How to Market Your Nonprofit

In this episode, Lee talks with Shelly Willis, Executive Director of Family Education and Support Services (FESS). For over 25 years, FESS has strengthened families through parenting support, trauma-informed care, and community resources to help kids thrive. Shelly tells her story and shares practical strategies that every nonprofit leader can use to grow their organization, engage supporters, and...

In this episode, Lee Wochner sits down with Will Hedrick, founder of MyCharity , an innovative donation platform aiming to make fundraising easier and more accessible. Launched in 2022, MyCharity is reimagining the donation experience by pooling donor contributions and providing transparent impact reports that include photos, videos, and even GPS coordinates.     Will explains why his 100% donatio...

“Being a visionary … is learning how to see the mountains ahead — waking up each day and focusing on the steps you can take to get there.” – Rebecca Van Bergen, Nest    In this episode, Lee Wochner sits down with Rebecca Van Bergen, founder and executive director of Nest, to explore how small, intentional steps can lead to transformative change. Rebecca shares her strategies for driving impact in...

In this episode, audience whisperer and social media strategist Jaclyn Uloth shares insights on how nonprofits can up their social media game. Whether you're looking to boost donations, engage volunteers, or grow awareness, Jaclyn breaks down essential tips that every nonprofit leader needs to hear.   What’s the #1 thing you need to know about your audience before creating content? Spoiler: It’s a...

Maria "Alex" Alexander is an inspiration.    As Executive Director of the Center for Living and Learning, Alex draws on personal experience to empower individuals who face barriers to employment and reintegration — challenges she knows all too well.    In this compelling episode, Alex opens up about her remarkable journey from homelessness and incarceration to leading a thriving nonprofi...

In this episode, Scott Mason joins Lee to talk about how his team at Rose Brooks Center uses innovative fundraising strategies — blending traditional and modern approaches — to support their life-saving services for domestic violence survivors.   Here’s what they do:   Direct mail as educational outreach : Rose Brooks Center enhances its direct mail by including essential resources like safety pla...

Host Lee Wochner sits down with Angela Landsberg, Executive Director of the San Diego County Dental Society, for an insightful conversation on the vital role of community involvement and collaboration in nonprofit success.     Angela's journey from local politics to nonprofit leadership shaped her approach to using community engagement to create impactful change. In this episode, Angela shares...

We’re always scouting for people making the world a better place. Bobby Click is one of those people. In this powerful episode, Lee joins Bobby, the dynamic executive director of Safe Sport Matters, to tackle one of the most critical issues facing youth sports today: abuse prevention. Drawing from his background as a public defender and seasoned investigator, Bobby brings expert knowledge and show...

It’s Counterintuity’s 18th anniversary! To celebrate, we're taking a look back and tackling frequently asked nonprofit marketing questions in a special episode of That's What C! Said. In this must-listen episode, you'll discover: How can I execute digital marketing on a tight budget? Learn how to create a strategic roadmap that aligns every marketing initiative with your core objective...

In this enlightening episode, Lee sits down with Wendy White, CEO of Face It Together, to discuss a pioneering approach to fighting addiction that's reshaping how restorative support and care are provided. Is it time we rethink how to approach client interactions, community integration, and personalized support?   Whether you're dealing with education, mental health, homelessness, or more,...

Every nonprofit has a story, one that can awaken widespread support throughout its communities.   Communications experts Beverly Durham and Lee Wochner discuss how public relations in the modern age helps organizations connect directly with a variety of audiences (not just the media), including internal stakeholders, elected officials, and the people they serve.   In this episode, learn how modern...

Is your nonprofit leveraging its real estate effectively? Lee Wochner and real estate expert Barry Burnett explore the intricate dynamics behind successful real estate management for nonprofits. This episode reveals when it's beneficial for nonprofits to hold onto property and when it's strategically advantageous to divest. Discover the nuanced relationships between real estate management...

In this episode, Lee is joined by Paul Jan Zdunek. The two recount critical aspects of executing a successful organizational turnaround for the Pasadena Symphony and Pops. Zdunek’s strategic prowess and Counterintuity’s innovative marketing reinvigorated the Symphony's brand and connection with the community. Facing your own crisis? Strategic crisis management can offer a lifeline. Understand...

Now is the time to kick-start your end-of-year fundraising efforts. You read that right. March might seem way too early, but with nonprofits generating up to 30% of their annual revenue in December alone, planning ahead is not just wise — it's essential. In this episode, Lee Wochner shares invaluable insights and practical steps to ensure your campaign moves potential donors and thrives in a m...

A special two-part episode PART I Strategic advice (and how to embrace it when you really don’t want to) The expert advice you just got will shake things up. But the idea of acting on it is daunting. In this special episode with David McGraw, the dynamic CEO of Oyova, we take an all too familiar journey into strategic advice — and the courage it takes to embrace it.   PART II Find your edge: creat...

Michael Brosowski has rescued more than 20,000 children from human trafficking and the danger of living on the streets. And as you would imagine, it hasn’t been easy. This is an episode you just can’t miss. Lee Wochner talks with Michael, the visionary behind Blue Dragon Children's Foundation. Their conversation is a treasure trove for nonprofit executives, packed with strategies on overcoming...

Do you feel like your message gets lost in the noise? Struggling to engage with donors and volunteers effectively? It's time to awaken your brand's story. With insights from branding luminaries Lee Wochner and Peter Wilken, the author of "Dim Sum Strategy," this podcast episode is your guide to overcoming these hurdles and transforming your nonprofit. Wochner and Wilken, conceptu...

Feeling the weight of your mission? Let Liz Bloomfield lift your spirits. In our latest podcast, this former British Army officer and nonprofit virtuoso shares her blueprint for thriving in the face of global challenges. As the driving force behind Ripple Effect Images, Liz amplifies stories of empowerment and hope. Beyond that, she coaches leaders like you to transform exhaustion into action and...

In Fiscal Year 2021-22, public defenders reported that they were appointed to 521,377 cases (including re-opened cases) representing 431,519 clients. By one recent estimate, public defenders were appointed to over 520,000 cases in the United States, representing more than 400,000 clients. For many of these clients, those public defenders are potentially all that stands between them and prison. Now...

How do you know if your marketing plan is making progress? Numbers. Numbers. Numbers. Unlike creativity – which is rooted in subjectivity – numbers are embedded in objectivity. You can’t dispute them. The question is, which numbers paint an accurate picture of marketing performance? The answer is RELER – reach, engagement, leads, exits, and revenue. Reach – The total number of people you’re reachi...

Vision? Check. Branding and voice? Check. Marketing strategy? Check. But... what about budget? If you've been following planning series for 2024, you've set a goal, created strategies and tactics to get there, and planned each step. Now what’s your capacity to tackle these projects? Do you have enough people power? What are the costs of execution? In this episode of C! Says, Lee Wochner hi...

You have your vision. Your brand. Your voice. Your strategy. What's next? Marketing. Now that you've identified your starting point and destination, it's time to chart the path between them. Map out the steps you need to take, key landmarks for progress, and the necessary stops for recalibration along the way. What social media platforms should you use? Mobile or desktop? Do people sti...

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." These wise words by former Beatle, George Harrison, apply to life... and nonprofit marketing. Without a plan, your organization might be found wandering a lonely road, directionless.   In this episode, Counterintuity’s CEO, Lee Wochner, lays out the roadmap for creating a marketing plan for your organization, a...

Bruce Dundore, former creative director for Jaguar Land Rover and partner in the branding agency Fundamental Group, shares strategies for how to change people’s minds. He should know, with years of conceptualizing and developing notable campaigns and messages refuting Big Tobacco, extolling the benefits of early childhood learning, and addressing other issues in the public sector, with nonprofits,...

Josh Weltman is a madman, an advertising guy who served as the advertising guy as co-producer on the show Mad Men during its seven seasons. What qualified for him doing this were decades of creative advertising work for clients such as Carl's Jr., Teleflora, Whole Foods, BMW, and Doritos. What makes him mad now though, is the bad advertising being done by the Democrats, especially when he thin...