Archive for January 6th, 2009

My Dad used to joke that he ran a non-profit business…because he didn’t make a profit from it. (Ba-dum DUM. Thank you…I’ll be here through Thursday…try the veal…and please tip your waitperson.) I’ve had a lot of experience with marketing for non-profits, and I’ve found they fit solidly into two camps – groups that think big, and groups that think small. The big-thinkers are usually (but not always) big charities – you know…March of Dimes, Susan G. Kommen…that kind of organization. They are well funded and do some pretty sophisticated marketing. Then there’s the little guys – who generally think small – and get similar results. As a marketer, I’ve found the trick to be getting small non-profits to try and think big. That doesn’t mean spending a lot…it just means resetting their frame of reference, and using marketing to make them appear to be bigger, more organized, and more successful than they really are. Read the rest of this entry »

This is going to be a pretty short post, by design. I believe when someone famous suffers some personal tragedy, they should be given the opportunity to grive in private. There is no “people’s right to know,” in this kind of thing. Period. I’ve never met John Travolta or Kelly Preston. Don’t know them, other than by their work as actors. My heart goes out to them as a parent. I (thankfully) can’t imagine what it would be like to lose a child, especially to some sudden illness. I pray that God will give them peace. On the other hand, I pray that God will get out his smiting bag, and open up a can of plagues to send to most of the mainstream media. Here’s why… Read the rest of this entry »