Google Analytics is getting a HUGE facelift to GA4 on July 1st and today, we’re breaking down everything you need to know so you’re prepared for all of the changes. I promise it’ll be well worth the effort.

Caroline Griffin is a marketer on a mission and truly my partner in crime when it comes to digital marketing. You’ll hear what you need to do right now, how this new shift to GA4 can tell you even more about your donors, and why it’s essential to take action on this now. This is going to be a super tactical episode and very noteworthy!

If you’re interested in hiring Caroline to configure GA4 for your organization, click here to fill out her inquiry form.

In This Episode:

• The massive changes coming to Google Analytics on July 1st, and how this pivot means we can better model data and track people’s actions as they move through our website
• How to get GA4 set up properly, beginning with the first step of adding a snippet of code to your website using Google Tag Manager
• What nonprofits can expect to invest in getting their GA4 properly set up by an expert (plus, DIY options including a free certification program)
• How GA4 can help you connect the dots to see where people are dropping off in your supporter journey and which pages they spend time on before making a gift

Resources & Links

Learn more about Caroline on her website, Marketer on a Mission or find her on LinkedIn. If you’re interested in Caroline’s GA4 configuration services, fill out her inquiry form.

What inspires website visitors to invest in your mission? Are you providing donors with a desirable online journey that keeps them coming back? Join my virtual session at the DonorPerfect Community Conference. I’ll see you on June 6th and 7th!

Applications for my Monthly Giving Mastermind program are now open. If you have been wanting to start a monthly giving program but haven’t had the time or the team to make it happen, this is for you. We start in July, so apply now!

Want to make Missions to Movements even better? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram. Be sure to tag @positivequation so I can connect with you. 

Already have a monthly giving program? The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind starts in January and is just for you.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

Let's Connect!

• Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!
• My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
• Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

Marketing can be a very misunderstood word, but hands down, it’s a necessity if you want to create a consistent stream of lifelong donors and supporters. Do you have a strong creative strategy? Have you gotten stuck committing the dreaded “random acts of marketing”?

Today’s guest is Vik Harris, the co-creator of charity: water, a self-proclaimed marketing and branding nerd, and a nonprofit coach who helps organizations hone their leadership, marketing, and fundraising skills.

We’re about to go behind the feed and dive into some of her most provocative and powerful marketing strategies so you can walk away with tangible tips around conversions, messaging, and how to captivate someone’s “lizard brain”.

In This Episode:

• The dangers of committing “random acts of marketing” and why charity: water intentionally plans their content 12-16 months in advance
• Vik breaks down her 3-part marketing engine, consisting of captivate, convert, and keep. Our job is to appeal to the LAZIEST person who doesn’t have time to learn about your nonprofit
• How an incredible opportunity with Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City helped charity: water capture attention with something novel and different
• Why conversion is all about simplicity, taking away friction and countering objections, plus how to ascend donors up the “donor mountain”
• The importance of finding a home in your marketing messaging for joy and lightness, no matter how deep, serious, or dark your cause is

Resources & Links

Learn more about Vik on her website Mission Critical and follow her on Instagram at @vikharrison. You can also join the waitlist for her course, Critical Mass, so you can learn how to master modern marketing for your rising nonprofit.

What inspires website visitors to invest in your mission? Are you providing donors with a desirable online journey that keeps them coming back? Join my virtual session at the DonorPerfect Community Conference. I’ll see you on June 6th and 7th!

Applications for my Monthly Giving Mastermind program are now open. If you have been wanting to start a monthly giving program but haven’t had the time or the team to make it happen, this is for you. We start in July, so apply now!

Want to make Missions to Movements even better? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram. Be sure to tag @positivequation so I can connect with you.

Already have a monthly giving program? The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind starts in January and is just for you.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

Let's Connect!

• Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!
• My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
• Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

Kimberly Bryant started a movement out of a passion project. Black Girls Code has scaled significantly over the years and now has over 15 chapters across the United States and DREAM partnerships with brands like Google, TikTok, Verizon, the NBA, and Capital One.

This inspiring conversation touches on so many pillars of growing a nonprofit organization from the ground up. You’ll hear Kimberly’s “founder’s story”, her obsession with building their brand and making it pop, and how she scored all of those incredible brand partnerships for the long-haul.

Plus, Kimberly shares the new trailblazing venture she’s creating with Black Innovation Lab, a space to help marginalized founders and entrepreneurs build pathways to financial freedom and ownership.

In This Episode:

• How the power of story, authenticity, and vulnerability helped Kimberly expand Black Girls Code so rapidly in the early days
• Kimberly’s scrappy approach to creating their digital footprint, from leveraging volunteers and stock images, to pro-bono support
• The first role Kimberly hired within marketing and how she remained flexible to move people within the organization, especially if it was a better match for their talents and passions
• How Kimberly secured a multimillion dollar grant from Google to fund their New York headquarters (and how she ensures partnerships aren’t just “one and done”)
• The moment where Kimberly saw an article on Twitter, which inspired her to turn an abandoned, historically Black college, into what will become the Black Innovation Lab

Resources & Links

Learn more about Black Girls Code and follow Kimberly on Twitter and Instagram at @6gems. You can follow ASCEND Ventures Tech on LinkedIn to learn more about the Black Innovation Lab.

What inspires website visitors to invest in your mission? Are you providing donors with a desirable online journey that keeps them coming back? Join my virtual session at the DonorPerfect Community Conference. I’ll see you on June 6th and 7th!

Applications for my Monthly Giving Mastermind program are now open. If you have been wanting to start a monthly giving program but haven’t had the time or the team to make it happen, this is for you. We start in July, so apply now!

Want to make Missions to Movements even better? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram. Be sure to tag @posit

Already have a monthly giving program? The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind starts in January and is just for you.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

Let's Connect!

• Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!
• My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
• Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

“No lever influences people more consistently than culture.”

Marcus Collins is the author behind a new book that I’m absolutely obsessed with, called For the Culture, and he’s also the Chief Strategy Officer at Wieden+Kennedy, a global advertising agency best known for their work with mega brands like Nike and Budweiser.

We’re digging into all things culture today - starting with the premise of understanding culture and its influence on marketing, shared beliefs, the “identity marks” of branding, and how consumption becomes a proxy for culture.

This conversation is SO good and I can’t wait for you to tune in.

00:02:29 Culture is a powerful connection.
00:10:21 Culture is the cheat code.
00:13:59 Find connection through identity.
00:20:23 Believers, not fans.
00:24:59 Believe, then sell.
00:30:25 Spread the culture gospel.
00:31:36 Digital transformation is possible.

In This Episode:

• How Budweisier cemented themselves as a cultural product through their marketing communications and commercials
• Patagonia’s conviction and beliefs that have led to their ultimate success, plus, hear about one of their infamous Black Friday campaigns
• Why our purchase of branded products tells the world who we are and translates to finding community 
• How Nike put a stake in the ground around a cultural moment, causing a 6 billion dollar market increase for their brand after it happened (!)
• Marcus breaks down a beautiful and simple framework - get ready to write this down and iterate on it
• The tremendous amount of empathy and curiosity that are required to “find your people”

Resources & Links

What inspires website visitors to invest in your mission? Are you providing donors with a desirable online journey that keeps them coming back? Join my virtual session at the DonorPerfect Community Conference. I’ll see you on June 6th and 7th!

Applications for my Monthly Giving Mastermind program are now open. If you have been wanting to start a monthly giving program but haven’t had the time or the team to make it happen, this is for you. We start in July, so apply now!

Connect with Marcus on his website and on all the social media platforms at @marctothec. Be sure to check out his new book,

Already have a monthly giving program? The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind starts in January and is just for you.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

Let's Connect!

• Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!
• My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
• Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

Have you ever found yourself nervous or vulnerable around making an ask to a major donor?

Today’s topic is all about fundraising - from creating high-converting email asks, to leveraging marketing in your post-gift strategy, and how to use “funder mapping” and “asset mapping” techniques. We also dig into activating empathy, connection, belonging and identity in relationship to our donors.

Mallory Erickson is a business bestie of mine and an incredible fundraising consultant who helps nonprofits raise more from the right funders. As Mallory says, “Great fundraising is not an ask - it’s an offer!”

In This Episode:

• How to navigate awkward and sometimes anxiety-inducing fundraising conversations, and making it more about what you and this person can build together
• Why talking about fundraising doesn’t need to feel “transactional” - it’s important to reframe that you’re asking for more money so you can create a bigger impact 
• Building trust with your donors by being open and honest about the numbers - all too often, organizations are downgrading their donors
• Putting a Donate button at the bottom of your email is not making an ask - use storytelling and segment your messaging to specific donor personalities and identities
• Marketing and fundraising need to work together cohesively, especially after a donor’s first gift
• Why we need to take care of our nervous system and fundraiser wellness while fundraising. We can’t raise money from an activated, stressed out, and overwhelmed state and actually see the results we want

Resources & Links

Connect with Mallory on her website, watch her free webinar, and learn more about her Power Partners Formula. Follow her on LinkedIn or on Instagram at _malloryerickson. Mallory also hosts a podcast, What the Fundraising.

Spend less time posting manually and use Later for all your social media management and analytics needs! Start with a FREE account today.

What if you could grow your email list with passionate supporters ready to rally behind your mission? My bestselling course, Grow Your Supporter List, is on sale for 20% off, just for podcast listeners. Enter code PODCAST at checkout and learn how to launch two social media ad lead generation campaigns in an hour! This offer is valid through April 30, 2023.

Want to make Missions to Movements even better? Take a screenshot of thi

Already have a monthly giving program? The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind starts in January and is just for you.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

Let's Connect!

• Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!
• My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
• Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

Your branding is living and breathing ALL the time. No matter the stage you’re in, there’s always something you can be massaging.

Today’s episode features one of my favorite humans - Lauren Atherton, founder and creative director of HeartSpark Design. She’s also the website designer for my monthly giving mastermind program and is a whiz at all things design and branding.

According to Lauren, the magic of going through a rebranding process is that it helps nonprofits better understand themselves, who they are, what they do, and how to communicate with confidence.

Has your organization changed since your last rebrand? Have new donors plateaued? Are you feeling embarrassed about your website design or your copy? It’s time to bring it all back into alignment, and this value-packed conversation will inspire you to do just that!

In This Episode:

• How to know when your organization is in need of a rebrand (for example: when people in your organization don’t have a clear idea of what you do!)
• What constitutes a brand beyond logo fonts and colors, and what a rebranding might actually involve (think website refresh, messaging work, and a more consistent brand style/identity)
• The importance of connection and curiosity-building in your branding. How does your audience feel about your cause? How does your nonprofit alleviate/solve that problem?
• How one rebranding project with Children Striving Together helped the nonprofit acquire a grant with Nike and improve website analytics
• What to consider in a website assessment (goals of the site, first impressions, navigation/structural system, etc.) and Lauren’s favorite content management systems
• The Matchbox Method, designed by Lauren, which is one of the first branding courses of its kind meant to teach practical, tangible branding strategies for nonprofits

Resources & Links

You can follow Lauren and her work on her website and on Instagram. Be sure to check out the Matchbox Method, one of the first branding courses of its kind, which launches in May.

Spend less time posting manually and use Later for all your social media management and analytics needs! Start with a FREE account today.

What if you could grow your email list with passionate supporters ready to rally behind your mission? My bestselling course, Grow Your Supporter List, is on sa

Already have a monthly giving program? The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind starts in January and is just for you.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

Let's Connect!

• Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!
• My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
• Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

I read Good is the New Cool: Market Like You Give a Damn by Afdhel Aziz five years ago. And let me tell ya - reading his book lit a FIRE inside of me to work for purpose-driven organizations full-time.

Afdhel joins us on today’s show to talk about how more and more people are looking for purpose in their work – and how more and more companies are adding meaning to their missions. In fact, purpose-driven consumers will even pay a 35% price premium on a product, “voting” with their wallets AND their values. You’ll hear how to win over these conscious consumers.

Afdhel is an absolutely amazing teacher, author, and speaker, and his wisdom is extremely applicable, (especially about stories), which he says is a nonprofit’s “greatest currency” to get people to care!

In This Episode:

• How Afdhel’s 20-year career in brand management was shaken during a trip back home to Sri Lanka for his brother’s wedding (the country was hit by the 2004 tsunami!)
• Winning over conscious consumers who want to buy from brands who care about big issues – and why this can be the lynchpin in them choosing YOU over someone else
• Why stories are the greatest asset you have as a nonprofit – plus, the different layers of purpose according to Afdhel (brand purpose, corporate purpose and individual purpose)
• What brands have learned from nonprofits, and what nonprofits need to learn from successful brands
• How to attain employees who want meaning and purpose in their work (and how companies are painting a bigger picture when attracting talent)
• Why nonprofits and brands need to stop hating on each other and instead, learn together to help solve the world’s problems

Resources & Links

Check out Afdhel’s podcast, Good is the New Cool (and his favorite “fun” podcast, The Rewatchables) and his books, Good is the New Cool: Market Like You Give a Damn and Good is the New Cool: The Principles of Purpose.

To learn more and to get in touch with Afdhel, you can visit his website or connect with him on LinkedIn.

Spend less time posting manually and use L

Already have a monthly giving program? The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind starts in January and is just for you.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

Let's Connect!

• Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!
• My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
• Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

Newflash: You’re probably not emailing your list enough!

In Q4 of 2022, Jess Campbell, founder and principal at Out in the Boons, wrote over FOUR HUNDRED emails for nine campaigns! As you can imagine, she learned a lot, and she’s here today to share the nuts and bolts of email marketing - from coming up with creative subject lines, to personalizing and segmenting your email content.

While most nonprofits are emailing their lists one or two times a month, Jess says we need to be more consistent. I have no doubt this episode will inspire you to rethink your email strategy.

In This Episode:

• Why we need to be more consistent with emailing our lists (and 1-2x per month is not enough!) Jess aims for three emails a week for each of her different audiences.
• How emailing your list more often can actually lead to a healthier list, more open rates, more clicks, and more engagement.
• Jess’s origin story of falling in love with nonprofit fundraising, and the “slap in the face” moment that inspired her to launch Out in the Boons.
• Why shorter subject lines (with an emoji!) tend to have higher open rates.
• The industry standard benchmarks for open rates across all nonprofits and the best cadence for structuring a welcome sequence.
• How to convert your social media followers to join your email list (because the people who are paying attention to you across different channels are your most engaged supporters)

Resources & Links

Spend less time posting manually and use Later for all your social media management and analytics needs! Start with a FREE account today.

Learn more about Jess’s company, Out in the Boons and DM her on Instagram at @outintheboons_. She is also on TikTok and LinkedIn.

Jess and I recommend email platforms like Flodesk, ActiveCampaign, and ConvertKit. You can get better conversion rates and inbox placement by using Klean13, a list hygiene software.

What if you could grow your email list with passionate supporters ready to rally behind your mission? My bestselling course, Grow Your Supporter List, is on sale for 20% off, just for podcast listeners. Enter code PODCAST at checkout and learn how to launch two social media ad lead generation campaigns in an hour! This offer is valid through April 30, 2023.

Want to make

Already have a monthly giving program? The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind starts in January and is just for you.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

Let's Connect!

• Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!
• My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
• Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

If you’re a data driven person, get ready for a nitty gritty breakdown of the fifth edition release of the Nonprofit Trends Report, which answers a fundamental question:

Why do digital, mature organizations fare better than others?

Today we’ll break down the five chapters of the report with John Jensen, the Senior Director of Nonprofit Insights at Salesforce. In his role, he helps Salesforce for Nonprofits’ Product Marketing teams build the broadest possible understanding of the sector's goals and challenges across the world. After downloading the latest report, I knew I had to have him on the show.

Allow this conversation to inspire you to generate conversations within your organization. Where are you individually? And how can you make improvements?

In This Episode:

• How AI can improve donations by identifying different journeys, streams, and messages, which will requires fundraisers to think more creatively
• 40% of dollars raised in the US comes from 1% of donors! Younger, wealthier donors tend to be much more impact focused than older donors
• The tension that nonprofits are facing with minor vs. major donors
• How to improve the digital maturity of your organization without “fancy” tools or metrics
• The super simple “wouldn’t it be awesome if…?” framework to brainstorm the right questions
• Why nonprofits around the world are facing employee retention challenges and the importance of incorporating technology into your culture to make your organization a better place to work

Resources & Links

Spend less time posting manually and use Later for all your social media management and analytics needs! Start with a FREE account today.

Get your hands on the full report John and I talked through today. The Salesforce Nonprofit Trends Report contains insights from over 1,600 nonprofit managers and executives.

Connect with John at [email protected] or on Twitter at @johnjensen and tell him what your priorities are for 2023.

Episode Partners:

Feathr is trusted by nonprofits of all shapes and wing-spans — including Hiway 80, who used Feathr to launch new retargeting ads and email campaigns. The result? They reached 36,000 new people and brought in $13,000 in donations, 300% more than their original goal! Don’t rely on magic to hit your goals next year. Use Feathr to elevate your digital marketing campaigns and grow impact in 2023. Click here to learn more.

Already have a monthly giving program? The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind starts in January and is just for you.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

Let's Connect!

• Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!
• My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
• Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

2.2 million Americans are without sinks, bathtubs, toilets, and water - something that feels so hard to fathom in 2023. The even crazier thing? Every year, we're adding more to that number. George McGraw is the founder and CEO behind DigDeep, an organization who brings clean, running water to hundreds of American families.

George shares the storytelling strategies that have brought to light this significant problem, the work he’s done with the Navajo Nation, and a challenge you can try that will change the way you think about water forever. He also shares more about the intricacies of his digital-first team and the lessons he learned along the way.

P.S. I have an audacious goal to reach 100 reviews by the end of March. If you can take 30 seconds to write a sentence or two about the show and what it's meant to you, it would mean the absolute world to me in celebration of this super special milestone. Leave a review here!

In This Episode:

• The storytelling approach George and his team use that has boosted awareness and contributed to fundraising efforts
• How alchemy, magic, and asking tough questions created a powerful culture throughout the DigDeep organization
• Why it’s important to be in control of your marketing message to avoid alienating allies (and why you need a press kit!)
• Inside the 4Liters challenge, a continuous effort which challenges Americans to live in “water poverty” for one day

Resources & Links

Spend less time posting manually and use Later for all your social media management and analytics needs! Start with a FREE account today.

Learn more about George and his mission at DigDeep and connect with him on LinkedIn. You can also check out the work they’ve done with the Navajo Water Project and St Michaels Association for Special Education.

Try the 4Liters challenge to see what it’s like to live in water poverty for a day.

Episode Partners:

Feathr is trusted by nonprofits of all shapes and wing-spans — including Hiway 80, who used Feathr to launch new retargeting ads and email campaigns. The result? They reached 36,000 new people and brought in $13,000 in donations, 300% more than their original goal! Don’t rely on magic to hit your goals next year. Use Feathr to elevate your digital marketing campaigns and grow impact in 2023

Already have a monthly giving program? The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind starts in January and is just for you.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

Let's Connect!

• Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!
• My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.
• Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!