Hey there,

Before we get into this issue of Whiteboard Wednesday, allow me to lament the loss of my childhood. AT&T recently announced they will discontinue “dial 0 for operator” and 411 information services in 2023.

Three quick thoughts:

Ok, that’s off my chest. Let’s get this party started…

by Dave Kirby dave@vidarecreative.com

I’m assuming we’ve all heard that saying. And yet it’s confounding to me how many people seem to ignore its wisdom (me included.)

When I was a kid, my parents were small business owners. They hired a consulting firm to help them streamline operations and raise profits. The consultants came in and spent 2 or 3 days observing, then offered their list of recommendations. 

My parents’ response was literally to argue with everything the experts recommended.

“That’s not how we do it.” 

“That won’t work for us.” 

“You don’t understand.” 

They were unwilling to accept that there may be a better way but still hoped for better results. Needless to say, nothing changed.

At Vidare Creative, I can’t tell you the number of times we’ve seen the exact same thing happen. Stations hire us to help them raise more money. But when we make recommendations based on hundreds of fundraisers with dozens of stations over three decades, it’s a toss-up whether they will actually follow the advice.

Look, I know change is scary. I also know how hard it is to let go and admit that our way is not always the best. But for growth to happen, it’s necessary. Unfortunately, doing the same thing rarely yields better results.

Whatever segment of your operation you want to improve, it will require admitting we need help. It will require facing the fact that there might be someone out there that has a better idea. Heck, that principle applies to our lives. That’s why we have counselors and life coaches.

Please hear my heart; I’m not pointing fingers or picking on anyone. But the status quo won’t get you better. “In one ear and out the other” will not push you forward to your goals or raise more money.

Remember, leadership is not about having all the answers. It’s about identifying who can help, then having the foresight to let them.

What’s that off in the distance? Can you see it?

It’s 2023, and it’s getting closer all the time.

Assuming you have your plans in place for the rest of this year, it’s time to start thinking about what you are doing next year to support your fundraising efforts.

And hopefully, at the top of the list is to take care of and retain the donors you already have. And that’s an ongoing process.

That’s why we created the “Fundraising 365 Toolkit.” It’s a ready-made plan to help you engage your donors, thank your donors, and *hopefully* keep your donors.

It’s a calendar, email copy, a welcome series, and more to help you keep your CURRENT donors so you can focus on finding NEW donors. It also includes membership in a community to help each other with encouragement and ongoing ideas.

And it’s only $399!

The new year is a great time to put the plan into action. So grab your Fundraising 365 Toolkit, and let’s make 2023 shine.

Is the age of social media ending?

What does that mean for your engagement efforts? 

It’s not your imagination; airplane seats have gotten smaller. And the FAA might be doing something about it. So go ahead and eat that extra piece of pie this thanksgiving!

The weirdest roadside attractions for each state, like the world’s biggest ball of paint in Indiana or the Spam Museum in Minnesota. Any you’d like to add to the list?

By Olivia Yetman olivia@killerbeemarketing.com

Just like stations play Christmas music to attract new listeners, Christmas is also the perfect time to connect with new listeners on Social Media.

When it comes to Social Media at the holidays, it’s the perfect time to hone in on the emotions that the holiday season brings. Create content that makes listeners feel warm and fuzzy. Make sure you’re taking advantage of all the tools that the platforms have to offer, like stories, all text-colored background graphics, and reels. 

You can talk about Thanksgiving recipes, what to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers, and Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Christmas Music, movies, and treats. Go live and read the Christmas story or have your DJs serenade your listeners with some Christmas Carols. The list goes on and on.

With the warm and fuzzy of the Holiday Season, it’s also important to create content that helps with a problem that listeners may be facing during the holidays. Keep in mind that the holidays can be hard for many people, whether they’re dealing with anxiety about being around family members or celebrating the holidays after losing a loved one. So let them know that they are seen, loved, and not alone. 

We know that Jesus is the Reason for the Christmas Season. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity that you have to spread the Gospel with new followers that may have found you from a funny Thanksgiving or Christmas post that you may have done. Going live on Facebook and Instagram really allows you the opportunity to pray with people and share what the Christmas Season is all about. Make sure you have a plan before going live, though. It’s never a good idea just to “wing it” when it comes to live videos. 

Many stations also have their end-of-year fundraisers in November and December. This is a great opportunity once again to use stories, reels, or live videos to show your listeners what their support has allowed your station to do throughout the year. Make the listener the star of this type of content. Show them pictures and videos and give numbers so they can see the impact that their gifts are having on their community. 

This holiday season, grab your teams and have a brainstorming session about what the holidays mean to them. There are a lot of unique and fun traditions that each person has that can help spark some fun holiday ideas for your holiday content this year.

If your team could use some extra help with social media content ideas this Holiday season, our team at Killer Bee Strategies offers twenty content ideas every month, helping you get time back to engage with your listeners online. CLICK HERE to learn more.

Thanks for reading!

We’ll close this issue with a quote from author James Clear:

"One of the simplest ways to win is to always connect the small things you do to the larger thing you hope to accomplish. 

Five minutes can be spent working on something trivial or working on something life-changing. A brief session of work-oriented toward a great cause is always time well spent. 

Most daily actions evaporate. Some accumulate."

Imagine the impact you could make in the next year by simply taking daily, consistent action on your fundraising efforts. Do one thing you weren’t doing before. 

And finally,  I’m not sure if this is cute or terrifying.