Last year around this time I wrote a post on a summer reading list for fundraisers. It’s still a great list of books so you should check it out!
But reading is just one of the things fundraisers—and cause marketers—should be doing this summer.
Here are four more ideas for the dog days of summer.
Check out the Presentations from the CMF Conference
There were some great presentations at this year’s Cause Marketing Forum Conference. You can view all the presentations here. Some of my favorites include:
- David Hessekiel interviews of Blake Mycoskie of TOMS Shoes. (No, I don’t know why Blake wore those pants)
- Cause marketing legal issues with Karen Wu and Tracy Boak, Perlman & Perlman, LLP
- Cause video close-up with Anne Erhard, MSLGROUP and Zachary Dominitz, Flow Nonfiction
These are just a few. You have dozens of presentations to choose from!
Start a Blog
I meet with good people all the time who ask me how they can enhance their professional reputations (whether it’s in cause marketing or another field). I tell them all the same thing: start a blog.
I’ve been blogging since 2004 and it’s been hands-down the best thing I ever did. Yes, it requires time, commitment and creativity. But so few people actually do the work that you have a great opportunity to stand out as a bleader (blogger + leader) in your field.
Are you wondering what platform to use? I would give Medium a try. It was founded by Ev Williams—the guy who also founded Blogger and this other site…oh, what’s the name! Oh yeah, TWITTER!
I like what they are trying to accomplish over at Medium. It’s all about making words shine! Pictures are great, but words rule!
Wondering what you should write about? Don’t. Just start writing. You’ll find your niche. The important thing is to get started.
Catch Up on CauseTalk Radio
Every week or two, Megan and talk to a cause leader. I learn a ton, and I know you will too. I’ve curated all the shows from the past year on Pinterest so you can easily scan them and a pick a show to listen to. Alternatively, you can search “CauseTalk Radio” on my blog.
Become a Regular on Twitter
It’s not enough to join Twitter. You have to be active on it.
I get a lot of from Twitter (follow me at @joewaters!). I learn about my field and other things I’m interested in (like the Internet of Things). I use Twitter Search more than I use Google to explore and find things I’m interested in.
But that’s not all. I talk with friends, retweet things to share, favorite tweets I want to save for later reading, get people’s opinions on things I’m writing about, and ask for help on just about everything.
On what other social network can you accomplish all that!
Okay, you don’t need to do all of these this summer. After all, summer is time for rest and relaxation! So pick just one—and tell me in the comments below which one you chose and why.