired to set your own intentions for what’s next.

This week, Beth shares some tips to start planning your communications ahead for next year as 2016 draws to a close. Now's the time to map out a communications strategy that will keep your audience engaged the whole year through, she says. In this episode, take a look at what your year can and should look like. Engaging your audience year-round requires communication, and for most people, that means email. Instead of worrying about sending too many emails, map out the peaks and valleys of your communication. Beth shares six ways to fill the valleys in your communication so that downtime doesn’t become dead time.

Everyone has to start somewhere. That's what Dawn Owens learned when she moved down South to Cullman, Alabama, and started a nonprofit, the Link of Cullman County, after seeing a need for it in her new community. Through talking to one person who led her to more community connections, Dawn got the ball rolling for her organization and built the momentum needed to help it grow. Four years later, she joins Driving Participation to talk about how she got that momentum started and kept it sustained. She talks about a grant contest the Link entered and how she used Facebook Live to create interest and engagement around the project—even interest from those who hadn't had any interaction with the organization before.

How do you teach an 800-year-old organization to use social media? This week on Driving Participation, Bill Skowronski, director of marketing for the Central Dominican Friars and founder of Constellation, joins in to talk about how he has helped an old organization see the benefits of using new media. For Skowronski, it comes down to strategy. Implementing a weekly video series, Skowronski has helped the Dominican Friars gain a larger following on social media and embrace tools they hadn't used before. He and Beth talk about creating content that appeals to a very specific audience and thinking about the services you offer in terms of what the world needs from your organization.

Jeff Miles has used his background in sales and marketing to find new approaches in fundraising as development and marketing director of the Keystone Opportunity Center. He joins Beth to talk about how he has been able to target Keystone's core audience. Armed with that information, he has been able to share stories and statistics and create tailor-made campaigns that appeal directly to them. He shares how you can sharpen your focus on the audience that will care the most. They discuss creating "gateway points" for the community to get involved and more.

Google Analytics may tell you you have an 80% bounce rate. Before you freak out, Yesenia Sotelo is here to assure you that's totally normal. She joins Driving Participation to discuss how Google Analytics works (and where statistics like an 80% bounce rate come from) and why it isn't something you should be afraid to learn how to use. She explains why using Google Analytics actually gives you more room to experiment and try new things as far as how you reach people—and then how to determine what worked or didn't work. She and Beth discuss the six terms Yesenia teaches about Google Analytics, how to use it for your email newsletters and more.

When you give a donation to an organization that actually works in another continent, how can you be sure you're even making a difference? Candi Summers is here to tell you you are making a difference. She's seen it and she can show you, too. Through her work with Bestwa, donors are able to help feed children in Liberia and Candi has found ways to show donors that they really are making a difference—especially new donors. Through personalized, handwritten thank-you notes to shout outs on her Facebook page, she makes it a point to truly welcome new donors into the Bestwa family.

In any kind of business, there will be changes as time goes on. Although as Barbara Trautlein and Beth discover, the more things change the more they stay the same. But Barbara has seen plenty of change and adaptation occur in her field. Sometimes the biggest change can be yourself. How can you identify your own leadership skills to make you an even more effective change leader? Barbara explains her three styles of leading change and how you can identify them. They also explore why people resist change—and why they shouldn't.

Back when Beth and Donnie Brake first met, they talked about the possibility of a redesign for Brake's school Coram Deo Academy. Now, the redesign is done and the effects of the transition are starting to show. Brake, director of development at Coram Deo, discusses the change from being a website that purely provided information to a destination for prospective parents and students that makes them want to learn more and engage with the school. They explore how to create an effective website that will encourage action—not just provide information.

Have you started thinking about your year-end giving campaign? If not, don't worry, Andrew Rothman from Blue State Digital joins in to share some tips as far as getting ready for year-end giving. By dividing up the year into four quarters, he breaks down what exactly you should be doing in each quarter to ensure a successful year-end giving campaign that optimizes all of your communications. Whether through email or direct mail, there are ways to connect with your donors (and potential new ones) in ways that truly speak to them.

What's the word with WordPress? Andy Stitt from Deliberate Media Solutions joins in this week to talk about the popular content management system and how it's grown in the last few years. He and Beth explore how the site has evolved from a blogging platform to a tool nonprofits should consider for building their website. How do you know if it's the right platform for you? They discuss plugins, incorporating themes, and why with web, you should always assume something will go wrong (and how to be prepared when it does).

Think conferences are always boring? Think again. Adrian Segar joins Driving Participation to talk about how he has revolutionized the concept of conferences to make them interesting and most importantly, engaging. With that, he and Beth also discuss the distinction and intersection between "participation" and "engagement." What is the difference? How are they connected? He explores how the rise of online content has changed the nature of events and why the "traditional meeting" has become obsolete.

Transitions in any part of life can be hard—especially when you're undergoing transitions in a national organization with local chapters. Laura Marx, president and CEO of United Way of North Carolina, joins in this week to talk about the changes United Way has made and how its regional chapters around the country are affected. One challenge Marx has tackled since she started is working with her staff to identify the audience they’re trying to reach. She and Beth explore how United Way has spread its new message throughout the organization and where its focus has been in its branding efforts.

Annual reports can seem like a boring or tedious task—but Marlene Oliveira is here to tell you that it definitely isn't. With a background in copywriting and communications consulting, Marlene has done her fair share of reports, and she shares a few tips and tricks to help you make annual reports meaningful and creative. She and Beth discuss the role of a "persona" and how it can serve as a reminder that there is a person you're trying to reach.

Pamela Hawley has always wanted to make a difference in the world. When she founded UniversalGiving, it was one way to achieve her dreams and give others the opportunity to volunteer around the world. This week, Pamela joins Beth to talk about creating consistency when it comes to messaging about your organization. It’s important to keep pushing forward as far as communicating via different platforms, but you should also be able to maintain your brand and your identity in the process and she shares three tips to help.

Vanessa Chase Lockshin knows a thing or two about storytelling. This week, she's back on Driving Participation to discuss how to use storytelling to really find your audience and connect in ways that are meaningful and impactful. She and Beth explore how to create the most effective way to communicate with your ideal audience and donor base that will get them excited, inspired and engaged.

Branding. A word that you probably hear all the time but might not really understand. Connie McCaw joins in this week to how your brand translates into someone else’s experience. A brand isn't just a logo, it's a culture. Connie and Beth explore how to tell when your organization needs to work on its brand, what people get wrong most often in thinking about what branding means and more.

What are the first steps you take to creating more sustainability for your organization? Where do people get stuck most when making themselves sustainable? Sandy Rees of Get Fully Funded joins in this week to answer that question and more. She explores creating long-lasting and meaningful relationships with your donors and gives a preview of her upcoming conference, the Inspired Fundraising Retreat.

If you got a grant for marketing, what would you do first, and how would it make a difference in your capacity to do your work? That’s what Beth wants to know. In honor of her 50th birthday, she set out to get 50 responses from all different nonprofits and organizations to find out the answer. As the answers poured in, a theme emerged: a clear understanding among nonprofit marketers that you need both a strategy and execution. She explores how a grant would help in areas like branding, research and strategy, increasing awareness and much more.

You probably use some form of social media, whether for personal use or for your organization. Janet Fouts joins the show to explore how mindfulness when it's applied to social media is different than just "doing" social media. Janet, CEO of Tatu Digital Marketing, talks about how just scheduling automated posts without followup engagement can sometimes be detrimental to really letting your followers get to know you as not just a brand but a person. They want to know they're dealing with a real human being. Janet reminds listeners there are ways to take a mindful approach to social media while still being efficient and practical.

Annual Appeal season may seem far away but it will be here before you are ready. What do the most successful campaigns have in common? Planning. It may seem early but planning now will increase the impact of your efforts. Mary Elizabeth Entwistle of The Gift Development Group joins Beth to talk about what you can do when you plan ahead. They discuss creating an integrated campaign and how to use direct mail, email and social together. Each of these plays a different role and Mary Elizabeth shares how to incorporate your theme and pace your communications to have the most impact. This Episode of Driving Participation is sponsored by Nonprofit Toolkit. Get templates for design and planning your annual appeal at www.nonprofittoolkit.net

This week, Kerri Karvetski of Company K Media joined Driving Participation to discuss newsjacking - the process of leveraging trending news to elevate your brand’s message. As a nonprofit organization, newsjacking is a quick and easy way to produce content that is customer-focused, while establishing credibility in your industry. When done well, it can result in a surge of traffic, while increasing engagement, brand awareness and recall.

Few people would question the powerful impact of a strong, engaging brand within an organization. But how exactly do you implement an internal communication strategy that aligns your supporters and employees in support of your brand's promise? This week, Jennifer GoodSmith, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at The Morton Arboretum, joined Driving Participation to talk branding. Jennifer discusses building your brand from the inside out- focusing on internal as well as external branding.

This week Beth answers the biggest questions and misconceptions about branding. This time we flip the conversation and discuss what branding isn't. She talks about the role of design in communications and where research fits in to a branding process. This Episode of Driving Participation is sponsored by Nonprofit Toolkit. The Build Your Brand Course Summer session is enrolling now. The course closes Friday July 22. To join visit www.nonprofittoolkit.net/bybc-live

Do you know that your organization is special but struggle with communicating it in a way that attracts the support you need? Branding is a powerful tool that can change the trajectory of your organization. When done well, it can transform how you find and connect with your community. This week, Beth tackles the basics in building your foundation. If you have ever thought your organization needed branding but were not quite sure exactly how to get there, this episode is for you.

How can organizations and nonprofits align their information to meet the needs of donors, volunteers and supporters? Understanding your audience is a fundamental key to success, whether you're seeking to attract, inspire, engage or motivate supporters to take an action. Successful messages anticipate and meet the audience's needs. This week, Greg Koch, Director of Education and Volunteer Services at Zoo Miami joined Beth, to discuss tailoring your organization's messages for success.

One of the most effective ways to communicate your story and mission statement as a nonprofit, is through a blog. Blogs enable you to "tell the story" of your brand over and over again, connecting individuals to your cause and inspiring them to support your organization. This week, Laura Norvig, Digital strategist at ETR, joined Driving Participation to discuss how to build your brand through blogging.

Great storytelling has the power to prompt action, while creating meaningful connections with donors, funders, and supporters. How can nonprofits develop a sustainable system for collecting and these sharing stories? This week, Lynn Fitch, Development Director at Growing Gardens joined Driving Participation to discuss best practices for nonprofit storytelling, and channels for distributing and re-purposing that content.

At its best, marketing automation exists with the goal of growing your database and keeping your audience engaged. This software is designed to help you prioritize and execute your marketing tasks in a more streamlined and efficient way. Many organizations are starting to welcome email autoresponders and marketing automation systems to deliver highly-targeted, personalized messages. This week, Joe Moran, Chief Creative Officer at True Colors Fund joined Driving Participation to discuss the tricks and tools to start an automated marketing campaign.

Thinking like a designer can transform the way organizations develop and approach products, services, and strategy. If you want to make your organization more innovative, creative and member-focused, it starts with a set of principles known as design thinking. Design thinking offers a structured framework that helps associations evaluate ideas and move projects forward. This week, Garth Jordan and Keith Chamberlain, Co-founders of RevvCrew, joined Driving Participation. Keith and Garth discuss how to improve internal organization and team culture through design thinking.

While nearly all nonprofits engage in some form of online marketing, an increasing number are using social media to raise awareness and increase donor retention through online campaigns. When successful, these online campaigns provide an avenue to tell your story, engage with supporters and get results. This week, Debra Askanase, founder and digital strategist of Community Organizer 2.0 joined Driving Participation to explore what it takes to design and execute a successful online campaign.

Stories are the basic building blocks for reaching our goals. They have the power to attract donors, win support and raise money. Yet effective storytelling is still one of the biggest challenges facing nonprofits and organizations. To better understand these challenges, Nation Hahn, Chief Growth Officer at EdNC, joined Beth to discuss the basics of storytelling, and how to implement stories that engage communities.

To have a high-functioning organization, it is critical that all members, donors, volunteers, partners, and staff understand what value they provide a community and what change they exist to create. This week, David Rhode, Founder and the Executive Director of Pitch In For Baseball, joined Driving Participation to explore how to build a foundation for long-term success. Pitch In For Baseball, is an organization that works to provide baseball equipment to children around the world. As an executive director, it is critically important for David to mobilize and engage with volunteers, nonprofits, business and government agencies. Building awareness and support is essential to creating a culture of philanthropy at Pitch in for Baseball.

It's no secret that the traditional website redesign process is broken. One of the biggest mistakes is jumping into execution before understanding the needs of your visitors, customers and prospects. This week, Margaux O'Malley joined Driving Participation to discuss implementing a customer-centric approach in the website redesign process. For Margaux, principal of Grand Junction Design, creating a valuable, optimized site starts with careful research, discussion and measurement. Beth and Margaux explore building a website that invites participation, as well as the top platforms for web redesign.

Nonprofits, government agencies, schools and associations all seek to create a feeling of community that inspires action. If your organization can successfully build long-term relationships with volunteers, you have a higher chance of retaining members and keeping them involved. This week, Sarah Hemminger, joined Driving Participation to discuss volunteer engagement. Sara is CEO and co-founder of Thread, an organization committed to improving  the academic advancement and personal growth of underperforming high school students. In the process, Thread weaves a social fabric, creating a community of students, university and community-based volunteers, and collaborators.

To engage volunteers, it is necessary to understand their motivations. What are the underlying factors that drive individuals to dedicate their time, experience and skills? Understanding why people volunteer makes it easier to find supporters, organize their work, and recognize their contributions. This week, Tobi Johnson, Chief Engagement Officer at VolunteerPro, joined Driving Participation to explore what pushes individuals to get involved. Beth and Tobi discuss the volunteer journey, and what organizations can do inspire volunteers to continue serving.