Summary

In this episode of the Inbox to Impact podcast, Katelyn Baughan welcomes Jordana Merkin from Voice for Good to discuss the critical importance of clear messaging for nonprofits. Jordana shares her 15+ year journey in nonprofit marketing and communications, explaining how she helps small to mid-size organizations clarify their messaging to attract and engage the right audiences. The conversation explores practical strategies for creating consistent messaging across all channels, the importance of values-based communication, and how to craft emails that truly resonate with donors. They discuss the power of human-centered communication, storytelling techniques, and the common mistakes nonprofits make in their messaging efforts.

Takeaways

• The golden rule of communication is "show me you know me" - messaging should focus on the audience, not the organization.
• Clear messaging requires a written guide that everyone in the organization can access and understand.
• Values-based messaging attracts the right people and repels the wrong ones - and that's okay.
• Emails should come from real individuals within the organization, not generic organizational addresses.
• Organizations need to explain both the problem and the solution, not assume everyone understands.
• Use "you" more frequently in communications to create connection and show value to the reader.
• Connect through universal emotions even if readers haven't experienced the specific problem you solve.
• Every organization needs a consistent voice and personality that sounds human across all channels.
• Messaging guides are internal documents that fuel external growth by ensuring consistency.
• Stories of transformation help donors understand both your why and your impact.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:51 Jordana's Background and Voice for Good
03:06 The Foundation of Clear Communication
06:16 Creating a Messaging Guide
08:27 Implementing Messaging Across Channels
12:17 Voice and Tone in Nonprofit Communications
14:23 Common Email Marketing Mistakes and Solutions

Resources from show

• Voice for Good
• Elevator pitch freebie

Connect with Katelyn

• Linkedin: Katelyn Baughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/katelyn-baughan/
• Join my email list: http://eepurl.com/gr-QRv
• Instagram: @kb_digital
• Website: katelynbaughan.com